What is the meaning of 2 Kings 14:13?

There at Beth-shemesh

“ There at Beth-shemesh ” (2 Kings 14:13a)

• Beth-shemesh sat on the border between Judah and Israel (Joshua 15:10–11; 1 Samuel 6:12–13), a reminder that the divided kingdoms still shared a God-given land.

• Amaziah had proudly challenged Jehoash to battle (2 Kings 14:8–10; cf. Proverbs 16:18). Meeting “there” shows the conflict took place on Amaziah’s own territory—evidence that Judah’s king invited the defeat.

• God had already warned Amaziah through a prophet after he brought Edomite idols home (2 Chronicles 25:14–16). Beth-shemesh becomes the stage for divine discipline: when leaders refuse correction, chastening follows (Hebrews 12:6).

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Jehoash king of Israel captured Amaziah king of Judah, the son of Joash, the son of Ahaziah

(2 Kings 14:13b)

• The capture is literal: the northern king physically seizes the southern king. This humiliating reversal echoes earlier warnings that disobedience would hand Judah’s rulers over to enemies (Deuteronomy 28:25).

• Lineage is repeated—“son of Joash, the son of Ahaziah”—to highlight Judah’s heritage and how far the dynasty had drifted since David (compare 2 Samuel 7:12–16).

• God’s covenant faithfulness remains intact even while He allows Amaziah’s defeat; He disciplines but does not annihilate the Davidic line (Psalm 89:30–37).

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Then Jehoash went to Jerusalem

(2 Kings 14:13c)

• By marching south to Judah’s capital, Jehoash presses his advantage, paralleling earlier northern incursions (1 Kings 14:25-26 under Shishak).

• Jerusalem’s inviolability was never absolute; when Judah’s kings trusted themselves instead of the LORD, the city suffered (Micah 3:11-12). Amaziah’s pride opens the gates to judgment.

• Yet Jehoash does not seize the throne; God limits the punishment, preserving messianic promises linked to Jerusalem (Isaiah 2:3).

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and broke down the wall of Jerusalem from the Ephraim Gate to the Corner Gate—a section of four hundred cubits

(2 Kings 14:13d)

• The wall symbolized security and divine favor (Psalm 48:12-14). Its breach showcases Judah’s vulnerability when its king relies on might rather than the LORD (Psalm 127:1).

• “Ephraim Gate” faces north toward Israel; the “Corner Gate” lies on the northwest. Four hundred cubits (≈600 ft / 180 m) represents a conspicuous gash, leaving the city exposed.

• 2 Chronicles 25:23 adds that Jehoash looted the temple and palace, underscoring the totality of the defeat and foreshadowing later devastations (2 Kings 25:9-10; Nehemiah 1:3).

• Even this judgment is measured: the wall can be rebuilt under future kings like Uzziah and Hezekiah (2 Chronicles 26:9; 32:5), testifying to God’s restoring grace.

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summary

2 Kings 14:13 records a historical, literal humiliation of Judah’s king and capital at Beth-shemesh and Jerusalem. Amaziah’s pride and idolatry invite the LORD’s chastening through Jehoash’s conquest, proving God’s warnings true. The damaged wall and captured king proclaim that security lies not in human strength but in humble obedience. Yet the limited scope of the destruction protects the Davidic line and the future hope of redemption, revealing both God’s justice and His steadfast covenant mercy.