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2 Kings 14

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In the second year of Joash son of Jehoahaz king of Israel reigned Amaziah the son of Joash king of Judah.

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He was twenty and five years old when he began to reign, and reigned twenty and nine years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Jehoaddan of Jerusalem.

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And he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, yet not like David his father: he did according to all things as Joash his father did.

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Howbeit the high places were not taken away: as yet the people did sacrifice and burnt incense on the high places.

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And it came to pass, as soon as the kingdom was confirmed in his hand, that he slew his servants which had slain the king his father.

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But the children of the murderers he slew not: according unto that which is written in the book of the law of Moses, wherein the Lord commanded, saying, The fathers shall not be put to death for the children, nor the children be put to death for the fathers; but every man shall be put to death for his own sin.

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He slew of Edom in the valley of salt ten thousand, and took Selah by war, and called the name of it Joktheel unto this day.

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Then Amaziah sent messengers to Jehoash, the son of Jehoahaz son of Jehu, king of Israel, saying, Come, let us look one another in the face.

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And Jehoash the king of Israel sent to Amaziah king of Judah, saying, The thistle that was in Lebanon sent to the cedar that was in Lebanon, saying, Give thy daughter to my son to wife: and there passed by a wild beast that was in Lebanon, and trode down the thistle.

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Thou hast indeed smitten Edom, and thine heart hath lifted thee up: glory of this, and tarry at home: for why shouldest thou meddle to thy hurt, that thou shouldest fall, even thou, and Judah with thee?

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But Amaziah would not hear. Therefore Jehoash king of Israel went up; and he and Amaziah king of Judah looked one another in the face at Beth–shemesh, which belongeth to Judah.

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And Judah was put to the worse before Israel; and they fled every man to their tents.

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And Jehoash king of Israel took Amaziah king of Judah, the son of Jehoash the son of Ahaziah, at Beth–shemesh, and came to Jerusalem, and brake down the wall of Jerusalem from the gate of Ephraim unto the corner gate, four hundred cubits.

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And he took all the gold and silver, and all the vessels that were found in the house of the Lord, and in the treasures of the king’s house, and hostages, and returned to Samaria.

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Now the rest of the acts of Jehoash which he did, and his might, and how he fought with Amaziah king of Judah, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?

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And Jehoash slept with his fathers, and was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel; and Jeroboam his son reigned in his stead.

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And Amaziah the son of Joash king of Judah lived after the death of Jehoash son of Jehoahaz king of Israel fifteen years.

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And the rest of the acts of Amaziah, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?

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Now they made a conspiracy against him in Jerusalem: and he fled to Lachish; but they sent after him to Lachish, and slew him there.

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And they brought him on horses: and he was buried at Jerusalem with his fathers in the city of David.

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And all the people of Judah took Azariah, which was sixteen years old, and made him king instead of his father Amaziah.

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He built Elath, and restored it to Judah, after that the king slept with his fathers.

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In the fifteenth year of Amaziah the son of Joash king of Judah Jeroboam the son of Joash king of Israel began to reign in Samaria, and reigned forty and one years.

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And he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord: he departed not from all the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin.

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He restored the coast of Israel from the entering of Hamath unto the sea of the plain, according to the word of the Lord God of Israel, which he spake by the hand of his servant Jonah, the son of Amittai, the prophet, which was of Gath–hepher.

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For the Lord saw the affliction of Israel, that it was very bitter: for there was not any shut up, nor any left, nor any helper for Israel.

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And the Lord said not that he would blot out the name of Israel from under heaven: but he saved them by the hand of Jeroboam the son of Joash.

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Now the rest of the acts of Jeroboam, and all that he did, and his might, how he warred, and how he recovered Damascus, and Hamath, which belonged to Judah, for Israel, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?

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And Jeroboam slept with his fathers, even with the kings of Israel; and Zachariah his son reigned in his stead.

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2 Kings 14

The account of the reigns of Amaziah in Judah and Jeroboam II in Israel establishes the contrasting trajectories of the two kingdoms and the eventual assertion of Israel's military dominance. The chapter opens with Amaziah's reign, described as doing what was right in the sight of YHWH, yet not like his ancestor David; Amaziah spares the children of his assassins, following the law of Moses. Amaziah's military campaign against Edom is successful, yet his subsequent challenge to Jehoash of Israel results in military defeat and the capture of Jerusalem. The chapter notes that Amaziah is eventually assassinated. The chapter then turns to Jeroboam II of Israel, whose reign is characterized by military success and the expansion of Israel's territory. The theological significance lies in the demonstration that military and territorial success do not correspond to covenantal fidelity.

