2 Kings 14:23 kjv
In the fifteenth year of Amaziah the son of Joash king of Judah Jeroboam the son of Joash king of Israel began to reign in Samaria, and reigned forty and one years.
2 Kings 14:23 nkjv
In the fifteenth year of Amaziah the son of Joash, king of Judah, Jeroboam the son of Joash, king of Israel, became king in Samaria, and reigned forty-one years.
2 Kings 14:23 niv
In the fifteenth year of Amaziah son of Joash king of Judah, Jeroboam son of Jehoash king of Israel became king in Samaria, and he reigned forty-one years.
2 Kings 14:23 esv
In the fifteenth year of Amaziah the son of Joash, king of Judah, Jeroboam the son of Joash, king of Israel, began to reign in Samaria, and he reigned forty-one years.
2 Kings 14:23 nlt
Jeroboam II, the son of Jehoash, began to rule over Israel in the fifteenth year of King Amaziah's reign in Judah. He reigned in Samaria forty-one years.
2 Kings 14 23 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 2 Kgs 14:1 | In the second year of Joash son of Jooshaz king of Israel, Amaziah son of Joash king of Judah began to reign. | Syncs Amaziah's start of reign. |
| 2 Kgs 14:24 | He did what was evil in the sight of the Lord and did not depart from all the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, which he caused Israel to sin. | Jeroboam II's spiritual apostasy. |
| 2 Kgs 14:25 | He restored the border of Israel from Lebo-hamath as far as the Sea of the Arabah, according to the word of the Lord, the God of Israel, which he spoke by his servant Jonah the son of Amittai... | Jeroboam II's military success and prophetic word. |
| 2 Kgs 14:26-27 | For the Lord saw the affliction of Israel... The Lord had not said that he would blot out the name of Israel... | God's compassionate preservation despite sin. |
| 2 Kgs 15:8 | In the thirty-eighth year of Azariah king of Judah, Zechariah son of Jeroboam began to reign over Israel in Samaria... | Chronological link to next Israelite king. |
| 1 Kgs 12:28-30 | ...king took counsel and made two calves of gold... and said, “You have gone up enough to Jerusalem... | Original sins of Jeroboam I. |
| 1 Kgs 15:34 | And he did what was evil in the sight of the Lord and walked in the way of Jeroboam and in his sin which he caused Israel to sin. | Recurrence of Jeroboam's sin through generations. |
| Hos 1:1 | The word of the Lord that came to Hosea, son of Beeri, in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam son of Joash, king of Israel. | Prophetic activity during Jeroboam II's reign. |
| Amos 1:1 | The words of Amos... which he saw concerning Israel in the days of Uzziah king of Judah and in the days of Jeroboam son of Joash, king of Israel... | Prophetic warnings during Jeroboam II's reign. |
| Amos 7:9-11 | The high places of Isaac shall be made desolate... “Jeroboam shall die by the sword, and Israel must go into exile away from his land.” | Divine judgment announced on Jeroboam's house. |
| Rom 9:22-23 | What if God, desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction...? | God's long-suffering and patience. |
| Jer 3:6-10 | ...I saw that for all the adulteries of faithless Israel, I had sent her away with a decree of divorce... | Israel's persistent idolatry and consequences. |
| Deut 28:1-14 | If you faithfully obey the voice of the Lord... all these blessings will come upon you... | Covenant blessings contrasted with Israel's reality. |
| Deut 28:15-68 | If you will not obey the voice of the Lord... all these curses will come upon you... | Covenant curses, relevant despite temporary prosperity. |
| 1 Chr 3:10-14 | ...Solomon his son... Rehoboam his son... Abijah his son... Joash his son... Amaziah his son... | Royal genealogy of Judah for context. |
| Gen 15:16 | ...the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete. | God's patience allows time before full judgment. |
| Ecc 9:2 | All things are the same for all... | Worldly prosperity doesn't indicate divine favor. |
| Prov 29:2 | When the righteous increase, the people rejoice, but when the wicked rule, the people groan. | Contrast: Jeroboam II ruled prosperously despite wickedness. |
| Ps 75:6-7 | For exaltation comes neither from the east nor from the west nor from the south. But God is the Judge; He puts down one and exalts another. | God's sovereignty over who reigns. |
| Dan 2:21 | He changes times and seasons; he removes kings and sets up kings; he gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding. | God's sovereign control over kingdoms and leaders. |
| Isa 10:5-7 | Ah, Assyria, the rod of My anger... | Assyria as God's instrument for future judgment on Israel. |
2 Kings 14 verses
2 Kings 14 23 Meaning
This verse precisely marks the chronological commencement of Jeroboam II's long reign over the Northern Kingdom of Israel. It sets the beginning of his forty-one-year rule in Samaria, pinpointing this significant event relative to the fifteenth year of Amaziah's reign in the Southern Kingdom of Judah, providing a key synchronism for biblical chronology.
