The Second Book of the
KINGS
Author: Unknown, Attributed to Jeremiah
Date: Uncertain, Probably Between 560 B.C. and 538 B.C.
Theme: Lessons from the Ruin of Israel and Judah
Key Words: King, House, Prophet
Author. Second Kings was originally the second half of one book which included 1 and 2 Kings (see “Content” below). This work must have been compiled some time after the capture of Judah by the Babylonians in 586 B.C. (see ch. 25). It seems to have been the product of one author, who was an eyewitness to the fall of Jerusalem. Though the authorship cannot be known with certainty, several suggestions have been made. Some have nominated Ezra as the compiler, while others point to Isaiah as the editor. Compare 18:19, 20 with Isaiah 6–39. A number of scholars say that the writer of 2 Kings was an unknown prophet or some Jewish captive in Babylon at about 550 B.C. Because Josephus (a prominent Jewish historian of the first century A.D.) ascribes Kings to “the prophets,” many have abandoned the search for a specific author. However, the most probable position is that the prophet Jeremiah was author of 1 and 2 Kings. Early Jewish tradition of the Talmud states that Jeremiah wrote Kings. This famous prophet preached in Jerusalem before and after its fall, and chapters 24 and 25 appear in Jeremiah 9–42; 52. The contents of all but the last appendix (25:27–30) could have been written by Jeremiah, and the final verses added by one of Jeremiah’s disciples.
Date. Though the precise date for the composition of 1 and 2 Kings is uncertain, it is believed to have come into its final compilation sometime in the late sixth century B.C. The last event recorded in 2 Kings is the release of King Jehoiachin of Judah from imprisonment in Babylon. Since Jehoiachin was imprisoned in 597 B.C. (see 24:8–17) and released thirty-seven years later (see 25:27), then Kings must have been written after 560 B.C. to include this information. It is almost certain that the writer of Kings would have mentioned something as significant as the fall of Babylon to Persia in 538 B.C. had he known of these events. Since there is no mention of this prominent event in Kings, it is then concluded that 1 and 2 Kings probably was written before 538 B.C. Therefore the date of 1 and 2 Kings is fixed between 560 and 538 B.C., though some of the events recorded in these books occurred many years earlier.
Background. The events covered in 2 Kings span a period of almost three hundred years. Second Kings records the turbulent experiences of God’s people from the reign of Ahaziah (the ninth king in the northern kingdom of Israel) around 853 B.C., through the fall of Israel to Assyria in 722 B.C., through the fall of Jerusalem and the deportation of Judah to Babylon in 586 B.C., and ends with the release of King Jehoiachin in 560 B.C. This was a difficult period in the history of God’s people, a time of great change and upheaval. There was struggle from within and pressure from without. The result was a dark moment in the history of God’s people: the collapse and eventual captivity of both nations.
Occasion and Purpose. Contemplating the horror of the exile of God’s people, the author compiles 1 and 2 Kings to answer the looming question of why both the northern kingdom of Israel and the southern kingdom of Judah had been taken captive. He writes with a prophetic message, showing that this punishment by captivity to foreign pagan nations was the inevitable consequence of the persistent violation of God’s covenant with them. Kings was written to cause the exiles to reflect on their history and return to the Lord. Perhaps this prophetic perspective is one reason why it was included in the “earlier prophets” in the Hebrew Bible.
Content. First and 2 Kings were originally one unbroken book, which formed a sequel to 1 and 2 Samuel. The composers of the Greek Old Testament (the Septuagint, or LXX) divided the work into “3 and 4 Kingdoms” (1 and 2 Sam. were “1 and 2 Kingdoms”). The title “Kings” is derived from Jerome’s Latin translation (the Vulgate) and is appropriate because of the emphasis of these books on the kings who reigned during these centuries.
