2 Kings 14 Introduction

Structure and Formatting

In this chapter, the author continues to tell what the kings were like who ruled over the kingdoms of Israel and Judah. 1. King Amaziah of Judah (1–22) 2. King Jeroboam of Israel (23–29)

Religious and Cultural Concepts in This Chapter

Why did Amaziah want to fight a battle with Jehoash?

It seems that Amaziah wanted to fight a battle with Jehoash primarily because of the pride and self-confidence he felt as a result of his recent victory over the Edomites. But the challenge to Jehoash may also have been motivated in part by a desire for revenge against the Israelites. As [2 Chronicles 25:5–13](../2ch/25/05.md) describes, Amaziah hired soldiers from Israel to help him fight the Edomites. But a prophet warned Amaziah not to bring those soldiers with his army, so he sent them back to Israel. On their way home, they plundered Judean towns and killed 3,000 people. Amaziah may also have held a grudge against the family of Jehoash because his grandfather Jehu had massacred Amaziah’s ancestors. For some or all of these reasons, Amaziah challenged Jehoash to a battle to test their strength against each other. He wanted to expand the power and influence of his kingdom, and he may also have wanted to get some kind of revenge.

What does it mean that Jeroboam “brought Damascus and Hamath of Judah back into Israel” (14:28)?

Damascus and Hamath were cities in Aram. David and Solomon had conquered them and made them subject to their rule. The Arameans had later recaptured them. So when the author speaks of “Damascus and Hamath of Judah,” he probably means that those cities had formerly been subjugated by kings from the tribe of Judah. When he says that Jeroboam “brought” them “back into Israel,” he means that they were once again ruled by Israelites, although this time by the northern kingdom. He does not mean that Jeroboam took these cities away from the possession of Judah and made them subject to his own rule.

Translation Issues in This Chapter

The names Jehoash and Joash

In this chapter, the author calls the son of Jehoahaz who succeeded him as king of Israel by two different names. He calls him by his full name, Jehoash, in verses 15, 16, 21, and 29. He calls him by a shortened form of his name, Joash, in verses 1, 23, and 27, as he also did in 13:25. If you have decided to use the same names in your translation that the biblical author does in each place, you may wish to use the name Joash in those verses. If you have decided to use the same name consistently for a given person, you may wish to use the name Jehoash instead.