2 Kings 14 16

2 Kings 14:16 kjv

And Jehoash slept with his fathers, and was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel; and Jeroboam his son reigned in his stead.

2 Kings 14:16 nkjv

So Jehoash rested with his fathers, and was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel. Then Jeroboam his son reigned in his place.

2 Kings 14:16 niv

Jehoash rested with his ancestors and was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel. And Jeroboam his son succeeded him as king.

2 Kings 14:16 esv

And Jehoash slept with his fathers and was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel, and Jeroboam his son reigned in his place.

2 Kings 14:16 nlt

When Jehoash died, he was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel. And his son Jeroboam II became the next king.

2 Kings 14 verses

2 Kings 14 16 Meaning

This verse describes the immediate aftermath of the war between King Jehoash of Israel and King Amaziah of Judah. Following his decisive victory at Beth-shemesh where Amaziah was captured, Jehoash did not press further into Judah with permanent occupation. Instead, he concluded his punitive campaign by returning to his capital, Samaria, with Amaziah held as his prisoner. The verse thus signifies the complete success and strategic withdrawal of Jehoash, demonstrating Israel's temporary dominance over Judah.

2 Kings 14 16 Context

This verse serves as the immediate culmination of the war initiated by King Amaziah of Judah against King Jehoash of Israel, recounted in 2 Kings 14:8-15. Emboldened by his victory over Edom (2 Ki 14:7) and neglecting divine counsel regarding his idolatry (2 Chr 25:14-16), Amaziah arrogantly challenged Jehoash. Jehoash, having correctly perceived Amaziah's overblown pride, issued a cautionary parable and a warning against self-inflicted harm. When Amaziah refused to listen, the battle ensued at Beth-shemesh, resulting in Judah's swift and decisive defeat. Jehoash not only captured Amaziah but also marched on Jerusalem, breached its walls, plundered its temple and palace treasures, and took hostages (2 Ki 14:13-14). Verse 16 describes Jehoash's strategic retreat from Judah after having achieved all his objectives, taking the captured King Amaziah back to Samaria, the capital of Israel. This demonstrated Israel's superiority and humiliation of Judah without prolonged occupation.

2 Kings 14 16 Word analysis

• Then (וַיֵּלֶךְ, wa·yê·leḵ): The Hebrew waw consecutive connects this action as the next chronological step following Jehoash's plundering of Jerusalem. It denotes sequence and logical progression.
• Jehoash (יְהוֹאָשׁ, yə·hō·wāš): A proper noun, meaning "Yahweh has given." This refers specifically to the king of the Northern Kingdom (Israel), distinguishing him from Amaziah's father, also named Joash (Jehoash) but of Judah.
• King of Israel (מֶלֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל, me·leḵ yis·rā·’êl): Standard title, reinforcing the actor's identity and authority. Israel's monarchy, though generally wicked, retained God's conditional favor in this era, particularly under Joash (Jehoash) who had earlier delivered Israel from Aram, following Elisha's prophecy (2 Ki 13:25).
• went away (וַיֵּלֶךְ, wa·yê·leḵ) and returned (וַיָּשָׁב, wa·yā·šāḇ): The repetition of wayyeleḵ ("went") followed by wayyashav ("and returned") signifies a purposeful departure from the scene of battle and plunder and a strategic return to his own territory. This action emphasizes Jehoash's tactical completion of his campaign.
• to Samaria (שֹׁמְרוֹנָה, šōm·rō·w·nāh): The capital city of the Northern Kingdom of Israel. Its prominence here signifies Jehoash's triumph, as he returns to his seat of power having asserted dominance.
• after he had captured (אַחַר תִּפְשׂוֹ, ’a·ḥar tif·śōw): The preposition 'achar ("after") and the infinitive construct tifśōw ("his seizing/grasping") emphasize that the capture of Amaziah was a completed prerequisite for Jehoash's return. It was the critical event enabling the closure of the punitive expedition.
• Amaziah (אֲמַצְיָהוּ, ’a·maṣ·yā·hū): Proper noun, meaning "strength of Yahweh." This name ironically highlights his downfall due to his pride, showing that his "strength" did not derive from true reliance on Yahweh but from self-confidence. King of the Southern Kingdom (Judah).
• King of Judah (מֶלֶךְ יְהוּדָה, me·leḵ yə·hū·ḏāh): Establishes the captive's royal identity, magnifying the scale of Jehoash's victory. The capture of one king by another was a monumental disgrace for the defeated monarch.
• at Beth-shemesh (בֵּית שֶׁמֶשׁ, bêṯ šem-eš): A city meaning "House of the Sun." Strategically located on the border between Judah and Philistia, and a point of intersection with Israel's territory, it was a logical place for such a battle. The mention of its name specifies the exact location of Amaziah's defeat and capture.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "Then Jehoash king of Israel went away and returned to Samaria": This phrase details Jehoash's primary action. It underlines his calculated approach – once the military objective of humiliating Judah and extracting tribute was met, he retreated to his own capital, asserting his authority rather than embarking on a longer, costlier occupation.
• "after he had captured Amaziah king of Judah at Beth-shemesh": This clause provides the crucial context for Jehoash's actions. It signifies that the defeat and capture of the enemy king was the definitive event that brought the war to a successful conclusion from Jehoash's perspective, making his subsequent withdrawal a calculated move of victory rather than retreat. The specific location, Beth-shemesh, authenticates the historical accuracy of the narrative and points to the very moment of Judah's humiliation.

2 Kings 14 16 Bonus section

• Role Reversal: The event depicts a striking role reversal where Judah, the kingdom from which the true line of Davidic kings and the temple originated, is decisively defeated and its king captured by the Northern Kingdom, which consistently practiced idolatry and apostasy. This highlights that God’s judgment can fall upon any, regardless of their lineage or spiritual heritage, when they defy Him.
• Judah's Shame: Amaziah's capture and presumably forced accompaniment back to Samaria was a profound public humiliation for the Davidic dynasty and for all of Judah. It signified not just military defeat but a loss of national honor and independence. Such a spectacle would serve as a powerful warning against further rebellion for a time.
• The Power of Pride: The context clearly shows Amaziah's fall being attributed to his arrogance, especially after his success against Edom (2 Chr 25:19). This verse directly manifests the proverb "Pride goes before destruction" (Prov 16:18) in the life of a king and his kingdom. While Jehoash himself was far from righteous, in this specific conflict, God allowed him to be the instrument of Judah's humbling.

2 Kings 14 16 Commentary

2 Kings 14:16 concludes the account of the war between Israel and Judah under Jehoash and Amaziah, focusing on the swift and efficient resolution orchestrated by the victorious Israelite king. Jehoash's immediate return to Samaria after capturing King Amaziah and plundering Jerusalem highlights his strategic wisdom: he aimed for punishment and dominance, not necessarily annexation. This decisive action prevented a protracted engagement, securing Israel's preeminence while signaling a powerful, yet limited, reprisal for Amaziah's unwarranted provocation. The verse underscores the devastating consequences of Amaziah's pride and idolatry, which brought swift divine judgment upon Judah, mediated by a more wicked king.