Reign of Jeroboam II, King of Israel. – B.C. 825.
15 Now the rest of the acts of Jehoash which he did, and his might, and how he fought with Amaziah king of Judah, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel? 16 And Jehoash slept with his fathers, and was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel; and Jeroboam his son reigned in his stead. 17 And Amaziah the son of Joash king of Judah lived after the death of Jehoash son of Jehoahaz king of Israel fifteen years. 18 And the rest of the acts of Amaziah, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? 19 Now they made a conspiracy against him in Jerusalem: and he fled to Lachish; but they sent after him to Lachish, and slew him there. 20 And they brought him on horses: and he was buried at Jerusalem with his fathers in the city of David. 21 And all the people of Judah took Azariah, which was sixteen years old, and made him king instead of his father Amaziah. 22 He built Elath, and restored it to Judah, after that the king slept with his fathers. (2 Kings 14:15-22 KJV)
Matthew Henry’s Commentary
Here are three kings brought to their graves in these few verses:–
1. Joash king of Israel, 2Ki 14:15; 2Ki 14:16. We attended his funeral once before, 2Ki 13:12; 2Ki 13:13. But, because the historian had occasion to give a further account of his life and actions, he again mentions his death and burial.
2. Amaziah king of Judah. Fifteen years he survived his conqueror the king of Israel, 2Ki 14:17. A man may live a great while after he has been shamed, may be thoroughly mortified (as Amaziah no doubt was) and yet not dead. His acts are said to be found written in his annals (2Ki 14:18), but not his might; for his cruelty when he was a conqueror over the Edomites, and his insolence when he challenged the king of Israel, showed him void of true courage. He was slain by his own subjects, who hated him for his maladministration (2Ki 14:19) and made Jerusalem too hot for him, the ignominious breach made in their walls being occasioned by his folly and presumption. He fled to Lachish. How long he continued concealed or sheltered there we are not told, but, at last, he was there murdered, 2Ki 14:19. No further did the rage of the rebels extend, for they brought him in a chariot to Jerusalem, and buried him there among his ancestors.
3. Azariah succeeded Amaziah, but not till twelve years after his father’s death, for Amaziah died in the fifteenth year of Jeroboam (as appears by comparing 2Ki 14:23; 2Ki 13:2), but Azariah did not begin his reign till the twenty-seventh of Jeroboam (2Ki 15:1), for he was but four years old at the death of his father, so that, for twelve years, till he came to be sixteen, the government was in the hands of protectors. He reigned very long (2Ki 15:2) and yet the account of his reign is here industriously huddled up, and broken off abruptly (2Ki 14:22): He built Elath (which had belonged to the Edomites, but, it is probable, was recovered by his father, 2Ki 14:7), after that the king slept with his fathers, as if that had been all he did that was worth mentioning, or rather it is meant of king Amaziah: he built it soon after Amaziah died.