What is the meaning of 2 Kings 14:17? Amaziah son of Joash king of Judah • This phrase grounds us in Judah’s royal lineage. Amaziah follows his father Joash, whose reforms and later decline are recorded in 2 Kings 12 and 2 Chronicles 24. • Amaziah’s reign began “in the second year of Jehoash son of Jehoahaz king of Israel” (2 Kings 14:1), linking the southern and northern kingdoms chronologically. • 2 Chronicles 25:2 notes, “He did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, but not wholeheartedly.” His mixed devotion sets the stage for later defeats and partial success. • Remembering the covenant promises to David (2 Samuel 7:12–16) helps us see God’s faithfulness even when kings waver. lived for fifteen years • Scripture records Amaziah’s total reign as twenty-nine years (2 Kings 14:2). After his confrontation with Jehoash of Israel and subsequent capture of Jerusalem’s wall (2 Kings 14:13–14), fifteen additional years remained. • These years reveal God’s patience. Though Amaziah suffered consequences for pride, the Lord still granted him time—echoing divine longsuffering seen in 2 Peter 3:9. • 2 Chronicles 25 shows that in this period he turned from following the LORD to the gods of Edom (vv. 14–16), a tragic use of extended life reminiscent of King Hezekiah’s added fifteen years (Isaiah 38:5) that also carried mixed results. after the death of Jehoash son of Jehoahaz king of Israel • The northern king Jehoash (also spelled Joash) had just defeated Amaziah at Beth-shemesh (2 Kings 14:11–12). His death marks a political transition in Israel to Jeroboam II (2 Kings 14:23). • Amaziah outlived his rival, underscoring that earthly victories are temporary; ultimate sovereignty belongs to God alone (Psalm 75:6–7). • Yet surviving his adversary did not equate to spiritual triumph. 2 Chronicles 25:27 records that “from the time Amaziah turned from following the LORD, they conspired against him in Jerusalem,” leading to his own assassination—paralleling warnings such as Proverbs 16:18. • The verse therefore serves as a chronological marker and a quiet caution: the passing of one king and the survival of another do not alter the unchanging standard of covenant faithfulness (Deuteronomy 17:18–20). summary 2 Kings 14:17 is more than a date stamp. It reminds us that God tracks every king, year, and choice. Amaziah’s lineage affirms the Lord’s covenant with Judah, his additional fifteen years highlight divine patience, and his outliving of Jehoash underscores that true security lies not in political wins but in steadfast obedience to God’s word. |
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