The big picture
2 Kings 14 opens in verse 1 with “In the second year of Joash son of Jehoahaz king of Israel reigned Amaziah the son of…”, reaches its middle movement near verse 15 with “Now the rest of the acts of Jehoash which he did, and his might, and how he fought with…”, and closes in verse 29 with “And Jeroboam slept with his fathers, even with the kings of Israel; and Zachariah his…” Repeated or prominent terms include Israel, king, Judah, Amaziah, Jehoash. Together, those details trace this chapter’s own movement from its opening to its conclusion.
Scripture beside the summary
2 Kings · King James Version · 292 Kings 14:1-8
1–8: In the second year of Joash son of Jehoahaz king of Israel reigned…
2 Kings 14:1–8 opens with “In the second year of Joash son of Jehoahaz king of Israel reigned Amaziah the son of Joash king…” and reaches “Then Amaziah sent messengers to Jehoash, the son of Jehoahaz son of Jehu, king of Israel…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on 2 Kings 14 develops its own movement around Israel, king, Judah, Amaziah, Jehoash, with particular weight carried by king, children, death.
Context that brings the passage to life
“In the second year of Joash son of Jehoahaz king of Israel reigned Amaziah the son of Joash king of Judah.” Naming Joash and Amaziah keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
“And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD , yet not like David his father: he did according to all…” Naming David and Joash keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
“And it came to pass, as soon as the kingdom was confirmed in his hand, that he slew his servants which had slain the…” This familiar narrative signal moves the clock forward. What follows is a new scene, consequence, or answer to an earlier tension.
2 Kings 14:1-8
King James Version1In the second year of Joash son of Jehoahaz king of Israel reigned Amaziah the son of Joash king of Judah.
2He was twenty and five years old when he began to reign, and reigned twenty and nine years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Jehoaddan of Jerusalem.
3And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD , yet not like David his father: he did according to all things as Joash his father did.
4Howbeit the high places were not taken away: as yet the people did sacrifice and burnt incense on the high places.
5And it came to pass, as soon as the kingdom was confirmed in his hand, that he slew his servants which had slain the king his father.
6But the children of the murderers he slew not: according unto that which is written in the book of the law of Moses, wherein the LORD 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 be put to death for his own sin.
7He slew of Edom in the valley of salt ten thousand, and took Selah by war, and called the name of it Joktheel unto this day.
8Then Amaziah sent messengers to Jehoash, the son of Jehoahaz son of Jehu, king of Israel, saying, Come, let us look one another in the face.
2 Kings 14:9-16
9–16: Jehoash the king of Israel sent to Amaziah king of Judah, saying, The…
2 Kings 14:9–16 opens with “And Jehoash the king of Israel sent to Amaziah king of Judah, saying, The thistle that was in…” and reaches “And Jehoash slept with his fathers, and was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel; and…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on 2 Kings 14 develops its own movement around Israel, king, Judah, Amaziah, Jehoash, with particular weight carried by Judah, king, Israel.
Context that brings the passage to life
This block contains 2 explicit questions. They are more than punctuation: they reveal where a voice is searching, challenging, afraid, or trying to understand.
“And Jehoash the king of Israel sent to Amaziah king of Judah, saying, The thistle that was in Lebanon sent to the…” Naming Lebanon and Amaziah keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
“But Amaziah would not hear. Therefore Jehoash king of Israel went up; and he and Amaziah king of Judah looked one…” The number one makes the report concrete. Ask whether it measures time, people, distance, repetition, or completeness before deciding what weight it carries.
“And Jehoash king of Israel took Amaziah king of Judah, the son of Jehoash the son of Ahaziah, at Beth-shemesh, and…” The number four makes the report concrete. Ask whether it measures time, people, distance, repetition, or completeness before deciding what weight it carries.
2 Kings 14:9-16
King James Version9And Jehoash 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 thy daughter to my son to wife: and there passed by a wild beast that was in Lebanon, and trode down the thistle.
10Thou hast indeed smitten Edom, and thine heart hath lifted thee up: glory of this, and tarry at home: for why shouldest thou meddle to thy hurt, that thou shouldest fall, even thou, and Judah with thee?
11But Amaziah would not hear. Therefore Jehoash king of Israel went up; and he and Amaziah king of Judah looked one another in the face at Beth-shemesh, which belongeth to Judah.
12And Judah was put to the worse before Israel; and they fled every man to their tents.
13And Jehoash king of Israel took Amaziah king of Judah, the son of Jehoash the son of Ahaziah, at Beth-shemesh, and came to Jerusalem, and brake down the wall of Jerusalem from the gate of Ephraim unto the corner gate, four hundred cubits.
