2 Kings 14 7

2 Kings 14:7 kjv

He slew of Edom in the valley of salt ten thousand, and took Selah by war, and called the name of it Joktheel unto this day.

2 Kings 14:7 nkjv

He killed ten thousand Edomites in the Valley of Salt, and took Sela by war, and called its name Joktheel to this day.

2 Kings 14:7 niv

He was the one who defeated ten thousand Edomites in the Valley of Salt and captured Sela in battle, calling it Joktheel, the name it has to this day.

2 Kings 14:7 esv

He struck down ten thousand Edomites in the Valley of Salt and took Sela by storm, and called it Joktheel, which is its name to this day.

2 Kings 14:7 nlt

Amaziah also killed 10,000 Edomites in the Valley of Salt. He also conquered Sela and changed its name to Joktheel, as it is called to this day.

2 Kings 14 verses

2 Kings 14 7 Meaning

The verse details a key event during the reign of Amaziah, King of Judah: his successful capture of Sela, the capital city of Edom, in battle. Following this decisive victory, Amaziah renamed the city "Joktheel," which the Scripture interprets to mean "given by God." This act underscored his perceived reliance on and acknowledgment of the Lord's intervention in achieving this significant military triumph over a formidable enemy.

2 Kings 14 7 Context

Chapter 14 opens the reign of Amaziah, King of Judah, who came to the throne after the assassination of his father, Joash. The initial assessment of Amaziah is that he largely did "what was right in the eyes of the Lord," albeit "not as David his father" (v.3). Prior to his military campaign against Edom, Amaziah demonstrated obedience to the Mosaic Law by executing the regicides who murdered his father but sparing their children (v.5-6). This act solidified his throne and showed an initial regard for divine justice. Verse 7, therefore, details the apex of Amaziah's military success and seems to be an expression of his gratitude or at least recognition of the Lord's hand in his reign. Historically, Edom was a long-standing rival of Judah, having previously revolted from Judah's control (2 Kgs 8:20-22), making this victory particularly significant. The capture of Sela, a reputedly impregnable fortress, was a major achievement that demonstrated Judah's renewed strength and its King's capabilities, ostensibly under God's favor.

2 Kings 14 7 Word analysis

• He captured (הוּא לָכַד - Hu lakhad): "He" refers to Amaziah. Lakhad means "to take, seize, capture, grasp." This signifies a definitive and successful military action, not merely an occupation or surrender, highlighting the decisive nature of the victory.
• Sela (סֶלַע - Sela): Hebrew for "rock" or "crag." It was the ancient capital of Edom, believed to be the remarkably defensible city later known as Petra, nestled within rocky canyons. Its name aptly describes its natural fortifications, emphasizing the challenge of its capture and thus the magnitude of Amaziah's victory. The impregnable nature of Sela makes its capture a testament to overwhelming force or divine aid.
• in battle (בַּמִּלְחָמָה - ba-milchamah): Milchamah means "war" or "battle." This clarifies that Sela was taken through direct military confrontation and not through diplomatic means or siege starvation alone. The parallel account in 2 Chronicles 25:11-12 elaborates on the intensity of this battle and the great slaughter of the Edomites.
• and called it (וַיִּקְרָא אֶת־שְׁמָהּ - va-yiqra et-sh'mah): "And he called its name." The act of renaming a captured city was a powerful ancient Near Eastern custom. It asserted dominance, signified a new identity or owner, and often commemorated the conquest or the deity to whom the victory was attributed.
• Joktheel (יָקְתְאֵל - Yoqthe'el): A Hebrew compound name. The '-el' suffix unmistakably refers to God (El). The root yakath is obscure, but contextually, it's widely interpreted to mean "conquered by God," "subdued of God," or as the text clarifies, "given by God" or "gift of God." This naming serves as Amaziah's declaration that his triumph was not merely human effort but a direct bestowal or act of conquest by the Lord. This act made a theological statement.
• which means (אֲשֶׁר קָרָא אֹתָהּ כְּשֵׁם - asher qara otha keshem) 'given by God': This is the biblical author's direct interpretation of the name Joktheel. It reflects Amaziah's apparent acknowledgment of divine assistance. This also functions as a polemic: the victory was not due to the Edomite gods or the natural strength of Sela, but to Judah's God, Yahweh. This renaming was a declarative act, asserting the sovereignty of the Lord over pagan deities and even over geographical strongholds. However, later in 2 Chronicles 25, Amaziah ironically imported Edomite idols after this victory, demonstrating his ultimate superficiality in acknowledging God's hand.
• Word-Group Analysis:
  • "He captured Sela in battle": This phrase highlights the military prowess of Amaziah's army and the significant strategic victory it represented. Conquering a fortress like Sela was a testament to strength, a feat previously associated with mighty kings like David, who also subdued Edom.
  • "called it Joktheel, which means 'given by God'": This specific phrase reveals Amaziah's public religious expression at this peak moment. It frames the conquest not just as a human victory but as a divinely sanctioned or provided one. It shows an awareness, at least outwardly, that God was the ultimate source of Judah's power and success. This renaming acted as a temporary "trophy" dedicating the success to the Lord, implicitly challenging the might of any Edomite gods.

2 Kings 14 7 Bonus section

The name Joktheel did not endure permanently; the city eventually reverted to being known as Sela (or later Petra). This serves as a subtle textual echo, underscoring that while Amaziah sought to monumentalize his victory and connect it to God, his own wavering commitment to the Lord meant that the symbolic naming did not establish an everlasting testament to Yahweh's reign or Amaziah's fidelity. This transience of the new name subtly prefigures the eventual downfall of Amaziah himself and highlights the principle that God's gifts and victories require sustained faithfulness for lasting blessing. The prophetic warnings against Edom, culminating in their ultimate desolation (as seen in Obadiah), demonstrate God's long-term judgment on the enemies of His people, a plan in which Amaziah's temporary conquest of Sela played a part, regardless of the king's fluctuating spiritual condition.

2 Kings 14 7 Commentary

2 Kings 14:7 succinctly describes King Amaziah's momentous military success against the Edomites. The capture of Sela, their capital, a city renowned for its impenetrable rocky defenses, was an impressive feat. Amaziah's subsequent renaming of it as "Joktheel," meaning "given by God," explicitly attributes the victory to divine favor. This act initially aligns with Amaziah's portrayal as a king who did "what was right in the eyes of the Lord" in his early reign, acknowledging God's role in his prosperity and national security.

However, the depth of this acknowledgment would later be tragically exposed as shallow. Despite renaming Sela to honor God's gift, Amaziah soon imported the defeated Edomites' idols and worshipped them (2 Chron 25:14). This fundamental spiritual lapse demonstrated that his outward piety at the time of the victory did not reflect a heart fully committed to the Lord. The narrative thus presents a tension: God truly "gave" the victory, but Amaziah failed to render due honor or consistent obedience to the Giver. The changing of a place's name, while potent symbolically, held little enduring spiritual significance for Amaziah himself, highlighting the difference between a superficial religious gesture and true heart-worship.