2 Kings 14 Commetary

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Chart from recommended resource Jensen's Survey of the OT - used by permission
1 Kings Chart from Charles Swindoll

THE DOWNWARD SPIRAL

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Ryrie Study Bible - Borrow
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(NOTE: Many consider Amaziah and Hezekiah as "good" kings)
SEE ALSO:
ESV chart - kings of Israel - more information
ESV chart - kings of Judah - more information
Another Chart with Variable Dates for Reigns of Kings

Source: ConformingtoJesus.com

2 Kings 14:1 In the second year of Joash son of Joahaz king of Israel, Amaziah the son of Joash king of Judah became king.

• Joash: 2Ki 14:15 13:10 
• reigned Amaziah: 1Ch 3:12 2Ch 25:1-4 

In the second year of Joash son of Joahaz king of Israel, Amaziah the son of Joash king of Judah became king

2 Kings 14:2 He was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Jehoaddin of Jerusalem.

He was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Jehoaddin of Jerusalem

2 Kings 14:3 He did right in the sight of the LORD, yet not like David his father; he did according to all that Joash his father had done.

• he did: 2Ki 12:2 1Ki 11:4 15:3 2Ch 25:2,3 
• he did according: 2Ch 24:2,17 25:14-16 Jer 16:19 Zec 1:4-6 1Pe 1:18 

He did right in the sight of the LORD, yet not like David his father; he did according to all that Joash his father had done

2 Kings 14:4 Only the high places were not taken away; the people still sacrificed and burned incense on the high places.

• the high places: 2Ki 12:3 15:4,35 

Only the high places were not taken away; the people still sacrificed and burned incense on the high places.

2 Kings 14:5 Now it came about, as soon as the kingdom was firmly in his hand, that he killed his servants who had slain the king his father.

• that he slew: Ge 9:6 Ex 21:12-14 Nu 35:33 
• his servants: 2Ki 12:20,21 2Ch 25:3,4 

Now it came about, as soon as the kingdom was firmly in his hand, that he killed his servants who had slain the king his father.

2 Kings 14:6 But the sons of the slayers he did not put to death, according to what is written in the book of the Law of Moses, as the LORD commanded, saying, “The fathers shall not be put to death for the sons, nor the sons be put to death for the fathers; but each shall be put to death for his own sin.”  

• The fathers: De 24:16 Eze 18:4,20 

But the sons of the slayers he did not put to death, according to what is written in the book of the Law of Moses, as the LORD commanded, saying, “The fathers shall not be put to death for the sons, nor the sons be put to death for the fathers; but each shall be put to death for his own sin

This was in accord with the law of Deut. 24:16. The reference also shows that Deuteronomy was not written as late as some critics of the Bible hold. 

2 Kings 14:7 He killed of Edom in the Valley of Salt 10,000 and took Sela by war, and named it Joktheel to this day.  

• slew: 2Ki 8:20-22 2Ch 25:11,12 
• the valley of salt: Some suppose that the Valley of Salt was south of the Dead, or Salt Sea, towards the land of Edom; and others suppose it to be the Valley of Salt, about three or four miles south-east of Palmyra, which now supplies, in a great measure, the surrounding country with salt. 2Sa 8:13 1Ch 18:12 Ps 60:1 *title
• Selah: or, the rock, {Selah} is generally supposed to be the same as {Petra,} which in Greek signifies a rock, the celebrated capital of Arabia Petrea.  Strabo places it three or four days' journey from Jericho, and five days' journey from the forest of palm trees on the Red Sea.  Pliny places it 600 miles from Gaza, and 125 from the Persian Gulf; but Cellarius and Reland very justly consider that the numbers have been changed, and that we ought to read 125 miles from Gaza, and 600 from the Persian Gulf. Eusebius places Beerothbenejaakan 30 miles west from Petra, and Elath ten miles east; and Burckhardt discovered the ruins of this ancient city in a valley called Wady Mousa.
• Joktheel: Jos 15:38 

He killed of Edom in the Valley of Salt 10,000 and took Sela by war, and named it Joktheel to this day.