2 Kings 14:1

Amaziah son of Joash became king of Judah — establishing his rule in the second year of Joash's reign over Israel. He was twenty-five years old when he began his forty-year reign, following his father Joash's pattern of "doing what was right in the eyes of the LORD." Yet the text immediately qualifies this: "not as his father David had done," suggesting a lesser devotion and fidelity than the Davidic ideal. The phrase "did what was right" (עשׂה הישׁר, *asah ha-yashar*) appears formulaic but incomplete, foreshadowing his later pride and downfall. This establishes the theological pattern: initial obedience proves insufficient when not grounded in genuine fear of the LORD.

2 Kings 14:2

His mother was Jehoaddin of Jerusalem — the maternal influence emphasized in the royal formula, though her background cannot be traced. Amaziah's reign is framed by his parentage: his father Joash and his mother Jehoaddin, both of whom shape the conditions of his rule. The mention of maternal lineage, rooted in Jerusalem itself (the cultic and political center), suggests legitimacy and connection to the Davidic house. Yet the thoroughness of the genealogical notice belies the spiritual instability that will characterize his rule.

2 Kings 14:3

He did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, yet not like his father David — a carefully measured commendation that immediately establishes limitation. Amaziah "did according to all that Joash his father had done," following Joash's pattern of religious compromise and incomplete reform. The constant refrain of falling short of "David" (דָּוִד, *David*) invokes the Davidic covenant and the ideal of whole-hearted devotion to the LORD. This theological standard, measured against David, becomes the measure of all subsequent kings and their failure.

2 Kings 14:4

Only the high places were not removed; the people still sacrificed and made offerings on the high places — despite Amaziah's general faithfulness, the high places (*bamot*, במות) persist as sites of unauthorized worship. These locations represented syncretistic practices and violated the centralization principle later emphasized in Deuteronomy. The people's continued use of high places, unchecked by the king, demonstrates how deeply idolatrous practice had penetrated Judean religious life. This institutional compromise would haunt Judah and foreshadow the comprehensive idolatry of later reigns.

2 Kings 14:5

And as soon as the kingdom was firmly in his hand, he killed his servants who had murdered his father the king — Amaziah displays both justice and prudence in securing his throne by executing his father's assassins. The phrase "when the kingdom was firmly in his hand" (כִּי־חָזְקָה הַמַּמְלָכָה בְיָדוֹ, *ki-chazqah ha-mamlakah be-yado*) suggests consolidation of power before executing judgment. Yet he did not put to death the children of the murderers, following the Deuteronomic principle that children should not be executed for their parents' sins (Deuteronomy 24:16). This adherence to Torah law in the midst of political consolidation demonstrates genuine commitment to covenantal restraint.

2 Kings 14:6

According to what is written in the book of the law of Moses, where the LORD commanded, saying, 'The parents shall not be put to death for the children, nor the children put to death for the parents; but each shall die for his own sin' — the text explicitly cites Deuteronomy 24:16, grounding Amaziah's merciful decision in Torah. This is the only explicit scriptural citation in 2 Kings regarding royal conduct, indicating its theological importance. The principle of individual accountability (כִּי־בַחֲטָאוֹ יוּמַת, *ki-be-chata'o yumat*, "he shall die for his own sin") becomes foundational to biblical justice and divine judgment throughout the exile narratives to follow.

2 Kings 14:7

He struck down ten thousand Edomites in the Valley of Salt and took Sela by storm, and called it Joktheel, which is its name to this day — Amaziah's military success against Edom marks a high point of his reign, achieving what even David had accomplished. The Valley of Salt (עֵמֶק הַמְּלַח, *emeq ha-melach*) was a traditional battlefield; ten thousand Edomite deaths signal decisive victory. His renaming of Sela to Joktheel (יָקְתְאֵל, *Yoqth'el*, "God sustains") appears to commemorate the victory with a theophoric name, yet this military confidence will soon breed the fatal pride explored in the next verses.

