2 Kings 15:24 Meaning and Explanation
“And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD: he departed not from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Pekahiah follows the same spiritual path as his father: rejection of God's law.
The Context of 2 Kings 15:24
The same formula as v.18. Pekahiah made no attempt to reform or turn from the calf worship and false priesthood that Jeroboam established. Like father, like son.
What Does 2 Kings 15:24 Mean?
Two years, and the refrain is the same: 'evil in the sight of the Lord.' Did Pekahiah think to change course? Did he harbor any hope of redeeming the northern kingdom's spiritual condition? We are not told. What we know is that he 'departed not.' He continued what his father had done, what every king had done. The apostasy was now so woven into the fabric of northern life that to be king was to perpetuate it.
This invites a hard question for us: What sins have we inherited that we accept as normal? What spiritual compromises have we inherited from our culture, our families, our traditions that we do not even recognize as departures from God's truth? The northern kingdom's blindness to its own apostasy is not so distant from our own. We do well to examine our own hearts and ask: Where have I drifted? Where do I excuse in myself what I would condemn in others?
2 Kings 15:24 in the Original Language
Hebrew 'ra', evil—not personal vice only, but systemic corruption of worship.
How to Apply 2 Kings 15:24 Today
Do not assume that because something has always been this way, it is the way it should be. The trajectory of sin is always downward. Pekahiah had a chance to redirect his kingdom; he did not take it. You have a chance each day to choose a different path. Choose to examine your own heart and, where you have drifted, choose to return to God's truth.
Frequently Asked Questions About 2 Kings 15:24
What does 2 Kings 15:24 mean?
Pekahiah follows the same spiritual path as his father: rejection of God's law.
What is the context of 2 Kings 15:24?
The same formula as v.18. Pekahiah made no attempt to reform or turn from the calf worship and false priesthood that Jeroboam established. Like father, like son.
How can I apply 2 Kings 15:24 today?
Do not assume that because something has always been this way, it is the way it should be. The trajectory of sin is always downward. Pekahiah had a chance to redirect his kingdom; he did not take it. You have a chance each day to choose a different path. Choose to examine your own heart and, where you have drifted, choose to return to God's truth.