2 Chronicles 17-25: Dialectical Tensions in Judah II

Last week's post covered 2 Chronicles' account of first three kings of Judah. Today we extend our analysis up to the reign of Hezekiah. As with the last post, this entry will take a look at the dialectical tensions within the Chronicler's narrative and how the Chronicler uses those tensions to emphasize the importance of proper obedience to God.

Jehoshaphat
Asa's son Jehoshaphat succeeds him to the throne and begins a series of building and fortification initiatives, as well as the removal of the non-Israelite sacred poles and high places, both signs of a good king. Indeed, the Chronicler writes:

The Lord was with Jehoshaphat, because he walked in the earlier ways of his father; he did not seek the Baals, but sought the God of his father and walked in his commandments, and not according to the ways of Israel. Therefore the Lord established the kingdom in his hand.
(2 Chronicles 17.3-5)

A few important things to take away from this:

1. The Lord "is with" and rewards those that follow in God's ways and reject outside deities.
2. Kings are compared to their fathers, who might be good or wicked.
3. Kings are compared to Israel, a people that consistently stands contrary to God's will by not following the line of David.
4. Kings have a habit of following the Lord for a time, but ultimately losing their way, as Jehoshaphat's father did. 

Jehoshaphat is so reverent as to send officials, Levites, and priests throughout Judah to teach from the "book of the law." He is loved by those he rules over, and feared by those around his territory, having a great army and great cities. But his success does not last.

In a story lifted nearly verbatim from 1 Kings 22, Jehoshaphat makes a marriage alliance with King Ahab of Israel, who tries to convince Jehoshaphat to attack Ramoth-gilead. All the prophets of King Ahab that are present say it's a good idea, but Jehoshaphat presses to see if there are any others. Ahab sends for Micaiah, who prophecies doom, saying the Lord has contracted a spirit to cause all the other prophets to lie. For this Micaiah is imprisoned.

Micaiah's dissenting voice turns out to be accurate, and Ahab is killed in battle while Jehoshaphat is saved by God. But the Chronicler has Jehoshaphat punished for his support of Ahab: Jehu son of Hanani prophecies that the wrath of the Lord is upon Jehoshaphat. Nevertheless, the king did some good in his life, which is not forgotten. This portion does not appear in the Kings narrative, and seems to show that the Chronicler is very particular about following in the ways of the Lord. He has to acknowledge the king's wrongdoing, even if the king is not punished for it.

Indeed, Jehoshaphat goes on to appoint righteous judges in the land. He defeats the Moabites and Ammonites after praying to the Lord and trusting in God to intercede on behalf of Judah. The Lord as divine warrior is feared by all the kingdoms.

The last we are told of Jehoshaphat's life is that he joins the wicked King Ahaziah of Israel in shipbuilding for vessels bound for Tarshish. Jehoshaphat is not directly punished for this, though the ships are all wrecked.

Overall, Jehoshaphat has a very righteous reign. The Chronicler does include a line from Kings (2 Chronicles 20.33; 1 Kings 22.43) that the ruler did not in fact destroy all the high places, but this contradicts with what the Chronicler previously wrote (2 Chronicles 17.6)  and seems to represent a textual error.

Jehoram
Jehoram is the first King of Judah that the Chronicler explicitly renders entirely unfavorable.

This character undoes the work of his father (biologically) by killing his brothers as well as some officials, and (physically) by installing new high places, which lead the people of Judah into unfaithfulness. He also marries the daughter of the wicked King Ahab of Israel. Jehoram is labeled as walking in the ways of the kings of Israel, a negative reference to his apostasy. "Out with the old and in with the new" is a common theme throughout the succession of kings, which either brings Judah into apostasy or saves it from apostasy.

And yet, we are told, the Lord is still champion of Judah, even though the king and his people are not walking in the ways of the Lord:

Yet the Lord would not destroy the house of David because of the covenant that he had made with David, and since he had promised to give a lamp to him and to his descendants forever.
(2 Chronicles 21.7)

But God's patience with Jehoram eventually reaches a turning point. Jehoram is directly punished with invasions by the Philistines and Arabs, direct repercussions for the king's evil ways. All the possessions of the house and all of Jehoram's wives and sons are taken, with the exception of Jehoahaz, the king's youngest son. After this Jehoram falls ill with an incurable disease of the bowels. He dies in great agony and "departed with no one's regret." (2 Chronicles 21.20) His death is not commemorated, and he is buried in Jerusalem, though in the ultimate sleight it is not in the tombs of the kings.

