2 Kings 12:21 kjv
For Jozachar the son of Shimeath, and Jehozabad the son of Shomer, his servants, smote him, and he died; and they buried him with his fathers in the city of David: and Amaziah his son reigned in his stead.
2 Kings 12:21 nkjv
For Jozachar the son of Shimeath and Jehozabad the son of Shomer, his servants, struck him. So he died, and they buried him with his fathers in the City of David. Then Amaziah his son reigned in his place.
2 Kings 12:21 niv
The officials who murdered him were Jozabad son of Shimeath and Jehozabad son of Shomer. He died and was buried with his ancestors in the City of David. And Amaziah his son succeeded him as king.
2 Kings 12:21 esv
It was Jozacar the son of Shimeath and Jehozabad the son of Shomer, his servants, who struck him down, so that he died. And they buried him with his fathers in the city of David, and Amaziah his son reigned in his place.
2 Kings 12:21 nlt
The assassins were Jozacar son of Shimeath and Jehozabad son of Shomer ? both trusted advisers. Joash was buried with his ancestors in the City of David. Then his son Amaziah became the next king.
2 Kings 12 21 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 2 Chr 24:25 | "When they departed from him...his servants conspired against him...because of the blood of the son of Jehoiada...they killed him..." | Direct parallel account, gives reason for assassination. |
| 2 Chr 24:20-22 | "...Spirit of God came upon Zechariah the son of Jehoiada the priest...You have forsaken the LORD...Then they conspired against him..." | Context: Joash's command to kill Zechariah. |
| 1 Kgs 16:9-10 | "Zimri...conspired against him...struck him down and put him to death..." | Another example of a king assassinated by an official. |
| 1 Kgs 15:27 | "Baasha...conspired against Nadab...and killed him..." | Example of regicide during inter-dynastic conflict. |
| 2 Kgs 9:24 | "...Jehoram fell...and died." | Another king's violent end by conspirator. |
| 2 Kgs 9:27-28 | "Ahaziah fled...and died there...carried him in a chariot to Jerusalem..." | Similar violent end of a king, buried in City of David. |
| Psa 109:8 | "May his days be few; may another take his office!" | Imprecation against an enemy, relevant to loss of office and life. |
| Psa 55:12-14 | "For it is not an enemy who taunts me...but you, a man, my equal, my companion, my familiar friend." | Betrayal by trusted companions/servants. |
| Job 2:4-6 | "Then Satan answered the LORD and said, 'Skin for skin! All that a man has he will give for his life.' " | God's allowance for affliction/death. |
| Rom 13:2 | "Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment." | Human agency in judgment, but also divine allowance. |
| Isa 10:5 | "Ah, Assyria, the rod of my anger; the staff in their hands is my fury!" | God using human agents (even wicked) for His purpose. |
| 1 Kgs 11:26-40 | Jeroboam, servant of Solomon, lifted hand against king and eventually became king of Israel. | Servants revolting against the king. |
| 1 Kgs 12:1-24 | Division of the kingdom; Judah and Israel diverge. | Broader historical context of Judah's monarchy. |
| 1 Kgs 22:37-38 | "...And the dogs licked up his blood..." | Consequence of apostasy for King Ahab's death. |
| Jer 22:18-19 | "...He shall be buried with the burial of a donkey..." | Example of undignified burial as judgment (contrast to Joash). |
| 1 Kgs 2:10 | "Then David slept with his fathers and was buried in the city of David." | Standard burial phrase for legitimate kings in Jerusalem. |
| Neh 3:15-16 | "Shallum...repaired the Gate of the Fountain...to the Pool of Siloam...the tombs of David..." | Mentions location of David's burial and City of David. |
| Isa 2:19-21 | Idols will be abandoned, as God's judgment comes. | Joash's reign included a return to idolatry (2 Chr 24:18). |
| Jer 7:3-7 | "Amend your ways and your deeds, and I will let you dwell in this place...if you truly execute justice..." | Call for obedience to avert judgment, violated by Joash. |
| 2 Kgs 11:4-20 | Joash’s initial ascent to the throne, protection from Athaliah. | Joash’s own origin story involves conspirators against the throne. |
| 2 Sam 20:4-10 | Joab kills Amasa despite greeting him, demonstrating betrayal from within trusted ranks. | Betrayal and violent death by close associates. |
| Psa 119:21 | "You rebuke the insolent, accursed ones, who wander from your commandments." | Divine judgment against those who forsake the law, as Joash did. |
| Rom 6:23 | "For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." | General theological principle: sin's consequence. |
| Heb 9:27 | "And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment..." | Certainty of death and subsequent divine accounting. |
2 Kings 12 verses
2 Kings 12 21 Meaning
2 Kings 12:21 details the assassination of King Joash of Judah by two of his servants, Jozachar and Jehozabad, leading to his death and subsequent burial in the City of David (Jerusalem), among his royal ancestors. This verse concludes the narrative of Joash's reign, marking the violent end of a king who began well but ultimately departed from the Lord, prompting divine judgment.
2 Kings 12 21 Context
King Joash's reign began favorably, rescued from Athaliah's purge and crowned by Jehoiada the priest when he was seven years old (2 Kgs 11). Under Jehoiada's guidance, Joash restored temple worship and initiated significant repairs to the House of the LORD. However, after Jehoiada's death, Joash succumbed to the influence of wicked officials and permitted the re-establishment of idolatry in Judah. He went so far as to command the murder of Zechariah, Jehoiada's son, who confronted the people about their sin (2 Chr 24:20-22). This act of apostasy and shedding of innocent blood led to divine judgment: a weakened Judah suffered defeat by the Aramaeans (Syrians), and Joash himself was struck with severe disease. This verse marks the culminating consequence, with Joash's own trusted servants turning against him, a likely fulfillment of divine retribution for his actions and a reflection of the internal instability and moral decay that characterized the end of his rule. The burial "in the City of David" indicates his status as king, though Chronicles adds a crucial detail about him not being buried in the royal tombs specifically, perhaps implying a degree of disapproval even in his burial. The historical period is approximately the late 9th to early 8th century BC, after the division of the united monarchy, within the kingdom of Judah.
