2 Kings 14: Amaziah of Judah, Jehoash of Israel, and Jeroboam son of Joash
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What happens?
Amaziah reigns twenty-nine years in Jerusalem and does what is right in Yahweh's eyes, though not like David. He kills the servants who killed his father, but not their children, as the law of Moses commands, and he strikes ten thousand of Edom in the Valley of Salt. He challenges Jehoash king of Israel, who answers with a story of a thistle and a cedar; they meet at Beth Shemesh, Judah is beaten, and Jehoash breaks down four hundred cubits of the wall of Jerusalem and takes the gold, the silver and hostages to Samaria. Amaziah is killed by a plot at Lachish, and the people of Judah make his son Azariah king. In Israel, Jeroboam the son of Joash reigns forty-one years; he restores the border of Israel, as Yahweh had spoken by the prophet Jonah, because Yahweh saw Israel's bitter suffering.
Who is speaking?
The narrator tells the story. God's own words are in 1 of the 29 verses: in verse 6 the narrator gives the law that Yahweh commanded, "The fathers shall not be put to death for the children". Amaziah's messengers bring his challenge in verse 8, and Jehoash sends his answer in verses 9 and 10, with a story in which the thistle speaks. Verses 25 to 27, that the border was restored according to Yahweh's word by Jonah, that Yahweh saw Israel's suffering and that he had not said he would blot out Israel's name, are the narrator's words. God's own words are printed in gold, and those verses are marked God speaks
1In the second year of Joash, son of Joahaz, king of Israel, Amaziah the son of Joash king of Judah began to reign.
In plain English: In the second year of Joash son of Joahaz, king of Israel, Amaziah the son of Joash king of Judah became king.
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2He was twenty-five years old when he began to reign; and he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jehoaddin of Jerusalem.
In plain English: He was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Jehoaddin (or: Jehoaddan) of Jerusalem.
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3He did that which was right in Yahweh’s eyes, yet not like David his father. He did according to all that Joash his father had done.
In plain English: He did what was right in Yahweh's eyes, but not like his father (or: ancestor) David. He did everything his father Joash had done.
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4However the high places were not taken away. The people still sacrificed and burned incense in the high places.
In plain English: But the high places were not taken away. The people still sacrificed and burned incense at the high places.
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5As soon as the kingdom was established in his hand, he killed his servants who had slain the king his father,
In plain English: As soon as the kingdom was firmly in his hand, he struck down his servants who had struck down the king his father,
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6but the children of the murderers he didn’t put to death, according to that which is written in the book of the law of Moses, as Yahweh commanded, saying, “The fathers shall not be put to death for the children, nor the children be put to death for the fathers; but every man shall die for his own sin.”God speaks
In plain English: but he did not put to death the children of the murderers, as it is written in the book of the law of Moses, where Yahweh commanded: "Fathers are not to be put to death for their children, and children are not to be put to death for their fathers. Each one is to die for his own sin."
Good to know: Here the narrator gives what Yahweh commanded in the law, so it is in gold. The words are from (see the note there): "Every man shall be put to death for his own sin."
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7He killed ten thousand Edomites in the Valley of Salt, and took Sela by war, and called its name Joktheel, to this day.
In plain English: He struck down ten thousand men of Edom in the Valley of Salt, took Sela in battle, and named it Joktheel, as it is called to this day.
Good to know: The Valley of Salt is named in (see the note there). The dictionary gives Sela as "the rock-city of Idumaea", that is, of Edom, and Joktheel as "the name of a place in Palestine, and of one in Idumaea"; a town of Judah named Joktheel is in . The text says the new name was still used "to this day".
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8Then Amaziah sent messengers to Jehoash, the son of Jehoahaz son of Jehu, king of Israel, saying, “Come, let’s look one another in the face.”
In plain English: Then Amaziah sent messengers to Jehoash the son of Jehoahaz, the son of Jehu, king of Israel, saying, "Come, let us face each other (literally: look one another in the face)."