The Book of 2 Kings takes up recording the historical events of God’s people where the Book of 1 Kings leaves off. However, 2 Kings is more than just a compilation of the politically important or socially significant happenings in Israel and Judah. In fact, it is not as detailed a history as might be expected (three hundred years in only twenty-five chapters). Instead, 2 Kings is a selective history, one with a theological purpose. Therefore, the author selects and emphasizes the people and events that are morally and religiously significant. Second Kings presents God as the Lord of history. From history, this book establishes God’s providential working in and through the lives of His people for His redemptive purpose. It demonstrates the necessity of obedience to God’s covenant and the painful consequence of disobedience. Therefore, the Book of 2 Kings is not to be viewed as mere history, but as theology and lessons from history.
Second Kings picks up the tragic history of the “divided kingdom” with Ahaziah on the throne of Israel, while Jehoshaphat is ruling in Judah. As with 1 Kings, the narrative is difficult to follow. The author switches back and forth between the northern kingdom of Israel and the southern kingdom of Judah, tracing their histories simultaneously. There were nineteen regents in Israel, all of them bad. In Judah, there were twenty rulers, only eight of them good. Second Kings records the last ten kings in Israel, and the last sixteen rulers in Judah. Some of these twenty-six regents are only mentioned in a few verses, while whole chapters are devoted to others. Major attention is directed to those who either serve as a model of uprightness, or to those who illustrate why these nations eventually collapsed.
Personal Application. The message of 2 Kings is as relevant today as when it was written. God still controls human affairs. The nation, leader, or person who responds to and obeys the Lord will enjoy the benefits of their relationship with Him. Those who refuse and rebel will experience God’s discipline. Though people are sinful, God is the author of redemption, and He graciously forgives those who will repent and return to Him.
Christ Revealed. The failure of the prophets, priests, and kings of God’s people points to the necessity of the advent of Christ. Christ Himself would be the ideal combination of these three offices. As a Prophet, Christ’s word far surpasses that of the great prophet Elijah (Matt. 17:1–5). Many of the miracles of Jesus were reminiscent of the wonders God did through Elijah and Elisha in 2 Kings. In addition, Christ is a Priest superior to any of those recorded in Kings (Heb. 7:22–27). Especially, 2 Kings vividly illustrates the need for Christ as our reigning King. When asked if He was King of the Jews, Jesus affirmed that He was (Matt. 27:11). However, Christ is a King greater than their greatest king (Matt. 12:42). The reign of each of the twenty-six rulers came to an end, but Christ will reign on the throne of David forever (1 Chr. 17:14; Is. 9:6), for He is “KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS” (Rev. 19:16). For a further study of allusions to Christ during the time of 2 Kings, read Introduction to 2 Chronicles: Christ Revealed.
The Holy Spirit at Work. The words of the prophets in 2:16 indicate that the Holy Spirit (the “Spirit of the LORD”) sometimes transported Elijah from one location to another (see 1 Kin. 18:12). This is not unlike Acts 8:39, 40, where Philip is described as having a similar experience.
There is an indirect reference to the Holy Spirit in the phrase “spirit of Elijah” found in 2:9, 15 (see the text and note on 1 Kin. 2:9–16). Here Elisha is seeking to receive the same empowerment Elijah had in order to carry on Elijah’s prophetic ministry. The energizing spirit or power that enabled Elijah to prophesy was the Spirit of God (see 1 Sam. 10:6, 10 and 19:20, 23). Second Kings 2:9–16 then provides an interesting Old Testament parallel to Acts 1:4–9 and 2:1–4. Elijah went into heaven, Elisha sought the promise of empowerment to carry on his master’s ministry, and he received it. In a similar way, Jesus ascended, the disciples awaited the promise, and the Holy Spirit descended to empower them to carry on the work that their Lord began.
A final allusion to the Holy Spirit in 2 Kings is in 3:15. Here the “hand of the LORD” came upon Elisha, enabling him to prophesy to King Jehoshaphat. The formula “hand of the LORD” referred to the divine inspiration for prophets (see Ezek. 1:3), which as noted above, is the Spirit of God. That prophecy is a manifestation of the Holy Spirit and is confirmed in 1 Corinthians 12:7–11.
For more on the Holy Spirit in the kingdom period, read Introduction to 1 Kings: The Holy Spirit at Work and Introduction to 2 Chronicles: The Holy Spirit at Work.
