2 Kings 21 23

2 Kings 21:23 kjv

And the servants of Amon conspired against him, and slew the king in his own house.

2 Kings 21:23 nkjv

Then the servants of Amon conspired against him, and killed the king in his own house.

2 Kings 21:23 niv

Amon's officials conspired against him and assassinated the king in his palace.

2 Kings 21:23 esv

And the servants of Amon conspired against him and put the king to death in his house.

2 Kings 21:23 nlt

Then Amon's own officials conspired against him and assassinated him in his palace.

2 Kings 21 verses

2 Kings 21 23 Meaning

This verse states that Amon, king of Judah, was assassinated by his own officials within his royal residence. It succinctly records the end of a king whose two-year reign mirrored the idolatrous and evil practices of his father, Manasseh. The act signifies a direct internal plot, resulting in regicide, cutting short a period of unrighteous rule.

2 Kings 21 23 Context

2 Kings chapter 21 primarily details the deeply wicked reigns of Manasseh and his son Amon. Manasseh, Amon's father, was Judah's most evil king, leading the nation into extensive idolatry, child sacrifice, and the shedding of innocent blood for 55 years (2 Ki 21:1-18). Amon succeeded him, maintaining his father's apostasy without repentance or deviation (2 Ki 21:19-22), described as doing "what was evil in the sight of the Lord, as Manasseh his father had done." His reign, however, was brief, lasting only two years. Verse 23 details the swift and violent end of Amon, paving the way for the ascension of his young son Josiah, who would usher in a period of profound religious reform (2 Kings 22-23), contrasting sharply with his father and grandfather's wickedness. This act of regicide underscores the inherent instability of ungodly rule and the consequences of defying the divine covenant.

2 Kings 21 23 Word analysis

• And: This conjunction (וְ - və) connects the assassination directly to the preceding narrative of Amon's evil reign (2 Ki 21:20-22). It implies a swift, immediate consequence or culmination of the established wicked character of the king.

• the servants (עַבְדֵי - ʿabdê): While "servants" can mean household staff, in a royal context, this term often refers to high-ranking officials, courtiers, or trusted aides within the king's administration. Their involvement indicates an inside job, a betrayal from those closest to the seat of power, suggesting a deep-seated dissatisfaction or power struggle within the palace or government.

• of Amon: Specifically identifies the victim and implicitly, the nature of his reign as having fostered such internal discontent.

• conspired (קָשְׁרוּ - qāshrû): From the Hebrew root קָשַׁר (qashar), meaning "to bind," "to tie," or "to league together." It signifies a secret, premeditated, and organized plot. This was not a spontaneous act but a deliberate plan of rebellion, reflecting treachery and a challenge to the established order.

• against him: Clearly defines Amon as the sole target of the conspiracy, indicating a direct rejection of his rule or person.

• and put: The conjunction "and" again linking the conspiracy to its decisive action.

• the king: Emphasizes his royal status and the grave nature of the act—regicide—a crime against the anointed ruler and, by extension, against the divinely appointed system (though Amon himself was far from righteous).

• to death (וַיָּמִיתוּ - wayyāmîṯû): From the Hebrew verb מוּת (muth), meaning "to kill" or "to cause to die." It is a direct and definitive act of lethal violence, the fatal outcome of the conspiracy.

• in his house (בְּבֵיתוֹ - bəḇêṯô): "His house" likely refers to the royal palace, the very center of his authority and supposed security. This location emphasizes the internal and intimate nature of the betrayal; the danger came not from an external enemy but from within his most private and protected sphere, highlighting his vulnerability and the extent of the internal breakdown.

• the servants of Amon conspired against him: This phrase points to the internal instability and danger within Amon's court. It highlights that the threat to his reign did not come from a foreign power or popular uprising, but from those within his immediate trusted circle. Such internal plotting often arose from political maneuvering, resentment over a ruler's policies (perhaps religious policies, given Amon's idolatry), or a desire for a change in leadership.

• put the king to death in his house: This concisely details the culmination of the conspiracy: a successful act of regicide carried out in the most private and guarded setting. It starkly illustrates the fragility of power, especially for a king who had estranged himself, by his ungodly actions, from divine favor and perhaps human loyalty. The setting "in his house" makes the act even more dramatic and unexpected, emphasizing the breach of security and trust.

2 Kings 21 23 Bonus section

The immediate aftermath of Amon's assassination, as described in 2 Kings 21:24, reveals a critical point: "the people of the land killed all who had conspired against King Amon, and the people of the land made Josiah his son king in his place." This swift action by "the people of the land" (Hebrew: עם הארץ - ʿam hāʾāreṣ), likely referring to significant landowners or elders, indicates that the conspiracy, while successful in removing Amon, did not gain widespread popular support for its deeper political aims. It suggests the people sought to maintain dynastic continuity and stability rather than endorse a coup. Furthermore, Amon's reign, lasting only two years, was among the shortest for any Judean king after Rehoboam, indicating extreme political instability and perhaps a general deterioration of order under wicked kingship.

2 Kings 21 23 Commentary

2 Kings 21:23 provides the stark and concise account of King Amon's assassination, an act that brought a violent end to his brief and wicked reign. His death, executed by his own inner circle within the supposed safety of his royal palace, stands as a testament to the precariousness of unrighteous power. Unlike his father Manasseh, who reigned for over half a century despite profound evil, Amon's persistent idolatry and refusal to turn to God saw his tenure cut brutally short, signifying a rapid consequence perhaps of God's heightened impatience or simply the human outworking of such wickedness in leadership. This regicide highlights the deep discontent that could fester within the royal court when a monarch governed without divine wisdom or concern for justice. While the text does not explicitly state divine judgment as the cause of the conspiracy, the swift and violent demise of such a king often served as an indirect, yet clear, demonstration of God's overarching sovereignty even amidst human sin and rebellion, preparing the stage for a dramatic shift with the ascent of the righteous Josiah.