There at Beth-shemesh, Jehoash king of Israel captured Amaziah king of Judah, the son of Joash, the son of Ahaziah. Then Jehoash went to Jerusalem and broke down the wall of Jerusalem from the Ephraim Gate to the Corner Gate--a section of four hundred cubits. There at Beth-shemeshBeth-shemesh was a city located in the territory of Judah, near the border with Philistia. It was a Levitical city, meaning it was designated for the Levites, who were responsible for religious duties in Israel. The location is significant as it was a strategic site for battles due to its position on the border. This battle at Beth-shemesh highlights the ongoing conflict between the northern kingdom of Israel and the southern kingdom of Judah. Jehoash king of Israel captured Amaziah king of Judah
Jehoash, also known as Joash, was the king of Israel during this period. His capture of Amaziah, the king of Judah, signifies a moment of triumph for Israel over Judah. This event underscores the political instability and division within the once-united kingdom of Israel. Amaziah's defeat can be seen as a consequence of his pride and failure to fully follow God's commandments, as earlier in his reign, he had turned away from God after a military victory over Edom. the son of Joash, the son of Ahaziah
This lineage places Amaziah within the Davidic line, emphasizing the continuity of the Davidic dynasty in Judah. Joash, Amaziah's father, was a king who initially followed God but later turned to idolatry, leading to his assassination. Ahaziah, Amaziah's grandfather, had a short reign and was influenced by his mother Athaliah's idolatrous practices. This lineage highlights the recurring theme of the struggle between faithfulness to God and the temptation of idolatry within the royal family. Then Jehoash went to Jerusalem
Jehoash's advance to Jerusalem after capturing Amaziah demonstrates his military strength and the vulnerability of Judah at this time. Jerusalem, the capital of Judah, was the political and spiritual center, making its breach a significant event. This action by Jehoash symbolizes the humiliation of Judah and serves as a warning against pride and disobedience to God. and broke down the wall of Jerusalem from the Ephraim Gate to the Corner Gate
The breaking down of Jerusalem's wall was a severe blow to the city's defenses and a symbolic act of dominance. The Ephraim Gate and the Corner Gate were significant points in the city's fortifications. The destruction of this section of the wall, approximately 600 feet (400 cubits), left Jerusalem vulnerable to further attacks and served as a tangible reminder of Judah's defeat. This act of breaking down the wall can be seen as a fulfillment of God's judgment against Judah for their unfaithfulness. a section of four hundred cubits
The measurement of four hundred cubits indicates the extent of the damage inflicted by Jehoash. A cubit was roughly 18 inches, making this breach about 600 feet long. This detail emphasizes the scale of the destruction and the humiliation experienced by Judah. The specific measurement also serves to authenticate the historical account, providing a concrete detail that underscores the reality of the event. Persons / Places / Events 1. Jehoash (Joash) King of IsraelThe king of the northern kingdom of Israel who captured Amaziah. 2. Amaziah King of JudahThe king of the southern kingdom of Judah, son of Joash, who was defeated and captured by Jehoash. 3. Beth-shemeshA city in Judah where the battle between Jehoash and Amaziah took place. 4. JerusalemThe capital city of Judah, where Jehoash broke down a significant portion of the city wall. 5. Gate of Ephraim and Corner GateSpecific locations in the wall of Jerusalem that were destroyed by Jehoash. Teaching Points The Consequences of PrideAmaziah's pride led to his downfall. We must guard against pride in our own lives, recognizing that it can lead to destructive outcomes. The Importance of HumilityHumility before God and others can prevent unnecessary conflicts and lead to peace and restoration. The Vulnerability of Earthly DefensesThe breaking down of Jerusalem's wall serves as a reminder that our ultimate security is found in God, not in physical structures or human strength. The Impact of Leadership DecisionsThe choices of leaders have significant consequences for their people. We should pray for and support leaders who seek God's wisdom. God's Sovereignty in HistoryDespite human conflicts and failures, God remains sovereign and His purposes will ultimately prevail. Bible Study Questions 1. What can we learn from Amaziah's defeat about the dangers of pride and self-reliance? 2. How does the destruction of Jerusalem's wall illustrate the limitations of human defenses compared to God's protection? 3. In what ways can we apply the lesson of humility from this passage to our personal and professional lives? 4. How does the conflict between Jehoash and Amaziah reflect the broader theme of division and strife in the history of Israel and Judah? 5. What steps can we take to ensure that our leaders are guided by godly wisdom and humility, and how can we support them in prayer? Connections to Other Scriptures 2 Chronicles 25Provides a parallel account of the events, offering additional details about the conflict between Jehoash and Amaziah. 1 Kings 12Discusses the division of the kingdom, which sets the stage for the ongoing conflicts between Israel and Judah. Proverbs 16:18Relates to the theme of pride and its consequences, as seen in Amaziah's actions leading to his defeat. Isaiah 22:9-11Describes the importance of Jerusalem's walls and the impact of their destruction, highlighting the vulnerability of the city. People Ahaziah, Amaziah, Amittai, Azariah, David, Edomites, Hepher, Jehoaddan, Jehoahaz, Jehoash, Jehu, Jeroboam, Joahaz, Joash, Jonah, Nebat, Zachariah, ZechariahPlaces Beth-shemesh, Corner Gate, Damascus, Edom, Elath, Ephraim Gate, Gath-hepher, Hamath, Israel, Jerusalem, Joktheel, Lachish, Lebanon, Lebo-hamath, Samaria, Sea of the Arabah, Sela, Syria, Valley of SaltTopics Ahaziah, Ahazi'ah, Amaziah, Amazi'ah, Angle, Beth, Bethshemesh, Beth-shemesh, Beth-she'mesh, Brake, Broke, Bursteth, Captured, Caught, Corner, Corner-gate, Cubits, Door, Doorway, Ephraim, E'phraim, Gate, Hundred, Jehoash, Jeho'ash, Jerusalem, Joash, Judah, Prisoner, Pulled, Section, Shemesh, Six, Tore, WallDictionary of Bible Themes 2 Kings 14:13 5228 battering-rams
5323 gate
5604 walls 2 Kings 14:1-22 5366 king 2 Kings 14:7-14 7245 Judah, kingdom of 2 Kings 14:9-15 5607 warfare, examples 2 Kings 14:11-14 5214 attack 2 Kings 14:13-14 5437 palaces Library The Prophet Amos.