Jack W. Hayford, Spirit Filled Life Study Bible
KINGS
Author: Unknown, Attributed to Jeremiah
Date: Uncertain, Probably Between 560 B.C. and 538 B.C.
Theme: Lessons from the Ruin of Israel and Judah
Key Words: King, House, Prophet
Author. Second Kings was originally the second half of one book which included 1 and 2 Kings (see “Content” below). This work must have been compiled some time after the capture of Judah by the Babylonians in 586 B.C. (see ch. 25). It seems to have been the product of one author, who was an eyewitness to the fall of Jerusalem. Though the authorship cannot be known with certainty, several suggestions have been made. Some have nominated Ezra as the compiler, while others point to Isaiah as the editor. Compare 18:19, 20 with Isaiah 6–39. A number of scholars say that the writer of 2 Kings was an unknown prophet or some Jewish captive in Babylon at about 550 B.C. Because Josephus (a prominent Jewish historian of the first century A.D.) ascribes Kings to “the prophets,” many have abandoned the search for a specific author. However, the most probable position is that the prophet Jeremiah was author of 1 and 2 Kings. Early Jewish tradition of the Talmud states that Jeremiah wrote Kings. This famous prophet preached in Jerusalem before and after its fall, and chapters 24 and 25 appear in Jeremiah 9–42; 52. The contents of all but the last appendix (25:27–30) could have been written by Jeremiah, and the final verses added by one of Jeremiah’s disciples.
Date. Though the precise date for the composition of 1 and 2 Kings is uncertain, it is believed to have come into its final compilation sometime in the late sixth century B.C. The last event recorded in 2 Kings is the release of King Jehoiachin of Judah from imprisonment in Babylon. Since Jehoiachin was imprisoned in 597 B.C. (see 24:8–17) and released thirty-seven years later (see 25:27), then Kings must have been written after 560 B.C. to include this information. It is almost certain that the writer of Kings would have mentioned something as significant as the fall of Babylon to Persia in 538 B.C. had he known of these events. Since there is no mention of this prominent event in Kings, it is then concluded that 1 and 2 Kings probably was written before 538 B.C. Therefore the date of 1 and 2 Kings is fixed between 560 and 538 B.C., though some of the events recorded in these books occurred many years earlier.
Background. The events covered in 2 Kings span a period of almost three hundred years. Second Kings records the turbulent experiences of God’s people from the reign of Ahaziah (the ninth king in the northern kingdom of Israel) around 853 B.C., through the fall of Israel to Assyria in 722 B.C., through the fall of Jerusalem and the deportation of Judah to Babylon in 586 B.C., and ends with the release of King Jehoiachin in 560 B.C. This was a difficult period in the history of God’s people, a time of great change and upheaval. There was struggle from within and pressure from without. The result was a dark moment in the history of God’s people: the collapse and eventual captivity of both nations.
Occasion and Purpose. Contemplating the horror of the exile of God’s people, the author compiles 1 and 2 Kings to answer the looming question of why both the northern kingdom of Israel and the southern kingdom of Judah had been taken captive. He writes with a prophetic message, showing that this punishment by captivity to foreign pagan nations was the inevitable consequence of the persistent violation of God’s covenant with them. Kings was written to cause the exiles to reflect on their history and return to the Lord. Perhaps this prophetic perspective is one reason why it was included in the “earlier prophets” in the Hebrew Bible.
Content. First and 2 Kings were originally one unbroken book, which formed a sequel to 1 and 2 Samuel. The composers of the Greek Old Testament (the Septuagint, or LXX) divided the work into “3 and 4 Kingdoms” (1 and 2 Sam. were “1 and 2 Kingdoms”). The title “Kings” is derived from Jerome’s Latin translation (the Vulgate) and is appropriate because of the emphasis of these books on the kings who reigned during these centuries.
