2 Kings 15:1

Old Testament Historical ASV (1901)

What does 2 Kings 15:1 say?

The American Standard Version records this verse as: “In the twenty and seventh year of Jeroboam king of Israel began Azariah son of Amaziah king of Judah to reign.” Read the surrounding verses and the named sources below before drawing broader conclusions.

The verse

In the twenty and seventh year of Jeroboam king of Israel began Azariah son of Amaziah king of Judah to reign.
2 Kings 15:1 — American Standard Version

Context — 2 Kings 15

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. Click any verse for its study page.
1In the twenty and seventh year of Jeroboam king of Israel began Azariah son of Amaziah king of Judah to reign.

What do historical commentaries say?

John Gill's Exposition
John Gill (1697–1771) · Exposition of the Old and New Testament · 18th-century historical commentary
“In the twenty amd seventh year of Jeroboam king of Israel began Azariah the son on Amaziah king of Judah to reign.] Now Amaziah lived only to the fifteenth year of Jeroboam, (<121402>2 Kings 14:2,17,23) in which year, and not in his twenty seventh, it might be thought Azariah his son began to reign. There are various ways taken to remove this difficulty, not to take notice of a corruption of numbers, “twenty seven for seventeen”, which some insist on. Ben Gersom and Abarbinel are of opinion, that those twenty seven years of Jeroboam’s reign are not to be understood of what were past, but of what were to come before the family of Jehu was extinct; and that he reigned twenty six years, and his…”
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Jamieson, Fausset & Brown
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown · Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“AZARIAH'S REIGN OVER JUDAH. (Kg2 15:1-7) In the twenty and seventh year of Jeroboam--It is thought that the throne of Judah continued vacant eleven or twelve years, between the death of Amaziah and the inauguration of his son Azariah. Being a child only four years old when his father was murdered, a regency was appointed during Azariah's minority. began Azariah . . . to reign--The character of his reign is described by the brief formula employed by the inspired historian, in recording the religious policy of the later kings. But his reign was a very active as well as eventful one, and is fully related (2Ch. 26:1-23). Elated by the possession of great power, and presumptuously arrogating to…”
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Wesley's Explanatory Notes
John Wesley (1703–1791) · Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament and Old Testament notes · 18th-century historical commentary
“To reign - Solely and fully to exercise his regal power. 4 Kings (2 Kings) 15:5”
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Tyndale Open Study Notes
Tyndale House Publishers · Tyndale Open Study Notes · Modern study notes
“15:1-3 The name Uzziah means Yahweh is my strength. • fifty-two years: The length of Uzziah’s reign (792–740 BC) reflects changed conditions in the early 700s BC. Assyria was in decline and relations between Israel and Judah were cordial. Uzziah’s spiritual convictions earned God’s blessing so that Judah enjoyed its greatest prosperity since the days of Solomon (2 Chr 26:9-10).”
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Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · Cross-reference reference work
“am 3194, bc 810 In the: Kg2 15:8, Kg2 14:16, Kg2 14:17 twenty and seventh: "This is the twenty-seventh year of Jeroboam's partnership in the kingdom with his father, who made him consort at his going to the Syrian wars. It is the sixteenth year of Jeroboam's monarchy." Azariah: Kg2 15:13, Kg2 15:30-38, Kg2 14:21; Ch2 26:1, Ch2 26:3, Ch2 26:4, Uzziah 4 Kings (2 Kings) 15:3”
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Keil & Delitzsch
C. F. Keil & F. Delitzsch · Commentary on the Old Testament · 19th-century historical commentary
“Reign of Azariah (Uzziah) or Judah (cf. 2 Chron 26). - The statement that "in the twenty-seventh year of Jeroboam Azariah began to reign" is at variance with Kg2 14:2, Kg2 14:16-17, and Kg2 14:23. If, for example, Azariah ascended the throne in the fifteenth year of Joash of Israel, and with his twenty-nine years' reign outlived Joash fifteen years ( Kg2 14:2, Kg2 14:17); if, moreover, Jeroboam followed his father Joash in the fifteenth year of Amaziah ( Kg2 14:23), and Amaziah died in the fifteenth year of Jeroboam; Azariah (Uzziah) must have become king in the fifteenth year of Jeroboam, since, according to Kg2 14:21, the people made him king after the murder of his father, which precludes…”
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Related study paths

Sources and verification