15:1-2 Azariah, king of Judah, reigns fifty-two years in Jerusalem; his mother's name is Jecholiah. He is a faithful king and lives righteously. A central issue remains, however, the high places are still not removed.
15:3-5 In 2 Chronicles 26 we read of Azariah's downfall, which caused God to become displeased with him.
15:6-7 Azariah dies and is buried in the city of David.
15:8-12 Zechariah is a corrupt king who reigns for six months in Samaria but is killed by Shallum, who forcibly takes his place as king. This is the end of Jehu's family in the kingship; God prophesied that the fourth generation would be the last, 2 Kings 10:30. God builds everlasting covenants with His faithful children, but the evil are limited by their own sin.
15:13-16 Shallum reigns only a month in Samaria before he is killed by Menahem, who takes his place as king. The violence and instability of the kingship is the consequence of these men choosing not to lead righteous lives. They allow their temptation and lust for power and wealth kill their way to the position of king; the quality of the kingdom is not a priority.
15:17-20 Menahem reigns for ten years in Samaria; he does not do what is right in the sight of the Lord. God's judgement is perfect and forgiving, throughout the Bible He is generous in leading and welcoming His children back into His good graces. But these evil kings have no intention of changing or growing for the better.
15:21-22 Menahem dies and his son Pekahiah becomes king.
15:23-26 Pekahiah is another corrupt king and he reigns just two years. Pekahiah is plotted against and killed in Samaria by a man named Pekah; nothing is accomplished by this incessant, senseless violence.
15:27-28 Pekah, another unfaithful and wicked man, reigns over Israel for twenty years in Samaria.
15:29 The Assyrian king Tiglath-Pileser conquers and takes captive the inhavitance of the land of Naphtali and much of northern Israel's territory.
15:30-31 Pekah is conspired against and killed by Hoshea. Hoshea becomes king. These evil men have no security, and the only consistency they have is constant chaos.
15:32-35 Jotham, the son of Uzziah/Azariah and Jerusha becomes king in Judah. He is twenty-five and reigns for sixteen years. Jotham is a righteous king, like his father. But still, people sacrifice on the high places. Jotham builds the Upper Gate of the house of the Lord, evidence that his priorities were focused on spiritual restoration.
15:36-38 More of Jotham, and other kings of Judah, is written in the book of Chronicles. King of Syria, Rezin and Pekah, king of Judah rise against Judah. Jotham dies and is buried; his son Ahaz becomes king.
