2 Kings 11:3 kjv
And he was with her hid in the house of the LORD six years. And Athaliah did reign over the land.
2 Kings 11:3 nkjv
So he was hidden with her in the house of the LORD for six years, while Athaliah reigned over the land.
2 Kings 11:3 niv
He remained hidden with his nurse at the temple of the LORD for six years while Athaliah ruled the land.
2 Kings 11:3 esv
And he remained with her six years, hidden in the house of the LORD, while Athaliah reigned over the land.
2 Kings 11:3 nlt
Joash remained hidden in the Temple of the LORD for six years while Athaliah ruled over the land.
2 Kings 11 3 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 2 Kgs 11:1 | When Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she arose and destroyed all the seed royal. | Athaliah's attempt to end Davidic line |
| 2 Kgs 11:2 | But Jehosheba, the daughter of king Joram, sister of Ahaziah, took Joash...and hid him... | Jehosheba's intervention to save Joash |
| 2 Chr 22:11 | But Jehoshabeath, the king's daughter, saved Joash son of Ahaziah, and stole him from among the king's sons... | Parallel account of Joash's saving |
| 2 Sam 7:12-16 | I will establish his kingdom... Your house and your kingdom shall endure for ever before me... | Davidic covenant promise of an eternal seed |
| Ps 89:3-4 | I have made a covenant with my chosen one... I will establish your offspring forever... | God's faithfulness to the Davidic covenant |
| Ps 89:34-37 | My covenant I will not break... I will not lie to David. His offspring shall endure forever... | Unwavering nature of God's covenant |
| Isa 1:9 | Unless the LORD of hosts had left us a very small remnant, we should have been as Sodom... | Divine preservation of a remnant |
| Rom 11:5 | So too at the present time there is a remnant, chosen by grace. | God preserves a chosen remnant |
| Prov 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 sovereignty over rulers' actions |
| Ps 27:5 | For in the day of trouble he will conceal me in his tabernacle... | God's protection in His dwelling |
| Ps 91:1-2 | He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. | Security found in God's presence |
| Ps 121:7-8 | The LORD will keep you from all evil; he will keep your life. The LORD will keep your going out... | God's perpetual watch over His people |
| Gen 6:8 | But Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD. | God's preservation of Noah during judgment |
| Ex 2:3 | When she could hide him no longer, she put him in a basket... and laid it among the reeds by the river bank. | Moses saved as an infant |
| Jer 33:17 | For thus says the LORD: David shall never lack a man to sit on the throne of the house of Israel. | Reiteration of the enduring Davidic line |
| Zec 12:7 | The LORD will save the tents of Judah first, that the glory of the house of David... may not become too great... | God's protection of Judah/David's house |
| Luke 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... | Fulfillment of Davidic line in Jesus |
| Matt 1:1 | The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David... | Jesus Christ, the ultimate Seed of David |
| Prov 28:15 | Like a roaring lion or a charging bear is a wicked ruler over a poor people. | Nature of a wicked ruler like Athaliah |
| Isa 3:12 | My people, infants are their oppressors, and women rule over them. | Reference to unfit rulers, echoing Athaliah |
| 2 Kgs 8:26 | Athaliah, the daughter of Omri king of Israel. | Athaliah's Northern Kingdom background |
| 2 Chr 22:3 | He also walked in the ways of the house of Ahab, for his mother encouraged him to act wickedly. | Athaliah's corrupting influence |
| Rev 12:4 | And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she bore her child he might devour it. | Symbolic persecution of Messianic line |
| Rev 12:13 | And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man child. | Continual threat against God's chosen lineage |
2 Kings 11 verses
2 Kings 11 3 Meaning
Bible 2 Kings chapter 11 verse 3 reveals that the infant prince Joash was kept hidden and safe for six months within the Temple precincts. This occurred during the oppressive reign of his grandmother, Athaliah, who had seized the throne of Judah and attempted to eradicate the entire royal Davidic line. This hidden preservation of Joash was crucial for the continuation of God's covenant with David.
2 Kings 11 3 Context
The period preceding 2 Kings 11:3 is marked by a severe crisis for the Davidic dynasty. Following the death of King Ahaziah of Judah, his mother, Athaliah, the daughter of the wicked King Ahab of Israel and Jezebel, brutally usurped the throne. To consolidate her power and eliminate any potential challenges, she mercilessly slaughtered all male members of the royal house (2 Kgs 11:1). This act represented a direct threat to the Abrahamic and Davidic covenants, which promised a continuous line of descent for a coming Messiah. Amidst this bloody purge, Ahaziah's sister, Jehosheba (also called Jehoshabeath), intervened. Defying Athaliah, she secretly rescued Joash, her infant nephew, the only surviving son of Ahaziah, and concealed him from his murderous grandmother. The setting shifts from the chaos of the palace coup to the safety and sanctity of the Temple. This hiding period for six months serves as a prelude to Jehoiada the high priest's eventual plan to restore Joash to the throne.
