2 Kings 14 15

2 Kings 14:15 kjv

Now the rest of the acts of Jehoash which he did, and his might, and how he fought with Amaziah king of Judah, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?

2 Kings 14:15 nkjv

Now the rest of the acts of Jehoash which he did?his might, and how he fought with Amaziah king of Judah?are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?

2 Kings 14:15 niv

As for the other events of the reign of Jehoash, what he did and his achievements, including his war against Amaziah king of Judah, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Israel?

2 Kings 14:15 esv

Now the rest of the acts of Jehoash that he did, and his might, and how he fought with Amaziah king of Judah, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel?

2 Kings 14:15 nlt

The rest of the events in Jehoash's reign and everything he did, including the extent of his power and his war with King Amaziah of Judah, are recorded in The Book of the History of the Kings of Israel.

2 Kings 14 verses

2 Kings 14 15 Meaning

2 Kings 14:15 provides a summary conclusion to the reign of King Joash of Israel, directing the reader to external, non-canonical historical documents for further details. This verse particularly highlights his general deeds, his military prowess and victories ("might"), and specifically refers to his significant war against King Amaziah of Judah, which is narrated immediately preceding this verse. It functions as a concluding formula, affirming that more comprehensive accounts of these events existed and were accessible to the original audience.

2 Kings 14 15 Context

2 Kings 14:15 functions as a summarizing and concluding verse for the account of King Joash of Israel's reign within the Book of Kings. It immediately follows the detailed description of a significant historical event: the war between Joash of Israel and Amaziah of Judah, specifically at Beth Shemesh, which resulted in a decisive defeat for Judah, the breaching of Jerusalem's walls, and the plundering of its temple and palace treasures (2 Kgs 14:8-14). The verse effectively signals the end of the narrator's direct focus on Joash's activities, pointing to the availability of broader records for additional, non-theologically crucial information. The broader historical context is that of the divided monarchy, with recurring periods of conflict and temporary peace between the northern Kingdom of Israel and the southern Kingdom of Judah. Joash's reign marked a period of resurgence for Israel after a period of weakness under Aramean oppression, showcasing renewed military "might," partly prophesied by Elisha (2 Kgs 13:14-19).

2 Kings 14 15 Word analysis

• Now (וְיֶתֶר, vĕyeṯer): A conjunction ("and") combined with "the rest" or "the remainder." This commonly introduces a concluding statement in Kings, signifying that while the biblical account has presented crucial information, there is more historical data available elsewhere.
• the rest of the acts (וְיֶתֶר דִּבְרֵי, vĕyeṯer diḇrê): Hebrew "the remainder of the words/matters/deeds." This standard phrase highlights the selective nature of the biblical narrative; it doesn't offer an exhaustive history but rather focuses on aspects pertinent to the spiritual and theological assessment of a king's reign, specifically their obedience or disobedience to God.
• of Joash (יְהוֹאָשׁ, Yəhōʾāš): King of Israel, son of Jehoahaz. Despite walking in the sins of Jeroboam, God used him to deliver Israel from Aram. His "acts" primarily include his successful military campaigns mentioned in 2 Kings 13:25 (against Aram) and 14:8-14 (against Amaziah).
• and his might (וְגְבוּרָתוֹ, vĕgəḇûrātô): From the Hebrew gevurah (גְּבוּרָה), meaning "strength, power, valor, heroic deeds." This refers specifically to Joash's military strength and successful campaigns, particularly his recovery of cities from Aram and his triumph over Judah. It emphasizes his martial accomplishments in the eyes of his contemporaries.
• and how he fought (וְאֵת הַמִּלְחָמָה, vĕʾēṯ hammilḥāmāh): From the Hebrew milchamah (מִלְחָמָה), meaning "war" or "battle." This specifically references the war with King Amaziah of Judah, a detailed and pivotal event described in the preceding verses.
• with Amaziah king of Judah (אֲשֶׁר נִלְחַם עַל אֲמַצְיָהוּ מֶלֶךְ יְהוּדָה, ʾăšer nilḥam ʿal ʾămaṣyāhû meleḵ Yəhûḏāh): Amaziah was king of Judah. His decision to challenge Joash, described as a result of pride and perhaps divine judgment (2 Chr 25:17-20), led to a disastrous defeat for Judah and humiliation for its king and capital.
• are they not written (הֲלֹא הֵם כְּתוּבִים, hălōʾ hēm kəṯûḇîm): A rhetorical question that functions as an affirmation, confirming the existence and accessibility of other records. It validates the historical basis of the biblical account, implicitly encouraging further consultation of these non-canonical historical sources by the original audience.
• in the book (בְּסֵפֶר, bəsēp̄er): From the Hebrew sepher (סֵפֶר), meaning "book, scroll, writing." This term signifies an official, written record.
• of the chronicles (דִּבְרֵי הַיָּמִים, diḇrê hayyāmîm): Hebrew literally "the words/matters of the days" or "daily records." This refers to the official royal annals or court records meticulously kept by scribes for the kings of Israel (and Judah). These were the primary historical sources from which the compilers of the biblical Books of Kings drew selective information for their divinely inspired theological history. It is crucial to distinguish these from the canonical Books of Chronicles (1 and 2 Chronicles) which are part of the Bible itself.
• of the kings of Israel (לְמַלְכֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, ləmalkê Yiśrāʾēl): Specifies that these chronicles pertained to the northern kingdom of Israel. Both Israel and Judah maintained separate royal archives.

