2 Kings 11:21 kjv
Seven years old was Jehoash when he began to reign.
2 Kings 11:21 nkjv
Jehoash was seven years old when he became king.
2 Kings 11:21 niv
Joash was seven years old when he began to reign.
2 Kings 11:21 esv
Jehoash was seven years old when he began to reign.
2 Kings 11:21 nlt
Joash was seven years old when he became king.
2 Kings 11 21 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 2 Sam 7:12-16 | When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you... and I will establish his kingdom... Your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me... | God's enduring covenant with David |
| Ps 89:3-4 | "I have made a covenant with my chosen one; I have sworn to David my servant: ‘I will establish your offspring forever and build your throne for all generations.’" | Confirmation of Davidic promise |
| 1 Ki 11:36 | ...that David my servant may always have a lamp before me in Jerusalem, the city where I have chosen to put my name. | God's commitment to David's line |
| Isa 9:6-7 | For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder... Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom... | Prophecy of Messiah on David's throne |
| Lk 1:32-33 | He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end. | Jesus fulfilling Davidic throne prophecy |
| Rev 22:16 | “I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you about these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star.” | Jesus as the Davidic descendant |
| 2 Chr 21:7 | Yet the LORD was not willing to destroy the house of David, because of the covenant that he had made with David... | God's preservation of David's line |
| Gen 50:20 | As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today. | God working through evil for good |
| Rom 8:28 | And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. | God's sovereign purposes |
| Pr 21:1 | The king's heart is a stream of water in the hand of the LORD; he turns it wherever he will. | God's control over rulers |
| 2 Ki 11:1-3 | When Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she arose and destroyed all the royal offspring... But Jehosheba, the daughter of King Joram, sister of Ahaziah, took Joash... and hid him... for six years. | Context of Athaliah's massacre |
| 2 Ki 21:1 | Manasseh was twelve years old when he began to reign, and he reigned fifty-five years in Jerusalem. | Example of another young king |
| 2 Ki 22:1 | Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned thirty-one years in Jerusalem. | Example of another young king |
| 2 Chr 24:1-2 | Joash was seven years old when he began to reign... And Joash did what was right in the eyes of the LORD all the days of Jehoiada the priest. | Parallel account and Jehoiada's influence |
| Ps 27:5 | For he will hide me in his shelter in the day of trouble; he will conceal me under the cover of his tent; he will lift me high upon a rock. | God's protection of the hidden |
| Heb 1:8-9 | But of the Son he says, “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever, the scepter of uprightness is the scepter of your kingdom.” | Messianic reign, fulfilling type |
| 1 Sam 2:7 | The LORD makes poor and makes rich; he brings low and lifts up. | God's control over elevation and debasement |
| Ps 118:23 | This is the LORD’s doing; it is marvelous in our eyes. | God's surprising intervention |
| Ecc 10:16 | Woe to you, O land, when your king is a child, and your princes feast in the morning! | Contrast of positive regency with problematic child-king rule |
| Isa 3:4 | And I will make boys their officials, and babes shall rule over them. | Negative example of unfit child rulers, contrast to Jehoiada's guidance |
2 Kings 11 verses
2 Kings 11 21 Meaning
This verse states the exact age of Jehoash (also known as Joash) when he began his reign over the kingdom of Judah: seven years old. It concisely marks the successful completion of Jehoiada's bold coup against the usurper Queen Athaliah, signifying the re-establishment of the Davidic covenant line on the throne of Judah after six years of concealment and danger.
2 Kings 11 21 Context
This verse serves as the immediate aftermath and triumphant conclusion of a tumultuous period in Judah's history. Following the death of her son Ahaziah, Queen Athaliah, driven by lust for power and fear, had massacred all the royal heirs of Judah to seize the throne, breaking the unbroken line of Davidic kings. However, Jehoash, a mere infant, was miraculously saved from this slaughter by his aunt Jehosheba, daughter of King Joram and sister of Ahaziah. Jehosheba and her husband, Jehoiada the priest, hid the young prince in the Temple for six years. This clandestine existence culminated in a carefully planned and executed coup by Jehoiada, involving the Levites, temple guards, and the people of the land, who openly declared Jehoash king. This act restored the legitimate Davidic heir, underscoring God's faithfulness to His covenant with David despite the wickedness of human rulers.
2 Kings 11 21 Word analysis
- Jehoash (יְהוֹאָשׁ, Yeho'ash): This name, meaning "Yahweh has given" or "Gift of Yahweh," is highly significant in this context. His very existence as king is a divine gift and a testimony to Yahweh's protection and preservation of the Davidic line against the destructive intentions of Athaliah. The emphasis is on divine providence, not human scheming alone.
- was seven years old (בֶּן-שֶׁבַע שָׁנִים, ben-sheva shanim, lit. "son of seven years"): This idiom clearly states his age. The young age highlights his dependency, not his capacity for self-governance. His youth made the strong guidance and wisdom of Jehoiada the priest absolutely crucial for the early years of his reign. This youth contrasts sharply with the mature wisdom often expected of rulers, yet points to the unexpected ways God works.
- when he began to reign (בְּמָלְכוֹ, bimalcho, "when he reigned" or "at his becoming king"): This signifies the formal and public assumption of royal power. It indicates not just his enthronement, but the actual commencement of his term as king, implying the immediate end of Athaliah's illegitimate rule. The brevity of this phrase contrasts with the intricate planning and dangerous execution that led to this moment.
Words-group analysis:
- "Jehoash was seven years old when he began to reign": This simple declarative sentence encapsulates the profound victory of God's covenant faithfulness over human evil. The young age of Jehoash at his ascension points to the true architect of the restored monarchy – not the king's inherent strength, but God's protective hand, primarily acting through the faithful agency of Jehoiada the priest. It transitions the narrative from the dramatic coup to the official beginning of a new (and, for a time, righteous) chapter in Judah's history. It also implies a regency, signaling Jehoiada's powerful influence.
2 Kings 11 21 Bonus section
The positioning of this verse (in some Bible traditions it is numbered as 2 Kings 12:1) subtly marks the conclusion of Athaliah's narrative and the commencement of Jehoash's reign as distinct sections. The saving of Jehoash and his concealment within the Temple compound highlights the sacred role of the Temple not only as a place of worship but also as a sanctuary and the strategic center for the restoration of divine order. Jehoiada's strategic and courageous leadership, spanning six years of secrecy and culminating in the coronation, is an extraordinary example of righteous intervention by a priestly figure to restore justice and the God-ordained order. The youth of Jehoash allowed for Jehoiada's foundational influence in raising a king devoted to Yahweh, a stark contrast to the idolatrous upbringing common for previous kings.
2 Kings 11 21 Commentary
2 Kings 11:21 is a concise declaration that crowns the preceding narrative of intrigue, massacre, and divine rescue. It firmly re-establishes the legitimate Davidic lineage on the throne of Judah, asserting God's unwavering commitment to His covenant despite severe threats. The young age of Jehoash (seven years old) immediately flags the profound importance of his guardian, Jehoiada the priest. It signifies that Jehoash's early reign was essentially a regency, guided by Jehoiada's wisdom and piety, leading to a period of righteousness. This verse emphasizes divine providence, where the weakest and most vulnerable was miraculously preserved to fulfill God's eternal promise of a perpetual kingdom. It offers a powerful reminder that God's plans are sovereignly achieved even amidst the darkest human schemes and chaos.