A quick succession of northern kings (2 Kings 15)

Jeroboam II - Zechariah (end of Jehu's mini-dynasty)

Shallum

Menahem - Pekahiah

Pekah

Hoshea

Zechariah became king after Jeroboam II died. He did evil in God's sight and reigned only 6 months before being assassinated in a coup d'état. He was the fourth generation of descendants after Jehu and his reign fulfilled God's promise to Jehu.

Shallum is the man who assassinated Zechariah and became king. He reigned one month before being assassinated by Menahem, who became the next king.

Menahem reigned for 10 years and did evil in God's sight. He massacred the civilian population at Tirzah and ripped open the stomachs of pregnant women. Previously, such war atrocities had been done by foreign invaders. Here, an Israelite king is doing it.

The king of Assyria invaded the northern kingdom but Menahem bought him off with silver. Menahem levied heavy taxes to pay off the Assyrians for them to withdraw the invasion.

His son Pekahiah became king after Menahem died. Pekahiah did evil in God's sight, ruled for 2 years, and was killed in a coup d'état by the commander of his army, Pekah.

Pekah reigned for 20 years and he did evil in God's sight. During his reign, the Assyrian army returned. This time, they captured a number of towns and took the population into exile in their empire. Here, we have the warnings of Amos starting to be fulfilled - Israelites being taken into exile. However, one the Israelites disappear as captives into the Assyrian empire, they lost their cultural identity and become lost to history.

Amos' warning also contained a promise that the people could escape invasion exile if they repented. The rest of the northern kingdom is still intact, but will they repent now that Amos' prophecy is starting to come true?

Meanwhile, Hoshea assassinates Pekah and became king.