2 Kings 12 19

2 Kings 12:19 kjv

And the rest of the acts of Joash, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?

2 Kings 12:19 nkjv

Now the rest of the acts of Joash, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?

2 Kings 12:19 niv

As for the other events of the reign of Joash, and all he did, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Judah?

2 Kings 12:19 esv

Now the rest of the acts of Joash and all that he did, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah?

2 Kings 12:19 nlt

The rest of the events in Joash's reign and everything he did are recorded in The Book of the History of the Kings of Judah.

2 Kings 12 verses

2 Kings 12 19 Meaning

This verse serves as a customary concluding formula for the account of King Joash (Jehoash) in the Book of 2 Kings. It signifies that the narrative provided within 2 Kings is not an exhaustive chronicle of his reign, but rather a summary. The phrase directs the reader to another, more detailed official record, "the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah," which would contain further details regarding his actions and all he accomplished during his time as king. It functions to authenticate the summary given in 2 Kings while acknowledging that fuller details existed elsewhere in the public records of the kingdom.

2 Kings 12 19 Context

Chapter 12 of 2 Kings narrates the forty-year reign of Joash (also called Jehoash), king of Judah. His story begins with his miraculous rescue from the massacre by Athaliah and his enthronement at seven years old under the tutelage of the high priest Jehoiada (2 Kgs 11). Chapter 12 primarily focuses on Joash's early faithfulness, especially his significant project to repair and restore the damaged Temple in Jerusalem, which had fallen into disrepair. However, after the death of Jehoiada (mentioned in 2 Chr 24), Joash begins to stray from God's commands. Towards the end of his reign, he suffers military defeats and internal rebellion. This verse (12:19) acts as the standard concluding literary device for a king's account in Kings, providing a transition point before the narration of his assassination and the succession of his son Amaziah in the subsequent verses (12:20-21). It frames the preceding narrative as an essential summary while directing the reader to external, detailed archival sources. Historically, it reflects the practice of ancient Near Eastern kingdoms maintaining detailed court records of their monarchs' reigns, deeds, and official pronouncements.

2 Kings 12 19 Word analysis

• "Now" (וְיֶתֶר, v'yeter - conjunction, 'and', linked with 'the rest of'): A simple conjunction that introduces the concluding statement, indicating a transition to a summary or the subsequent topic. It links the ongoing narrative with this concluding formula.
• "the rest of the acts" (יֶתֶר דִּבְרֵי, yeter divrei):
  • Yeter (יֶתֶר): Hebrew for 'remainder', 'rest', 'excess'. Implies that the preceding narrative is not comprehensive.
  • Divrei (דִּבְרֵי): A construct plural form of dabar (דָּבָר), meaning 'word', 'matter', 'affair', 'deed', 'account'. In this context, it refers to the historical events, activities, and achievements of the king. The phrase collectively signifies all that remains to be told or is beyond the scope of this specific historical book.
• "of Joash" (יוֹאָשׁ, Yo'ash): The specific name of the King of Judah, indicating the subject of the previous and referenced historical records. He was a long-reigning king, highlighting that his "acts" would indeed be numerous.
• "and all that he did" (וְכָל־אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה, v'kol-asher 'asah):
  • V'kol (וְכָל): 'And all'. This emphasizes comprehensiveness, indicating that the 'rest of the acts' includes every unmentioned deed.
  • Asher 'asah (אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה): 'that which he did/made'. This further defines the 'acts' as his accomplishments, policies, campaigns, and overall conduct during his reign. It signifies the full scope of his royal duties and activities.
• "are they not written" (הֲלֹא־הֵמָּה כְתוּבִים, halo-hemmah khetuvim):
  • Halo (הֲלֹא): A rhetorical interrogative particle, translating as 'is it not so?', 'surely'. It expects an affirmative answer, reinforcing the certainty and publicly known nature of the referred records.
  • Hemmah (הֵמָּה): Plural pronoun, 'they'. Refers back to 'the rest of the acts and all that he did'.
  • Khetuvim (כְתוּבִים): Qal passive participle plural of katav (כָּתַב), 'to write'. Means 'written'. This affirms that the deeds are not merely remembered orally but committed to a durable, official written record, attesting to their permanence and authenticity.
• "in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah?" (עַל־סֵפֶר דִּבְרֵי הַיָּמִים לְמַלְכֵי יְהוּדָה, 'al-sepher divrei ha-yyamim l'malkei Yehudah):
  • 'al-sepher (עַל־סֵפֶר): 'upon/in the book of'. Refers to a specific type of scroll or written compilation.
  • Divrei ha-yyamim (דִּבְרֵי הַיָּמִים): Literally 'the words of the days' or 'matters of the days'. This is the standard Hebrew phrase for 'chronicles' or 'annals'. It refers to official royal records, akin to court records or state archives, maintained by scribes or royal historiographers for each king's reign.
  • L'malkei Yehudah (לְמַלְכֵי יְהוּדָה): 'of the kings of Judah'. This clarifies that these specific chronicles pertain to the southern kingdom of Judah, differentiating them from the chronicles of the kings of Israel. This source is distinct from the biblical book of Chronicles that we have today; it was a reference source utilized by the author of Kings. These chronicles served as a public archive, a repository of governmental and historical facts for verification. The very existence of such records underscores the importance placed on historical accuracy and verifiable information in the ancient Near East and specifically within the Judean monarchy.

2 Kings 12 19 Bonus section

The "Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah" (and parallel for Israel) mentioned frequently in Kings is almost certainly a distinct entity from the biblical books of 1 & 2 Chronicles we have today. The biblical Chronicles, though possibly drawing upon similar ancient source materials, was written much later (post-exilic) and from a different theological perspective (focus on Judah, the temple, the Davidic covenant, and a more positive view of the Davidic monarchy, sometimes providing more details omitted by Kings, particularly in areas like temple administration or kingly reforms). The recurrent appeal to these national annals in Kings underscores the reliability and verifiability of the biblical account, rooting it firmly in historical documentation that was contemporary or nearly contemporary with the events described. This attestation of external historical sources served to ground the theological message within a factual framework, signaling that the divine hand was at work not only in the grand scheme of redemptive history but also in the minute details recorded by scribes. The author of Kings did not just tell stories; they referred to authoritative national archives.

2 Kings 12 19 Commentary

2 Kings 12:19 exemplifies a foundational characteristic of the Deuteronomistic History (Joshua through 2 Kings): its claim to historicity and its selective nature. This recurring formula acts as a cross-reference for the ancient reader, affirming that the historical information presented is not exhaustive but can be substantiated and supplemented by publicly accessible records. The phrase points to royal archives or court documents, affirming the thoroughness of ancient record-keeping practices and giving weight to the biblical narrative. The primary aim of the book of Kings was not to give every single detail of a king's reign, but to provide a theological history, explaining why Israel and Judah fell. Thus, only acts relevant to that theological purpose were included, with the remaining actions being consigned to these external 'chronicles'. For Joash, the detailed account of the Temple repairs and his eventual departure from YHWH's ways are given prominence because they directly relate to his covenant faithfulness and leadership, while his other administrative or military endeavors, for example, would be relegated to the broader annals. It underscores divine oversight, as even secular records contribute to God's grand narrative of salvation and judgment.

• Example 1: A modern historical documentary might focus on a particular aspect of a historical figure's life, then tell the viewer that "for a full biography, see the official archives," much like this verse does.
• Example 2: It reminds us that God's Spirit guided the biblical writers to select and interpret events from vast historical data, ensuring that the final record served His purposes of revealing truth about covenant, kingship, and salvation, rather than merely presenting exhaustive historical details.