2 Chronicles 24 3

2 Chronicles 24:3 kjv

And Jehoiada took for him two wives; and he begat sons and daughters.

2 Chronicles 24:3 nkjv

And Jehoiada took two wives for him, and he had sons and daughters.

2 Chronicles 24:3 niv

Jehoiada chose two wives for him, and he had sons and daughters.

2 Chronicles 24:3 esv

Jehoiada got for him two wives, and he had sons and daughters.

2 Chronicles 24:3 nlt

Jehoiada chose two wives for Joash, and he had sons and daughters.

2 Chronicles 24 verses

2 Chronicles 24 3 Meaning

2 Chronicles 24:3 states a direct fact about the personal life of Jehoiada, the high priest: he married two wives and had children, both sons and daughters. This detail provides insight into his established position and participation in the societal norms of the time, emphasizing the continuity and stability of life and family within the newly restored kingdom under King Joash's early, righteous reign, which Jehoiada significantly orchestrated. It presents Jehoiada as a figure rooted in his community, leading a complete family life.

2 Chronicles 24 3 Context

Verse 2 Chronicles 24:3 follows immediately after the high priest Jehoiada's remarkable and successful initiative to rescue the young Joash from the murderous purge by his grandmother Athaliah (2 Chr 22-23). Jehoiada courageously hid Joash, then led the Levitical and military forces to overthrow Athaliah, install Joash as the legitimate king, and renew the covenant between God and the people. Joash began his reign at seven years old and "did what was right in the eyes of the Lord all the days of Jehoiada the priest" (2 Chr 24:2). This verse thus places a seemingly personal detail—Jehoiada taking two wives and having children—within the narrative of a kingdom being restored and stabilized under Jehoiada's righteous influence. It speaks to the re-establishment of a normal society and household, indicating the leader's deep roots and personal well-being within the restored order. Culturally, polygamy, while not God's original design, was practiced among prominent men in ancient Israel without explicit divine condemnation in the historical books.

2 Chronicles 24 3 Word analysis

• And Jehoiada: Refers to Yĕhôyādā‘ (Strong's H3077), meaning "Yah knows" or "Yah has known." He was the high priest who bravely preserved the Davidic line through Joash. His name reflects a deep spiritual insight or relationship with God. The conjunction "And" (וָאֵת, vayeled) connects this detail directly to the preceding narrative of his influential role in Joash's early reign, indicating a continuous account of his life.
• took for him: From the Hebrew verb לָקַח (laqach, Strong's H3947), which means "to take, to fetch, to seize, to acquire." In this context, it clearly means to "take as wife" or "marry." The phrase "for him" (לוֹ, lo) indicates an active, deliberate choice on Jehoiada's part to establish his own household and lineage. This was not something that simply happened, but an intentional act of a man in his standing.
• two wives: שְׁתֵּי נָשִׁים (šətê nāšîm). This detail explicitly states the plurality of his marital unions. While the Bible elsewhere establishes God's original ideal of one man, one woman (Gen 2:24), polygamy was a legally permissible, though often socially complex and spiritually fraught, practice within the Old Testament era, especially among prominent figures. The narrative here states this fact neutrally, without immediate commentary, suggesting it was simply part of his life as an influential leader. For a high priest, specific marriage qualifications involved avoiding certain women (Lev 21:7), but the number of wives was not explicitly forbidden by the Mosaic Law, although its consequences were often shown as negative in practice (e.g., Abraham, Jacob, David, Solomon).
• and he begat: From the Hebrew verb יָלַד (yalad, Strong's H3205), meaning "to bear, bring forth, beget." This is the common term for procreation, emphasizing Jehoiada's role as a father. It signifies the natural progression of a family line.
• sons and daughters: בָּנִים וּבָנוֹת (banîm uvānot). This specifies that he had a complete family, encompassing both male and female offspring. The bearing of children was widely seen as a divine blessing and a sign of God's favor and fruitfulness in ancient Israel (Psa 127:3). It signifies a full and productive household life for the high priest.

2 Chronicles 24 3 Bonus section

The chronicler often focuses on lineage, family, and the establishment of Israel, and Jehoiada having "sons and daughters" fits into this pattern as a sign of blessing and stability for a nation being restored. While we are not given specific details about his wives, the fact that he was old enough to lead a national revolution and then also raise a family points to his maturity and rootedness in the community. It implicitly signifies that the restored kingdom was not only stable politically and religiously but also experienced personal peace and order, extending to the family unit of its key leader. This quiet statement stands in stark contrast to the chaotic and destructive actions of Queen Athaliah described just chapters earlier, whose lack of concern for the future lineage and the people’s welfare ultimately led to her downfall. Jehoiada, through both his public actions and the establishment of his private household, represents the antithesis of Athaliah’s destructive rule, reinforcing themes of restoration and life under God’s guidance.

2 Chronicles 24 3 Commentary

2 Chronicles 24:3 offers a concise but significant glimpse into the private life of Jehoiada, a figure otherwise portrayed in his public capacity as a zealous high priest who orchestrated a major religious and political reform. The verse notes that he "took for him two wives and he begat sons and daughters." This detail about Jehoiada's marital status is notably brief and presented as a straightforward statement of fact, without moral judgment or extensive elaboration.

The mention of "two wives" indicates a practice of polygamy, which was common among notable men in ancient Israelite society, though God's original design for marriage was monogamous. While the Mosaic Law provided regulations for situations involving multiple wives, it did not explicitly forbid the practice for general citizens or priests. For Jehoiada, this detail underscores his integration into the social structure of his time and highlights his establishment of a significant family line. His extensive service to God and the nation is highlighted throughout the Chronicler's account (2 Chr 23-24), culminating in his honorable burial among the kings for "having done good in Israel, and toward God and His house." The brief reference to his family life simply rounds out the portrait of this pivotal figure, demonstrating that even amidst his monumental public and religious duties, he led a typical family life for a man of his prominence. The absence of critique suggests that this aspect of his life was not considered to undermine his otherwise exemplary devotion to the Lord in the eyes of the Chronicler.

Examples for practical usage:

• Understanding Cultural Context: This verse reminds us that the Bible faithfully records societal practices, even those not ideal by divine standard, providing an accurate historical context for biblical events and characters.
• Focus on Character's Core: It teaches that a leader's worth is often defined by their primary faithfulness to God and their mission, even as secondary personal practices may differ from absolute ideals, as seen in Jehoiada's righteous influence despite a practice not upheld in later biblical teachings for leaders (1 Tim 3:2).
• Distinguishing Moral Imperatives from Cultural Practices: It encourages discerning readers to distinguish between enduring moral commands and culturally tolerated practices described in the text.