2 Kings 14:26 kjv
For the LORD saw the affliction of Israel, that it was very bitter: for there was not any shut up, nor any left, nor any helper for Israel.
2 Kings 14:26 nkjv
For the LORD saw that the affliction of Israel was very bitter; and whether bond or free, there was no helper for Israel.
2 Kings 14:26 niv
The LORD had seen how bitterly everyone in Israel, whether slave or free, was suffering; there was no one to help them.
2 Kings 14:26 esv
For the LORD saw that the affliction of Israel was very bitter, for there was none left, bond or free, and there was none to help Israel.
2 Kings 14:26 nlt
For the LORD saw the bitter suffering of everyone in Israel, and that there was no one in Israel, slave or free, to help them.
2 Kings 14 26 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Exod 3:7 | "I have surely seen the affliction of My people who are in Egypt..." | God sees His people's suffering. |
| Deut 32:36 | "For the Lord will vindicate His people, And have compassion on His servants, When He sees that their strength is gone..." | God's compassion when all hope is lost. |
| 1 Sam 9:16 | "I will send you a man from the land of Benjamin...that he may save My people..." | God raises up deliverers. |
| Ps 25:18 | "Look upon my affliction and my trouble, And forgive all my sins." | Asking God to see and respond to distress. |
| Ps 106:44 | "Nevertheless He regarded their distress When He heard their cry;" | God responding to the cries of His people. |
| Lam 3:19 | "Remember my affliction and my wandering, The wormwood and bitterness." | Acknowledging the bitterness of suffering. |
| Isa 63:9 | "In all their affliction He was afflicted, And the angel of His presence saved them..." | God's shared suffering and active deliverance. |
| Hos 1:7 | "But I will have compassion on the house of Judah..." | God's compassion even amidst judgment. |
| Hos 11:8-9 | "How can I give you up, O Ephraim? ... My heart is turned over within Me..." | God's internal struggle of mercy and justice. |
| Joel 2:25 | "I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten..." | God restoring what was lost due to affliction. |
| Jon 4:11 | "And should I not pity Nineveh, that great city..." | God's universal compassion extends to all. |
| Neh 9:27 | "You gave them saviors who saved them from the hand of their oppressors." | God's pattern of providing saviors. |
| Mk 6:34 | "When Jesus went ashore, He saw a large crowd, and He felt compassion..." | Christ's compassionate seeing. |
| Lk 7:13 | "When the Lord saw her, He had compassion on her..." | Christ seeing and having compassion. |
| Rom 11:29 | "for the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable." | God's faithfulness to His covenant, even in disobedience. |
| Judg 2:16 | "Then the Lord raised up judges who saved them from the hand of those who plundered them." | God provides deliverers in times of oppression. |
| Judg 10:16 | "So they put away the foreign gods... and He could bear the misery of Israel no longer." | God's heart stirred by His people's distress. |
| Zech 8:6 | "If it is amazing in the sight of the remnant of this people in those days, will it also be amazing in My sight?..." | God's ability to act in impossible situations. |
| Jer 30:7 | "Alas! for that day is great... It is even the time of Jacob’s trouble..." | Referring to a time of unparalleled distress. |
| Mal 3:17 | "And they shall be Mine, says the LORD of hosts, On the day that I make up My jewels..." | God's remembrance of His people. |
| Heb 4:15 | "For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses..." | Christ's empathy with human suffering. |
2 Kings 14 verses
2 Kings 14 26 Meaning
The verse indicates that the Lord observed the profound and bitter suffering of Israel. This distress was so severe that there was no one left, neither bond nor free, nor any helper, suggesting a state of extreme destitution and vulnerability. God, therefore, acted out of compassion for His people in their desperate situation.
2 Kings 14 26 Context
This verse is found within the narrative of King Jeroboam II's reign over Israel. It directly precedes the statement that God raised up Jeroboam II to deliver Israel and restore its borders, in fulfillment of prophecy (v. 27). The historical backdrop for Israel at this time was one of severe suffering under the Aramaean attacks (2 Kgs 13:3-7) and internal weakening. Israel had fallen into idolatry, but even amidst their disobedience, God remembered His covenant and showed compassion, preventing their complete annihilation. This specific period of intense suffering underscored the desperate need for divine intervention before Jeroboam II's period of restoration.
