Day 109. 2 Kings 12-14

We might well experience some confusion regarding the names of the kings mentioned in our reading. King Jehoash of Judah and the King Joash mentioned earlier are the same person, and there is another king of Israel who shares both names. Jehoash of Judah is a good king who does "what is right in the sight of the LORD," but the compiler of the Books of Kings deplores that fact that he is unwilling or unable to repress those "high places" where the people continue to make offerings and sacrifices (12:3).  These cult centers are always viewed as a source of corruption and syncretism in the Books of Kings. Jehoash does, however, supervise much needed repairs to the temple in Jerusalem. His mentor, the priest Jehoiada, has a box made into which donations for necessary repairs are placed. A general atmosphere of rectitude and good order is established (12:15). The reign of good king Jehoash is marked, however, by the threat of Hazael of Aram. When this ambitious monarch sets his face toward Jerusalem and seems intent upon taking it, Jehoash is forced to strip the temple treasury in order to  buy him off (17:18). The bribe works and the city is spared (17:19). The king, however, falls victim to a conspiracy, is cut down by his own servants in the Millo (12:20-21), and his son Amaziah succeeds him. Meanwhile in the northern kingdom, Jehoahaz succeeds to the throne on the death of his father Jehu. The compiler of Kings delivers to Jehoahaz the usual condemnation he gives to all the northern kings—like Jeroboam of Israel, he does what is "evil in the sight of the LORD" (10:2).  But the people suffer at the hands of Hazael of Aram so horrifically, that the LORD has mercy on them and sends them "a savior, so that they [escape] from the hand of the Arameans; and the people of Israel [live] in their homes as formerly" (13:5). This "messiah" belongs to the long tradition of charismatic heroes going back to the time of the judges who appear in times of crisis and then vanish again when the danger passes. Nevertheless, in spite of the heroic efforts of this nameless "savior," under the reign of Jehoahaz the military might of the northern kingdom, numbered in chariots and horses, dwindles (13:7).   This is because, as we are told, "the king of Aram [destroys] them and [makes] them like the dust at threshing." So in due time Jehoahaz dies and is succeeded by Joash of Israel, who, unlike Joash of Judah, is an evil king. Joash does, however, come to call upon Elisha as the prophet is dying, and he uses the very same words Elisha himself cries out when he sees his master Elijah ascending into heaven—"My father, my father, the chariots of Israel and its horsemen!" (13:14). Even this evil king recognizes that the prophet is the strength of the kingdom, its first line of defense.   But the dying Elisha is still a force to be reckoned with. He tells Joash to shoot an arrow through the window to the east. This, he tells the king, is "the LORD's arrow of victory, the arrow of victory over Aram! For you shall fight the Arameans at Aphek until you have made an end of them" (13:17).  Then he tells the king to take his remaining arrows and strike the ground, which he does three times. Three times is not enough, however, and Elisha is angry. Jehoahaz should have struck them more and made an end of them. Now he will strike the forces of Aram three times, but not destroy them utterly. And having said this Elisha dies, but even his bones, we are told, have power in them sufficient to raise the dead (13:20-21).  During the reign of Jehoahaz of Israel, Hazael of Aram continues to oppress Israel, but God does not forget his covenant. He is "gracious to them and [has] compassion on them; he [turns} toward them, because of his covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and would not destroy them" (13:23). Israel holds on. Then Hazael dies. A window opens, and true to the prophets words Jehoahaz's son Joash does in fact manage to wrest back some of Israel's territory from Hazael's son Ben-hadad II. "Three times Joash defeated him and recovered towns of Israel," we are told. But Aram will remain a threat for a little while longer, until it is eclipsed by the rising power of Assyria, which will menace the very existence of the two little kingdoms. In the southern kingdom, Joash of Judah dies and is succeeded by his son Amaziah, who like his father is a righteous king, "though not like his ancestor David," we are told (14:3). He revenges the murder of his father, but he does not put to death the children of the murderers, which this compiler of Kings regards as a failure (14:5-6). And he also tolerated the "high places," which is regarded as an even greater fault. Nevertheless Amaziah's early reign was marked by some encouraging victories. Then he makes a tragic mistake when he challenges Israel, perhaps in the hope of reuniting the kingdom of David and Solomon. He is soundly defeated by Joash of Israel, who breaks down a large section of the wall of Jerusalem and sacks the temple and the treasury of the king's house, before returning to Samaria with hostages to ensure Amaziah's future good behavior. Amaziah continues to reign though with a diminished authority, until he, like his father before him, is cut down by assassins (14:19). He is succeeded by his sixteen year old son Azariah. In the northern kingdom Jeroboam II succeeds his father Joash of Israel, and predictably does "what is evil in the sight of the LORD," leading his people into sin as his forebears had (14:23). Nevertheless we know that the reign of Jerobaom II is a prosperous one.  During this period the prophet Jonah is active, though the Book of Jonah was written much later, and the prophet Amos appears at Bethel to condemn the wanton luxury and indifference of the king and his people. The compiler of the Books of Kings tells us that in spite of his moral failures the LORD is able to use Jeroboam II to save Israel. God sees the bitter distress of his people, and has mercy on them because they are left alone without allies (14:26-27). Throughout his reign the threat of Aram is diminishing, eclipsed by the rising power of Assyria. In the vacuum created, Israel is left in relative peace. At the end of long reign Jeroboam II is succeeded by his son Zechariah.