2 Kings Genre

Biblical History Book

2 Kings isn't actually a history book—it's not a textbook about history. But it is about history, in the sense that it's the narrators' specific interpretation of the history and destiny of Judah and Israel. It's an attempt to search for deeper meanings in that story, to try to figure out why things happened the way they did, regardless of how many legendary tales or possible allegories are involved in the stories of Elijah, Elisha, and others.