He followed the LORD as his father Amaziah had done, although in an imperfect way.
Second Kings 15:3 reads, He did right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his father Amaziah had done (v.3). According to 2 Kings 15, this verse speaks of King Azariah (another name for Uzziah), who reigned over Judah following Amaziah’s death. Azariah ruled from around 792 to 740 BC in the southern kingdom, with Jerusalem as his capital. The text states that “he did right in the sight of the LORD,” meaning he observed many of God’s statutes and followed in the ways his father Amaziah had initially practiced, particularly at the start of Amaziah’s own reign. Amaziah, who reigned earlier (c. 796-767 BC), had also sought to please the LORD but later turned away (2 Kings 14:3-4). Here in 2 Kings 15:3, Azariah’s obedience evokes the sense that he continued what was good in Amaziah’s example. The phrase He did right reminds us that choosing to seek God and follow His ways leads to blessings for both the king and the nation (Deuteronomy 30:15-20).
However, as the larger story of Judah’s kings reveals, even when a ruler “did right,” their commitment often suffered from incomplete devotion or allowed high places of worship to remain (2 Kings 15:4). Azariah’s partial obedience becomes apparent when the text notes he did not remove the high places, and this omission would result in continued spiritual struggles. Geographically, Azariah’s reign was centered in Jerusalem, where the temple of the LORD stood. Because of this symbolic heart of worship, the city carried enormous landmark significance for the entire kingdom of Judah and even beyond. Like northern Israel’s capitals (Samaria, for instance), Jerusalem was to represent the heart of worship of the one true God.
Azariah’s life anticipates the scriptural reality that no human king would ever truly keep the law of the LORD completely. This shortcoming is fully resolved in Jesus, the Messiah, who is the perfect King (Hebrews 4:15). He reigns in complete obedience where earthly kings fell short. Even in Azariah’s overall faithfulness, the partial obedience foreshadows the deeper need for a sinless Savior who is able to perfectly fulfill God’s covenant demands on behalf of His people (Romans 8:3-4).
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2 Kings 15:3 meaning
Second Kings 15:3 reads, He did right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his father Amaziah had done (v.3). According to 2 Kings 15, this verse speaks of King Azariah (another name for Uzziah), who reigned over Judah following Amaziah’s death. Azariah ruled from around 792 to 740 BC in the southern kingdom, with Jerusalem as his capital. The text states that “he did right in the sight of the LORD,” meaning he observed many of God’s statutes and followed in the ways his father Amaziah had initially practiced, particularly at the start of Amaziah’s own reign. Amaziah, who reigned earlier (c. 796-767 BC), had also sought to please the LORD but later turned away (2 Kings 14:3-4). Here in 2 Kings 15:3, Azariah’s obedience evokes the sense that he continued what was good in Amaziah’s example. The phrase He did right reminds us that choosing to seek God and follow His ways leads to blessings for both the king and the nation (Deuteronomy 30:15-20).
However, as the larger story of Judah’s kings reveals, even when a ruler “did right,” their commitment often suffered from incomplete devotion or allowed high places of worship to remain (2 Kings 15:4). Azariah’s partial obedience becomes apparent when the text notes he did not remove the high places, and this omission would result in continued spiritual struggles. Geographically, Azariah’s reign was centered in Jerusalem, where the temple of the LORD stood. Because of this symbolic heart of worship, the city carried enormous landmark significance for the entire kingdom of Judah and even beyond. Like northern Israel’s capitals (Samaria, for instance), Jerusalem was to represent the heart of worship of the one true God.
Azariah’s life anticipates the scriptural reality that no human king would ever truly keep the law of the LORD completely. This shortcoming is fully resolved in Jesus, the Messiah, who is the perfect King (Hebrews 4:15). He reigns in complete obedience where earthly kings fell short. Even in Azariah’s overall faithfulness, the partial obedience foreshadows the deeper need for a sinless Savior who is able to perfectly fulfill God’s covenant demands on behalf of His people (Romans 8:3-4).