II kings

1. II Kings
Elijah’s ProphecyIs Fulfilled, Ascent to Heaven 1-2
1. The prophecybegins to take effect as Moab rebels against Israel after
Ahab’s death, through the death of the rebelling Ahaziah. Jehoram
reigns.
2.Elijah is lofted to heaven alive in a whirlwind from Gilgal (where Joshua
made first encampment and where Samuel rallied the people to Saul) or
from Beth-el or from Jericho or to the Jordan. Disciples show up at each
destination. Elijah encourages Elisha to go on, but he stays each time.
They cross the Jordan. A chariot of fire and horses of fire came and
separated them, and Elijah ascended to heaven in the whirlwind. Elisha
took his garments and rent them in two. Elisha picks up Elijah’s mantle, and
the spirit of Elijah rested on him.
Much in sacred text about Elijah’s later appearances on earth. Was it just
his spirit? Was he just taken some place high and far away to live? Did his
body get purified in some way and go to the spiritual world?

2. Elisha Becomesthe Leading Prophet
1. Jehoram becomes the king of Israel, allies with Jehoshaphat to fight
Moab, gets into trouble in the desert,and seeks help from a prophet.
They have a fascinating encounter with Elisha in 3. One fine part of the
narrative is when Elisha, so disturbed by Jehoram, asks “to bring me a
musician” so he draw upon himself the prophetic spirit he had lost!
Rashi says this was to return him to a state of joy so he could receive
prophecyagain. Then “the hand of HASHEM came upon him.”
2. Elisha’s prophecyof a miracle - a valley full of water and other
developments that lead to victory over Moab.
3. Now we see the compassionate side of Elisha in 4. The widow of a
prophet (maybe Obadiah) is in desperate straits (due possiblyto unethical
behavior of Jehoram) comes to Elisha, seeking help, and he provides her
an unending flow of oil. (This is reminiscent of the earlier story of Elijah.)
(There is a fantastic deep,spiritual reading of this story in the notes on pp.
256, 257.It shows the interest of sages at looking at deeperlevels of
narrative to see the working of God, the soul, and our best decisions and
actions.)

3. 4. Another act of generosity - with the Shunammite woman. She’s
hospitable to him, and he effects the miracle both of blessing her with a
child and then restoring the child to life after he dies. (Also, reminiscent of
Elijah)
5. Another miracle. Food for starving prophets. In Gilgal. He now teaches
and helps disciples where he first learned Elijah would be taken to heaven.
6. The Aramean general, Naaman, is struck with tzara’at (unusual in that
tzara’at only affected Jews,though he was an eminent man, well honored,
and the one through whom HASHEM granted victory to Aram, including
having killed Ahab). (Did he get the condition because of arrogance? Lots
of discussion.) He goes first to the king of Israel for relief.But it will take a
Divine agent. When Elisha hears of this, he wants to help to sanctify God’s
Name through the cure.
Part of the “treatment” is for Naaman to come in all his finery to Elisha’s
humble home to seek the cure (dealing with arrogance). Elisha prescribes
the bathing, and Naaman is enraged (still a problem!). His servants
convince him to acquiesce. He is cured (also of skepticism and
haughtiness and sees that his salvation came from God,abandoning
idolatry).
(We see in all of Elisha’s activity the service that is due God - helping
Israel, promoting the true and opposing the wicked, honoring the memory
of people of God,helping the poor and widow, keeping of the mitzvot,
promoting life, honoring hospitality, and bringing others away from idolatry
and to God.)

4. Naaman offers agift, which Elisha refuses, believing it was not due him, for
it was God’s miracle. Yet, in a moment of treachery, Elisha’s servant,
Gehazi, out of greed, seeks out Naaman on his return, and says in a lie
that his master wanted some money to give some disciples. Naaman gives
it to him. For acting unethically based on the character blemishof greed
and deceit, Gehazi is plagued by Elisha with tazara’at, and he is banished.
Elisha’s Miracles Continue. 6.
1. Concern for a disciple who faced a financial predicament. As the
disciples were building an additional dwelling, an axe-head fell into the
water and rises in a miracle.
2. Elisha foils Aramean ambushes. Then Aram goes into the famine-ridden
Samaria. The king apparently speaks of HASHEM favorably, and Elisha
prophecies atGod’s word an ultimate end to the famine because of it. But
the king returns to wicked ways after there’s food.

