2 Kings 9 28

2 Kings 9:28 kjv

And his servants carried him in a chariot to Jerusalem, and buried him in his sepulchre with his fathers in the city of David.

2 Kings 9:28 nkjv

And his servants carried him in the chariot to Jerusalem, and buried him in his tomb with his fathers in the City of David.

2 Kings 9:28 niv

His servants took him by chariot to Jerusalem and buried him with his ancestors in his tomb in the City of David.

2 Kings 9:28 esv

His servants carried him in a chariot to Jerusalem, and buried him in his tomb with his fathers in the city of David.

2 Kings 9:28 nlt

His servants took him by chariot to Jerusalem, where they buried him with his ancestors in the City of David.

2 Kings 9 verses

2 Kings 9 28 Meaning

This verse details the solemn action taken by King Ahaziah's servants immediately following his fatal injury inflicted by Jehu. They transported his body in a royal chariot from the vicinity of Jezreel back to Jerusalem, the capital of Judah. Upon arrival, he was interred in the royal burial grounds, specifically referred to as "his tomb with his fathers in the city of David," signifying his proper burial as a king of Judah, despite the circumstances of his death.

2 Kings 9 28 Context

The events of 2 Kings chapter 9 describe the violent fulfillment of divine judgment against the house of Ahab, orchestrated through Jehu, whom Elisha, by proxy, anointed as king of Israel. Jehu's immediate mission was to "strike down the house of Ahab" (2 Ki 9:7) for their profound idolatry and shed blood. King Ahaziah of Judah, though ruling the southern kingdom, was closely allied with the northern kingdom of Israel due to his mother, Athaliah, being a daughter of Ahab and Jezebel. Consequently, he was present at Jezreel with King Joram of Israel when Jehu executed judgment. After Joram was slain by Jehu, Ahaziah attempted to flee in his chariot but was pursued and fatally wounded near Ibleam (2 Ki 9:27). This verse immediately follows his death, highlighting that despite his wicked ways and violent end at Jehu's hand, his servants observed the customary practice of bringing their monarch back to his royal capital for burial in the established Judahite necropolis. This stands in contrast to the utter disgrace faced by Joram and Jezebel, whose bodies received no respectful burial.

2 Kings 9 28 Word analysis

• his servants: (Hebrew: לְעֲבָדָיו, le'avadayv). These individuals were members of Ahaziah's royal retinue, demonstrating loyalty and adherence to traditional royal protocol even in the immediate aftermath of his death. Their action highlights the established custom of the king's household caring for their monarch's body.
• carried him: (Hebrew: וַיִּרְכִּבֻהוּ, vayyirkibuha - "and they caused him to ride"). Implies they mounted him, likely his lifeless body, onto the chariot. This action emphasizes respect for his royal status.
• in a chariot: (Hebrew: בַּמֶּרְכָּבָה, bammerkhāvāh). The chariot was a vehicle of status and military command, and its use for transporting the king's body underscored his royal dignity even in death. This contrasts with the typical mode of transport for a common individual's body.
• to Jerusalem: (Hebrew: יְרוּשָׁלַיִם, Yerushaláyim). The capital city of Judah and the designated center of the Davidic dynasty. Bringing Ahaziah to Jerusalem for burial was essential for legitimizing his final rest within the royal tradition.
• and buried him: (Hebrew: וַיִּקְבְּרֻהוּ, vayyiqbirúhu). A simple, direct statement of the act of interment. The fact that he was buried is significant, contrasting with the desecration of Jezebel's body (2 Ki 9:37).
• in his tomb: (Hebrew: בְּקִבְרָתוֹ, beqivráto). Refers to the pre-existing royal sepulchres or the specific burial plot prepared for Judah's kings, situated within or near the "City of David."
• with his fathers: (Hebrew: עִם־אֲבֹתָיו, ʿim-ʾăvotáv). A customary phrase for deceased monarchs, indicating that they were interred alongside their royal predecessors, emphasizing their lineage and dynastic continuity. It signifies a proper, recognized royal burial.
• in the city of David: (Hebrew: בְּעִיר דָּוִד, beʿîr Dāvid). The ancient fortress captured by King David (2 Sa 5:7-9) that became the original nucleus of Jerusalem and the traditional burial place for many kings of Judah, located on the southeast ridge of Jerusalem. It served as the consecrated resting place for the Davidic dynasty.

Words-group Analysis:

• "his servants carried him in a chariot to Jerusalem": This phrase details the logistical and respectful treatment of the king's body. Despite the abrupt and violent nature of his death far from home, his loyal servants ensured he was returned to his proper royal seat for burial. The "chariot" highlights continued royal protocol.
• "buried him in his tomb with his fathers in the city of David": This phrase underlines the full, traditional, and legitimate royal burial rites afforded to Ahaziah. The repetition of location and ancestral context emphasizes that, unlike others facing Jehu's purge, Ahaziah, a Davidic king, was afforded an honorable and customary interment among his forebears. It quietly affirms the enduring stability and separate status of the Davidic monarchy, even in moments of divine judgment on related dynasties.

2 Kings 9 28 Bonus section

The seemingly subtle distinction between Ahaziah's burial and that of other members of Ahab's family reinforces the unique nature of the Davidic covenant (2 Sa 7). Even when kings from David's line were unfaithful and met untimely or violent ends, the promise of a perpetual dynasty meant that, with few exceptions, their burials were typically within the consecrated City of David. This stood in contrast to the predicted, and then fulfilled, disgraceful end and unburied state for the house of Ahab, as prophesied (1 Ki 21:20-24). Ahaziah's burial among his "fathers" serves as a narrative bridge, illustrating divine justice executed, yet within the bounds of a larger redemptive history where the Davidic line would continue until the coming of the Messiah. It hints at the overarching providence of God protecting His chosen line despite human sin.

2 Kings 9 28 Commentary

2 Kings 9:28 brings a measure of customary closure to the tumultuous narrative of King Ahaziah's death. His return to Jerusalem and burial in the traditional royal sepulchre in the City of David is a pivotal detail. Unlike his ally Joram or his grandmother Jezebel, whose bodies faced divine retribution and disgrace, Ahaziah, though a wicked king of Judah deeply entangled in Ahab's sins, received a conventional royal burial. This distinction underscores the unique status and enduring promise associated with the Davidic covenant. Even when a Davidic king like Ahaziah behaved corruptly and faced judgment for his choices (evident in his swift death as part of Jehu's purge), the physical burial place preserved a subtle yet profound acknowledgment of his lineage and the broader divine plan for the throne of David. This small detail in a chaotic chapter highlights the meticulous nature of God's judgments and His faithfulness to His covenant promises, separating the immediate judgment on individual kings from the ultimate destiny of the Davidic line.