Historical context of 2 Kings

Who wrote 2 Kings, when, and to whom — and how that shapes the way we read it today.

Author

Anonymous

Date written

c. 560-540 BC

Original audience

Exiled Israel.

Genre

History

Testament

Old Testament

Chapters

25

Background and setting

9th-6th centuries BC, culminating in Babylonian captivity.

Why it matters today

Understanding the world 2 Kings was written into helps us read it on its own terms — and apply it faithfully to our lives now. God spoke through real people, in real history, for the lasting good of His people in every generation.

Read the overview of 2 Kings or jump into chapter 1.