Who is King Jeroboam II in the Bible?

Quick Facts

Father: Joash of Israel, 2 Kings 14:23
Predecessor: Joash of Israel, 2 Kings 13:13
Kingdom: Kingdom of Israel
Succession: 13th king
Length of reign: 41 years, 2 Kings 14:23-29
Morality: evil king, 2Ki 14:24
Successor: King Zachariah, 2 Kings 14:29
Bible history: 2 Kings 14:23-29

Disambiguation

Jeroboam II reigns in Israel

The name Jeroboam means ‘the people will contend‘. Jeroboam II, the son of King Jehoash of Israel, was a third-generation descendant of King Jehu (2Ki 14:23). He became a king under the promise God made to his great-grandfather King Jehu that his descendants to the 4th generation would be kings of Israel (2Ki 10:30). Therefore, Jehu was succeeded by his son King Jehoahaz, then Joash of Israel, and then Jeroboam II.

Jeroboam II was the 13th king of the Kingdom of Israel. He reigned for 41 years in Samaria, their capital city. He was no better than his predecessors for he also perpetuated the religion referred to as the sins of Jeroboam which is the worship of the golden calves (2Ki 14:24).

Long ago in the reign of King Jehu, God was against Israel because of their sin of idolatry and He delivered them to the Syrians. The Syrians, led by King Hazael, defeated Israel in many battles and captured the territories of Israel east of Jordan. (2 Ki 10:32-33)

The Syrian oppression got worse in the reign of King Jehoahaz (2Ki 13:22). However, God delivered them when they sought His help. In the days of King Jehoash of Israel, Hazael died and was succeeded by his son Benhadad III. God helped Jehoash to recover from Benhadad III the Israeli cities that his father, King Hazael, captured (2Ki 13:25).

Jeroboam II delivered the final blow to the Syrians and recovered Israel’s territories from Hamath to the Dead Sea which King Hazael took from King Jehu by war (2Ki 14:25). In addition, he captured the Syrian capital city Damascus and the Jewish city Hamath and gave them to Israel. This was not his doing, but the Lord’s (2Ki 14:28).

Though Israel was living in apostasy, God helped Jeroboam II have many military successes over his enemies because Israel was bitterly afflicted by Syria and only He the Lord could help save them (2Ki 14:26). Therefore, He spoke through Prophet Jonah that He would make Israel recover all the territories it lost and He used Jeroboam II to fulfill His word and to save them (2Ki 14:25).

Eventually, Jeroboam II died of natural causes. The throne was given to his son, Zachariah a fourth-generation descendant of King Jehu in whose reign the Jehu dynasty was supposed to end. (2Ki 14:29)

Achievements of Jeroboam II

  • He recovered the territories of Israel from Hamath to the Dead Sea. (2Ki 14:28)
  • He captured the Syrian city of Damascus and the Jewish city of Hamath. (2Ki 14:28)

Contemporaries of Jeroboam II

King Amaziah had reigned for 15 years when Jeroboam II became a king. King Amaziah was the only king mentioned during the reign of Jeroboam II. Jeroboam II took Hamath from his hands. These kings were not in a good relationship. (2Ki 14:28)

Major events during Jeroboam II’s reign

  • By war and conquest, Jeroboam II took back all the territories of Israel from Hamath to the Dead Sea. (2Ki 14:28)
  • He also captured Damascus and Hamath for Israel. (2Ki 14:28)

Category: Jeroboam II belongs to:

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