2 Kings 15:8-12

2 Kings 15:8-12

[8] In the thirty  and eighth  year  of Azariah  king  of Judah  did Zachariah  the son  of Jeroboam  reign  over Israel  in Samaria  six  months.  [9] And he did  that which was evil  in the sight  of the LORD,  as his fathers  had done:  he departed  not from the sins  of Jeroboam  the son  of Nebat,  who made Israel  to sin.  [10] And Shallum  the son  of Jabesh  conspired  against him, and smote  the people,  and slew  him, and reigned  [11] And the rest  of the acts  of Zachariah,  behold, they are written  in the book  of the chronicles  of the kings  of Israel.  [12] This was the word  of the LORD  which he spake  unto Jehu,  saying,  Thy sons  shall sit  on the throne  of Israel  unto the fourth  generation. And so it came to pass.

What does 2 Kings 15:8-12 Mean?

Contextual Meaning

Zechariah reigned only six months (753-752 B.C.) before his successor Shallum assassinated him. Zechariah was the fourth and last king of Jehu"s dynasty ( 2 Kings 15:12; cf. 2 Kings 10:30). The fact that the people made Shallum king after he killed Zechariah suggests that Zechariah was not popular.
"Zechariah"s reign also is noteworthy in that it begins an era of intrigue. Shallum becomes the first person of this current era to come to power through conspiracy and assassination." [1]
"The death of this last king of the dynasty of Jehu ( 2 Kings 15:12) saw the end of the Northern Kingdom proper. In the last twenty years six rulers were to follow each other, but only one was to die naturally. Anarchy, rivalry and regicide led to terminal bloodshed which fulfilled Hosea"s prophecies ( 2 Kings 1:4)." [2]