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9Jehoash the king of Israel sent to Amaziah king of Judah, saying, “The thistle that was in Lebanon sent to the cedar that was in Lebanon, saying, ‘Give your daughter to my son as wife.’ Then a wild animal that was in Lebanon passed by, and trampled down the thistle.
In plain English: Jehoash king of Israel sent back to Amaziah king of Judah, saying, "A thistle (or: thornbush) in Lebanon sent word to a cedar in Lebanon: 'Give your daughter to my son as his wife.' Then a wild animal (literally: an animal of the field) in Lebanon passed by and trampled the thistle.
Good to know: Jehoash answers with a story about a thistle, a cedar and a wild animal. The text does not explain the story. In verse 10 Jehoash goes on: "your heart has lifted you up". "Thistle" is choach, which the dictionary gives as "a thorn".
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10You have indeed struck Edom, and your heart has lifted you up. Enjoy the glory of it, and stay at home; for why should you meddle to your harm, that you fall, even you, and Judah with you?”
In plain English: You have indeed struck Edom, and your heart has lifted you up. Enjoy your glory (or: be honored) and stay at home. Why stir up trouble that will bring you harm, so that you fall, you and Judah with you?"
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11But Amaziah would not listen. So Jehoash king of Israel went up; and he and Amaziah king of Judah looked one another in the face at Beth Shemesh, which belongs to Judah.
In plain English: But Amaziah would not listen. So Jehoash king of Israel went up, and he and Amaziah king of Judah faced each other (literally: looked one another in the face) at Beth Shemesh, which belongs to Judah.
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12Judah was defeated by Israel; and each man fled to his tent.
In plain English: Judah was beaten by Israel, and every man fled to his tent (literally: tents).
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13Jehoash king of Israel took Amaziah king of Judah, the son of Jehoash the son of Ahaziah, at Beth Shemesh and came to Jerusalem, then broke down the wall of Jerusalem from the gate of Ephraim to the corner gate, four hundred cubits.
In plain English: Jehoash king of Israel captured Amaziah king of Judah, the son of Jehoash the son of Ahaziah, at Beth Shemesh. He came to Jerusalem and broke down the wall of Jerusalem from the Ephraim Gate to the Corner Gate, four hundred cubits.
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14He took all the gold and silver and all the vessels that were found in Yahweh’s house and in the treasures of the king’s house, the hostages also, and returned to Samaria.
In plain English: He took all the gold and silver and all the objects (this Bible: vessels) found in Yahweh's house and in the treasuries of the king's house, and hostages (literally: sons of pledges), and went back to Samaria.
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15Now the rest of the acts of Jehoash which he did, and his might, and how he fought with Amaziah king of Judah, aren’t they written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?
In plain English: The rest of what Jehoash did, his strength (this Bible: might), and how he fought with Amaziah king of Judah, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?
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16Jehoash slept with his fathers, and was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel; and Jeroboam his son reigned in his place.
In plain English: Jehoash slept with his fathers (or: ancestors) and was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel. His son Jeroboam became king in his place.
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17Amaziah the son of Joash king of Judah lived after the death of Jehoash son of Jehoahaz, king of Israel, fifteen years.
In plain English: Amaziah the son of Joash, king of Judah, lived fifteen years after the death of Jehoash the son of Jehoahaz, king of Israel.
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18Now the rest of the acts of Amaziah, aren’t they written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?
In plain English: The rest of what Amaziah did, is it not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?
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19They made a conspiracy against him in Jerusalem, and he fled to Lachish; but they sent after him to Lachish and killed him there.
In plain English: They made a plot against him in Jerusalem, and he fled to Lachish. But they sent after him to Lachish and killed him there.
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20They brought him on horses, and he was buried at Jerusalem with his fathers in David’s city.
In plain English: They brought him on horses, and he was buried in Jerusalem with his fathers in the City of David.
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21All the people of Judah took Azariah, who was sixteen years old, and made him king in the place of his father Amaziah.