5. 3. The tale of the Shunammite woman continues in 9, with her property
stolen and ordered to be returned by the king.
4. Elisha goes to Damascus to fulfill the task of Elijah’s to name a new king
in Aram. Elisha propheciesthe rise of Hazael but grieves over the harm he
will do to Israel.
5. The spiritual decline of Judah, as Jehoshaphat dies and his son,
Jehoram, takes the reign and goes in wicked directions. Ahaziah, also evil,
becomes king next.
6. Elisha anoints Jehu, son of Jehoshaphat, as king of Israel, to destroy the
remnants of the house of Ahab. 9. Jehu kills both Jehoram and Ahaziah as
well as Jezebel.
7. Jehu pursues entire family of Ahab. 10. In doing so, he showed 4
leadership skills: he deflectedcriticism from himself, he made the leaders
of Samaria collaborators, stressed what they had done was in fulfillment of
Elijah’s prophecy, and established himself as king of Israel.
8. Jehu traps and destroys worshippers and idols of Baal. He removes Baal
from Israel over his 4 generation reign, but, partly because he “did not
watch to follow the Torah” altogether and turn away from the sins of
Jeroboam, the kingdom begins to be carved away by foreign invaders. He’s
succeeded byJehoahaz. (though Elisha installed him, the pick was
perhaps better than alternatives but not very good)

6. 9. The bloodthirsty Athaliah, daughter of Ahab and Jezebel, arises and has
influence in the south. Wickedness. 11.Joash was hidden. Queen is
overthrown, and he is made king of Judah, preserving the Davidic line.
Effortled by Jehoiada, the Kohen. Athaliah is executed.
10. Jehoash’s reign. 12. Some sages say he was righteous, but only as
long as Jehoida lived. He did restore the Temple. Judah suffered attacks at
the end, and he was assassinated. His son, Amaziah became king.
11. In Israel, Jehoahaz becomesking, Joash becomes king. It was during
his reign that God, with Elisha, gives some relief from Aram. But, though
complicated, Joashturns out mostly evil.
12. Elisha performs his last miracle. Some say since he asked for and was
granted by Elijah with a double share of spiritual power he performed16
miracles to Elijah’s 8. He responds to Joash’s plea in a manner worth
studying. 13:14-23.The shooting of the arrows. Elisha dies and is buried,
yet another miracle occurs when a bodyfalls into his grave and is
strengthened. A temporary victory over Aram.
Amaziah’s Reign in Judah
1. Righteous to a point. A bit like his father. He becomesoverconfident in
battle and pays a price. He tries to bring the king of Israel into further
exploits, but unsuccessfully. Instead Jehoash of Israel defeats
Amaziah.

7. 2. The king of Israel took all the gold and silver and more from the Temple
and place in Jerusalem. Jehoash dies (for being arrogant? for looting the
Temple?) and is succeeded byJeroboam. Amaziah has drifted into idolatry
and was assassinated. Aazariah becomesking.
Jeroboam II Becomes King of Israel - Long serving and successful (largely
sinful but with some merit), because of God’s mercy to the people,
according to the text.
Azariah Becomes King of Judah. 15.
1. He was king when Jeroboam was king of Israel. Much like his father he
started off good,refused to take down the private altars, and turned bad
toward the end.
2. He was inflicted with tzara’at, though successful in most ways, for
arrogantly offering incense in the Temple.This is Uzziah.

8. 3. Jotham becomesking upon father’s death.
Zechariah BecomesKing of Israel, Does Evil, and Is struck Down By
Shallum who BecomesKing. Menahem Murders Him. He Dies.Pekahia
BecomesKing, Killed. Pekah BecomesKing, Killed. Hoshea Becomes
King.
1. From here on, most kings of Israel seized power wrongfully and were
evil. Significant decline.
2. Menahem bribes the king of Assyria to go back. But the way is paved for
a return! And Assyria begins its conquest when Pekah is king. The sages
see this processof defeattaking place in stages as a way of seeing that
God gave the people chances to repent and return, and they didn’t.
Jotham BecomesKing of Judah, Dies, and Ahaz Becomes King
1. Righteous, except for allowing offerings from high places. Jotham did
build upper gate of Temple.

9. 2. Ahaz brings depravity and idolatry to Jerusalem. Sages say he began a
campaign against Torah study, dismantling the education of children in
Torah, thus leading Judah in generations to become like idolatrous
neighbors.
3. Campaigns of Aram against Judah begin.Even Pekah of Israel attacked.
Isaiah tells Ahaz that God will protectthem, but Ahaz seeks out help from
Assyria. He pays him richly, growing Assyria’s power and further
weakening Judah. Ahaz becomeseven more depraved, seeking to place a
replica of the Aramean altar in Jerusalem and have it serve instead of the
one in the Temple and violates the Temple.
Hezekiah BecomesKing of Judah. Hoshea, Last King of Israel
1. Hezekiah - one of the greatest kings, though parents had beenso
antithetical to God.
2. Hoshea - evil. Assyria invades, conquers, and exiles. Sages say Israel
was given multiple opportunities and generations to atone and return, but
did not. 17:7-23 provide for a superb account of the rebellion of the people
and the consequencesGod imposedon them.

