Revised by Rachel Wrenn (2/24)
The Deuteronomistic History, of which 2 Kings is a part, addresses the questions of those who had experienced the fall of the Northern KingdomThe Northern Kingdom consisted of ten of the twelve tribes of Israel and lasted for 200 years until it was destroyed by Assyria in 721 B.C.E. In the northern kingdom the kings were evil. Prophets like Elijah and Amos railed against them and their evildoing. More of Israel to Assyria in 722/721 BCE, the fallThe Fall refers specifically to the disobedience of Adam and Eve when they listened to Satan rather than adhering to God’s command not to eat the fruit from the tree. When people act contrary to God’s will, they are said to fall from from grace… More of Jerusalem to Nebuchadnezzar II, the destruction of the Temple, the end of Davidic rule, and deportation to Babylon in 587/586 BCE. Had God abandoned them? Why was Israel’s history a history of failure, especially in light of God’s enduring promises to DavidSecond king of Israel, David united the northern and southern kingdoms. More? Notably important in this regard was the explanation that both the fall of the North and the Babylonian Exile were due to Israel’s and Judah’s covenantal violations.