2 Kings 13:1 kjv
In the three and twentieth year of Joash the son of Ahaziah king of Judah Jehoahaz the son of Jehu began to reign over Israel in Samaria, and reigned seventeen years.
2 Kings 13:1 nkjv
In the twenty-third year of Joash the son of Ahaziah, king of Judah, Jehoahaz the son of Jehu became king over Israel in Samaria, and reigned seventeen years.
2 Kings 13:1 niv
In the twenty-third year of Joash son of Ahaziah king of Judah, Jehoahaz son of Jehu became king of Israel in Samaria, and he reigned seventeen years.
2 Kings 13:1 esv
In the twenty-third year of Joash the son of Ahaziah, king of Judah, Jehoahaz the son of Jehu began to reign over Israel in Samaria, and he reigned seventeen years.
2 Kings 13:1 nlt
Jehoahaz son of Jehu began to rule over Israel in the twenty-third year of King Joash's reign in Judah. He reigned in Samaria seventeen years.
2 Kings 13 1 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 2 Ki 12:1 | In the seventh year of Jehu, Jehoash began to reign, and he reigned forty years... | Chronology of Joash of Judah's reign. |
| 2 Ki 10:30 | The Lord said to Jehu, "Because you have done well... four generations of your sons shall sit on the throne of Israel." | Prophetic promise fulfilled through Jehoahaz. |
| 2 Ki 13:2 | He did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, and followed the sins of Jeroboam... | Details Jehoahaz's reign of apostasy. |
| 2 Ki 13:3 | So the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and he gave them continually into the hand of Hazael king of Syria and Ben-hadad the son of Hazael. | Consequence of Jehoahaz's evil. |
| 1 Ki 16:24 | He bought the hill Samaria from Shemer for two talents of silver... built on the hill... and called the name of the city that he built Samaria... | Samaria as Omri's capital for Israel. |
| 1 Ki 12:28-30 | ...Jeroboam made two calves of gold... to go to Bethel and Dan. | Foundation of Northern Kingdom idolatry. |
| Lev 26:14-17 | But if you will not listen to me and will not do all these commandments... I will appoint over you a dread and wasting disease... | Covenant consequences for disobedience. |
| Deut 28:15, 25 | But if you will not obey the voice of the Lord your God... The Lord will cause you to be defeated before your enemies... | More covenant curses applied. |
| Psa 75:6-7 | For not from the east or from the west and not from the wilderness comes promotion, but it is God who executes judgment, putting down one and setting up another. | God's sovereignty over kingship. |
| Dan 2:21 | He changes times and seasons; he removes kings and sets up kings... | God's divine authority over rulers. |
| Rom 13:1 | Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. | All authority, including kingship, is from God. |
| 1 Ki 15:1 | In the eighteenth year of King Jeroboam the son of Nebat, Abijam began to reign over Judah. | Example of synchronized regnal formula. |
| 1 Ki 15:25 | Nadab the son of Jeroboam began to reign over Israel in the second year of Asa king of Judah... | Another synchronized dating in Kings. |
| 2 Ki 1:17 | ...Joram the son of Ahab became king over Israel in Samaria in the second year of Jehoram the son of Jehoshaphat, king of Judah... | More examples of synchronistic reign. |
| 2 Ki 8:16 | In the fifth year of Joram the son of Ahab, king of Israel... Jehoram the son of Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, began to reign. | Repeated synchronized chronological marker. |
| 2 Ki 14:1 | In the second year of Joash the son of Joahaz, king of Israel, Amaziah the son of Joash, king of Judah, began to reign. | Continued synchronized dating after this verse. |
| 2 Ki 12:20-21 | Joash's servants arose and made a conspiracy... smote Joash at the house of Millo... | Joash (Judah)'s ultimate fate. |
| Judg 2:14-15 | So the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel... He gave them over to plunderers, who plundered them. | Echoes the pattern of judgment in Judges. |
| Hos 8:5-6 | Your calf, O Samaria, has cast you off... a craftsman made it... | Denunciation of idolatry centered in Samaria. |
| Amo 3:9-10 | Proclaim to the strongholds in Ashdod and in the strongholds in the land of Egypt: "Assemble yourselves on the mountains of Samaria, and see the great disorders within her, and the oppressions in her midst." | Divine condemnation of injustice in Samaria. |
| 1 Sam 15:23 | For rebellion is as the sin of divination, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry... | Link between rebellion against God and the nature of Israel's kings. |
2 Kings 13 verses
2 Kings 13 1 Meaning
This verse serves as a crucial chronological marker within the Books of Kings, establishing the synchronized reigns of the kings of Judah and Israel. It precisely dates the beginning of Jehoahaz's reign over the Northern Kingdom of Israel, stating he became king in Samaria in the twenty-third year of Joash's reign over the Southern Kingdom of Judah, and reigned for seventeen years. This opening verse sets the historical stage for the events of Jehoahaz's difficult reign detailed in the subsequent verses.
