◄ 2 Kings 15:3 ►
And he did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, just as his father Amaziah had done.
Study Bible
And he did what was right
This phrase indicates a moral and spiritual alignment with God's standards. The Hebrew root for "right" is "יָשָׁר" (yashar), which means straight or upright. In the context of the Kings of Israel and Judah, doing what was right in the eyes of the LORD often involved adherence to the covenantal laws given to Moses. This phrase sets a positive tone for the king's reign, suggesting a commitment to righteousness and justice, which are central themes throughout the Old Testament.

in the eyes of the LORD
This expression emphasizes divine perspective and approval. The Hebrew word for "eyes" is "עֵינַיִם" (einaim), symbolizing God's omniscience and His ability to see beyond outward actions to the heart's intentions. The phrase underscores the importance of living a life that seeks God's approval rather than human accolades. It reminds believers that true righteousness is measured by God's standards, not by societal norms.

just as his father Amaziah had done
This comparison to Amaziah, the king's father, provides a historical and familial context. Amaziah, like many kings, had a mixed record of faithfulness. The phrase suggests a continuation of certain positive aspects of Amaziah's reign, though it also invites reflection on the complexities of legacy and influence. In the Hebrew tradition, the actions of ancestors often set a precedent for future generations, highlighting the importance of godly leadership and the impact of one's spiritual heritage.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Azariah (Uzziah)
King of Judah who reigned for 52 years. Known for doing what was right in the eyes of the LORD, though not without faults.

2. Amaziah
Father of Azariah, also a king of Judah, who similarly did what was right in the eyes of the LORD but did not remove the high places.

3. Judah
The southern kingdom of Israel, where Azariah reigned. Known for having a mix of righteous and unrighteous kings.

4. High Places
Sites of worship that were not sanctioned by God, often associated with idolatry and syncretism.

5. The LORD
The covenant God of Israel, who judges the actions of the kings and the people according to His law.
Teaching Points
Faithfulness in Leadership
Azariah's reign is marked by doing what was right in the eyes of the LORD, reminding us of the importance of godly leadership.

Incomplete Obedience
Despite his righteousness, Azariah did not remove the high places, teaching us that partial obedience is not enough in God's eyes.

Legacy and Influence
The influence of Amaziah on Azariah's reign shows the impact of parental legacy, encouraging us to consider the spiritual heritage we leave behind.

The Danger of High Places
The persistence of high places in Judah serves as a warning against allowing compromise and syncretism in our worship and devotion to God.

God's Standard
The phrase "in the eyes of the LORD" underscores that God's perspective is the ultimate measure of righteousness, challenging us to align our actions with His standards.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does Azariah's reign compare to that of his father Amaziah, and what lessons can we learn about generational influence in our own lives?

2. What are the "high places" in our own lives that we might be neglecting to remove, and how can we address them?

3. In what ways can we ensure that our leadership, whether in the home, church, or community, aligns with what is right in the eyes of the LORD?

4. How does the account of Azariah's reign in 2 Chronicles 26 expand our understanding of his character and leadership?

5. How can we apply the principle of complete obedience to God in our daily walk, and what scriptures can guide us in this pursuit?
Connections to Other Scriptures
2 Chronicles 26
Provides a parallel account of Azariah's reign, offering more details about his accomplishments and failures.

2 Kings 14
Discusses the reign of Amaziah, Azariah's father, highlighting the continuity and challenges in the leadership of Judah.

Deuteronomy 12
God's command to destroy high places, emphasizing the importance of centralized worship in Jerusalem.

1 Kings 15
The reign of Asa, another king of Judah who did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, providing a comparison to Azariah's reign.
Sermons
Another King Beginning Well, Ending IllJ. Orr 2 Kings 15:1-7
Prosperity and its DangersC.H. Irwin 2 Kings 15:1-7
Some Lessons from the History of KingsD. Thomas 2 Kings 15:1-38
People
Abel, Ahaz, Amaziah, Amram, Aram, Argob, Arieh, Azaliah, Azariah, David, Elah, Gadi, Gileadites, Hoshea, Jabesh, Jecholiah, Jecoliah, Jehu, Jeroboam, Jerusha, Jotham, Maacah, Menahem, Naphtali, Nebat, Pekah, Pekahiah, Pul, Remaliah, Rezin, Shallum, Tappuah, Tiglathpileser, Tirzah, Uzziah, Zachariah, Zadok, Zechariah
Places
Abel-beth-maacah, Assyria, Damascus, Galilee, Gilead, Hazor, Ibleam, Ijon, Janoah, Jerusalem, Kedesh, Samaria, Syria, Tirzah
Topics
Amaziah, Amazi'ah, Sight
Dictionary of Bible Themes
2 Kings 15:3

