Reading 2 Kings after the stories of Elisha could get a bit confusing. Who was in Israel? Who was in Judah? What is Samaria?

One way to at least try and stay on task that has been helpful for me is to notice when a new king comes in the picture. I look for a few things that get mentioned most of the time and circle them. It keep me on track.

Look for: the age of the king when he came into power, the name of his mother, how long he reigned, and if he did evil or good. If good, what were the caveats given (such as, “the high places weren’t removed”).

Most of those things show up in some way in each king’s brief story, so it could help you stay focused and moving through the text.