Book of 2 Kings

Author: The Book of 2 Kings does not name its author. The tradition is that the prophet Jeremiah was the author of both 1 and 2 Kings.

Date of Writing: The Book of 2 Kings, along with 1 Kings, was likely written between 560 and 540 B.C.

Purpose of Writing: The Book of 2 Kings is a sequel to the Book of 1 Kings. 2 Kings continues the story of kings over the divided kingdom (Israel and Judah. 2 Kings concludes with the final overthrow and deportation of both Israel and Judah's people, to Assyria and Babylon respectively.

Key Verses: 2 Kings 2:15, "The company of the prophets from Jericho, who were watching, said, 'The spirit of Elijah is resting on Elisha.' And they went to meet him and bowed to the ground before him."

2 Kings 17:6, "In the ninth year of Hoshea, the king of Assyria captured Samaria and deported the Israelites to Assyria. He settled them in Halah, in Gozan on the Habor River and in the towns of the Medes."

2 Kings 22:2, "He did what was right in the eyes of the LORD and walked in all the ways of his father David, not turning aside to the right or to the left."

2 Kings 25:8-10, "On the seventh day of the fifth month, in the nineteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, Nebuzaradan commander of the imperial guard, an official of the king of Babylon, came to Jerusalem. He set fire to the temple of the LORD, the royal palace and all the houses of Jerusalem. Every important building he burned down. The whole Babylonian army, under the commander of the imperial guard, broke down the walls around Jerusalem."

Brief Summary: 2 Kings depicts the downfall of the divided kingdom. Prophets continue to warn the people that the judgment of God is at hand, but they will not repent. The kingdom of Israel is repeatedly ruled by wicked kings, and even though a few of Judah's kings are good, the majority are bad. These few good rulers, along with Elisha and other prophets, cannot stop the nation's decline. The Northern Kingdom of Israel is eventually destroyed by the Assyrians, and about 136 years later the Southern Kingdom of Judah is destroyed by the Babylonians.

Practical Application: God hates sin and He will not allow it to continue indefinitely. God may at times use heathen to bring correction to His people. God loves us so much that He sometimes has to discipline us. God gives us warning before delivering judgment. We can have total confidence that God will never leave us or forsake us.

Recommended Resources: 1 & 2 Kings, Holman Old Testament Commentary by Gary Inrig.
1st & 2nd Kings, New American Commentary by Paul House.

Related Topics:

Book of 1 Samuel

Book of 2 Samuel

Book of 1 Kings

Book of 1 Chronicles

Book of 2 Chronicles