10. 3. Much discussionand debate about the fate of ten tribes.
4. Hezekiah - either “God strengthened him” or “He strengthened Israel in
devotion to God.” 18. He did what was properin eyes of God: removed
high places, shattered pillars, cut down Asherah-trees. No one like him
afterwards in Judah, nor who preceded him (likely excluding David and
Solomon, though a few make the case that he was in some ways greater,
i.e., Ralbag.) Josiah, in some ways?
Total trust in God. Clung to God. Observed mitzvot. HASHEM was always
with him and gave him security. Beat several opponents, including
Philistines.
Miracle > He builds walls to keep Assyrians and without water. Assyria
comes. He pays tribute. Yet, they want more - conquest. They strike fear in
the people. Hezekiah seeks help of Isaiah and his prayers. Isaiah says God
will provide victory. Sennacherib is diverted back home because of an
attack, but he returns. Hezekiah prays, essentially asking God to help for
the sake of His own Name, if not for the people. Isaiah responds with an
encouraging prophecyin 19:22-34,that the Assyrians won’t enter the city.
In 35, we learn that an angel of HASHEM strikes down 185,000of the
Assyrian camp, as if by plague. The Assyrian king returned, in shame. Text
says he was assassinated upon return.
Hezekiah’s Illness and Beyond

11. 1. Isaiah tells him he’s about to die. He prays to God, pleading that he had
followed God wholeheartedly. Isaiah prophecies recovery.
2. Afterrecovery, Hezekiah flatters king of Babylonia, showing them his
treasure house. God chastises him, saying one day all this will be captured
by Babylonia. What was his sin? Bloat? Obsequiousness? Giving away
secrets? Luring the Babylonians’ greed and desire?
3. Much positive about Hezekiah, including bringing water source
(spirituality or Torah) into the city.
Manasseh BecomesKing. 21
1. Evil. Undoes the good Hezekiah did, bringing destructionon the
Judah.This people was now doing “more evil than the nations that
HASHEM had destroyed before the Children of Israel.” This included
shedding of innocent blood.God will act now - destruction will come.
It’s as if there had beenan accumulation over all this time of
waywardness that had finally tipped into an irredeemable culture of
sorts. Manasseh is mentioned all the way through the Babylonian
destruction at the end of Kings as the principal source of God’s wrath.
2. Sages say he endeavored to kill Isaiah.

12. Amon Becomes King, Then Josiah, a Righteous King of Note
1.Amon walked in the way of his father. He is killed, and Josiah becomes
king. He’s righteous, the last great king. His coming was prophesied 3
centuries before to Jeroboam. Josiahlaunches a repentance movement.
Perhaps he represents a spark of holiness in Judaism that is never
extinguished, however far off track we go.
2. Josiah Repairs Temple.
3. A newfound scroll of Torah! It either is Deuteronomy, or it’s rolled to a
passage in Deuteronomythat foretells the doom of a wayward people.
There is a prophecyof such that is delivered to Josiah. It appears he won’t
see the doom.
4. Nevertheless, even in the face of this, he begins a repentance campaign
and endeavors to uproot all the idols.As with Hezekiah, he never thought it
was too late. In public, he reads from the Admonitionin Deuteronomy,
seals a covenant to follow God and cleanses the land of idolatry and the
practices associated with idolatry that had become commonplace. They
fulfill the prophecyof burning the bones of the idolaters. The people follow
him. This culminates in an unprecedented Pesach, a bringing of the people
wholehearted to God, an acknowledgement that power is God’s.

13. 5.All of this was a response to the words in the scroll. 24.
6. “Before him, there had never beena king like him who returned to
HASHEM with all his heart, with all his soul, and with all his resources, in
accordance with the entire Torah of Moses,and after him no one arose like
him.” 25. (This was the way he excelled.)
7. Nevertheless, God did not relent. The evil was too entrenched and would
re-appear after Josiah. It’s not that it’s ever too late to repent. The people
were too steepedin evil to turn back. God will mourn but must act.
8. Josiah dies in battle. Jeoahaz becomes king. Jeremiah mourns over
Josiah’s death, seeing it as the first step in the destruction.
9. Deterioration of the monarchy and the nation. It begins with Egypt’s
despoiling Israel. Jehoiakim becomes king,collaborating with Egypt.
Babylonia Nebuchadnezzar) Takes Down Egypt, Then Conquers Judah

14. 1. The besieging of Jerusalem begins at 24:10.Stripping the Temple.
Forces the exile of virtually all, including the scholars and sages,
Ezekiel, Daniel, and Mordechai.
One must rememberin the utter gloom of this end and its pain that there is
survival, even strengthening, for Judaism in the future: in the chastisement,
the return, God’s double promise, the revivification in Jerusalem, the
Talmud, and even after the Roman destructionYavneh, etc.
2. Zedekiah was the last king of Judah.
3. The final battle in Jerusalem is recounted in 25. The city and the Temple
are burned on the notorious day of the 10th day of the 10th month. It
started on the 9th of Av. The treasures were taken away, and mostof the
people who survived the assault and slaughters were exiled.