2 Kings 11:2 (KJV)

What does 2 Kings 11:2 mean?

2 Kings 11:2 describes how Jehosheba saved Joash, a young member of Judah’s royal family, from being killed. She removed him from the danger and helped conceal him from Athaliah, who was seeking to destroy the royal family.

The narrator identifies Jehosheba as King Joram’s daughter and Ahaziah’s sister. That makes her Joash’s aunt: Ahaziah was Joash’s father. The verse also mentions Joash’s nurse, who was hidden with him.

The Hebrew behind 2 Kings 11:2

• “stole” — גָּנַב (ganav): This word often means to take something secretly. Here the KJV uses “stole” for Jehosheba’s removal of a child from a place of danger, not for the theft of an object.
• “bedchamber” — חֶדֶר (ḥeder) and מִטָּה (mittah): These words refer to a room and a bed or couch. Together they describe the place where Joash and his nurse were concealed.

Why 2 Kings 11:2 matters

• Joash’s survival was not simply a matter of chance in the story. The words “took,” “stole,” and “hid” show the deliberate actions that kept him out of Athaliah’s reach.
• Joash’s rescue has consequences for who would rule Judah. Verse 3 says he remained hidden for six years, and the following verses describe preparations to make him king.
• Jehosheba acted within a divided royal family. She was the sister of Joash’s father, while Athaliah was the person from whom the child had to be hidden.