2 Kings
READ THE BOOK OF SECOND KINGS ONLINE, STUDY AND UNDERSTAND THE DYNAMICS OF THE BIBLE
INTRODUCTION TO SECOND KINGS
1 & 2 Kings describe the period of the monarchy in ancient Israel (970–586 B.C.). While the books do not specify an author, they could not have been written before the sixth century b.c., since 2 Kings 25:27–30 describes the release of King Jehoiachin from prison in Babylon in 561 and the books must therefore date from some time after that.
2 Kings continues the story of the nations of Israel and Judah. The book describes how the kings of these nations refused to obey God's law. The kings and their people did not respect God. Instead, they served evil gods. And the behaviour of the people was very wicked. However, there were a few people who truly served God. And God sent his servants (called "the prophets") to warn the evil people.
But the nations of Israel and Judah would not obey the words of the prophets. God allowed enemy nations to attack. These nations destroyed Israel and (later) Judah. And the soldiers took the inhabitants of Israel and Judah to distant countries. But God still cared about the people from Israel and Judah. God promised that, in the future, these people (or their children or grandchildren) would return home.
BIBLICAL OUTLINE OF THE SECOND (2) KINGS
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Ministry of Elisha 1:1-8:15
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Removal of Jezebel’s Baalism 8:16-12:21
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History to the fall of Israel 13:1-17:41
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History to the fall of Judah 18:1-25:30
BOOK SUMMARY
Elijah parted the Jordan River with his cloak (2 Kings 2:8) and then was carried by a whirlwind into heaven, following a chariot of fire (2 Kings 2:11), leaving Elisha as the main priest of "Israel" (Northern Kingdom) and with twice the prophetic power of Elijah. Elisha was credited with several miracles:
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Also parting the Jordan River (2 Kings 2:13-14).
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Causing a poor widow to have her olive oil multiplied many times so that she could pay her debts and live normally (2 Kings 4:1-7).
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Enabling a barren woman to have a child (2 Kings 4:14-17) and then bringing the child back to life after it dying (2 Kings 4:32-35) -- a story sounding much like modern-day mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.
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Multiplying loaves and grain to feed 100 men (2 Kings 4:42-44).
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Healing a leper, by having him wash 7 times in the Jordan River (2 Kings 5:10;14) 6. Causing an ax head to float (2 Kings 6:5-7).
Elisha anointed Jehu as king of "Israel," and Jehu had king Ahab's wife, Jezebel, killed and, as prophesied by Elijah, her body was scattered (2 Kings 9: 30-36). After Elisha died, a man's body was thrown into Elisha's tomb and was revived (2 Kings 13:20-21).
The fall of "Israel" (Northern Kingdom, including Samaria) and the people's exile to Assyria (2 Kings 17:6) around 721 B.C. was attributed to their not following the Lord. At that point, Judah (the Southern Kingdom, which included Jerusalem) still was independent. The "gods" from other areas included Succoth-benoth, Nergal, Ashima, Nibhaz, Tartak, Adrammelech, Anammelech, Molech, Asherah, Nisroch, Topheth, Ashtoreth, Chemosh, Milcom, and Baal; these were being worshipped also by the Hebrews, angering the Lord. In the reign of King Hezekiah of Judah, Isaiah was the prophet. Isaiah caused time to go backwards (2 Kings 20:11).
During the reign of Josiah as king of Judah, Hilkiah (the High Priest) discovered a scroll of laws in the temple. Josiah restored the Lord's Temple and destroyed the shrines to other "gods," but Huldah (the prophetess: 2 Kings 22: 14-20) told Josiah that Judah would be destroyed because of its worshipping these "gods." Finally, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon took over Judah in 586 B.C. Thus, the Southern Kingdom was independent for 135 years longer than the Northern Kingdom.
WHERE CAN I READ THE SECOND BOOK OF KINGS?
Read the second book of Kings online at Bible-book.org. Read all scriptures, chapters and verses with full summary, commentary concordance for Bible Study. Bible-book.org (http://bible-book.org/), one of the best websites for studying the Word of God has taken a divine responsibility to make the Bible readily available for everyone to read online. Bible-book.org presents the Bible in King James Version to the world for easy reading everywhere, at any time for free online.
You can read the book of 2 Kings at Bible-book.org for free Online. At Bible-book.org, the Book of 2 Kings is presented to you in various formats online for easy understanding and for advancing our walk of faith which includes;
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Book of 2 Kings audiobook for audio display of the Bible
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Book of 2 Kings king James version in English translation
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Illustrated ( Comics )book of 2 Kings
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Book of 2 Kings with images.
With the Audiobook of 2 Kings, you can listen to the book of 2 Kings online for free as well as read the book online for free. At Bible-book.org, the book of 2 Kings comes with pictures for viewing while reading. With determination and persistence, we as a people can live up to expectation of being rooted in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ by studying the Bible both offline and Online.
WHY SHOULD I STUDY THE SECOND BOOK OF KINGS?
We often avoid Old Testament narrative books like 1 and 2 Kings. They can feel foreign and intimidating. It’s easier to get practical application from Philippians, or Matthew, or the Psalms. Many of the stories in 1 and 2 Kings can seem strange and even disturbing.
But when we avoid 1 and 2 Kings, we miss out. This is a theologically rich book that makes a unique contribution to our understanding of our sin and frailty, God’s character and provision, and the plan of redemption being worked out in history. If this portion of Scripture were excised from the canon, something valuable would be lost from our understanding of the gospel.
2 Kings feels very different than the book of Acts. In Acts, God’s kingdom is surging forward. In Kings, it often seems languishing. But precisely for that reason, 1 and 2 Kings can make a unique contribution to our understanding of reformation and revival among the people of God.
By studying these passages, we see what it looks like when God brings about a revival of true religion after decades and even centuries of decadence. One thinks especially of Jehoash’s repairing of the temple (2 Kings 11–12), and Josiah’s reforms (2 Kings 22–23). No wonder this book was especially important to the Protestant Reformers (quote from why study the Bible series).