2 Kings 15:37 tells us that God began to stir up two enemy kings, Rezin of Syria and Pekah son of Remaliah, to come against the kingdom of Judah. The verse is a historical note, not a promise or a command, and it explains a turning point in the story of Judah’s kings. The narrator of 2 Kings is the speaker here, writing for the people of Judah and their descendants so they could understand why their nation was struggling.
In those days, the LORD began to send Rezin the king of Syria and Pekah the son of Remaliah against Judah.
2 Kings 15:37 (WEB)
What 2 Kings 15:37 Means
The phrase “in those days” places this event within the reign of King Jotham of Judah, the son of Uzziah. The writer is saying that the trouble did not arrive by accident. It came during a particular period when the kingdom was already under strain.
The phrase “the LORD began to send” is the key to the verse. It says that God was the one who set these events in motion. Rezin and Pekah were allied powers who attacked Judah, and the author presents their march as something God allowed and directed, not simply as the ordinary result of political rivalry. This is a statement about God’s authority over nations, not a promise that every hardship has a clear cause that people can name.
The verse does not explain why God chose to act this way, and it does not tell us that Judah deserved the attack in a neat, one-to-one manner. What it does show is that the writer believed the history of Israel and Judah was shaped by God’s hand, even in moments of defeat and danger.
The Context of 2 Kings 15:37
Second Kings is part of the historical books that trace the kings of Israel and Judah after the time of Solomon. Jewish tradition and most Christian readers have attributed the book to a prophetic or scribal writer who drew on earlier royal records, which is why verse 36 refers to “the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah.” The original audience was the people of Judah, living through the aftermath of the kingdom’s decline, and the writer wanted them to see their past clearly.
Just before this verse, the text describes Jotham as a king who did what was right in the LORD’s eyes, though the high places remained in use. The verse that follows reports his death and the accession of his son Ahaz, who turns out to be a far less faithful ruler. Read in that setting, verse 37 is the hinge that moves the story from a mostly faithful reign toward a period of crisis and compromise, which is why it matters for understanding the verses around it.
Key Phrases in 2 Kings 15:37
Isaiah 7:1
In the days of Ahaz the son of Jotham, the son of Uzziah, king of Judah, Rezin the king of Syria, and Pekah the son of Remaliah, king of Israel, went up to Jerusalem to war against it, but could not prevail against it.
(WEB)
This verse describes the same alliance of Rezin and Pekah marching against Jerusalem during the reign of Ahaz. Reading it alongside 2 Kings 15:37 helps you see how the threat that began in Jotham’s time continued into the next reign and shaped the choices of the king who followed.
Psalm 46:1
God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
(WEB)
This psalm speaks of God as a refuge and strength in times of trouble when nations are in turmoil. It offers a complementary picture to the historical account, showing how the people of God could find shelter in the LORD even while kingdoms rose and fell around them.
A Short Prayer From 2 Kings 15:37
Lord, you are the one who rules over nations and over the seasons of our lives, and nothing moves outside your knowing. When trouble comes from directions we did not expect, help us remember that you are still at work. Give us the wisdom to see clearly, the patience to wait on you, and the trust to rest in your faithfulness when the pressure feels heavy. Keep our hearts turned toward you in every season. Amen.