2 Kings 14 23 Context
2 Kings 14:23 introduces the reign of Jeroboam II, a king of Israel (Northern Kingdom), immediately following the account of Amaziah king of Judah (Southern Kingdom). Chapter 14 details Amaziah's forty-five-year reign, his military victories and eventual defeat by Israel, and his assassination. Verse 23 provides a critical chronological synchronism, tying the beginning of Jeroboam II's reign in Israel to Amaziah's reign in Judah. The subsequent verses (14:24-29) elaborate on Jeroboam II's wicked character despite his significant territorial and economic success, a time period extensively critiqued by prophets like Hosea and Amos. Historically, this period marks the 8th century BC, a time when the dominant regional power, Assyria, experienced a temporary internal weakness, allowing both Israel and Judah a brief period of expansion and economic prosperity, though not spiritual revival. The constant designation of "Samaria" highlights the divided kingdom, separate from the legitimate Davidic line and the central worship in Jerusalem, implicitly reiterating the long-standing spiritual error initiated by Jeroboam I.
2 Kings 14 23 Word analysis
- In the fifteenth year: This phrase provides a precise chronological anchor. The biblical chroniclers carefully synchronized the reigns of the kings of Judah and Israel to establish a consistent timeline. This specificity underlines the historicity of the accounts.
- of Amaziah son of Joash king of Judah: Specifies the reigning monarch of the Southern Kingdom, Judah, during whose reign Jeroboam II began his rule. "Amaziah" (אֲמַצְיָהוּ, 'Amatsyahu) means "strength of Yahweh." He was generally a good king, though not fully devoted to the Lord (2 Kgs 14:3-4). This linkage emphasizes the interwoven history of the two kingdoms despite their division.
- Jeroboam son of Joash king of Israel: This identifies the new king of the Northern Kingdom, Israel. It is crucial to distinguish this "Joash" (Israel's king) from "Joash" (Judah's king and Amaziah's father). This "Jeroboam" (יָרָבְעָם, Yarov'am) is the second king by this name in Israel, known as Jeroboam II. His name means "he increases the people" or "the people contend," fitting for a king under whom Israel experienced a population and territorial expansion, though steeped in idolatry. He was the son of Joash (Jehoash) of Israel, a powerful king who defeated Amaziah of Judah (2 Kgs 14:8-14).
- began to reign: This marks the official accession of Jeroboam II to the throne, signaling the start of his tenure as monarch. It signifies the commencement of his divinely permitted (though not approved) rule.
- in Samaria: (שֹׁמְרוֹן, Shomron). This specifies the capital city of the Northern Kingdom, established by Omri (1 Kgs 16:24). Samaria became synonymous with Israel's idolatry and spiritual corruption (cf. Isa 28:1; Hos 7:1; Amos 3:9). Mentioning Samaria continually highlights Israel's separate, often rebellious, trajectory from Judah and the Jerusalem temple.
- and reigned forty-one years: This indicates the remarkable length of Jeroboam II's reign, the longest of any king in the Northern Kingdom of Israel. A long reign often implies political stability and relative prosperity for the kingdom, as will be seen in the following verses (2 Kgs 14:25-27), yet this did not signify divine approval of his personal character or the nation's spiritual state. Such longevity for an idolatrous king underscores God's long-suffering patience (Rom 2:4) and His sovereign control over the duration of a king's rule, regardless of their righteousness (Dan 2:21).
- Chronological Synchronism: The phrase "In the fifteenth year of Amaziah... Jeroboam... began to reign..." illustrates the biblical historians' meticulous effort to correlate the timelines of the two separate kingdoms, allowing for a precise understanding of the broader historical period. This synchronized dating highlights God's overarching superintendence of all human history.
- King of Israel vs. King of Judah: The clear distinction between the "king of Judah" (Davidic line) and the "king of Israel" (Northern Kingdom) in almost every dual monarchical synchronism subtly reinforces the theological divide and the distinct destinies unfolding for both entities. It reminds the reader that despite being one people historically, they are now separate nations under different kings due to the historical schism (1 Kgs 12).
2 Kings 14 23 Bonus section
This synchronism allows biblical scholars to construct the intricate timeline of the divided monarchy. The extraordinary length of Jeroboam II's reign (41 years) suggests a period of unusual political stability in Israel, often attributed to a temporary power vacuum left by a declining Assyrian Empire before its resurgence. This lull in foreign intervention allowed for a national resurgence under Jeroboam II, recovering territory lost previously, though this period of peace and prosperity paradoxically fostered complacency and deepened spiritual apostasy. The repeated refrain in Kings, especially regarding northern kings, that they "did not depart from all the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat" underscores the chronic theological problem that afflicted Israel's kings and led to its eventual downfall. The divine allowance of a long, prosperous reign for an idolatrous king like Jeroboam II shows God's sovereign hand uses even wicked leaders for His purposes, at times delaying judgment to allow for repentance, even if repentance does not ultimately materialize for the nation as a whole.
2 Kings 14 23 Commentary
2 Kings 14:23 is a foundational chronological statement. It introduces Jeroboam II's lengthy reign over Israel, spanning forty-one years from the fifteenth year of Judah's king Amaziah. This seemingly straightforward notice carries profound implications. Despite being a powerful and expansive period for Israel, as detailed in the subsequent verses regarding border restoration and prosperity, Jeroboam II's reign was characterized by spiritual corruption (2 Kgs 14:24). This verse sets the stage for a paradoxical era where material success coexisted with grave spiritual decline, highlighted by the contemporary prophets Amos and Hosea. It exemplifies God's patient hand in preserving His people and extending grace even when they persist in sin, fulfilling promises to a certain extent (2 Kgs 14:26-27), before bringing eventual judgment.