     8315   orthodoxy, in OT

2 Kings 15:1-38

     5366   king

2 Kings 15:3-4

     7374   high places

Library
The Twelve Minor Prophets.
1. By the Jewish arrangement, which places together the twelve minor prophets in a single volume, the chronological order of the prophets as a whole is broken up. The three greater prophets, Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel, stand in the true order of time. Daniel began to prophesy before Ezekiel, but continued, many years after him. The Jewish arrangement of the twelve minor prophets is in a sense chronological; that is, they put the earlier prophets at the beginning, and the later at the end of the …
E. P. Barrows—Companion to the Bible

Meditations Before Dinner and Supper.
Meditate that hunger is like the sickness called a wolf; which, if thou dost not feed, will devour thee, and eat thee up; and that meat and drink are but as physic, or means which God hath ordained, to relieve and cure this natural infirmity and necessity of man. Use, therefore, to eat and to drink, rather to sustain and refresh the weakness of nature, than to satisfy the sensuality and delights of the flesh. Eat, therefore, to live, but live not to eat. There is no service so base, as for a man …
Lewis Bayly—The Practice of Piety

A Living Book
[Illustration: (drop cap T) Symbol of "Asshur", the principal Assyrian idol.] There is only one Book that never grows old. For thousands of years men have been writing books. Most books are forgotten soon after they are written; a few of the best and wisest are remembered for a time. But all at last grow old; new discoveries are made; new ideas arise; the old books are out of date; their usefulness is at an end. Students are the only people who still care to read them. The nations to which the …
Mildred Duff—The Bible in its Making

In Galilee at the Time of Our Lord
"If any one wishes to be rich, let him go north; if he wants to be wise, let him come south." Such was the saying, by which Rabbinical pride distinguished between the material wealth of Galilee and the supremacy in traditional lore claimed for the academies of Judaea proper. Alas, it was not long before Judaea lost even this doubtful distinction, and its colleges wandered northwards, ending at last by the Lake of Gennesaret, and in that very city of Tiberias which at one time had been reputed unclean! …
Alfred Edersheim—Sketches of Jewish Social Life

The Prophet Micah.
PRELIMINARY REMARKS. Micah signifies: "Who is like Jehovah;" and by this name, the prophet is consecrated to the incomparable God, just as Hosea was to the helping God, and Nahum to the comforting God. He prophesied, according to the inscription, under Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah. We are not, however, entitled, on this account, to dissever his prophecies, and to assign particular discourses to the reign of each of these kings. On the contrary, the entire collection forms only one whole. At …
Ernst Wilhelm Hengstenberg—Christology of the Old Testament

The Prophet Hosea.
GENERAL PRELIMINARY REMARKS. That the kingdom of Israel was the object of the prophet's ministry is so evident, that upon this point all are, and cannot but be, agreed. But there is a difference of opinion as to whether the prophet was a fellow-countryman of those to whom he preached, or was called by God out of the kingdom of Judah. The latter has been asserted with great confidence by Maurer, among others, in his Observ. in Hos., in the Commentat. Theol. ii. i. p. 293. But the arguments …
Ernst Wilhelm Hengstenberg—Christology of the Old Testament

Kings
The book[1] of Kings is strikingly unlike any modern historical narrative. Its comparative brevity, its curious perspective, and-with some brilliant exceptions--its relative monotony, are obvious to the most cursory perusal, and to understand these things is, in large measure, to understand the book. It covers a period of no less than four centuries. Beginning with the death of David and the accession of Solomon (1 Kings i., ii.) it traverses his reign with considerable fulness (1 Kings iii.-xi.), …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

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