2 Kings 14:8

Then Amaziah sent messengers to King Joash son of Jehoahaz son of Jehu of Israel, saying, 'Come, let us look one another in the face' — Amaziah's military confidence after Edom emboldens him to challenge the far more militarily powerful Joash of Israel. The phrase "let us look one another in the face" (נִשְׁמַר נָא פָנִים, *nishmar na panim*) is idiomatic for direct confrontation. This challenge, following his Edomite victory, reveals the fatal flaw of pride: *hubris* that overestimates Judah's power relative to the Northern Kingdom. The initiative itself demonstrates reckless confidence unbacked by military reality.

2 Kings 14:9

King Joash of Israel sent word to King Amaziah of Judah, 'A thornbush on Lebanon sent a message to a cedar of Lebanon, saying, "Give your daughter to my son for a wife." A wild animal of Lebanon passed by and trampled down the thornbush' — Joash's parable is devastating in its mockery. The cedar (אֶרֶז, *erez*) of Lebanon, symbol of majesty and strength, contrasts with the thornbush (קוֹץ, *kotz*), symbol of insignificance. Judah's pride in its Davidic heritage (the cedar) blinds it to its actual military inferiority. The wild animal represents Joash's military power, which will crush Judah's presumption. This proverb encapsulates the OT theology of pride preceding destruction (Proverbs 16:18).

2 Kings 14:10

You have indeed defeated Edom, and your heart has lifted you up. Glory in your victory, but stay at home; for why should you provoke trouble so that you fall, you and Judah with you?' — Joash's counsel, though mocking, contains genuine wisdom and a plea for restraint. He acknowledges Amaziah's Edomite success but warns that *pride* (הִגְדִּיל לִבְּךָ, *higdil libbekha*, "your heart has exalted itself") leads to ruin. The appeal to "stay at home" echoes the wisdom tradition's teaching on prudence. Yet Joash's words are unheeded, as they must be, for the narrative requires Amaziah's downfall to demonstrate the theological principle that pride *necessarily* precedes destruction.

2 Kings 14:11

But Amaziah would not listen. So King Joash of Israel went up; he and King Amaziah of Judah faced one another in battle at Beth-shemesh, which belongs to Judah — Amaziah's refusal to heed Joash's wise counsel (לֹא שָׁמַע, *lo shama*, "he did not listen") leads inexorably to military disaster. Beth-shemesh (בֵּית־שֶׁמֶשׁ, "House of the Sun"), a Judean city, becomes the site of confrontation, bringing warfare into Judean territory. The phrase "faced one another" (וַיִּשְׁמְרוּ פָנִים, *way-yishmeru panim*) recalls Amaziah's initial taunt, now meeting its answer in battle.

2 Kings 14:12

Judah was defeated by Israel; everyone fled to their homes — the complete military collapse of Judah, despite its earlier victories and despite the Davidic legitimacy that should theoretically grant divine favor. The rout is total: "everyone fled to their homes," indicating panic and disorder. This defeat contradicts any automatic assumption of divine protection for the Davidic line; the covenant requires obedience and humility, not pride.

2 Kings 14:13

King Joash of Israel captured King Amaziah of Judah son of Joash son of Ahaziah at Beth-shemesh; he came to Jerusalem, and broke down the wall of Jerusalem from the Gate of Ephraim to the Corner Gate, a distance of four hundred cubits — the captivity of the Judean king and the breaching of Jerusalem's walls represent catastrophic humiliation. The specific gate locations (שַׁעַר אֶפְרַיִם, *Sha'ar Efrayim*; פִּנַּת־שַׁעַר, *Pinnat-sha'ar*) mark the section devastated, approximately 600 feet of the northern wall destroyed. Jerusalem itself, the city of David and the seat of the temple, is violated by the Northern Kingdom, a reversal of the supposed covenantal favor.

2 Kings 14:14

He took all the gold and silver, and all the vessels that were found in the house of the LORD and in the treasuries of the king's house, as well as hostages, and then returned to Samaria — Joash's plundering of the temple treasury (כָּל־הַזָּהָב וְכָל־הַכֶּסֶף, *kol-ha-zahav ve-khol-ha-kessef*) represents a violation of the sacred house comparable to the later Babylonian desecration. The taking of hostages ensures Judean compliance. This looting foreshadows the ultimate exile when Babylonian forces will strip the temple bare. The transfer of temple wealth to the Northern Kingdom inverts the expected order: Judah, as keeper of the Davidic promise and the temple, loses primacy.

