2 Kings – Chapter 14

Old Testament29 Verses

Chapter Summary

"In the second year of Joas son of Joachaz, king of Israel, reigned Amasias son of Joas, king of Juda." — so begins 2 Kings 14. The chapter centers on David, Zechariah and Jonah. Across its 29 verses, two threads run through the text: family and covenant relationships and God's kingdom and kingship. The Church invites us to read this chapter within the whole sweep of salvation history, where every page points toward Christ.

1In the second year of Joas son of Joachaz, king of Israel, reigned Amasias son of Joas, king of Juda.

2He was five and twenty years old when he began to reign; and nine and twenty years he reigned in Jerusalem; the name of his mother was Joadan, of Jerusalem.

3And he did that which was right before the Lord, but yet not like David his father. He did according to all things that Joas his father, did:

4But this only, that he took not away the high places; for yet the people sacrificed, and burnt incense in the high places:

5And when he had possession of the kingdom, he put his servants to death that had slain the king, his father.

6But the children of the murderers he did not put to death, according to that which is written in the book of the law of Moses, wherein the Lord commanded, saying: The fathers shall not be put to death for the children, neither shall the children be put to death for the fathers: but every man shall die for his own sin.

7He slew of Edom in the valley of the Saltpits, ten thousand men, and took the rock by war, and called the name thereof Jectehel, unto this day.

8Then Amasias sent messengers to Joas, son of Joachaz, son of Jehu, king of Israel, saying: Come, let us see one another.

9And Joas, king of Israel, sent again to Amasias, king of Juda, saying: A thistle of Libanus sent to a cedar tree, which is in Libanus, saying: Give thy daughter to my son to wife. And the beasts of the forest, that are in Libanus, passed, and trod down the thistle.

10Thou hast beaten and prevailed over Edom, and thy heart hath lifted thee up; be content with this glory, and sit at home; why provokest thou evil, that thou shouldst fall, and Juda with thee?

11But Amasias did not rest satisfied. So Joas, king of Israel, went up; and he and Amasias, king of Juda, saw one another in Bethsames, a town in Juda.

12And Juda was put to the worse before Israel, and they fled every man to their dwellings.

13But Joas, king of Israel, took Amasias, king of Juda, the son of Joas, the son of Ochozias, in Bethsames, and brought him into Jerusalem; and he broke down the wall of Jerusalem, from the gate of Ephraim to the gate of the corner, four hundred cubits.

14And he took all the gold and silver, and all the vessels that were found in the house of the Lord, and in the king's treasures, and hostages, and returned to Samaria.

15But the rest of the acts of Joas, which he did, and his valour, wherewith he fought against Amasias, king of Juda, are they not written in the book of the words of the days of the kings of Israel?

16And Joas slept with his fathers, and was buried in Samaria, with the kings of Israel: and Jeroboam, his son, reigned in his stead.

17And Amasias, the son of Joas, king of Juda, lived after the death of Joas, son of Joachaz, king of Israel, fifteen years.

18And the rest of the acts of Amasias, are they not written in the book of the words of the days of the kings of Juda?

19Now they made a conspiracy against him in Jerusalem: and he fled to Lachis. And they sent after him to Lachis, and killed him there.

20And they brought him away upon horses, and he was buried in Jerusalem with his fathers, in the city of David.

21And all the people of Juda took Azarias, who was sixteen years old, and made him king instead of his father, Amasias.

22He built Elath, and restored it to Juda, after that the king slept with his fathers.

23In the fifteenth year of Amasias, son of Joas, king of Juda, reigned Jeroboam, the son of Joas, king of Israel, in Samaria, one and forty years:

24And he did that which is evil before the Lord. He departed not from all the sins of Jeroboam, the son of Nabat, who made Israel to sin.

25He restored the borders of Israel from the entrance of Emath, unto the sea of the wilderness, according to the word of the Lord, the God of Israel, which he spoke by his servant, Jonas, the son of Amathi, the prophet, who was of Geth, which is in Opher.

26For the Lord saw the affliction of Israel, that it was exceedingly bitter, and that they were consumed even to them that were shut up in prison, and the lowest persons, and that there was no one to help Israel.

27And the Lord did not say that he would blot out the name of Israel from under heaven; but he saved them by the hand of Jeroboam, the son of Joas.

28But the rest of the acts of Jeroboam, and all that he did, and his valour, wherewith he fought, and how he restored Damascus and Emath to Juda, in Israel, are they not written in the book of the words of the days of the kings of Israel?

29And Jeroboam slept with his fathers, the kings of Israel; and Zacharias, his son, reigned in his stead.

