In the days when the kingdoms of Israel and Judah were divided, and the people often strayed from the ways of the Lord, there reigned a king in Judah named Azariah, the son of Amaziah. Azariah was but sixteen years old when he ascended to the throne, and he reigned in Jerusalem for fifty-two years. His mother’s name was Jecoliah, a woman of Jerusalem. Azariah did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, following the ways of his father Amaziah, and he sought to lead the people in the paths of righteousness. Yet, despite his faithfulness, the high places of idol worship were not removed, and the people continued to offer sacrifices and burn incense there.
Azariah was a man of vigor and vision. He fortified the cities of Judah, strengthened its defenses, and expanded its borders. He built towers in Jerusalem at the Corner Gate, the Valley Gate, and at the Angle of the wall, and he constructed watchtowers in the wilderness to protect his people from invaders. The Lord blessed Azariah with prosperity, and his name became renowned throughout the land. But as the years passed, pride began to creep into his heart, and he forgot the source of his strength.
One fateful day, Azariah entered the temple of the Lord to burn incense on the altar, a duty reserved for the priests descended from Aaron. The high priest, Azariah the son of Johanan, along with eighty courageous priests, stood against the king, saying, “It is not for you, Azariah, to burn incense to the Lord. This is the work of the priests, the sons of Aaron, who are consecrated to this task. Leave the sanctuary, for you have acted unfaithfully. You will have no honor from the Lord God.”
But Azariah, in his pride, refused to listen. He held the censer in his hand, determined to carry out his will. Suddenly, the Lord struck him with leprosy, a disease that broke out on his forehead and spread across his body. The priests rushed him out of the temple, and even he, realizing the severity of his sin, hastened to leave, for the Lord had afflicted him. From that day forward, Azariah lived in a separate house, isolated from the people, for he was a leper. His son Jotham was appointed to govern the palace and judge the people of the land.
Meanwhile, in the northern kingdom of Israel, the throne was a place of turmoil and bloodshed. Zechariah, the son of Jeroboam, became king over Israel in Samaria, but his reign lasted only six months. He did evil in the sight of the Lord, walking in the ways of his fathers, and did not turn away from the sins of Jeroboam, who had caused Israel to sin by worshiping golden calves. Shallum, the son of Jabesh, conspired against Zechariah, struck him down in public, and seized the throne. Thus, the word of the Lord spoken to Jehu was fulfilled: “Your sons shall sit on the throne of Israel to the fourth generation.” And so it was.
But Shallum’s reign was even shorter. After only one month, Menahem, the son of Gadi, marched from Tirzah to Samaria, attacked Shallum, and killed him. Menahem then took the throne and ruled with a heavy hand. He was a ruthless king, and when the city of Tiphsah refused to open its gates to him, he besieged it, captured it, and committed unspeakable atrocities, ripping open the pregnant women and slaughtering the innocent. Menahem reigned for ten years in Samaria, but he did evil in the sight of the Lord, continuing in the sins of Jeroboam.
During Menahem’s reign, Pul, the king of Assyria, came against the land of Israel. Menahem, fearing the might of the Assyrian army, sought to buy peace. He exacted a heavy tax from the wealthy men of Israel, demanding fifty shekels of silver from each, and gave a thousand talents of silver to Pul. The Assyrian king withdrew his forces, but the burden of this tribute weighed heavily on the people of Israel.
After Menahem’s death, his son Pekahiah became king. He reigned for two years in Samaria, but he too did evil in the sight of the Lord, walking in the ways of his father. Pekah, the son of Remaliah, a captain in Pekahiah’s army, conspired against him, struck him down in the citadel of the royal palace, and took the throne. Pekah reigned for twenty years, but his rule was marked by violence and idolatry. He did not depart from the sins of Jeroboam, and the people of Israel continued to provoke the Lord to anger.
In those days, the Lord began to send judgment upon Israel. Tiglath-Pileser, the king of Assyria, invaded the land, capturing the cities of Ijon, Abel Beth Maacah, Janoah, Kedesh, Hazor, Gilead, Galilee, and all the land of Naphtali. He carried the people away as captives to Assyria, fulfilling the word of the Lord spoken through the prophets.
Back in Judah, Jotham, the son of Azariah, had taken full control of the kingdom after his father’s death. He was twenty-five years old when he began to reign, and he ruled for sixteen years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jerusha, the daughter of Zadok. Jotham did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, following the ways of his father Azariah. He built the Upper Gate of the temple of the Lord and carried out extensive work on the wall of Ophel. He also built cities in the hill country of Judah and forts and towers in the wooded areas. Yet, like his father, he did not remove the high places, and the people continued to offer sacrifices and burn incense there.
Jotham grew powerful because he walked steadfastly before the Lord. But the people of Judah persisted in their corrupt practices, and the Lord allowed the king of Aram and the king of Israel to harass them. These were the days of testing, when the Lord sought to turn the hearts of His people back to Him. Yet, many hardened their hearts and refused to listen.
And so, the story of these kings serves as a reminder of the consequences of pride, idolatry, and disobedience. The Lord is patient and merciful, but He is also just, and He will not tolerate sin forever. Those who walk in His ways will find blessing, but those who turn away will face judgment. Let this be a lesson to all who hear: seek the Lord while He may be found, and walk humbly before Him all your days.
