Old Testament · Narrative

2 Kings

25 chapters · 719 verses · Prophetic scribes · ~550 BC

Two kingdoms race toward destruction. A handful of prophets shout warnings no one heeds. Finally, Babylon arrives — and the temple Solomon built becomes rubble.

Overview

2 Kings documents the slow collapse of both Israelite kingdoms. The north falls to Assyria in 722 BC; the south to Babylon in 586 BC. Between the catastrophes, prophets like Elisha perform miracles and kings like Josiah attempt reforms. The book answers the exile's hardest question: how did we get here?

Key chapters of 2 Kings

Themes:judgmentprophecyreformexileconsequences

Related

All 25 chapters of 2 Kings

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