2 Kings 11 3 Word analysis
- And she: Refers to Jehosheba (Yehosheva' in Hebrew, "Yahweh is an oath" or "Yahweh is opulence"), the daughter of King Jehoram of Judah and sister of the recently deceased King Ahaziah. Her decisive and courageous action saved the sole surviving heir. She was also the wife of Jehoiada, the high priest, giving her unique access and authority within the Temple.
- was with him hid: The Hebrew word for "hid" is חָבָה (khavah), meaning "to conceal, hide oneself, lurk." This implies an active, deliberate, and necessary act of concealment due to immediate danger. The phrase "was with him" suggests constant, protective presence and direct guardianship by Jehosheba over the infant Joash, indicating a deep level of care and personal risk.
- in the house of the Lord: This refers to בֵּית יְהוָה (Beit Yahweh), the Temple in Jerusalem. This was the most sacred place in Israel, symbolizing God's dwelling and presence among His people. It provided not only physical shelter but also divine protection for the last Davidic heir. This hiding place is profoundly significant as it underscores that the preservation of the Messianic line was under God's direct oversight and within His consecrated space, effectively making the Temple a sanctuary against ungodly political power.
- six months: A specific, measurable duration. This period highlights the extent of Athaliah's unchallenged tyrannical rule and the sustained period of danger for Joash. It also allowed time for the high priest Jehoiada to formulate and execute the plan to bring Joash out of hiding and reclaim the throne for the legitimate Davidic heir.
- while Athaliah reigned over the land: Athaliah, from the Northern Kingdom's wicked Omride dynasty, represented a corrupt and Baal-worshipping foreign influence in Judah. Her reign signifies a period of grave apostasy and usurpation. The contrast between Athaliah's visible, powerful, and ungodly reign over "the land" (Judah) and the hidden, vulnerable, yet divinely protected existence of Joash in "the house of the Lord" dramatically portrays God's silent yet potent work behind the scenes amidst chaos and wickedness.
Words-group by words-group analysis:
- "And she was with him hid": This phrase emphasizes the deep personal commitment and the critical, direct involvement of Jehosheba. It speaks to the intimate care and dangerous undertaking of preserving the infant, signifying divine providence working through human courage.
- "hid in the house of the Lord": This specific detail emphasizes divine intervention and protection. The vulnerability of an infant contrasted with the ultimate security provided by God's own dwelling place is striking. It signals that God would not allow His covenant promise to fail, even when it seemed most threatened by human depravity.
- "six months, while Athaliah reigned over the land": This temporal and situational contrast highlights the stark difference between outward political power and hidden divine purpose. Athaliah's reign, though absolute and visible, was temporary, while God's preservation of the hidden heir guaranteed the ultimate continuity of His covenant, regardless of the usurper's strength.
2 Kings 11 3 Bonus section
- The choice of the Temple as a hiding place was strategically brilliant and divinely guided. Given Athaliah's devotion to Baal worship, she might have largely neglected the Yahweh Temple, making it an overlooked haven for a hidden heir she presumed dead.
- Jehosheba's dual status as both King's daughter (a princess) and wife of the high priest Jehoiada granted her the necessary authority, knowledge, and access within the Temple precincts to successfully conceal Joash.
- This event serves as a critical pre-Messianic instance of the "remnant theology" where God preserves a small, seemingly insignificant part of His people or plan to ensure the continuity of His larger redemptive purpose.
2 Kings 11 3 Commentary
2 Kings 11:3 is a pivotal verse, concise yet brimming with profound theological significance. It showcases God's unwavering faithfulness to His covenant with David, ensuring a perpetual lamp would remain in Jerusalem despite the most dire threats. The attempted eradication of the Davidic line by Athaliah, akin to a spiritual attack against the very lineage of the promised Messiah, was met by God's sovereign hand working through human agency. Jehosheba's audacious act, risking her own life to save a seemingly insignificant infant, becomes an instrument of divine preservation. Hiding Joash within the Temple underscores that God's plan unfolds under His own protective watch, demonstrating that true security lies not in political might but in God's sanctuary. The six months period allows the hidden heir to mature slightly and provides Jehoiada the necessary time to organize a successful counter-coup. This verse serves as a powerful reminder that even in moments of seemingly overwhelming evil and despair, God maintains control, orchestrates salvation, and secures the future fulfillment of His promises, particularly concerning the lineage that would lead to Jesus Christ, the ultimate Seed of David.