2 Kings 14 21

2 Kings 14:21 kjv

And all the people of Judah took Azariah, which was sixteen years old, and made him king instead of his father Amaziah.

2 Kings 14:21 nkjv

And all the people of Judah took Azariah, who was sixteen years old, and made him king instead of his father Amaziah.

2 Kings 14:21 niv

Then all the people of Judah took Azariah, who was sixteen years old, and made him king in place of his father Amaziah.

2 Kings 14:21 esv

And all the people of Judah took Azariah, who was sixteen years old, and made him king instead of his father Amaziah.

2 Kings 14:21 nlt

All the people of Judah had crowned Amaziah's sixteen-year-old son, Uzziah, as king in place of his father, Amaziah.

2 Kings 14 verses

2 Kings 14 21 Meaning

2 Kings 14:21 records a pivotal moment in the history of Judah, stating that after the assassination of King Amaziah, the people of Judah unanimously appointed his sixteen-year-old son, Azariah, to reign as their new king. This verse highlights a direct action by the populace to establish leadership and maintain the Davidic dynastic continuity in the southern kingdom.

2 Kings 14 21 Context

This verse occurs at a critical juncture after the troubled reign and violent death of King Amaziah. Amaziah initially walked with the Lord but later turned to idolatry and pride after a military victory against Edom (2 Chr 25:14-16). This defiance led to a disastrous war with Israel, resulting in the humiliation of Judah, the breaching of Jerusalem's walls, and the plundering of the temple (2 Kgs 14:8-14). The people's disaffection culminated in a conspiracy against him, leading to his assassination in Lachish (2 Kgs 14:19-20). Against this backdrop of political turmoil and the demise of an unfaithful king, the act described in 2 Kings 14:21 represents the populace's proactive move to restore stability and legitimacy to the throne of Judah by elevating Amaziah's son.

2 Kings 14 21 Word analysis

• "And all the people of Judah":
  • Hebrew: `וְכָל־עַם יְהוּדָה` (wəḵol-ʿam Yəhūḏāh).
  • "all the people": `כָּל־עַם` (kol-ʿam) refers to the entire community, specifically the "people of the land" (עם הארץ), a powerful and distinct socio-political group within Judah often instrumental in matters of royal succession, especially following a dynastic crisis or regicide (e.g., the enthronement of Jehoash in 2 Kgs 11). Their collective action signifies broad support and a communal affirmation of the new king.
  • "of Judah": Identifies the specific kingdom of Judah, distinguishing it from Israel, and emphasizes that this decision emanated from the unified will within the southern kingdom.
• "took":
  • Hebrew: `וַיִּקְחוּ` (wayyiqəḥū) - from `לָקַח` (laqach), meaning "to take," "to lay hold of," "to seize," or "to select."
  • This active verb signifies a deliberate and authoritative act of selection and installation. It's not passive acceptance but a definitive step by the people to enthrone Azariah, demonstrating their active role in ratifying the new monarchy.
• "Azariah":
  • Hebrew: `עֲזַרְיָה` (ʿǍzaryāh). Meaning: "Yahweh has helped" or "Yahweh is my help."
  • This name carries a profound theological meaning, pointing to divine assistance. He is also known more famously as Uzziah (`עֻזִּיָּה`), meaning "My strength is Yahweh" or "Yahweh is my strength," in many other biblical texts (e.g., 2 Kgs 15:1, 2 Chr 26:1). Scholars suggest Azariah was his birth name, while Uzziah became his regnal or popular name, reflecting his strength and the divine help attributed to his reign.
• "who was sixteen years old":
  • This detail highlights his youth upon accession, yet not infancy. While young for such significant responsibility, it suggests he was capable of assuming the throne without a lengthy regency, distinguishing him from even younger monarchs like Josiah (8) or Manasseh (12). His age may have represented a clean slate, a hopeful departure from his disgraced father's rule.
• "and made him king":
  • Hebrew: `וַיַּמְלִכוּ` (wayyamlikhū) - Hiphil of `מָלַךְ` (malakh), meaning "to cause to reign," "to crown as king," "to enthrone."
  • This phrase affirms the formal and ceremonial act of investiture performed by the people, making his kingship legitimate in their eyes. It describes the direct action of placing him on the throne, acknowledging his authority.
• "instead of his father Amaziah":
  • This clearly states the succession from father to son, emphasizing dynastic continuity despite the circumstances of Amaziah's death. It points to a transfer of authority that recognized the lineage even as it responded to the immediate crisis caused by the previous king's failure and demise.

2 Kings 14 21 Bonus section

• The role of "the people of the land" (עם הארץ) in installing kings is particularly prominent when the preceding monarch died a conspiratorial or unpopular death, such as with Joash (2 Kgs 11) and now Azariah. This group often represented powerful landowners or community leaders whose consensus was vital for a new king's legitimacy and stability.
• Uzziah's reign (beginning in this verse) is extensively detailed in 2 Chronicles 26, showcasing his initial faithfulness, which led to significant military, economic, and architectural achievements for Judah. This success contrasts starkly with his father Amaziah's downfall, but Uzziah himself eventually succumbs to pride, trespassing into priestly duties and suffering leprosy, demonstrating the persistent theme of even righteous kings falling due to unfaithfulness to God's specific commands.
• The dual naming of Azariah and Uzziah is not uncommon in biblical literature, indicating different personal or regnal names for the same individual (e.g., King Jehoahaz also known as Shallum). In Uzziah's case, both names inherently speak to the Lord's help and strength, highlighting a common theological understanding of divine involvement in the prosperity and resilience of Judah's kings, even through periods of national crisis.

2 Kings 14 21 Commentary

2 Kings 14:21 offers a glimpse into the dynamic interplay of divine providence, dynastic succession, and popular will in ancient Israelite kingship. After King Amaziah's tragic end, marked by apostasy and assassination, the kingdom faced a power vacuum. The decision by "all the people of Judah"—a significant socio-political entity often active in affirming or installing kings—to elevate Azariah, Amaziah's sixteen-year-old son, speaks to a desire for immediate stability and continuity of the Davidic line. This collective act underscores that even though God ultimately sets up and pulls down kings, human agency and public endorsement could play a crucial role in the transfer of power, particularly when a reign ended violently or controversially. The anointing of a relatively young king, later known as Uzziah, set the stage for one of Judah's longest and, for a period, most prosperous reigns.