Overview of 2 Chronicles 24:1–26:23
The reigns of Joash, Amaziah, and Uzziah, told in successive chapters, covered a period of around ninety-five years.1 Each king showed faithfulness to the Lord for part of his reign, but each ended in either arrogance or worship of other gods, despising temple worship and the words of prophets. Two were assassinated, and one died with leprosy, his son having been co-regent. God’s action was evident, providing case studies for hearers, with military success or failure resulting from a positive or negative response, respectively, to a prophetic word, from trusting or “forsaking” God.
The accounts loosely match those in Kings, with frequent wording differences, many additions of phrases and blocks of new material, and at times brief summarizing (table 3.16). The Chronicler’s reworking draws attention in particular to responses to prophetic words and God’s retributive actions.
TABLE 3.16: Comparison of 2 Chronicles 24–26 and 2 Kings
| 2 Chronicles | 2 Kings | |
|---|---|---|
| Joash repairs the temple | 24:1–14 | 11:21–12:16 |
| Jehoiada’s death and the killing of Zechariah | 24:15–22 | — |
| Joash assassinated | 24:23–27 | 12:17–21 |
| Amaziah’s reign introduced | 25:1–4 | 14:1–6 |
| Building up an army, prophetic message | 25:5–10 | — |
| Defeat of Edomites | 25:11–12 | 14:7 |
| Attacks from Israel, worship of Edomite gods, and rejection of prophetic counsel | 25:13–16 | — |
| Defeat by the king of Israel, Amaziah captured, temple looted | 25:17–24 | 14:8–14 |
| Amaziah assassinated | 25:25–28 | 14:15–20 |
| Uzziah’s reign introduced | 26:1–5 | 14:21–22; 15:1–4 |
| Victories and building up of military defenses | 26:6–15 | — |
| Arrogant burning of incense and leprosy | 26:16–21 | 15:5 |
| Uzziah’s death | 26:22–23 | 15:6–7 |
1 K. A. Kitchen, “Chronology: 3. The Divided and Judean Monarchies,” in DOTHB, 184–187.