2 Kings 13 1 Context
This verse initiates the account of King Jehoahaz of Israel, placing it chronologically within the wider narrative of the divided monarchies. Immediately following the detailed reign of Joash of Judah (chapter 12), chapter 13 transitions to the Northern Kingdom. It marks the first king from the second generation of Jehu's dynasty (Jehoahaz is Jehu's son), a line promised by God to endure for four generations (2 Ki 10:30). Historically, this period (c. 815-814 BCE) was one of severe decline and oppression for the Northern Kingdom, particularly from the Arameans (Syrians) under Hazael, as vividly depicted in the verses immediately following this introduction (2 Ki 13:3-7). The book of Kings consistently uses these precise dating formulas to intertwine the parallel histories of Judah and Israel, highlighting the overarching theological message that the reigns of all kings were under God's sovereign oversight, and their success or failure was tied to their covenant faithfulness.
2 Kings 13 1 Word analysis
- In the twenty-third year: This precise numerical detail emphasizes the annalistic nature of the historical records in Kings. It provides an accurate chronological anchor, showing a deliberate effort by the author to synchronize the timelines of Judah and Israel, which had separate king lists.
- of Joash the son of Ahaziah, king of Judah: This specifies the contemporary king of the Southern Kingdom, Judah, during whose reign Jehoahaz began his rule. "Joash" here refers to the Joash (also called Jehoash) of Judah, who ascended the throne at a very young age (2 Ki 12:1), rather than a later King of Israel also named Joash/Jehoash. His lineage "son of Ahaziah" clearly distinguishes him. The persistent mention of "king of Judah" contrasts with "king of Israel" to keep the dual monarchies clear for the reader.
- Jehoahaz the son of Jehu: This introduces the new king of the Northern Kingdom, Israel. His name, "Jehoahaz" (Hebrew: יְהוֹאָחָז, Yeho'ahaz), means "The Lord has grasped" or "The Lord sustains," an ironic name given his future struggles. His being "the son of Jehu" explicitly connects him to the dynasty founded by Jehu, confirming the divine promise in 2 Kings 10:30 that Jehu's sons would reign for four generations. Jehoahaz is the first of these four, indicating God's faithfulness to His word even towards flawed instruments of His will.
- began to reign: This marks the official commencement of his kingship, often accompanied by coronation rituals and a transfer of authority. It signifies the initiation of a new chapter in the nation's history.
- over Israel in Samaria: "Israel" here refers specifically to the Northern Kingdom, established after the division of the unified kingdom (1 Ki 12). "Samaria" (Hebrew: שֹׁמְרוֹן, Shomron) was its capital city, built by Omri and the seat of power for subsequent Omride and Jehu dynasties. It became notorious for its deep-seated idolatry, being a center for Baal worship introduced by Ahab (1 Ki 16). The specific mention of the capital reinforces the geographic and political locus of his reign.
- and he reigned seventeen years: This concise statement provides the full duration of Jehoahaz's reign. This standard summary detail for kings in Kings sets expectations for the coming narrative about his rule, often implicitly reflecting the king's fate or significance within that span.
Words-group analysis:
- "In the twenty-third year... king of Judah, Jehoahaz... began to reign over Israel...": This synchronistic formula is a hallmark of the Deuteronomistic history found throughout the books of Kings. It uniquely weaves together the parallel narratives of the two distinct kingdoms, demonstrating that the divine chronicler was concerned with both, reflecting a continuous divine oversight over the entire Israelite people despite their political division. It emphasizes precise historical reporting grounded in real time.
- "Jehoahaz the son of Jehu... over Israel in Samaria": This phrase highlights the ongoing fulfillment of prophecy concerning Jehu's lineage while also grounding his reign in the geographic and spiritual reality of the Northern Kingdom. Samaria's prominent mention carries an implicit theological weight, symbolizing the entrenched idolatry that characterized Israel and inevitably led to its downfall.
2 Kings 13 1 Bonus section
- The name "Jehoahaz" contains "Jeho" (Yahweh/Lord), serving as a subtle reminder of the Lord's active involvement and sustained authority over Israel's kings, even those who acted wickedly.
- The inclusion of both father's names ("son of Ahaziah" for Joash, "son of Jehu" for Jehoahaz) serves to definitively identify which king, particularly since Joash/Jehoash is a recurring name, and to trace their specific dynastic lineage. This careful naming ensures no confusion, given that Jehoahaz's own son will later be named Joash (2 Ki 13:10).
- The practice of exact regnal synchronization implies an accessible, authoritative court archive from which the writer of Kings drew his detailed information, bolstering the historical credibility of the narrative from a compositional viewpoint.
- While concise, the "seventeen years" highlights the duration God allowed this wicked king to rule before a successor took over, pointing to divine patience and predetermined times for rulers, as expressed in broader biblical themes (e.g., Acts 17:26).
2 Kings 13 1 Commentary
2 Kings 13:1 provides the foundational chronological detail for Jehoahaz's reign in Israel. It immediately situates his rule within the larger historical framework by synchronizing it with the reign of Joash in Judah. The specific mention of Jehoahaz as "the son of Jehu" implicitly refers back to the divine promise in 2 Kings 10:30, where Jehu was guaranteed four generations on the throne for his actions against the house of Ahab. Jehoahaz is the first king to fulfill this promise, indicating God's faithfulness even amidst the Northern Kingdom's ongoing sin and decline. While merely an introductory verse, it prepares the reader for a reign marked by evil, covenant disobedience (as detailed in 2 Ki 13:2), and the resultant divine judgment through foreign oppression, underscoring the consistent theological message of the Kings author that national destiny is tied to covenant fidelity.