In plain English: All the people of Judah took Azariah, who was sixteen years old, and made him king in place of his father Amaziah.
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22He built Elath and restored it to Judah. After that the king slept with his fathers.
In plain English: He built Elath and brought it back to Judah, after the king slept with his fathers (or, as this Bible has it: After that the king slept with his fathers).
Good to know: Word for word the verse reads "He built Elath and restored it to Judah after the king slept with his fathers". Read as one sentence, he did this after "the king" had died; the verse does not name the king. Read as this Bible has it, the verse ends by telling of the king's death. The text does not say more. In Rezin king of Syria takes Elath back from Judah.
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23In the fifteenth year of Amaziah the son of Joash king of Judah, Jeroboam the son of Joash king of Israel began to reign in Samaria for forty-one years.
In plain English: In the fifteenth year of Amaziah the son of Joash king of Judah, Jeroboam the son of Joash king of Israel became king in Samaria, and he reigned forty-one years.
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24He did that which was evil in Yahweh’s sight. He didn’t depart from all the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, with which he made Israel to sin.
In plain English: He did what was evil in Yahweh's eyes. He did not turn away from all the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, the sins he made Israel commit.
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25He restored the border of Israel from the entrance of Hamath to the sea of the Arabah, according to Yahweh, the God of Israel’s word, which he spoke by his servant Jonah the son of Amittai, the prophet, who was from Gath Hepher.
In plain English: He restored the border of Israel from the entrance of Hamath (or: from Lebo Hamath) to the sea of the Arabah, just as Yahweh, the God of Israel, had said through (literally: by the hand of) his servant Jonah the son of Amittai, the prophet, who was from Gath Hepher.
Good to know: The book of Jonah opens with the same name: "Yahweh's word came to Jonah the son of Amittai" (). Here the text does not give his words. "The entrance of Hamath" is explained in the note on . "The sea of the Arabah" is called "the Salt Sea" in .
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26For Yahweh saw the affliction of Israel, that it was very bitter for all, slave and free; and there was no helper for Israel.
In plain English: For Yahweh saw that Israel's suffering was very bitter (or: very rebellious; see the note). There was no one shut up and no one left free (this Bible: it was bitter for all, slave and free), and there was no one to help Israel.
The Hebrew words: "Bitter" is marah, which the dictionary gives as "to be ... bitter (or unpleasant); (figuratively) to rebel". The STEPBible meaning for this verse gives "rebellious", and the old Greek translation in this collection (Brenton) has "very bitter". "Slave and free" is word for word "shut up and left free", the same two words as in and (see the notes there).
What changes: Read as "bitter", Yahweh saw how hard Israel's suffering was. Read as "rebellious", the word speaks of Israel itself as rebellious. Either way, the verse says Yahweh saw Israel's suffering and that Israel had no one to help.
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27Yahweh didn’t say that he would blot out the name of Israel from under the sky; but he saved them by the hand of Jeroboam the son of Joash.
In plain English: Yahweh had not said that he would blot out the name of Israel from under the sky, but he saved them by the hand of Jeroboam the son of Joash.
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28Now the rest of the acts of Jeroboam, and all that he did, and his might, how he fought, and how he recovered Damascus, and Hamath, which had belonged to Judah, for Israel, aren’t they written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?
In plain English: The rest of what Jeroboam did, all his deeds, his strength, how he fought, and how he won back for Israel Damascus and Hamath, which had belonged to Judah (literally: to Judah in Israel; see the note), are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?
Good to know: Word for word the Hebrew says he "returned Damascus and Hamath to Judah in Israel", and the old Greek translation in this collection (Brenton) has the same: "to Juda in Israel". The text does not explain how these cities had belonged to Judah.
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29Jeroboam slept with his fathers, even with the kings of Israel; and Zechariah his son reigned in his place.
In plain English: Jeroboam slept with his fathers, with the kings of Israel. His son Zechariah became king in his place.
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