2 Kings 14:8 Then Amaziah sent messengers to Jehoash, the son of Jehoahaz son of Jehu, king of Israel, saying, “Come, let us face each other.”

• Amaziah: 2Ch 25:17-24 
• Come: 2Ki 14:11 2Sa 2:14-17 Pr 13:10 17:14 18:6 20:18 25:8 

Then Amaziah sent messengers to Jehoash, the son of Jehoahaz son of Jehu, king of Israel, saying, “Come, let us face each other.”

2 Kings 14:9 Jehoash king of Israel sent to Amaziah king of Judah, saying, “The thorn bush which was in Lebanon sent to the cedar which was in Lebanon, saying, ‘Give your daughter to my son in marriage.’ But there passed by a wild beast that was in Lebanon, and trampled the thorn bush.

• The thistle: Judges 9:8-15 2Sa 12:1-4 1Ki 4:33 Eze 20:49 The word {choach,} which is rendered here, and in 2 Ch 25:18; Job 31:18, thistle, in 1 Sa 13:6, thicket in Isa 34:13, bramble, and in 2 Ch 33:11; Pr 26:9; Song 2:2; Ho 9:6 thorn, is probably the black thorn, or sloe tree, the {prunus spinosa} of Linneus, as the same word signifies in Arabic.  There is a vast deal of insolent dignity in this remonstrance of Jehoash; but it has nothing conciliatory; no proposal of making amends for the injury his army had done to the unoffending inhabitants of Judah.  (2 Ch 25:10-13.)  The comparatively useless thorn, which may by chance lacerate the incautious passenger, is made the emblem of the house of Judah and David, while the house of Jehu is represented by the stately cedar.

Jehoash king of Israel sent to Amaziah king of Judah, saying, “The thorn bush which was in Lebanon sent to the cedar which was in Lebanon, saying, ‘Give your daughter to my son in marriage.’ But there passed by a wild beast that was in Lebanon, and trampled the thorn bush.

2 Kings 14:10 “You have indeed defeated Edom, and your heart has become proud. Enjoy your glory and stay at home; for why should you provoke trouble so that you, even you, would fall, and Judah with you?” 

• thine heart: De 8:14 2Ch 26:16 32:25 Pr 16:18 Eze 38:2,5,17 Da 5:20-23 Hab 2:4 Jas 4:6 
• glory of this: Ex 8:9 Jer 9:23,24 Jas 1:9 
• home: Heb. thy house
• why shouldest: 2Ch 35:21 Pr 3:30 15:18 17:14 20:3 25:8 26:17 Lu 14:31,32 

You have indeed defeated Edom, and your heart has become proud. Enjoy your glory and stay at home; for why should you provoke trouble so that you, even you, would fall, and Judah with you

2 Kings 14:11 But Amaziah would not listen. So Jehoash king of Israel went up; and he and Amaziah king of Judah faced each other at Beth-shemesh, which belongs to Judah.

• Amaziah: 2Ch 25:16,20 
• Bethshemesh: Jos 19:38 21:16 1Sa 6:9-19 

But Amaziah would not listen. So Jehoash king of Israel went up; and he and Amaziah king of Judah faced each other at Beth-shemesh, which belongs to Judah

2 Kings 14:12 Judah was defeated by Israel, and they fled each to his tent.

• was put to the worse: Heb. was smitten
• they fled: 1Sa 4:10 2Sa 18:17 1Ki 22:36 

Judah was defeated by Israel, and they fled each to his tent.

2 Kings 14:13 Then Jehoash king of Israel captured Amaziah king of Judah, the son of Jehoash the son of Ahaziah, at Beth-shemesh, and came to Jerusalem and tore down the wall of Jerusalem from the Gate of Ephraim to the Corner Gate, 400 cubits.

