And Jehoash king of Israel took Amaziah king of Judah, the son of Jehoash the son of Ahaziah, at Bethshemesh, and came to Jerusalem, and brake down the wall of Jerusalem from the gate of Ephraim unto the corner gate, four hundred cubits.

2 KINGS 14:13KJV
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2 Kings 14:13 (KJV)

What does 2 Kings 14:13 mean?

2 Kings 14:13 describes how Jehoash, the king of Israel, captured Amaziah, the king of Judah, at Bethshemesh and then went to Jerusalem. Jehoash broke down a large section of Jerusalem’s wall, specifically from the Ephraim Gate to the Corner Gate, a distance of four hundred cubits.

This verse is part of a historical account where the northern kingdom of Israel defeats the southern kingdom of Judah in battle. Jehoash’s actions—capturing Amaziah and breaking down Jerusalem’s wall—show the seriousness of Judah’s defeat and the vulnerability of Jerusalem after the battle. The verse gives specific details about the damage to Jerusalem’s defenses, emphasizing the scale of Israel’s victory.

The Hebrew behind 2 Kings 14:13

  • בָּקַע (baqa‘, "brake down"): This word means to break open or split, highlighting the forceful destruction of Jerusalem’s wall. It suggests not just a breach but a significant tearing down.
  • שַׁעַר (sha‘ar, "gate"): The mention of specific gates—the Ephraim Gate and the Corner Gate—helps pinpoint the exact area of the wall that was destroyed, showing the precision and extent of the damage.
  • אַמָּה (’ammah, "cubit"): A cubit is roughly a foot and a half, so four hundred cubits would be about six hundred feet. This detail underscores how large the breach in the wall was.

Why 2 Kings 14:13 matters

  • This verse clarifies that the defeat of Judah was not just military but also symbolic, as the breaking of Jerusalem’s wall represented a loss of security and pride for the city.
  • The specific mention of locations and measurements gives a sense of historical accuracy and helps readers picture the event’s scale.
  • Understanding this verse helps explain the strained relationship between Israel and Judah at this time and sets up the consequences that follow for both kingdoms in the narrative.

Where else these words appear

“Jehoash” Hebrew H3060 · used in 16 verses

  • 2 Kings 11:21 Seven years old was Jehoash when he began to reign.
  • 2 Kings 12:7 Then king Jehoash called for Jehoiada the priest, and the other priests, and said unto them, Why repair ye not the breaches of the house? now therefore receive no more money of your acquaintance, but deliver it for the breaches of the house.
  • 2 Kings 14:9 And Jehoash the king of Israel sent to Amaziah king of Judah, saying, The thistle that was in Lebanon sent to the cedar that was in Lebanon, saying, Give thy daughter to my son to wife: and there passed by a wild beast that was in Lebanon, and trode down the thistle.

“Bethshemesh” Hebrew H1053 · used in 19 verses

  • Joshua 15:10 And the border compassed from Baalah westward unto mount Seir, and passed along unto the side of mount Jearim, which is Chesalon, on the north side, and went down to Bethshemesh, and passed on to Timnah:
  • 1 Samuel 6:12 And the kine took the straight way to the way of Bethshemesh, and went along the highway, lowing as they went, and turned not aside to the right hand or to the left; and the lords of the Philistines went after them unto the border of Bethshemesh.
  • 2 Kings 14:11 But Amaziah would not hear. Therefore Jehoash king of Israel went up; and he and Amaziah king of Judah looked one another in the face at Bethshemesh, which belongeth to Judah.

“corner” Hebrew H6438 · used in 28 verses

  • Exodus 27:2 And thou shalt make the horns of it upon the four corners thereof: his horns shall be of the same: and thou shalt overlay it with brass.
  • Nehemiah 3:31 After him repaired Malchiah the goldsmith's son unto the place of the Nethinims, and of the merchants, over against the gate Miphkad, and to the going up of the corner.
  • Isaiah 28:16 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste.

“Ahaziah” Hebrew H274 · used in 30 verses

  • 1 Kings 22:40 So Ahab slept with his fathers; and Ahaziah his son reigned in his stead.
  • 2 Kings 9:16 So Jehu rode in a chariot, and went to Jezreel; for Joram lay there. And Ahaziah king of Judah was come down to see Joram.
  • 1 Chronicles 3:11 Joram his son, Ahaziah his son, Joash his son,