14And he took all the gold and silver, and all the vessels that were found in the house of the LORD , and in the treasures of the king’s house, and hostages, and returned to Samaria.
15Now 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?
16And Jehoash slept with his fathers, and was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel; and Jeroboam his son reigned in his stead.
2 Kings 14:17-24
17–24: Amaziah the son of Joash king of Judah lived after the death of Jehoash…
2 Kings 14:17–24 opens with “And Amaziah the son of Joash king of Judah lived after the death of Jehoash son of Jehoahaz king…” and reaches “And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD : he departed not from all the sins of…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on 2 Kings 14 develops its own movement around Israel, king, Judah, Amaziah, Jehoash, with particular weight carried by king, Judah, Amaziah.
Context that brings the passage to life
This block contains 1 explicit questions. They are more than punctuation: they reveal where a voice is searching, challenging, afraid, or trying to understand.
“And Amaziah the son of Joash king of Judah lived after the death of Jehoash son of Jehoahaz king of Israel fifteen…” Naming Amaziah and Israel keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
“Now they made a conspiracy against him in Jerusalem: and he fled to Lachish; but they sent after him to Lachish, and…” Naming Lachish and Jerusalem keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
2 Kings 14:17-24
King James Version17And Amaziah the son of Joash king of Judah lived after the death of Jehoash son of Jehoahaz king of Israel fifteen years.
18And the rest of the acts of Amaziah, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?
19Now they made a conspiracy against him in Jerusalem: and he fled to Lachish; but they sent after him to Lachish, and slew him there.
20And they brought him on horses: and he was buried at Jerusalem with his fathers in the city of David.
21And all the people of Judah took Azariah, which was sixteen years old, and made him king instead of his father Amaziah.
22He built Elath, and restored it to Judah, after that the king slept with his fathers.
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, and reigned forty and one years.
24And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD : he departed not from all the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin.
2 Kings 14:25-29
25–29: He restored the coast of Israel from the entering of Hamath unto the sea…
2 Kings 14:25–29 opens with “He restored the coast of Israel from the entering of Hamath unto the sea of the plain, according…” and reaches “And Jeroboam slept with his fathers, even with the kings of Israel; and Zachariah his son…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on 2 Kings 14 develops its own movement around Israel, king, Judah, Amaziah, Jehoash, with particular weight carried by Israel, Jeroboam, LORD.
Context that brings the passage to life
This block contains 1 explicit questions. They are more than punctuation: they reveal where a voice is searching, challenging, afraid, or trying to understand.
“He restored the coast of Israel from the entering of Hamath unto the sea of the plain, according to the word of the…” Naming Israel and Amittai keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
2 Kings 14:25-29
King James Version25He restored the coast of Israel from the entering of Hamath unto the sea of the plain, according to the word of the LORD God of Israel, which he spake by the hand of his servant Jonah, the son of Amittai, the prophet, which was of Gath-hepher.
26For the LORD saw the affliction of Israel, that it was very bitter: for there was not any shut up, nor any left, nor any helper for Israel.
27And the LORD said not 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.
28Now the rest of the acts of Jeroboam, and all that he did, and his might, how he warred, and how he recovered Damascus, and Hamath, which belonged to Judah, for Israel, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?
29And Jeroboam slept with his fathers, even with the kings of Israel; and Zachariah his son reigned in his stead.
Details worth noticing
The opening image
2 Kings 14:1 begins with “In the second year of Joash son of Jehoahaz king of Israel reigned Amaziah the son of Joash king of Judah.”
Where the chapter turns
2 Kings 14:15 forms a natural hinge: “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…”
The final note
2 Kings 14:29 leaves the reader with “And Jeroboam slept with his fathers, even with the kings of Israel; and Zachariah his son reigned in his stead.”
A word trail through the chapter
The words Israel, king, Judah, Amaziah, Jehoash, Joash help reveal the chapter’s repeated concerns.
What contrasts the two royal encounters?
Melchizedek blesses God as the source of victory; Abram refuses a financial arrangement that would let Sodom claim credit for his wealth.
How does Abram treat Lot after their separation?
He risks resources to rescue him rather than treating earlier disagreement as a reason for abandonment.
KJV words made clear
- unto
- to
- thee
- you
- thou
- you
- thy
- your
- hath
- has
Text first
Where readers differ
The chapter summary begins with what the passage says and how its parts fit together. It does not assume one denomination has already settled every question. Where a conclusion depends on a tradition, literary theory, or historical reconstruction, that dependence is named openly.
The KJV text is presented first. Interpretive conclusions are labeled, and differences are introduced only when they help a reader understand why serious communities do not always reach the same answer.
Comparative interpretive notes for this chapter are in preparation. Until reviewed notes are ready, this page separates the KJV text from summary and application without claiming that serious readers agree on every question.