• took Amaziah: 2Ki 25:6 2Ch 33:11 36:6,10 Job 40:11,12 Pr 16:18 29:23 Isa 2:11,12 Da 4:37 Lu 14:11 
• the gate of Ephraim: 2Ch 25:23,24 Ne 8:16 12:39 
• the corner: Jer 31:38 Zec 14:10 

Then Jehoash king of Israel captured Amaziah king of Judah, the son of Jehoash the son of Ahaziah, at Beth-shemesh, and came to Jerusalem and tore down the wall of Jerusalem from the Gate of Ephraim to the Corner Gate, 400 cubits

2 Kings 14:14 He took all the gold and silver and all the utensils which were found in the house of the LORD, and in the treasuries of the king’s house, the hostages also, and returned to Samaria.

• all the gold: 2Ki 24:13 25:15 1Ki 7:51 14:26 15:18 
• and hostages: 2Ki 18:23 *marg:

He took all the gold and silver and all the utensils which were found in the house of the LORD, and in the treasuries of the king’s house, the hostages also, and returned to Samaria

2 Kings 14:15 Now the rest of the acts of Jehoash which he did, and his 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?

• the rest: 2Ki 10:34,35 13:12 1Ki 14:19,20 

Now the rest of the acts of Jehoash which he did, and his 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

2 Kings 14:16 So Jehoash slept with his fathers and was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel; and Jeroboam his son became king in his place.

• Jehoash: 2Sa 7:12 1Ki 1:21 
• was buried: 2Ki 13:9 
• Jeroboam: 2Ki 13:13 Ho 1:1 Am 1:1 7:10,11 

So Jehoash slept with his fathers and was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel; and Jeroboam his son became king in his place.

2 Kings 14:17 Amaziah the son of Joash king of Judah lived fifteen years after the death of Jehoash son of Jehoahaz king of Israel.

• Amaziah: 2Ki 14:1,2,23 13:10 2Ch 25:25-28 

Amaziah the son of Joash king of Judah lived fifteen years after the death of Jehoash son of Jehoahaz king of Israel.

2 Kings 14:18 Now the rest of the acts of Amaziah, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah?

• 2Ki 13:8,12 1Ki 11:41 14:29 

Now the rest of the acts of Amaziah, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah

2 Kings 14:19 They conspired against him in Jerusalem, and he fled to Lachish; but they sent after him to Lachish and killed him there.

• they made: 2Ki 12:20,21 15:10,14,25,30 21:23 2Ch 25:27,28 
• fled to Lachish: Jos 10:31 Mic 1:13 

They conspired against him in Jerusalem, and he fled to Lachish; but they sent after him to Lachish and killed him there

2 Kings 14:20 Then they brought him on horses and he was buried at Jerusalem with his fathers in the city of David.

• he was buried: 2Ki 8:24 9:28 12:21 1Ki 2:10 11:43 2Ch 21:20 26:23 33:20 

Then they brought him on horses and he was buried at Jerusalem with his fathers in the city of David

2 Kings 14:21 All the people of Judah took Azariah, who was sixteen years old, and made him king in the place of his father Amaziah.

• Azariah: 2Ki 15:13 2Ch 26:1, Uzziah, Mt 1:8,9, Ozias
• made him king: 2Ki 21:24 1Ch 3:12 

All the people of Judah took Azariah, who was sixteen years old, and made him king in the place of his father Amaziah

2 Kings 14:22 He built Elath and restored it to Judah after the king slept with his fathers.  

• Elath: Elath, the Ala or Elana of the Greek and Roman writers, was a celebrated port situated at the extremity of the eastern branch of the Red Sea, hence called the Elanitic Gulf, ten miles east from Petra, according to Eusebius, and 150 Roman miles from Gaza, according to Pliny, but 1,260 stadia, or 157 miles, according to Strabo and Marcianus Herecleota.  It is now called Akaba, and is nothing but a tower or castle, surrounded by a large grove of date trees, the residence of a governor, dependent on him of Grand Cairo. 2Ki 16:6 De 2:8 1Ki 9:26 2Ch 26:2, Eloth

He built Elath and restored it to Judah after the king slept with his fathers.  