2 Kings 14:15

Now the rest of the acts of Joash which he performed, and his might, and how he fought against King Amaziah of Judah, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel? — the summary formula directs readers to fuller accounts while acknowledging the limited scope of 2 Kings. The phrase "his might" (וְגִבּוֹרוֹתָיו, *ve-gibborotav*) recalls Joash's military prowess, validated by his victory over Amaziah. This formula, repeated for each king, emphasizes that the deuteronomistic history is selective, focusing on theological significance rather than comprehensive documentation.

2 Kings 14:16

So Joash slept with his ancestors, and was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel. Then his son Jeroboam succeeded him — Joash's death and succession marks the transition to Jeroboam II, whose reign would witness Israel's greatest territorial expansion before the Assyrian collapse. The formula "slept with his ancestors" (וַיִּשְׁכַּב עִם־אֲבוֹתָיו, *way-yishkav im-avotav*) uses the euphemism for death that acknowledges the continuity of dynasty and the covenant of royal succession. Samaria's tombs hold the northern kings, spatially distant from Jerusalem and the Davidic promise.

2 Kings 14:17

King Amaziah son of Joash of Judah lived fifteen years after the death of King Joash son of Jehoahaz of Israel — Amaziah's survival past Joash's death offers no restoration; rather, his prolonged humiliation deepens the tragedy. The fifteen-year extended life, a partial mercy, allows him to witness the consequences of his pride rather than to reverse them. This extended suffering mirrors the pedagogical purpose of divine punishment: not merely death, but the prolonged experience of consequences.

2 Kings 14:18

Now the rest of the acts of Amaziah, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? — the standard summary formula acknowledges Amaziah's reign in the record while emphasizing its incomplete significance. The formulaic nature of this conclusion — after detailing his pride, defeat, capture, and humiliation — suggests that pride and its consequences, rather than regal achievements, constitute the theological core of his story.

2 Kings 14:19

They made a conspiracy against him in Jerusalem, and he fled to Lachish. But they sent after him to Lachish, and killed him there — Amaziah's ultimate fate reflects the principle that humiliation and loss of authority invite conspiracy. The conspiracy (קָשַׁר־עָלָיו קָשֶׁר, *qashar-alav qasher*, "they conspired against him") develops after his military and political diminishment. Lachish (לָכִישׁ, *Lachish*), a fortified city in the Shephelah, offers no refuge; his assassins pursue him there, ensuring his death away from the capital. This death completes the reversal: from Edomite triumph to Israelite defeat to conspirators' murder.

2 Kings 14:20

They brought him on horses; he was buried at Jerusalem with his ancestors in the City of David — despite his shameful death far from home, Amaziah receives royal burial in Jerusalem, affirming his place in the Davidic line even after his deposition. The return of his body to the capital and his burial with his ancestors (עִם־אֲבוֹתָיו בְעִיר דָּוִד, *im-avotav be-ir David*) signifies that dynastic continuity, though fractured, continues. His story exemplifies how pride, even in a king who began with genuine faithfulness, inevitably precipitates destruction.

2 Kings 14:21

All the people of Judah took Azariah, who was sixteen years old, and made him king to succeed his father Amaziah — the people's initiative in crowning Azariah (אֲזַרְיָה, *Azaryah*) reflects their determination to maintain the Davidic succession despite Amaziah's deposition and death. Azariah's youth (sixteen years) necessitates regency, yet the text emphasizes popular choice over factional imposition. This represents a moment of covenantal solidarity: despite the king's failure, the people reaffirm the monarchy and the Davidic promise.

2 Kings 14:22

He rebuilt Elath and restored it to Judah, after King Amaziah slept with his ancestors — Azariah's initial act, the recovery of Elath (אֵילַת, *Elath*), a crucial port on the Red Sea, restores Judean control of the crucial trade route to Arabia and Egypt. This recovery compensates for the territorial losses under Amaziah and signals Azariah's effective rule. Yet even this success will be circumscribed by his pride, as the next chapter reveals.

2 Kings 14:23

In the fifteenth year of King Amaziah son of Joash of Judah, King Jeroboam son of Joash of Israel began to reign — the synchronism places Jeroboam II's accession in Amaziah's reign, establishing the historical framework. Jeroboam (יָרָבְעָם, *Yarav'am*) will become Israel's greatest king in terms of territorial expansion, yet his success will not prevent Israel's ultimate collapse. The name Jeroboam, borne by two kings (the schismatic first Jeroboam of 1 Kings 12, and this second one), carries theological ambiguity: political success without covenantal faithfulness.