Ahaziah
The opening of Ahaziah's description informs us that a symmetrical sort of divine justice is exacted upon Jehoram before his death. The Arab invaders killed all of Jehoram's sons except for Ahaziah. This seems to be divine retribution for Jehoram's murder of his brothers. That is, Jehoram's murder of his father's sons ensures that his progeny will be killed as well - all except for one, representing symmetrical outcomes.

Ahaziah is as wicked as his father (and Ahab) and counseled by his mother. "But," the Chronicler reveals, "it was ordained by God that the downfall of Ahaziah should come about through his going to visit Joram. (2 Chronicles 22.7) This verse does not appear in Kings; the Chronicler instead inserts it to articulate his idea of divine retribution.

The righteous Jehu, who has been busy cleansing the house of Ahab, turns his attention to Azariah, killing his officials and nephews, as well as Ahaziah himself. This leaves a power vacuum, which is filled by none other than Ahaziah's mother.

Athaliah
In a rage over her dead son, Athaliah sets out to destroy the entire royal family (evil is clearly a familial trait; her mother was Jezebel). Only one son of Ahaziah survives: Joash is saved by his sister Jehoshabeath. For seven years he hides out in the house of God, until the priest Jehoiada (who is Jehoshabeath's husband) pushes to make Joash king under the protection of priests and Levites.

Joash
Joash is proclaimed king, and at the behest of Jehoiada the captains of Judah kill Athaliah. Thus begins a new cycle of benevolence. But as we will see, Joash is only faithful to God when Johoiada is alive.

Joash is a "popular" king that makes a covenant between himself and the people that they should be the Lord's people. Thus influenced, the people destroy the altar of Baal and the priest there. Jehoiada, for his part, reorganizes the staff of the house of the Lord. In appreciation of his efforts, all the people of Israel, including military and political leaders, march him into the king's house and set him on the throne. Indeed, people actually rejoice at being taxed in order to fix the house of the Lord. And the house is finally restored to its proper condition.

But we know that Joash is only faithful to the Lord because he is so influennced by Jehoiada. In a departure from the normal introductory regnal formula, it is written:

Joash did what was right in the sight of the Lord all the days of the priest Jehoiada.
(2 Chronicles 24.2)

Other kings do what is right or wrong on their own account, but Joash is dependent on the priest that brought him into power. Once Jehoiada dies, the king of Judah abandons the Lord, along with the rest of Israel. God sends prophets to turn the people, but they do not listen. Zechariah son of Jehoiada is even stoned for speaking the truth against Joash.

For his apostasy, Joash is defeated by the Army of Aram. When the army withdraws, Joash's servants remember the blood of Zechariah, and murder Joash on his bed. Joash is buried in Jerusalem, though separate from the other kings. Though King Joash was apparently faithful during Jehoiada's lifetime, it seems that it was truly the priest who was responsible for Judah's peace and prosperity.

Amaziah
Amaziah takes a semi-pious approach to "cleansing" after becoming king. He kills the servants who murdered his (ultimately not pious) father, though does not punish their children, in deference to Mosaic Law. (Deuteronomy 24.16) For this it is said:

He did what was right in the sight of the Lord, yet not with a true heart.
(2 Chronicles 25.2)

Amaziah's righteousness is apparent in his attack on the Edomites. He initially plans to attack with his men, alongside 100,000 Israelite warrior hired for 100 talents of silver. But a man of God advises the king to leave the Israelites out of battle, for the Lord is not with Israel. Amaziah obeys, but after the slaughter of the Amonites resorts to worship of the gods of Seir. For this he is punished through defeat at the hands of the Israelites, an act the Chronicler tells us is divinely ordained.

So the Chronicler continues to bring to light dialectical tensions, and we continue to discover them.


Good night. Stay tuned for an account of the final kings of Judah next week - their pride, their sins, and their good works alike!