How does Jehoash's burial compare with other kings in 2 Kings? Setting the Scene—from 2 Kings 13:13 “And Joash rested with his fathers, and Jeroboam sat on his throne. Joash was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel.” What Happens to Jehoash (Joash) of Israel? • He “rests with his fathers” – the stock phrase that marks a king’s death. • He is “buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel” – a full royal burial in the northern capital’s royal cemetery. • His dynasty continues immediately: “Jeroboam sat on his throne.” Northern Kingdom Pattern: Who Gets a Royal Tomb in Samaria? Most Israelite kings who die naturally (or at least not in open judgment) receive the same wording Jehoash gets. Notice the repetition: • Jehu – 2 Kings 10:35 • Jehoahaz – 2 Kings 13:9 • Jehoash – 2 Kings 13:13 • Jeroboam II – 2 Kings 14:29 • Zechariah – 2 Kings 15:11 • Menahem – 2 Kings 15:22 Shared features – “Rested with his fathers” – “Buried in Samaria” (sometimes, “with the kings of Israel”) – Immediate succession by a son When Northern Kings Miss Out on Honor A few northern rulers are denied burial in Samaria: • Jehoram (Joram) – his body is flung onto Naboth’s field (2 Kings 9:24-26). • Pekahiah, Pekah, Hoshea – the text records assassinations or exile but is silent about burial, implying no royal honors. The contrast highlights that Jehoash dies peacefully and is honored, even though his reign was spiritually mixed (2 Kings 13:10-11). Southern Kingdom Pattern: Royal Tombs in Jerusalem Judah’s kings are normally buried “in the City of David.” A sampling: • Ahaziah – 2 Kings 9:28 • Joash (of Judah) – 2 Kings 12:21 • Amaziah – 2 Kings 14:20 • Jotham – 2 Kings 15:38 • Ahaz – 2 Kings 16:20 Variations tell their own story: – Azariah/Uzziah, buried “near” his fathers because of leprosy (2 Kings 15:7). – Manasseh and Amon, buried in the palace garden, not the royal tombs (2 Kings 21:18, 26). – Josiah, honored in his “own tomb” after dying in battle (2 Kings 23:30). Side-by-Side Snapshot Jehoash of Israel: • Burial place – Samaria’s royal necropolis. • Honors – full. Typical Judah king: • Burial place – City of David. • Honors – full, unless God judges otherwise. What the Burial Details Teach Us • God tracks faithfulness even in death; burial narratives serve as divine commentary. • Receiving a royal tomb implies some measure of stability and honor, even for imperfect kings (Jehoash, Jehu, etc.). • Being deprived of burial with the fathers (Jehoram, Manasseh, Amon) signals divine displeasure (cf. Jeremiah 22:18-19). • The parallel formulas (“rested with his fathers… son reigned in his place”) underline God’s sovereign control of dynasties despite human sin. Take-Home Points 1. Jehoash’s burial mirrors the standard northern pattern—dignified, in Samaria, alongside earlier kings. 2. His treatment contrasts sharply with Israelite rulers judged unworthy of a proper grave, and with the southern kings who lie in Jerusalem. 3. Scripture’s meticulous record of burials underscores that how a leader finishes (and is remembered) matters to God. |
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