2 Kings 14 26 Word analysis
- For (כִּי, kî): Introduces a causal explanation. It clarifies why the Lord restored Israel's borders, indicating His motivation stemming from their suffering.
- saw (רָאָה, ra'ah): Not merely physical sight, but perception, discernment, understanding, and recognition. It implies an attentive, concerned, and sympathetic awareness from God. This "seeing" led directly to action.
- affliction (עֹנִי, ‘ō-nî): This noun signifies misery, distress, suffering, poverty, or oppression. It denotes the outcome of deep suffering and hardship, often due to external pressure or internal decay.
- Israel (יִשְׂרָאֵל, Yiśrā’ēl): Refers to the Northern Kingdom, also known as Ephraim, comprising ten tribes. Despite their chronic idolatry and rebellion, they remain God's chosen people, beneficiaries of His enduring covenant and compassion.
- that it was (כִּי מַר, kî mar): A conjunction with an adjective. 'kî' here means 'that', confirming the bitter nature of the affliction.
- very bitter (מְאֹד מַר, mə’ōd mar): 'mar' means bitter, grievous, severe, expressing intense pain or sorrow. 'mə’ōd' means exceedingly, very, strongly intensifying the 'bitterness'. This phrase emphasizes the extreme, agonizing nature of their suffering.
- and there was no (וְאֵין, wə’ên): Expresses a state of complete lack or absence. It highlights the absolute void of help or resources.
- helper (עוֹזֵר, ‘ō-zēr): A noun meaning one who helps, assists, or aids. Its absence signifies the lack of human or natural means of deliverance.
- bond or free (עָצוּר וְעָזוּב, ‘ā-ṣūr wə-‘ā-zūb): Literally "imprisoned and deserted" or "shut up and left loose." This idiom represents "every person, without exception," or "the entire population." It emphasizes the totality of their plight: neither those under strict control (bond, shut up) nor those seemingly free (free, left loose) had any strength or relief. It illustrates pervasive hopelessness affecting all social strata.
- words-group: saw...very bitter: This emphasizes the profound depth of God's perception and understanding of Israel's pain. It suggests God fully comprehended the extreme suffering His people endured.
- words-group: no helper...bond or free: This phrase stresses the absolute destitution of Israel, where no one from any part of society, no matter their status or situation, was able to provide help or escape their misery. This underscores the need for divine, not human, intervention.
2 Kings 14 26 Bonus section
The phrase "bond or free" (‘ā-ṣūr wə-‘ā-zūb) is a Hebrew merism, where two contrasting terms encompass the whole. It signifies the absolute totality of the desperate situation affecting every single person in Israel, leaving no exception. This reflects not just external political or military pressures (like Aramaean incursions mentioned in previous chapters), but likely also internal social and economic collapse, including widespread poverty, oppression, and societal decay which rendered all people powerless. This period of suffering for Israel was allowed by God as a form of chastisement for their disobedience, yet His compassion superseded His immediate judgment to ensure His people’s survival and a partial restoration, showcasing His attribute of delaying wrath for a later generation's repentance or further revelation of His long-term plan. This compassionate act also served to preserve the lineage through which the Messiah would eventually come.
2 Kings 14 26 Commentary
2 Kings 14:26 presents God's divine empathy and active involvement in human history, specifically in the severe distress of His unfaithful people, Israel. Despite Israel's continued rebellion and idolatry, God "saw" their bitter suffering, which was so overwhelming that no human agency or existing resource could alleviate it. This deep compassion stemmed not from Israel's merit, but from God's steadfast covenant love and His remembrance of His promises. It is a powerful statement of divine long-suffering and grace, demonstrating that even when humanity reaches its lowest point of despair and self-reliance, God's eye is upon them, and He is moved to intervene. His intervention through Jeroboam II, an instrument of temporary restoration, showcased His sovereignty over national affairs, providing a temporary respite as a demonstration of His unwavering compassion for His covenant people. It serves as a reminder that God never truly abandons His people, even in their deepest sin and distress.