2 Kings 14:17 (KJV)

What does 2 Kings 14:17 mean?

2 Kings 14:17 states that Amaziah, the son of Joash and king of Judah, continued to live for fifteen years after the death of Jehoash, who was the king of Israel and son of Jehoahaz. This verse marks a specific time frame in the lives of these two kings, showing how long Amaziah survived after his northern counterpart died.

The verse is part of a historical account in the book of 2 Kings, which records the reigns of the kings of Judah and Israel. Here, the writer is noting a chronological detail: after a conflict between Amaziah and Jehoash, Amaziah outlived Jehoash by fifteen years. This helps the reader track the timeline of events and the overlap between the reigns of these two rulers.

The Hebrew behind 2 Kings 14:17

• The word for "lived" is חָיָה (chayah), which means to remain alive or continue living. This word emphasizes that Amaziah’s life continued for a significant period after Jehoash’s death, not just a brief time.
• The phrase "after the death" uses אַחֲרֵי מוֹת (acharei mavet), where מוֹת (mavet) means "death." This marks a clear division in the narrative, showing that the events are being measured from Jehoash’s passing.
• The number "fifteen" is expressed as חֲמֵשׁ עֶשְׂרֵה (chamesh esreh), a combination of "five" and "ten," which is the standard Hebrew way of forming numbers above ten. This detail grounds the timeline in a specific historical count.

Why 2 Kings 14:17 matters

• This verse helps clarify the sequence of events between the kingdoms of Judah and Israel, showing how the reigns of their kings overlapped and interacted.
• By specifying the fifteen-year period, the verse allows readers to better understand the chronology of the kings and the historical context of their actions.
• The verse also sets up the following events in Amaziah’s reign, providing a marker for when later incidents took place relative to the reign of Jehoash of Israel.