2 Kings 14:23 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 reigned forty-one years.

• the fifteenth: 2Ki 14:17 
• Jeroboam: 2Ki 14:27 Ho 1:1 Am 1:1 7:9-11 

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 reigned forty-one years.

2 Kings 14:24 He did evil in the sight of the LORD; he did not depart from all the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, which he made Israel sin.

• in the sight: 2Ki 21:6 Ge 38:7 De 9:18 1Ki 21:25 
• he departed: 2Ki 13:2,6,11 1Ki 12:28-31 Ps 106:20 

He did evil in the sight of the LORD; he did not depart from all the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, which he made Israel sin.

2 Kings 14:25 He restored the border of Israel from the entrance of Hamath as far as the Sea of the Arabah, according to the word of the LORD, the God of Israel, which He spoke through His servant Jonah the son of Amittai, the prophet, who was of Gath-hepher.

• from the entering: Nu 13:21 34:7,8 Eze 47:16-18 Am 6:14 
• unto the sea: Ge 14:3 De 3:17 
• Jonah: Jon 1:1 Mt 12:39,40 16:4, Jonas
• Gathhepher: Jos 19:13, Gittah-hepher

He restored the border of Israel from the entrance of Hamath as far as the Sea of the Arabah, according to the word of the LORD, the God of Israel, which He spoke through His servant Jonah the son of Amittai, the prophet, who was of Gath-hepher.

Henry Morris - Jonah.  This passage clearly proves the historicity of the prophet Jonah. Liberal theologians and skeptics generally have denied the truth of the story of Jonah and the whale, arguing that it was merely a parable. According to this record, however, Jonah was well-known as a prophet in Israel in addition to his prophetic missionary journey to Nineveh, the capital of the large and dangerous Assyrian empire.

Ryrie - the entrance of Hamath. See note on 1 Kings 8:65. Sea of the Arabah. The Dead Sea. 
 

2 Kings 14:26 For the LORD saw the affliction of Israel, which was very bitter; for there was neither bond nor free, nor was there any helper for Israel.

• saw the affliction: 2Ki 13:4 Ex 3:7,9 Judges 10:16 Ps 106:43-45 Isa 63:9 
• not any shut: De 32:36 1Ki 14:10 21:21 

For the LORD saw the affliction of Israel, which was very bitter; for there was neither bond nor free, nor was there any helper for Israel.

2 Kings 14:27 The LORD did not say that He would blot out the name of Israel from under heaven, but He saved them by the hand of Jeroboam the son of Joash.

• said not: 2Ki 13:23 Ho 1:6 
• blot out: Ex 32:32,33 De 9:14 25:19 29:20 Ps 69:28 Ro 11:2-12 Rev 3:5 
• he saved: 2Ki 5:1 13:5 Ho 1:7 Tit 3:4-6 

The LORD did not say that He would blot out the name of Israel from under heaven, but He saved them by the hand of Jeroboam the son of Joash

2 Kings 14:28 Now the rest of the acts of Jeroboam and all that he did and his might, how he fought and how he recovered for Israel, Damascus and Hamath, which had belonged to Judah, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel?

• the rest: 2Ki 14:15 
• Damascus: 2Sa 8:6 1Ki 11:24 1Ch 18:5,6 2Ch 8:3,4 
• which belonged to Judah: These places belonged to Judah by David's conquest, (2 Sa 3:11,) but had been repossessed by the Syrians.

Now the rest of the acts of Jeroboam and all that he did and his might, how he fought and how he recovered for Israel, Damascus and Hamath, which had belonged to Judah, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel

2 Kings 14:29 And Jeroboam slept with his fathers, even with the kings of Israel, and Zechariah his son became king in his place.

• Zachariah: 2Ki 15:8 

And Jeroboam slept with his fathers, even with the kings of Israel, and Zechariah his son became king in his place