GENERAL PRELIMINARY REMARKS. It will not be necessary to extend our preliminary remarks on the prophet Amos, since on the main point--viz., the circumstances under which he appeared as a prophet--the introduction to the prophecies of Hosea may be regarded as having been written for those of Amos also. For, according to the inscription, they belong to the same period at which Hosea's prophetic ministry began, viz., the latter part of the reign of Jeroboam II., and after Uzziah had ascended the …
Ernst Wilhelm Hengstenberg—Christology of the Old TestamentThe Prophet Jonah.
It has been asserted without any sufficient reason, that Jonah is older than Hosea, Joel, Amos, and Obadiah,--that he is the oldest among the prophets whose written monuments have been preserved to us. The passage in 2 Kings xiv. 25, where it is said, that Jonah, the son of Amittai the prophet, prophesied to Jeroboam the happy success of his arms, and the restoration of the ancient boundaries of Israel, and that this prophecy was confirmed by the event, cannot decide in favour of this assertion, …
Ernst Wilhelm Hengstenberg—Christology of the Old Testament The Twelve Minor Prophets.
1. By the Jewish arrangement, which places together the twelve minor prophets in a single volume, the chronological order of the prophets as a whole is broken up. The three greater prophets, Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel, stand in the true order of time. Daniel began to prophesy before Ezekiel, but continued, many years after him. The Jewish arrangement of the twelve minor prophets is in a sense chronological; that is, they put the earlier prophets at the beginning, and the later at the end of the …
E. P. Barrows—Companion to the Bible The Prophet Hosea.
GENERAL PRELIMINARY REMARKS. That the kingdom of Israel was the object of the prophet's ministry is so evident, that upon this point all are, and cannot but be, agreed. But there is a difference of opinion as to whether the prophet was a fellow-countryman of those to whom he preached, or was called by God out of the kingdom of Judah. The latter has been asserted with great confidence by Maurer, among others, in his Observ. in Hos., in the Commentat. Theol. ii. i. p. 293. But the arguments …
Ernst Wilhelm Hengstenberg—Christology of the Old Testament Tiglath-Pileser iii. And the Organisation of the Assyrian Empire from 745 to 722 B. C.
TIGLATH-PILESER III. AND THE ORGANISATION OF THE ASSYRIAN EMPIRE FROM 745 to 722 B.C. FAILURE OF URARTU AND RE-CONQUEST Of SYRIA--EGYPT AGAIN UNITED UNDER ETHIOPIAN AUSPICES--PIONKHI--THE DOWNFALL OF DAMASCUS, OF BABYLON, AND OF ISRAEL. Assyria and its neighbours at the accession of Tiglath-pileser III.: progress of the Aramaeans in the basin of the Middle Tigris--Urartu and its expansion into the north of Syria--Damascus and Israel--Vengeance of Israel on Damascus--Jeroboam II.--Civilisation …
G. Maspero—History Of Egypt, Chaldaea, Syria, Babylonia, and Assyria, V 7 The Girdle of the City. Nehemiah 3
The beginning of the circumference was from 'the sheep-gate.' That, we suppose, was seated on the south part, yet but little removed from that corner, which looks south-east. Within was the pool of Bethesda, famous for healings. Going forward, on the south part, was the tower Meah: and beyond that, "the tower of Hananeel": in the Chaldee paraphrast it is, 'The tower Piccus,' Zechariah 14:10; Piccus, Jeremiah 31:38.--I should suspect that to be, the Hippic tower, were not that placed on the north …
John Lightfoot—From the Talmud and Hebraica The Figurative Language of Scripture.
1. When the psalmist says: "The Lord God is a sun and shield" (Psa. 84:11), he means that God is to all his creatures the source of life and blessedness, and their almighty protector; but this meaning he conveys under the figure of a sun and a shield. When, again, the apostle James says that Moses is read in the synagogues every Sabbath-day (Acts 15:21), he signifies the writings of Moses under the figure of his name. In these examples the figure lies in particular words. But it may be embodied …
E. P. Barrows—Companion to the Bible Kings
The book[1] of Kings is strikingly unlike any modern historical narrative. Its comparative brevity, its curious perspective, and-with some brilliant exceptions--its relative monotony, are obvious to the most cursory perusal, and to understand these things is, in large measure, to understand the book. It covers a period of no less than four centuries. Beginning with the death of David and the accession of Solomon (1 Kings i., ii.) it traverses his reign with considerable fulness (1 Kings iii.-xi.), …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament Links 2 Kings 14:13 NIV2 Kings 14:13 NLT2 Kings 14:13 ESV2 Kings 14:13 NASB2 Kings 14:13 KJV
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