The Book of 2 Kings takes up recording the historical events of God’s people where the Book of 1 Kings leaves off. However, 2 Kings is more than just a compilation of the politically important or socially significant happenings in Israel and Judah. In fact, it is not as detailed a history as might be expected (three hundred years in only twenty-five chapters). Instead, 2 Kings is a selective history, one with a theological purpose. Therefore, the author selects and emphasizes the people and events that are morally and religiously significant. Second Kings presents God as the Lord of history. From history, this book establishes God’s providential working in and through the lives of His people for His redemptive purpose. It demonstrates the necessity of obedience to God’s covenant and the painful consequence of disobedience. Therefore, the Book of 2 Kings is not to be viewed as mere history, but as theology and lessons from history.
Second Kings picks up the tragic history of the “divided kingdom” with Ahaziah on the throne of Israel, while Jehoshaphat is ruling in Judah. As with 1 Kings, the narrative is difficult to follow. The author switches back and forth between the northern kingdom of Israel and the southern kingdom of Judah, tracing their histories simultaneously. There were nineteen regents in Israel, all of them bad. In Judah, there were twenty rulers, only eight of them good. Second Kings records the last ten kings in Israel, and the last sixteen rulers in Judah. Some of these twenty-six regents are only mentioned in a few verses, while whole chapters are devoted to others. Major attention is directed to those who either serve as a model of uprightness, or to those who illustrate why these nations eventually collapsed.
Personal Application. The message of 2 Kings is as relevant today as when it was written. God still controls human affairs. The nation, leader, or person who responds to and obeys the Lord will enjoy the benefits of their relationship with Him. Those who refuse and rebel will experience God’s discipline. Though people are sinful, God is the author of redemption, and He graciously forgives those who will repent and return to Him.
Christ Revealed. The failure of the prophets, priests, and kings of God’s people points to the necessity of the advent of Christ. Christ Himself would be the ideal combination of these three offices. As a Prophet, Christ’s word far surpasses that of the great prophet Elijah (Matt. 17:1–5). Many of the miracles of Jesus were reminiscent of the wonders God did through Elijah and Elisha in 2 Kings. In addition, Christ is a Priest superior to any of those recorded in Kings (Heb. 7:22–27). Especially, 2 Kings vividly illustrates the need for Christ as our reigning King. When asked if He was King of the Jews, Jesus affirmed that He was (Matt. 27:11). However, Christ is a King greater than their greatest king (Matt. 12:42). The reign of each of the twenty-six rulers came to an end, but Christ will reign on the throne of David forever (1 Chr. 17:14; Is. 9:6), for He is “KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS” (Rev. 19:16). For a further study of allusions to Christ during the time of 2 Kings, read Introduction to 2 Chronicles: Christ Revealed.
The Holy Spirit at Work. The words of the prophets in 2:16 indicate that the Holy Spirit (the “Spirit of the LORD”) sometimes transported Elijah from one location to another (see 1 Kin. 18:12). This is not unlike Acts 8:39, 40, where Philip is described as having a similar experience.
There is an indirect reference to the Holy Spirit in the phrase “spirit of Elijah” found in 2:9, 15 (see the text and note on 1 Kin. 2:9–16). Here Elisha is seeking to receive the same empowerment Elijah had in order to carry on Elijah’s prophetic ministry. The energizing spirit or power that enabled Elijah to prophesy was the Spirit of God (see 1 Sam. 10:6, 10 and 19:20, 23). Second Kings 2:9–16 then provides an interesting Old Testament parallel to Acts 1:4–9 and 2:1–4. Elijah went into heaven, Elisha sought the promise of empowerment to carry on his master’s ministry, and he received it. In a similar way, Jesus ascended, the disciples awaited the promise, and the Holy Spirit descended to empower them to carry on the work that their Lord began.
A final allusion to the Holy Spirit in 2 Kings is in 3:15. Here the “hand of the LORD” came upon Elisha, enabling him to prophesy to King Jehoshaphat. The formula “hand of the LORD” referred to the divine inspiration for prophets (see Ezek. 1:3), which as noted above, is the Spirit of God. That prophecy is a manifestation of the Holy Spirit and is confirmed in 1 Corinthians 12:7–11.
For more on the Holy Spirit in the kingdom period, read Introduction to 1 Kings: The Holy Spirit at Work and Introduction to 2 Chronicles: The Holy Spirit at Work.
Jack W. Hayford, Spirit Filled Life Study Bible
