The book of 2 Kings is one of the books that make up the Old Testament.

The book of 2 Kings records three sad centuries in the history of the kingdoms of Israel and Judah. ​​Continuing the story told in 1 Kings, this book reports on the parallel reigns of the kings of Israel and Judah from the ninth century BC until the fall of these kingdoms. Israel fell to Assyria in 721 BCE, and Judah fell to Babylon in 586 BCE. The end of the book adds more information about captivity, with the last entry on the liberation of Joaquim in 561 BCE.

These three centuries were especially sad, not only because of the fall of these two kingdoms, but for the reasons that led the Lord to determine such suffering for his people. After the division of the kingdom, all the kings of the north (Israel) were rebels against God. Some were worse than others, but none of the kings of Israel proved faithful to the Lord. Just over 200 years after the division of kingdoms, Israel fell. It is worth reading the explanation of the reasons for this severe punishment, recorded in 2 Kings 17.