The Book of 2 Kings – KJV Summary, Key Stories & Book Facts

2 Kings is the twelfth book of the Bible, the twelfth book of the Old Testament, and the seventh of the Historical Books. In the King James Version (KJV), 2 Kings contains 25 chapters and 719 verses. The book continues the history of the divided kingdoms of Israel and Judah, records the final ministry of Elijah and the powerful ministry of Elisha, follows generations of kings and prophets, describes the Assyrian captivity of the northern kingdom, and concludes with Jerusalem's destruction and Judah's captivity in Babylon.

Summary of 2 Kings

2 Kings begins after the death of Ahab. His son Ahaziah is injured in a fall and sends messengers to inquire of Baalzebub, the god of Ekron, rather than seeking the LORD. Elijah confronts the king's messengers and declares that Ahaziah will die. Soon afterward, Elijah's earthly ministry comes to an extraordinary close. As Elijah and Elisha cross the Jordan together, Elijah is taken up by a whirlwind into heaven while a chariot of fire and horses of fire separate the two prophets. Elisha receives Elijah's mantle and continues the prophetic ministry with powerful signs demonstrating that the word and power of the LORD remain active in Israel.

Much of the early part of 2 Kings follows Elisha's ministry. God works through him to provide oil for a widow in debt, give a son to the Shunammite woman and later restore that child to life, purify poisoned food, feed a company of men, and heal Naaman the Syrian of leprosy. Gehazi, Elisha's servant, becomes covetous and deceitfully takes gifts from Naaman, resulting in Naaman's leprosy coming upon him. Elisha also causes a borrowed axe head to float and repeatedly warns the king of Israel concerning Syrian military movements. When the Syrian army surrounds Dothan to seize Elisha, the prophet's servant is allowed to see the mountain filled with horses and chariots of fire.

Conflict with Syria continues, and Samaria eventually suffers a terrible siege and famine. Elisha announces that food will soon become plentiful, and four leprous men discover that the LORD has caused the Syrian army to flee its camp. Later, Elisha foretells Hazael's rise over Syria. A young prophet is sent to anoint Jehu king over Israel, commissioning him to execute judgment upon the house of Ahab. Jehu kills Joram king of Israel, Ahaziah king of Judah is also slain, and Jezebel dies at Jezreel as Elijah had foretold. Jehu destroys Ahab's remaining house and gathers the worshippers of Baal together under false pretenses, destroying them and the house of Baal. Yet Jehu does not fully turn from the sins of Jeroboam and the golden calves.

In Judah, Athaliah attempts to destroy the royal family after the death of her son Ahaziah, but the young Joash is secretly rescued and hidden in the house of the LORD for six years. Jehoiada the priest later presents Joash publicly, crowns him king, and has Athaliah removed. Under Jehoiada's influence, covenant worship is restored and Joash orders repairs to the temple. The book continues moving between the kings of Israel and Judah while the ministries of the prophets continue. Elisha eventually becomes sick with the illness from which he dies. Even after his death, a dead man cast into Elisha's sepulchre revives when his body touches the prophet's bones.

As generations pass, the northern kingdom continues in the sins begun by Jeroboam. During the reign of Hoshea, Assyria comes against Samaria. After a lengthy siege, the city falls and the people of Israel are carried away into Assyria. 2 Kings explains the spiritual cause of this national disaster: Israel had repeatedly rejected God's commandments, worshipped idols, followed the practices of the surrounding nations, and refused to hear the prophets whom God sent to warn them. The northern kingdom is removed from its land, leaving Judah as the remaining kingdom.

Judah also experiences both wicked and faithful kings. Ahaz follows idolatrous practices and looks to Assyria for help, but his son Hezekiah does what is right before the LORD, removes high places and idols, and trusts God. When Sennacherib king of Assyria invades Judah and threatens Jerusalem, Hezekiah seeks the LORD and receives God's word through Isaiah the prophet. The LORD delivers Jerusalem when the angel of the LORD strikes the Assyrian camp. Hezekiah later becomes sick unto death, but after he prays, God grants him fifteen additional years and gives him a miraculous sign. However, Hezekiah later shows his treasures to messengers from Babylon, and Isaiah foretells that Judah's treasures and descendants will one day be carried there.

Hezekiah is followed by Manasseh, whose long reign is marked by extreme wickedness and idolatry. He rebuilds high places, establishes pagan altars, practices occult abominations, and leads Judah into greater sin. God's prophets announce coming judgment upon Jerusalem. After the short reign of Amon, Josiah becomes king at only eight years of age and does what is right before the LORD. While the temple is being repaired, Hilkiah the high priest finds the book of the law. When Josiah hears its words, he humbles himself before God. He renews the covenant, removes idols and false worship throughout the land, destroys the corrupt worship at Bethel, and keeps a great Passover unto the LORD. Nevertheless, the judgment already pronounced upon Judah will eventually come. Josiah later dies after going out against Pharaoh-necho at Megiddo.

The final chapters trace Judah's rapid decline under its last kings. Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon gains control over Judah, and Jerusalem is repeatedly besieged. Jehoiachin and many of the people are carried captive to Babylon, and Zedekiah is placed on the throne. After Zedekiah rebels, Babylon surrounds Jerusalem again. The city falls, the temple and royal buildings are burned, Jerusalem's walls are broken down, sacred vessels are carried away, and much of the remaining population is taken captive. Gedaliah is appointed governor over those left in Judah but is later assassinated. The book closes in Babylon many years later when Jehoiachin, the captive king of Judah, is released from prison and given an honored place before the king of Babylon. Thus 2 Kings ends with Jerusalem destroyed and Judah in exile, demonstrating both the fulfillment of God's warnings and the continuing survival of David's royal line.