2 Kings 23 32

2 Kings 23:32 kjv

And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his fathers had done.

2 Kings 23:32 nkjv

And he did evil in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his fathers had done.

2 Kings 23:32 niv

He did evil in the eyes of the LORD, just as his predecessors had done.

2 Kings 23:32 esv

And he did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his fathers had done.

2 Kings 23:32 nlt

He did what was evil in the LORD's sight, just as his ancestors had done.

2 Kings 23 verses

2 Kings 23 32 Meaning

The verse describes Jehoiakim's reign as fundamentally evil in the LORD's sight, marking a deliberate return to and perpetuation of the wicked practices and apostasy of his unfaithful predecessors. This direct statement immediately characterizes his kingship as a stark departure from the righteous path exemplified by his father Josiah.

2 Kings 23 32 Context

This verse appears directly after the narrative of King Josiah's righteous reforms and his tragic death at Megiddo while resisting Pharaoh Neco. Following Josiah's death, his son Jehoahaz reigned briefly (three months) before being deposed by Pharaoh Neco. Pharaoh Neco then installed Eliakim, Josiah's other son, on the throne, changing his name to Jehoiakim. Chapter 23 describes the initial spiritual state and moral direction of Judah under Jehoiakim. The political landscape of Judah at this time was one of vassalage, first to Egypt and later to Babylon. Jehoiakim's immediate moral assessment establishes the spiritual trajectory for the final decline of Judah, signaling a reversal of Josiah's devout policies and confirming the nation's commitment to sin despite previous opportunities for repentance. This indictment functions as a theological explanation for Judah's impending destruction and exile, grounding the historical calamity in divine judgment against covenant infidelity, rejecting the idea of mere political misfortune.

2 Kings 23 32 Word analysis

• And he did: This immediately refers to Jehoiakim (originally Eliakim), who had just been installed as king by Pharaoh Neco in the previous verses (2 Kgs 23:34). The Hebrew uses the simple wa-yaʿaś (וַיַּעַשׂ), "and he did/made." The introduction without much ceremony indicates an immediate and definitive negative assessment of his character from the Deuteronomistic historian's perspective.
• what was evil: The Hebrew term for "evil" here is raʿ (רַע), meaning bad, wicked, or harmful. In the biblical context, it refers not merely to unfortunate or inconvenient circumstances, but to a moral and spiritual deviation from God's covenant and commands. This typically encompasses idolatry, injustice, bloodshed, and all forms of unfaithfulness to Yahweh. It is a severe moral indictment.
• in the sight of the LORD: The Hebrew phrase bəʿêynê Yahweh (בְּעֵינֵי יְהוָה) signifies divine observation and judgment. It means God is the ultimate judge and standard. The king's actions are weighed against God's holy character and covenant requirements, not by human opinion, political expediency, or the standards of surrounding nations. This phrase repeatedly appears in Kings and Judges to pass theological verdicts on rulers and generations, emphasizing Yahweh's sovereignty and constant awareness of human conduct. It is a powerful theological statement about accountability.
• according to all that: The Hebrew phrase kəḵol ʾăšer (כְּכֹל אֲשֶׁר), meaning "according to all that" or "just as everything that," conveys a sense of full and comprehensive adherence. Jehoiakim did not merely commit some evil, but fully aligned himself with a prior pattern of wickedness, suggesting a deliberate and complete embrace of apostasy.
• his fathers had done: This refers to Jehoiakim's royal predecessors, specifically the kings of Judah who had engaged in widespread idolatry and covenant breaking. Most directly implicated are Manasseh (2 Kgs 21:2, 11) and his son Amon (2 Kgs 21:20-22), whose reigns epitomized extreme wickedness and led to God's pronounced judgment upon Judah. This indicates a continuity of rebellious conduct that undid Josiah's reforms and reaffirmed Judah's course towards divine wrath. It is a tragic return to the inherited sin patterns.

Words-group Analysis:

• "did what was evil in the sight of the LORD": This is a standard and frequently used indictment in the books of Kings (and Judges) for kings who disobeyed the Mosaic covenant. It summarizes a reign characterized by disloyalty to Yahweh, usually involving the promotion of idolatry, pagan worship, and other abominable practices forbidden by the Torah. It establishes Jehoiakim's reign as definitively anti-God.
• "according to all that his fathers had done": This phrase highlights the cyclical nature of sin within the royal lineage and the nation. It indicates Jehoiakim's active decision to revert to and replicate the sins of previous wicked kings, especially after Josiah's fervent, albeit short-lived, reforms. This direct association emphasizes Jehoiakim's complicity in Judah's long history of rebellion, showing a failure to learn from the devastating consequences that had plagued the nation due to its ancestors' unfaithfulness. It implies that Judah's moral fabric was so deeply corrupted that even Josiah's earnest efforts could not fully stem the tide of inherited wickedness that resurfaced.

2 Kings 23 32 Bonus section

• Jehoiakim's wickedness directly contrasted with his father Josiah, who "did what was right in the sight of the LORD and walked in all the way of David his father, and turned not aside to the right hand or to the left" (2 Kgs 22:2). This highlights the deliberate choice for evil rather than ignorance.
• The re-establishment of previous pagan practices by Jehoiakim undid much of the sweeping reform measures enacted by Josiah, such as cleansing the temple, removing idols, and destroying altars. This spiritual backsliding accelerated Judah's judgment.
• The description of Jehoiakim's evil sets the stage for God's subsequent actions in raising up Babylon against Judah (2 Kgs 24:1-4), demonstrating that the ultimate cause of Judah's destruction was not merely political subjugation but divine punishment for ongoing, unrepented sin.

2 Kings 23 32 Commentary

Following Josiah's death, Judah faced a critical juncture, and Jehoiakim's reign proved disastrous from its very inception. This concise verse provides a damning theological verdict on his leadership. Instead of continuing Josiah's righteous legacy of covenant faithfulness and devotion to Yahweh, Jehoiakim consciously chose a path of deliberate wickedness, reverting to and even deepening the apostasy of earlier, ungodly kings like Manasseh and Amon. His actions directly contravened God's will and covenant obligations, signifying a complete moral failure "in the sight of the LORD"—meaning his deeds were explicitly recognized and judged by divine authority. This willful reversion solidified Judah's spiritual decline, paving the way for God's impending judgment and the ultimate Babylonian exile, illustrating that human choices, particularly those of leaders, have profound spiritual and national consequences. It serves as a somber example of how opportunities for reform can be tragically squandered through the continuation of ancestral sin patterns.