Words-group analysis:

• "the rest of the acts...and his might, and how he fought": This grouping provides a summary of a king's achievements as recorded by contemporary secular historians: broad actions, demonstrations of power, and significant military engagements. It illustrates the worldly focus on a king's effectiveness and triumphs. The Bible, however, will filter these achievements through a divine lens, evaluating them based on a king's faithfulness.
• "are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?": This is a powerful rhetorical device. It validates the historicity of the biblical narrative by pointing to well-known, accessible (at the time) external sources. It simultaneously indicates the divine author's selectivity; the inspired text extracts only what is necessary for understanding God's relationship with His people and the lessons derived from their history, leaving other secular details to those more comprehensive royal annals.

2 Kings 14 15 Bonus section

• The "Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel" and similar "Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah" (or often just "the kings of Judah") are mentioned over 30 times in the Books of Kings. None of these specific external historical records have been discovered to date. They were official state annals, likely rich in details of administration, economics, diplomacy, and comprehensive military records, which the biblical writers consulted for historical facts.
• The term "might" (gevurah) is not exclusively tied to military prowess in all biblical contexts, but in the Books of Kings when applied to a monarch's "acts," it most frequently refers to their effectiveness in war and their power to establish security or expand territory. Joash's success here demonstrates a resurgence for Israel after suffering significant defeats to Aram (Syria) under his father (2 Kgs 13:3, 7).
• The rhetorical question "are they not written?" suggests common knowledge of these records among the original readers, lending credibility to the biblical account by appealing to accessible external sources. This was a common literary convention in ancient Near Eastern historiography.

2 Kings 14 15 Commentary

2 Kings 14:15 is a standard concluding formula for a king's reign in the Books of Kings, acting as a historical footnote and theological statement. It asserts that Joash's significant accomplishments, especially his formidable military power ("might") demonstrated in reclaiming territory and decisively defeating Judah's King Amaziah, were well-documented in his kingdom's official chronicles. The biblical narrative is not a secular history striving for exhaustive detail but a divine history focusing on the moral and spiritual implications of royal rule within the covenant. By referencing external "books of the chronicles," the inspired author authenticates the historical grounding of the events while simultaneously signaling that the Bible presents a distilled, God-focused account. This highlights the lesson that worldly strength and victories, though celebrated, are ultimately secondary to obedience to God, which is the primary criterion by which kings (and all people) are truly judged in God's eyes.