Journal: Westminster Theological Journal
Volume: WTJ 86:2 (Fall 2024)
Article: The Final Four: A Coda Of Kings
Author: Lane Keister

WTJ 86:2 (Fall 2024) p. 161

The Final Four: A Coda Of Kings

Lane Keister

Lane Keister is pastor of Momence Orthodox Presbyterian Church in Momence, IL.

While it has been fairly typical for scholars to describe the account in 2 Kgs 23:31–25:30 of the reigns of the last four kings of Judah as rushed, this article will show that such is not the case. Rather, the account functions as a carefully crafted coda, an explanation of why Josiah’s reign was not sufficient to stave off disaster forever, and an epitome of what went wrong in the southern kingship. After briefly examining some methodological concerns, as well as the views of scholarship, the main argument rests on the ABAB structure of the last four kings, an examination of the elements of the reports, the parallels between the accounts of the fall of the northern and southern kingdoms, and evidence from the last four verses of 2 Kings.

In music from the Classical period, a coda is a second development section in a piece of music composed in the three-element sonata form (exposition-development-recapitulation). The Italian word “coda” means “tail.” It most definitely belongs as part of the body of the composition. Usually it highlights some of the repeated themes as they have been developed before, only it does so in a climactic way. It finishes the piece off with a bang. It allows the composer a chance to get his point across one more time. While tightly connected to the previous sections (especially the development section), the coda is a bit like the grand finale of a fireworks show. In this article, I intend to show that the final four kings of Judah, as portrayed in 2 Kgs 23:31–25:30, constitute just such a coda. They epitomize everything that went wrong with Judah. Judah followed the example of the northern kingdom and got the same result as the northern kingdom. After some methodological considerations, a discussion of scholarship on the structure of 2 Kings, and some historical matters related to the ancient Near East, the coda of 2 Kgs 23:31–25:30 will be shown through examination of the ABAB structure of the final four kings, an inquiry into the elements, or formulaic expressions, used in the account of the final four kings as compared to the rest of the Judahite kings, a comparison of the reasoning behind the demise/judgment of the northern and southern

WTJ 86:2 (Fall 2024) p. 162

kingdoms, a look at the desecration and destruction of the temple, and briefly a glance at the final hope that the last four verses of the book afford readers.

I. Preliminary Issues

1. Methodological Co...

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