2 Kings 23 31

2 Kings 23:31 kjv

Jehoahaz was twenty and three years old when he began to reign; and he reigned three months in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Hamutal, the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah.

2 Kings 23:31 nkjv

Jehoahaz was twenty-three years old when he became king, and he reigned three months in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Hamutal the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah.

2 Kings 23:31 niv

Jehoahaz was twenty-three years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem three months. His mother's name was Hamutal daughter of Jeremiah; she was from Libnah.

2 Kings 23:31 esv

Jehoahaz was twenty-three years old when he began to reign, and he reigned three months in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Hamutal the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah.

2 Kings 23:31 nlt

Jehoahaz was twenty-three years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem three months. His mother was Hamutal, the daughter of Jeremiah from Libnah.

2 Kings 23 verses

2 Kings 23 31 Meaning

This verse introduces Jehoahaz as the immediate successor to his father, the righteous King Josiah, detailing his age upon accession, the remarkably brief duration of his reign (only three months), and identifying his mother, Hamutal, from Libnah. It marks a swift and tragic decline in Judah's spiritual and political state following Josiah's era of reform, signaling divine displeasure and instability.

2 Kings 23 31 Context

The immediate context of 2 Kings 23:31 follows the death of King Josiah, Judah's most righteous king since David, who was tragically killed in battle at Megiddo by Pharaoh Neco of Egypt. Josiah's death leaves a significant spiritual and political void. The "people of the land," possibly representatives or a general assembly, immediately take Josiah's son, Jehoahaz, and make him king instead of his elder brother Jehoiakim (Eliakim). This decision likely reflected popular sentiment or a factional choice in a moment of crisis, perhaps hoping Jehoahaz would continue Josiah's legacy, though he swiftly proved otherwise. Historically, Judah at this time was a small nation caught between the declining Neo-Assyrian Empire, the rising Neo-Babylonian Empire, and the resurgent Egyptian Empire. Pharaoh Neco's military campaign was initially aimed at Assyria, with Judah merely a small kingdom caught in the geopolitical crossfire. Jehoahaz's reign, therefore, begins in a period of intense foreign influence and internal fragility, leading quickly to Judah becoming a vassal state. The subsequent events directly reflect this vulnerability and God's judgment on Judah's continued idolatry despite Josiah's reforms.

2 Kings 23 31 Word analysis

• Jehoahaz (יְהוֹאָחָז, Yeho'akhaz): Means "Yahweh has grasped" or "Yahweh has held." This name carries a strong irony, as God's grasp on him leads to his quick removal from power and capture, rather than his sustainment. He is also known as Shallum (Jeremiah 22:11), possibly a personal name while Jehoahaz was a throne name.
• was twenty-three years old: Indicates a relatively young age for assuming kingship. This might suggest a period of less experience or more susceptibility to various influences compared to older kings, though not inherently negative.
• when he became king: Marks his formal accession to the throne, which occurred through the acclamation of "the people of the land" (2 Kgs 23:30), bypassing the traditional primogeniture order. This could point to a shift in popular political power dynamics or a popular choice in defiance of, or despair over, a divinely ordained path.
• and he reigned three months: This phrase is extremely significant, indicating an exceptionally brief reign. Such brevity in ancient kingship often signaled instability, usurpation, divine disfavor, or a rapid, dramatic turn of events. For Jehoahaz, it underscores that his rule was cut short by external forces (Pharaoh Neco) but ultimately reflects divine judgment against his evil practices (2 Kgs 23:32). It highlights the transience of human power without God's endorsement.
• in Jerusalem: The capital city of Judah, the spiritual and political heart of the nation, confirming the location of his short-lived royal authority and the continued deterioration that was allowed to take root there even after Josiah's revival.
• His mother's name was Hamutal (חֲמוּטַל, Hamuṭal): Her name means "my kinsman is dew" or "akin to the dew." The consistent biblical practice of naming the king's mother (the "queen mother") signifies her important role in the royal court, lineage validation, and potential influence on the king and succession. Hamutal's importance is further magnified by being the mother of a subsequent king, Zedekiah (2 Kgs 24:18), linking the two brief reigns.
• daughter of Jeremiah: This clearly identifies her father, establishing her specific lineage within Judah. It is crucial to note that this "Jeremiah" is not the prophet Jeremiah, but a common personal name in ancient Israel, serving to distinguish her identity.
• from Libnah (לִבְנָה, Livnah): Libnah was a town in the Shephelah (lowland) of Judah, westward toward the Philistine border. It was historically significant as a Levitical city and a royal city besieged by Sennacherib (2 Kgs 19:8). Her origin from Libnah grounds her within a known geographic and possibly religious context within Judah.

2 Kings 23 31 Bonus section

• Jehoahaz's brief rule foreshadows the imminent end of the Judean monarchy and the coming Babylonian exile, illustrating that divine patience was running thin after generations of sin. He was the first Judean king to die in foreign captivity.
• The emphasis on "three months" highlights the extreme instability and quick divine intervention. In the ancient Near East, short reigns were often seen as a sign of curse or instability, reinforcing God's judgment upon a king who "did what was evil in the sight of the LORD" (2 Kings 23:32).
• The sequence of Jehoahaz's rule (chosen by people, wicked, deposed by Egypt) directly sets up the subsequent puppet-kings and escalating foreign control that ultimately led to Jerusalem's destruction. This period clearly demonstrates a turning point from Judah's semi-independence to a state of vassalage.

2 Kings 23 31 Commentary

The description of Jehoahaz's accession is stark in its brevity and consequence. Coming directly after the revered reign of Josiah, his three-month tenure in Jerusalem is a powerful symbol of Judah's immediate collapse and the rapidity of God's judgment. Despite being chosen by the "people of the land," Jehoahaz quickly demonstrated that he did not follow his father's righteous ways (2 Kings 23:32). This verse, therefore, implicitly emphasizes that personal piety and adherence to God's covenant, not mere lineage or popular support, determine the king's destiny and the nation's well-being. His capture by Pharaoh Neco and eventual death in exile (2 Kings 23:33-34; Jeremiah 22:10-12) serve as a harsh preamble to Judah's later Babylonian exiles, underscoring the irreversible downward trajectory for a kingdom that continually provoked the Lord. It demonstrates God's sovereignty over national destinies, showing how easily kings can be removed when they defy His will.