2 Kings 14 20

2 Kings 14:20 kjv

And they brought him on horses: and he was buried at Jerusalem with his fathers in the city of David.

2 Kings 14:20 nkjv

Then they brought him on horses, and he was buried at Jerusalem with his fathers in the City of David.

2 Kings 14:20 niv

He was brought back by horse and was buried in Jerusalem with his ancestors, in the City of David.

2 Kings 14:20 esv

And they brought him on horses; and he was buried in Jerusalem with his fathers in the city of David.

2 Kings 14:20 nlt

They brought his body back to Jerusalem on a horse, and he was buried with his ancestors in the City of David.

2 Kings 14 verses

2 Kings 14 20 Meaning

King Amaziah, who reigned in Judah, having been assassinated in Lachish due to a conspiracy against him, was honorably transported back to Jerusalem by means of horses. Upon arrival, he was interred in the royal burial grounds in the City of David, alongside his ancestral kings, indicating his continued recognition as the legitimate Davidic monarch despite his violent end and apostasy.

2 Kings 14 20 Context

This verse details the solemn end of King Amaziah of Judah, whose reign, initially promising, succumbed to pride and apostasy, ultimately leading to a violent demise. Having provoked Jehoash, king of Israel, Amaziah suffered a crushing defeat, the sacking of Jerusalem, and his own capture (2 Ki 14:8-14). Following this humiliation, and significantly, after turning away from the Lord to worship Edomite idols (2 Chr 25:14-16), a conspiracy arose against him in Jerusalem. He fled to Lachish, a city in the Shephelah region of Judah (2 Ki 14:19), perhaps hoping for safety or preparing for a counter-move, but the conspirators pursued and assassinated him there. Verse 20 concludes this narrative arc, describing the dignified, though forced, return of his body and his burial in the royal necropolis in Jerusalem, specifically in the City of David, among his royal ancestors. This burial underscores the dynastic continuity of the house of David despite internal strife and the king's unfaithfulness.

2 Kings 14 20 Word analysis

• And they carried him (וַיִּשְׂאוּהוּ, vayyiśʾūhû): This verbal phrase indicates the transport of Amaziah's body from Lachish. The identity of "they" is not specified; it could have been loyalists who recovered his body, or perhaps even the conspirators acting to give a semblance of royal treatment post-assassination, ensuring a proper burial in the capital. The verb nasa (to carry, bear) suggests a solemn and respectful, if perhaps urgent, movement.
• on horses (עַל־הַסּוּסִים, ʿal-hassiûsîm): This implies transportation by chariot or by placing the body on a horse or mule, typical for royal or high-status individuals, signifying a dignified or customary mode of transport for a king, even in death. It contrasts with an ignominious, unceremonious removal.
• and he was buried (וַיִּקְבְּרֻהוּ, vayyiqbərûhû): A standard phrase denoting the interment of a body. The passive sense indicates that others performed the burial ritual.
• in Jerusalem (בִּירוּשָׁלַם, bîrûšālāyim): The capital city of Judah, the expected royal burial site. It confirms that despite his unpopularity and assassination outside the capital, his body was returned for a formal burial befitting a king.
• with his fathers (עִם־אֲבֹתָיו, ʿim-ʾaḇōtāyw): This customary phrase, found throughout the Books of Kings and Chronicles, signifies being interred in the ancestral royal burial plot. It indicates that Amaziah, despite his apostasy and regicide, was considered part of the legitimate lineage of Davidic kings and received the traditional royal burial honor.
• in the City of David (בְּעִיר דָּוִיד, bəʿîr dāwîd): This specific location refers to the ancient section of Jerusalem, south of the Temple Mount, where the royal necropolis was situated. For most kings of Judah, burial in the "City of David" was a marker of a successful or divinely favored reign. Though some kings, like Ahaz (2 Chr 28:27) and Manasseh (2 Ki 21:18, 2 Chr 33:20), were buried elsewhere within Jerusalem, the majority, including Amaziah, were interred here, affirming their connection to the Davidic covenant and the lineage, even in light of their personal failings or unfortunate end.

2 Kings 14 20 Bonus section

The contrast between Amaziah's dishonorable death by conspiracy (likely a consequence of his poor leadership, military defeat, and apostasy) and his honorable burial underscores a key theme in the Books of Kings: God's ultimate preservation of the Davidic line despite the actions of individual monarchs. Unlike some wicked kings who were denied burial "with the kings of Israel" (e.g., Ahaz in 2 Chr 28:27), Amaziah's physical placement among his forefathers reaffirmed the enduring divine promise to David concerning a perpetual dynasty (2 Sam 7:16). This detailed mention of his burial further aligns his story with the biographical patterns for Judah's kings, even in his final moments.

2 Kings 14 20 Commentary

2 Kings 14:20 marks the definitive end of King Amaziah's controversial reign. The details – his body transported "on horses" from Lachish to be "buried in Jerusalem with his fathers in the City of David" – convey several significant points. Despite his assassination, which speaks to a political rupture and perhaps a form of judgment for his actions (especially his apostasy noted in 2 Chr 25), his body was granted the dignity of royal transport and interment. This reflects a continuity of royal protocol and respect for the Davidic dynasty, even for a king who had lost the favor of his people and, seemingly, God. His burial in the sacred "City of David" among his "fathers" legitimizes his place in the Davidic line, emphasizing that while individual kings may fail, God's covenant with David remains steadfast, manifested through the succession, however flawed. The verse serves as a sober closing to the narrative of a king whose potential was squandered, and whose life ended not by battle, but by conspiracy.