Zachariah, the son of Jeroboam II, was the last king of the Jehu dynasty to reign over the northern kingdom of Israel. His reign is recorded in the biblical narrative found in 2 Kings 15:8-12. Zachariah ascended to the throne in Samaria, the capital of the northern kingdom, and his rule marked a period of significant instability and decline for Israel.

Reign and Historical Context

Zachariah's reign was brief, lasting only six months. The brevity of his rule is indicative of the turbulent times in which he lived. The kingdom of Israel was experiencing internal strife and external threats, particularly from the expanding Assyrian Empire. The political landscape was marked by a series of short-lived reigns and frequent assassinations, reflecting the weakening state of Israel's monarchy.

Biblical Account

The biblical account in 2 Kings 15:8-12 provides a concise summary of Zachariah's reign:

"In the thirty-eighth year of Azariah’s reign over Judah, Zechariah son of Jeroboam became king of Israel, and he reigned in Samaria six months. And he did evil in the sight of the LORD, as his fathers had done. He did not turn away from the sins that Jeroboam son of Nebat had caused Israel to commit. Then Shallum son of Jabesh conspired against Zechariah, struck him down and killed him in front of the people, and reigned in his place. As for the rest of the acts of Zechariah, they are indeed written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel. So the word of the LORD spoken to Jehu was fulfilled: 'Four generations of your sons will sit on the throne of Israel.' And so it was."

Religious and Moral Evaluation

Zachariah is described as having done "evil in the sight of the LORD," continuing the idolatrous practices initiated by Jeroboam son of Nebat. This phrase, recurrent in the accounts of Israel's kings, underscores the persistent spiritual apostasy that plagued the northern kingdom. Zachariah's failure to depart from these sins contributed to the moral and spiritual decline of Israel, which ultimately led to its downfall.

Assassination and Fulfillment of Prophecy

Zachariah's assassination by Shallum son of Jabesh is a pivotal event, marking the end of the Jehu dynasty. This act of violence fulfilled the prophecy given to Jehu, as recorded in 2 Kings 10:30, where the LORD promised Jehu that his descendants would sit on the throne of Israel to the fourth generation. Zachariah's death thus signifies the completion of this divine word, highlighting the sovereignty of God over the affairs of nations and the fulfillment of His prophetic declarations.

Legacy

Zachariah's reign, though short-lived, is emblematic of the broader narrative of Israel's decline. His inability to reform the spiritual and moral state of the nation, coupled with the political instability of his time, set the stage for the eventual fall of the northern kingdom to Assyria in 722 BC. Zachariah's account serves as a somber reminder of the consequences of persistent disobedience to God's commandments and the inevitable judgment that follows.2 Kings 15:8-12
In the thirty and eighth year of Azariah king of Judah did Zachariah the son of Jeroboam reign over Israel in Samaria six months.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Concerning Jeroboam King of Israel and Jonah the Prophet; and How ...
... Amaziah, Jeroboam the son of Joash reigned over Israel in Samaria ... son of Amaziah,
begin to reign over the two ... by the carelessness of the kings, his predecessors ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/chapter 10 concerning jeroboam king.htm

The Antiquities of the Jews
... Became More Wicked Than All The Kings That Had ... CHAPTER 7. How Athaliah Reigned Over
Jerusalem For Five [Six ... Concerning Jeroboam King Of Israel And Jonah The ...
//christianbookshelf.org/josephus/the antiquities of the jews/

The Prophet Hosea.
... Menahem reigned ten years at Samaria. ... years (ver.27), and, by his alliance with the
kings of Syria ... gave a survey of what he had prophesied over Judah during ...
/.../hengstenberg/christology of the old testament/the prophet hosea.htm

The Historical Situation
... 4. Both Philip and Antipas reigned until after the death of Jesus, Philip ... Kings
xvii.24-41). ... purification of his own people as for its victories over their foes ...
/.../rhees/the life of jesus of nazareth/i the historical situation.htm

The Manner in which Josephus Mentions the Divine Books.
... 2. Prophets: Joshua, Judges and Ruth, Samuel, Kings, Isaiah, Jeremiah ... to is Artaxerxes
Longimanus who reigned bc 464 ... than a defense of himself over against the ...
/.../pamphilius/church history/chapter x the manner in which.htm

The Hebrews and the Philistines --Damascus
... A perpetual terror reigned wherever they were accustomed to ... bezek said, Threescore
and ten kings, having their ... very spot where they had triumphed over the sons ...
/.../chapter iiithe hebrews and the.htm

On the Words Incarnate, and Made Man.
... there are 120 Olympiads intervening, and a little over. ... a "damsel," hear the Book
of the Kings, speaking of ... in the reign of Ahaz, and Ahaz reigned only sixteen ...
/.../cyril/lectures of s cyril of jerusalem/lecture xii on the words.htm

Against Jovinianus.
... And to pass over endless details (for it is not my purpose now to ... all the mysteries
of the Old Testament), [4376] five kings who previously reigned in the ...
/.../jerome/the principal works of st jerome/against jovinianus.htm

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