2 Kings 14:24

He did what was evil in the sight of the LORD; he did not depart from all the sins of Jeroboam son of Joash, who caused Israel to sin — despite Jeroboam II's military and territorial success, the text condemns him for perpetuating the cultic sins established by the first Jeroboam (the golden calf worship at Bethel and Dan). The formula "did what was evil" (עַשׂה־הָרַע בְעֵינֵי יְהוָה, *asah ha-ra be-eynei YHWH*) applies even to the militarily triumphant, demonstrating that political success cannot offset cultic unfaithfulness. The sins of Jeroboam I, which caused Israel to sin (הִחֲטִיא אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵל, *hichti'a et-Yisrael*), bind the entire northern kingdom in perpetual cultic deviation.

2 Kings 14:25

He restored the border of Israel from Lebo-hamath as far as the Sea of the Arabah, according to the word of the LORD, the God of Israel, which he spoke by his servant Jonah son of Amittai, the prophet from Gath-hepher — Jeroboam II's territorial expansion, from Lebo-hamath (לְבוֹא חֲמָת, *Lebo Chamat*, the northern border) to the Sea of the Arabah (יַם־הָעֲרָבָה, *Yam ha-Arabah*, the Dead Sea), represents Israel's maximum territorial extent since Solomon. Yet this expansion occurs "according to the word of the LORD" (דְבַר־יְהוָה, *devar YHWH*) spoken through Jonah son of Amittai — the same prophet whose book records his reluctance to preach to Nineveh, Israel's future conqueror. The divine permission for Jeroboam's expansion, granted even to one engaged in cultic sin, demonstrates that God's providence operates according to complex purposes beyond moral simplicity.

2 Kings 14:26

For the LORD saw that the suffering of Israel was very bitter; there was no one left, bond or free, and no one to help Israel — this verse reveals the divine motivation: God's compassion for Israel's suffering (עֲנִיּוּת יִשְׂרָאֵל כִּי־מָרָה מְאֹד, *aniyut Yisrael ki-marah me'od*, "the affliction of Israel was very bitter"). The phrase "no one left" (אַיִן עָזוּר לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, *ayin azur le-Yisrael*) suggests utter helplessness and isolation. God's response to this suffering, granting Jeroboam success, demonstrates divine compassion even amid continued cultic unfaithfulness — a complex theological message: the LORD hears the cry of the afflicted even when the nation remains in sin.

2 Kings 14:27

But the LORD had not said that he would blot out the name of Israel from under heaven; so he saved them by the hand of Jeroboam son of Joash — the divine covenant with the northern kingdom, though strained by perpetual idolatry, remains unabrogated. God's promise not to "blot out the name of Israel" (לִמְחוֹת אֶת־שֵׁם־יִשְׂרָאֵל, *limchot et-shem Yisrael*) echoes the Abrahamic covenant and the promise of preservation through judgment. Yet this salvation through Jeroboam proves temporary; the reprieve purchased by his military victories merely delays the inevitable judgment that will manifest when Assyria rises. The theological irony deepens: mercy granted through a king who perpetuates sin.

2 Kings 14:28

Now the rest of the acts of Jeroboam, all that he did, and his might, how he fought, and how he recovered for Israel Damascus and Hamath, which had belonged to Judah — the summary formula emphasizes Jeroboam's military achievements: the recovery of Damascus (דַּמָּשֶׂק, *Dammeseq*) and Hamath (חֲמָת, *Chamat*) from Aramean control. These cities, listed as formerly belonging to Judah, mark the height of Jeroboam's power and the restoration of Solomonic-era territorial scope. Yet these achievements, catalogued in the summary formula, will be rendered obsolete within decades by Assyrian conquest.

2 Kings 14:29

So Jeroboam slept with his ancestors, the kings of Israel; and his son Zechariah succeeded him — Jeroboam's death and succession to his son Zechariah marks a moment of apparent stability; yet the next verse will reveal that Zechariah's reign lasts only six months before assassination, initiating the rapid succession of weak kings that characterizes Israel's final decades. The formula "slept with his ancestors" (וַיִּשְׁכַּב עִם־אֲבוֹתָיו, *way-yishkav im-avotav*) accords Jeroboam a peaceful death and royal burial, honoring his military legacy even while the deuteronomistic history condemns his cultic failures. His successor will not enjoy such stability.