2 Kings 14:15

Here are three kings brought to their graves in these few verses: - 1. Joash king of Israel, Kg2 14:15, Kg2 14:16. We attended his funeral once before, Kg2 13:12, Kg2 13:13. But, because the historian had occasion to give a further account of his life and actions, he again mentions his death and burial. 2. Amaziah king of Judah. Fifteen years he survived his conqueror the king of Israel, Kg2 14:17. A man may live a great while after he has been shamed, may be thoroughly mortified (as Amaziah no doubt was) and yet not dead. His acts are said to be found written in his annals (Kg2 14:18), but not his might; for his cruelty when he was a conqueror over the Edomites, and his insolence when he challenged the king of Israel, showed him void of true courage. He was slain by his own subjects, who hated him for his maladministration (Kg2 14:19) and made Jerusalem too hot for him, the ignominious breach made in their walls being occasioned by his folly and presumption. He fled to Lachish. How long he continued concealed or sheltered there we are not told, but, at last, he was there murdered, Kg2 14:19. No further did the rage of the rebels extend, for they brought him in a chariot to Jerusalem, and buried him there among his ancestors. 3. Azariah succeeded Amaziah, but not till twelve years after his father's death, for Amaziah died in the fifteenth year of Jeroboam (as appears by comparing Kg2 14:23 with Kg2 14:2), but Azariah did not begin his reign till the twenty-seventh of Jeroboam (ch. 15:1), for he was but four years old at the death of his father, so that, for twelve years, till he came to be sixteen, the government was in the hands of protectors. He reigned very long (ch. 15:2) and yet the account of his reign is here industriously huddled up, and broken off abruptly (v. 22): He built Elath (which had belonged to the Edomites, but, it is probable, was recovered by his father, v. 7), after that the king slept with his fathers, as if that had been all he did that was worth mentioning, or rather it is meant of king Amaziah: he built it soon after Amaziah died.

Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible (1708–1710) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

(15, 16) Now the rest . . .—Comp. 2Ki_13:12-13, where the reign of Jehoash is already summed up, though not altogether in the same phraseology. The compiler probably found 2Ki_14:15-16, in their present position in the document from which he derived the entire section, 2Ki_14:8-17; a document which was not the same as that upon which 2 Kings 13 depends, as appears from the differences of language in the two passages.

The two verses are almost necessary here as a suitable introduction of the statement of 2Ki_14:17, that Amaziah survived Jehoash by fifteen years.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

2Ki 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?

Ver. 15. And his might.] Showed against the Syrians chiefly.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Verse 15. How he fought with Amaziah] The only fighting between them was the battle already mentioned; and this is minutely related in 2Ch 25:21-24.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

15. the rest of the acts of Jehoash] The repetition of this sentence, which had been given in nearly the same terms in 2Ki_13:12, shews us that the compiler probably used two documents, and copied from one in the former chapter, and from the other here. The words of this chapter are more in accord with the usual formula. In 2Ki_13:13 the expression ‘and Jeroboam sat upon his throne’ is not so common as ‘Jeroboam his son reigned in his stead’.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And Amaziah the son of Joash king of Judah lived after the death of Jehoash son of Jehoahaz king of Israel fifteen years. Which, with the fourteen he reigned contemporary with him, made the twenty nine years he reigned, Kg2 14:2. The Vulgate Latin version is, "twenty five years".

. The Vulgate Latin version is, "twenty five years".

2 Kings 14:18

kg2 14:18

kg2 14:18

kg2 14:18And the rest of the acts of Amaziah, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? Not in the canonical book of Chronicles; though there are some things of him recorded there, which are not here; but in the annals of each reign, written by the king's historian appointed for that purpose.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

These two verses (repeated from 2Ki 13:12-13) are out of place here, where they interrupt the history of Amaziah’s reign.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Valour. Hence it appears that Juda made a stout resistance, though Josephus would insinuate the contrary.

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

Vers. 15, 16. 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? And Jehoash slept with his fathers, and was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel; and Jeroboam his son reigned in his stead. These verses are repeated with very slight alterations from 2Ki_13:11, 2Ki_13:12. Curiously, on both occasions they are out of place. It is scarcely worth while to consider how they came into the text at this point, since no explanation could be more than a conjecture. In point of fact, they are redundant.

Vers. 15-22. Changes in two thrones.

The next events recorded are the accession of Jeroboam II, after the death of Joash, in Israel; and the conspiracy against Amaziah fifteen years later and the accession of Azariah, in Judah.

I THE ACCESSION OF JEROBOAM. More is not told us, than we have already heard, of the "might" of Joash. Jeroboam, who succeeded him, proved the able son of an able father. But the stock of Jehu was godless as ever. The new king also, as we are to see, "did evil in the sight of the Lord," and kept up the "sin " of his namesake, Jeroboam I, in the worship of the calves. Great natural ability is often associated with godlessness of heart.

II THE ACOESSION OF AZARIAH.

1. Azariah made king. The notice of the conspiracy against Amaziah precedes in the narrative the notice of Azariah"s accession; but there is some reason from the chronology to think that the son was made king along with his father shortly after Amazlah"s disastrous defeat.

(1) It is stated in 2Ki_15:8 that the son of Jeroboam II, Zachariah, began to reign in the thirty-eighth year of Azariah, and as there is no sign in the narrative of the interregnum of eleven years which chronologers usually introduce, it would follow that Azariah really began to reign about eleven years before his father"s death.

(2) This is in itself not unlikely when we remember the odium which must have fallen on Amaziah after his defeat and captivity, and the capture of Jerusalem. The proof he had given of incapacity for government would make it desirable, to secure the popularity of the throne, that his son should be associated with him in the kingdom.

(3) There are indications in the narrative which point in this direction, e.g. the age of Amaziah, only sixteen years; the statement that Amaziah "lived" fifteen years after the death of Joash, where we might have expected the word "reigned;" lastly, the statement that Amaziah "built Elath, and restored it to Judah, after that the king slept with his fathers.

2. Amaziah"s ignominious end. In any case, it seems certain that Amaziah"s popularity never revived after the unhappy encounter with Joash. Fifteen years rolled on, and at length, from causes to us unknown, a plot was formed against him in Jerusalem. He fled to Lachish, but was pursued and killed. The slain king was brought back on horses, and buried in Jerusalem in the royal sepulcher. Thus the sun of another descendant of David, who had forsaken the God of his fathers, went down in blood and shame. J.O.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

are they not written in the book of the events of the kings of Israel?

This question is used to remind the reader that the acts of Jehoahaz are recorded in another book. See how this phrase is translated in 2 Kings 1:18. AT: "they are written in the book of the events of the kings of Israel." (See: Rhetorical Question)

Then Jehoash slept with his ancestors

This is a polite way to say that he died. AT: "Then Jehoash died" (See: Euphemism)

became king in his place

"became king after him"

translationWords

power

Amaziah

written

asleep

bury

Samaria

Jeroboam

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.