“The Second Book of Kings,” Old Testament Seminary Teacher Resource Manual (2003), 137–43
“The Second Book of Kings,” Old Testament Seminary Teacher Resource Manual, 137–43
The Second Book of the Kings
As stated in the introduction to the book of 1 Kings, in the Hebrew text the books of 1 and 2 Kings were one book. In 2 Kings is a record of events of the divided kingdoms of Israel and Judah from about 850 B.C. to 560 It tells of the prophets Elijah, Elisha, and Isaiah and ends with the tragic accounts of the destruction of the northern kingdom of Israel by the Assyrians and of the southern kingdom of Judah by the Babylonians. These accounts of destruction and captivity fulfilled the prophetic warnings of Moses (see Deuteronomy 8:10–20) and Samuel (see 1 Samuel 12:14–15, 24–25).
As you study 2 Kings, look for the causes of the kingdom of Israel’s defeat by the Assyrians. Also consider why the kingdom of Judah survived over one hundred years longer than the kingdom of Israel even though they both faced the same enemies. Search for why Judah finally fell to Babylon and what could have prevented their destruction.
A complete list of Israel’s and Judah’s kings can be helpful while studying 2 Kings (see Bible Dictionary, “chronology,” pp. 637–39; see also “The Kings and the Prophets of Israel and Judah, pp. 232–35; the charts in Old Testament Student Manual: 1 Kings–Malachi, pp. 35, 39, 43).