And the LORD said, I will remove Judah also out of my sight, as I have removed Israel, and will cast off this city Jerusalem which I have chosen, and the house of which I said, My name shall be there.

2 KINGS 23:27KJV
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2 Kings 23:27 (KJV)

What does 2 Kings 23:27 mean?

2 Kings 23:27 records God’s decision to reject Judah, Jerusalem, and the temple, just as He had previously rejected Israel. The verse shows that even though God had chosen Jerusalem and the temple as special, persistent disobedience led Him to declare that He would no longer protect or favor them.

In this verse, the LORD (God) is speaking about Judah, the southern kingdom, after the northern kingdom of Israel had already been conquered and exiled. Despite King Josiah’s reforms, the people’s long history of turning away from God leads to this severe announcement. God says He will “remove” (turn away) Judah from His “sight,” cast off Jerusalem, and reject the temple where He had placed His name, meaning His presence and blessing would no longer rest there.

The Hebrew behind 2 Kings 23:27

  • LORD (יְהוָה, YHWH): This is the personal name of God in the Hebrew Bible, emphasizing that the decision comes from Israel’s covenant God.
  • remove (סוּר, sur): This word means to turn aside or take away. Here, it highlights God’s active decision to distance Himself from Judah, not just a passive withdrawal.
  • cast off (מָאַס, ma'as): This word means to reject or despise. It shows the strong sense of God’s rejection of Jerusalem and the temple, not just leaving them but actively rejecting them.
  • name (שֵׁם, shem): Refers to God’s reputation, presence, and authority. Saying “My name shall be there” meant that the temple was meant to be the special place of God’s presence.

Why 2 Kings 23:27 matters

  • This verse makes clear that God’s choice of Jerusalem and the temple was not a guarantee of permanent protection, but was always connected to the people’s faithfulness.
  • The verse helps explain why, despite Josiah’s good actions, Judah still faced judgment—showing that deep, long-term disobedience has consequences.
  • It connects the fate of Judah to that of Israel, underlining that both kingdoms were held to the same standard and both could lose God’s favor if they turned away from Him.

Where else these words appear

“off” Hebrew H3988 · used in 69 verses

  • Leviticus 26:15 And if ye shall despise my statutes, or if your soul abhor my judgments, so that ye will not do all my commandments, but that ye break my covenant:
  • Job 31:13 If I did despise the cause of my manservant or of my maidservant, when they contended with me;
  • Isaiah 41:9 Thou whom I have taken from the ends of the earth, and called thee from the chief men thereof, and said unto thee, Thou art my servant; I have chosen thee, and not cast thee away.