2 Kings 12 21 Word analysis
- For: Introduces the agents of the king's death. It provides the reason for the end of Joash's life as a direct consequence of the narrative preceding it.
- Jozachar: (Hebrew: יוֹזָכָר, Yôzākār) Means "Yahweh remembers." He is identified as one of the king's servants who assassinated him. In the parallel account in 2 Chr 24:26, his name is given as Zabad (זָבָד, Zāvād), son of Shimeath, showing common variations in names (shortened form, or alternative spelling, perhaps even a variant given name). This reflects a common phenomenon in biblical texts.
- the son of Shimeath: A patronymic identifying Jozachar.
- and Jehozabad: (Hebrew: יְהוֹזָבָד, Yəhôzābāḏ) Means "Yahweh has bestowed" or "Yahweh has given." Also identified as a servant and assassin. In 2 Chr 24:26, his name is given as Jozachar (יוֹזָכָר, Yôzākār), son of Shomer. This inverse naming (the two names appearing in reversed order/persons) or use of the same root name further exemplifies naming variations. Both names carry "Yah" (Yahweh), indicating an Israelite context.
- the son of Shomer: A patronymic identifying Jehozabad. The names of the assassins themselves, meaning "Yahweh remembers" and "Yahweh has given," carry a poignant irony or even a veiled message, implying that the action, though an evil human act, was allowed or used by God in His sovereignty, "remembering" Joash's apostasy and the shedding of innocent blood.
- his servants: (Hebrew: עֲבָדָיו, ‘ăvāḏāv) Indicates a relationship of trusted position, emphasizing the betrayal. These were likely high-ranking officials or palace guards. Their actions point to an internal conspiracy, often driven by political motives, dissent, or the king's failing health and weakening grip on power.
- smote him: (Hebrew: וַיַּכּוּ אֹתוֹ, vayakkū 'ōtō) Signifies a violent, intentional act, an attack. The Hebrew verb "נכה" (nakah) often implies a decisive blow leading to death or serious injury.
- and he died: (Hebrew: וַיָּמֹת, vayyamot) A stark, direct statement of the immediate consequence of the "smiting." This phrase marks the end of Joash's reign and life, sealing the judgment against him.
- and they buried him: Normal practice for a king, signifying proper final rites.
- with his fathers: Refers to his royal predecessors who had been buried in the same general burial grounds for kings of Judah. This acknowledges his legitimacy as king despite his controversial death.
- in the city of David: (Hebrew: בְּעִיר דָּוִד, bə‘îr Dāwid) Refers to Jerusalem, specifically the oldest part of the city, which contained the royal tombs. For most kings, this was a mark of honor and royal succession. However, the parallel account in 2 Chronicles 24:25 clarifies, "they did not bury him in the tombs of the kings." This is a significant distinction. While he was buried in Jerusalem (the City of David), he was apparently excluded from the most honored royal sepulchres within it, indicating a subtle yet powerful statement of posthumous disapproval or the dishonor associated with his reign's end. The Book of Kings here offers a more general statement, perhaps viewing "City of David" as inclusive of Jerusalem's general burial grounds, while Chronicles provides a precise exclusion from the dynastic tomb proper.
2 Kings 12 21 Bonus section
- Motivation of the Assassins: While 2 Kings is concise, 2 Chronicles 24:25 clearly states their motive was "because of the blood of the son of Jehoiada the priest whom he had murdered." This connection reinforces the understanding that Joash's death was a direct divine retribution for his actions. The assassins were instruments of a divinely orchestrated justice, albeit acting out of their own grievances or political machinations.
- Literary Foreshadowing: Joash himself rose to power through a conspiracy against the queen Athaliah (2 Kgs 11). His violent end at the hands of conspirators against himself thus closes a literary and thematic circle, emphasizing a "sowing and reaping" principle.
- Theological Irony of Names: The names Jozachar ("Yahweh Remembers") and Jehozabad ("Yahweh Has Given") are common in Israel and often carry positive connotations. Here, however, they become instruments in an act of judgment that God "remembers" or "gives" over to the consequences of his actions. This demonstrates that even common or positive names can be attached to instruments of divine purpose in surprising ways.
2 Kings 12 21 Commentary
2 Kings 12:21 succinctly narrates the final demise of King Joash, serving as a powerful demonstration of divine judgment for apostasy and bloodshed. Having previously permitted idolatry and ordered the execution of Zechariah, Jehoiada's son, Joash himself falls victim to betrayal from within his trusted circle, mirroring the betrayal he perpetuated against God and His faithful prophet. The fact that his own "servants" were the assassins underscores the fragility of even royal power when the Lord's favor is withdrawn, reflecting Proverbs 28:1: "The wicked flee when no one pursues, but the righteous are bold as a lion." His death at the hands of trusted subordinates signals the consequences of moral decay and injustice in leadership. The burial "in the City of David" indicates he retained his kingly status, but when cross-referenced with 2 Chronicles, the crucial nuance emerges: he was not laid in the prestigious "tombs of the kings," subtly denoting a blemished legacy. This account highlights that sin leads to internal strife and divine retribution, even for anointed leaders, showing God's ultimate sovereignty over the affairs of men and nations.