Important Verses in 2 Kings 14

In the second year of Joas son of Joachaz, king of Israel, reigned Amasias son of Joas, king of Juda.

2 Kings 14:1

And when he had possession of the kingdom, he put his servants to death that had slain the king, his father.

2 Kings 14:5

Thou hast beaten and prevailed over Edom, and thy heart hath lifted thee up; be content with this glory, and sit at home; why provokest thou evil, that thou shouldst fall, and Juda with thee?

2 Kings 14:10

And the Lord did not say that he would blot out the name of Israel from under heaven; but he saved them by the hand of Jeroboam, the son of Joas.

2 Kings 14:27

Historical Context

As a Old Testament book, 2 Kings was written with the exiles in Babylon, called to repentance and hope in view. Chapter 14 of 25 stands in the central portion of the book, where decisive events or teachings take shape. It is a genealogical record linking earlier promises to later generations with 29 verses in the Douay-Rheims translation. The chapter focuses on David, Zechariah, Jonah and Moses, whose actions and words drive the passage forward. The chapter begins: "In the second year of Joas son of Joachaz, king of Israel, reigned Amasias son of Joas, king of Juda." It concludes: "And Jeroboam slept with his fathers, the kings of Israel; and Zacharias, his son, reigned in his stead. " The wider setting of 2 Kings is this: Second Kings continues from Elijah's fiery departure and Elisha's ministry to the destruction of both kingdoms: Israel fell to Assyria in 722 BC and Judah to Babylon in 587 BC, when the Temple was burned. The book's material reflects the era summarized as follows: Events from about 850 to 560 BC; final form during the Babylonian exile.

Who Wrote It

Unknown; compiled by prophetic circles, traditionally linked to Jeremiah

When It Was Written

Events from about 850 to 560 BC; final form during the Babylonian exile

Catholic Commentary

This chapter traces lines of descent that connect earlier promises to later figures in salvation history. A pivotal line is verse 1: "In the second year of Joas son of Joachaz, king of Israel, reigned Amasias son of Joas, king of Juda." The passage repeatedly touches on family and covenant relationships.

The Church teaches that every passage of Scripture must be read in light of Christ and the Magisterium (CIC 1700). Here, the prophets prepared for Christ and called Israel to repentance (CIC 64, 522). The spiritual sense invites believers to recognize family and covenant relationships as part of God's pedagogy of salvation.

The moral and spiritual import remains timely: The family is the first school of faith, where love, obedience, and forgiveness are learned.. St. Jerome insisted that ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ; this chapter offers material for meditation, examination of conscience, and deeper love of God.

Main Teachings

  • The family is the first school of faith, where love, obedience, and forgiveness are learned.
  • God's kingdom is not of this world; every earthly throne stands under His eternal reign.
  • Sin has real consequences, but God's judgment always aims at conversion and restoration.

People in This Chapter

David2 mentionsZechariah1 mentionJonah1 mentionMoses1 mention

Reflection for Today

Catholic exegesis approaches 2 Kings Chapter 14 with reverence, seeking both the literal sense and the spiritual meaning ordered to Christ.

Catholic theology recognizes that prophets, kings, and exile is not an abstract idea but a reality encountered in prayer, sacraments, and charity. This chapter contributes to that vision by stressing forgiveness and reconciliation.

May your reading of 2 Kings Chapter 14 become true lectio divina: read the words, meditate on their meaning, respond in prayer, and rest in God's presence. Ask the Holy Spirit to show how God sends prophets to call His people back applies to your life today.

💡Catholic Reflection • Church Teachings

Frequently Asked Questions

What is 2 Kings Chapter 14 about?

2 Kings 14 contains 29 verses. It opens with "In the second year of Joas son of Joachaz, king of Israel, reigned Amasias son of Joas, king of Juda." and closes with "And Jeroboam slept with his fathers, the kings of Israel; and Zacharias, his son, reigned in his stead. ". The book as a whole is historical narrative with prophetic accounts.

What is a key verse in 2 Kings 14?

One of the most significant verses is verse 1: "In the second year of Joas son of Joachaz, king of Israel, reigned Amasias son of Joas, king of Juda." It is often cited in Catholic teaching and preaching.

Who appears in 2 Kings Chapter 14?

This chapter mentions David, Zechariah, Jonah, Moses.

Who wrote 2 Kings and when?

Unknown; compiled by prophetic circles, traditionally linked to Jeremiah. Events from about 850 to 560 BC; final form during the Babylonian exile.

Deepen your understanding with these related articles