2 Kings 12 20

2 Kings 12:20 kjv

And his servants arose, and made a conspiracy, and slew Joash in the house of Millo, which goeth down to Silla.

2 Kings 12:20 nkjv

And his servants arose and formed a conspiracy, and killed Joash in the house of the Millo, which goes down to Silla.

2 Kings 12:20 niv

His officials conspired against him and assassinated him at Beth Millo, on the road down to Silla.

2 Kings 12:20 esv

His servants arose and made a conspiracy and struck down Joash in the house of Millo, on the way that goes down to Silla.

2 Kings 12:20 nlt

Joash's officers plotted against him and assassinated him at Beth-millo on the road to Silla.

2 Kings 12 verses

2 Kings 12 20 Meaning

This verse concisely describes the violent end of King Joash of Judah, stating that he was assassinated by his own high-ranking officials in an orchestrated plot. The event took place within the royal precincts of Jerusalem, specifically at a location known as the House of Millo, which had a descent to Silla. This regicide marked the conclusion of Joash's reign, a period characterized by initial faithfulness to God that tragically turned into idolatry and injustice, ultimately drawing divine judgment.

2 Kings 12 20 Context

King Joash, or Jehoash, began his 40-year reign over Judah at the tender age of seven, having been providentially saved from the murderous queen Athaliah by Jehoiada the priest and his wife Jehosheba. For much of his early reign, Joash exhibited devotion to God, exemplified by his dedicated efforts to repair the Temple and restore proper worship practices. However, this faithfulness proved conditional upon the guidance of Jehoiada. After the priest's death, Joash yielded to the counsel of ungodly officials, abandoned the Lord's Temple for idol worship, and notoriously sanctioned the stoning of Zechariah, Jehoiada's own son, who faithfully confronted the nation and king regarding their sins. This act of shedding innocent blood, along with Judah's apostasy, brought about divine judgment. Aramaean forces invaded and weakened Judah significantly. The assassination in 2 Kings 12:20 is explicitly linked in 2 Chronicles 24 to divine retribution for Zechariah's death, as well as the overall betrayal of God. This pattern of a king's spiritual state directly influencing his political stability and ultimate fate is a recurrent theme in the Books of Kings and Chronicles.

2 Kings 12 20 Word analysis

• "And his servants arose"

  • "arose" (וַיָּקֻמוּ - vayyaqumu): This term signifies a deliberate and organized mobilization. It suggests a decisive movement from a state of planning to one of action, emphasizing the premeditated nature of the conspiracy rather than a spontaneous act.
  • "his servants" (עֲבָדָיו - 'avadav): More than mere domestic workers, these were high-ranking officials, perhaps palace officers or military commanders (as identified by name in the subsequent verse). Their betrayal underscores the deep level of internal dissent and the profound failure of loyalty within the king's own trusted circle, making the regicide a calculated, internal coup.

• "and made a conspiracy"

  • "conspiracy" (קֶשֶׁר - qesher): This Hebrew word refers to a secret plot or a treasonous league formed against an established authority, almost invariably leading to violent overthrow or assassination in the context of the monarchy. Its repeated appearance in the biblical narrative for instances of regicide highlights a recurrent political instability rooted often in divine judgment. This specific term communicates that Joash's death was not accidental or the result of foreign invasion, but a calculated internal act of treachery.

• "and slew Joash"

  • "slew" (וַיַּכּוּ אֶת־יוֹאָשׁ - vayyakku et-Yo'ash): The verb used (from nakhah) indicates a forceful and decisive blow, meaning "they struck him down." This highlights the violence and determination with which the conspirators carried out their objective. It marks the successful execution of the plot, ending Joash's reign and life.
  • "Joash" (יוֹאָשׁ - Yo'ash): The very person and title of the King, signifying the direct target of the assassination. His fate is the culmination of his trajectory of disobedience and moral failing after Jehoiada's death.

• "in the house of Millo"

  • "House of Millo" (בֵּית מִלֹּוא - Beit Millo): "Beit" refers to a specific building or part of a complex. "Millo" (מִלֹּוא) refers to a significant defensive or architectural feature in Jerusalem, possibly a reinforced embankment, a rampart, or a fortified area associated with the City of David and the royal palace complex. Its exact nature is debated, but its mention signifies a place of security, often integral to royal residences. Being killed here highlights the infiltrative nature of the plot and the king's vulnerability even within presumed safety.

• "which goeth down to Silla"

  • "goeth down" (הַיֹּרֵד - hayyored): Literally "the descending one" or "which descends," indicating a downward slope, path, or perhaps a lower section within or adjacent to the Millo structure. This could have been a strategic access point or an area where the king was ambushed.
  • "Silla" (סִלָּא - Silla): An obscure geographical marker. The exact location is unknown to modern scholars but would have been identifiable to the original audience. Its inclusion adds a level of precise detail to the narrative, lending authenticity to the historical account and indicating the chronicler's familiarity with the exact topography of the assassination site. It anchors the event firmly in a real historical setting.

• Words-group by words-group analysis:

  • "And his servants arose, and made a conspiracy": This phrase succinctly portrays the internal and deliberate nature of the act. It was not a spontaneous popular uprising, but a carefully orchestrated plot by those closest to the king, highlighting deep disaffection and treason within the very heart of the monarchy.
  • "and slew Joash in the house of Millo": This describes the specific act of regicide and its location within the royal compound. Being slain in such a place suggests an insidious betrayal where the king's presumed security turned into a trap, illustrating his helplessness in the face of divinely ordained judgment through human agency.
  • "the house of Millo, which goeth down to Silla": This specific geographical designation reinforces the historical grounding of the narrative. It suggests meticulous details were known and preserved about this critical moment in Judah's royal history, indicating the writer's intent to present accurate historical reporting and emphasize the planned nature of the ambush within the complex.

2 Kings 12 20 Bonus section

The chronicler's precise mention of "the House of Millo" and "Silla" underscores the historical nature of the account, suggesting real topographical knowledge that would have been understood by contemporary audiences. This detail reinforces the factual claim of the historical records rather than portraying a purely allegorical or theological narrative. It anchors the theological message—divine judgment for royal disobedience—firmly in a verifiable historical event. The consistent biblical pattern of unfaithful kings being overthrown by internal conspiracy (as seen with other kings like Elah, Nadab, Jehoram, Amaziah, and Amon) strengthens the notion that Joash's fate was part of a divinely ordered consequence, illustrating God's active involvement in human affairs and His ultimate control over even the most powerful earthly rulers. The betrayal by trusted servants is a common trope in narratives of political downfall, but in the biblical context, it serves as a vehicle for God's justice.

2 Kings 12 20 Commentary

2 Kings 12:20 offers a succinct yet profound statement about the end of King Joash's reign: his violent death at the hands of his own officials through a conspiracy. This seemingly mundane historical detail carries significant theological weight within the larger biblical narrative. The assassination of Joash is presented not merely as a political coup but as a direct consequence of his profound apostasy after the death of Jehoiada, particularly his involvement in the murder of Zechariah, Jehoiada's righteous son. God, who had miraculously preserved Joash in infancy, allowed his death in adulthood as divine judgment for shedding innocent blood and turning from His covenant.

The setting of the regicide "in the House of Millo, which goeth down to Silla" adds a layer of stark irony. Millo, a part of Jerusalem's fortifications and royal infrastructure built by earlier kings like David and Solomon, represented security and the strength of the monarchy. Yet, within this supposed sanctuary, the king faced betrayal and death from within his own trusted circle. This highlights that external defenses are futile when internal corruption and divine disfavor prevail. Joash's fate serves as a vivid illustration of the principle that disobedience to God, especially by those in positions of authority, inevitably leads to devastating consequences, often meted out by unexpected agents and in vulnerable moments. It reinforces God's sovereignty over the rise and fall of kings and His unyielding justice.