2 Kings 11:2

Translation
King James Version
But Jehosheba, the daughter of king Joram, sister of Ahaziah, took Joash the son of Ahaziah, and stole him from among the king's sons which were slain; and they hid him, even him and his nurse, in the bedchamber from Athaliah, so that he was not slain.
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KJV (with Strong's)
But Jehosheba H3089, the daughter H1323 of king H4428 Joram H3141, sister H269 of Ahaziah H274, took H3947 Joash H3101 the son H1121 of Ahaziah H274, and stole H1589 him from among H8432 the king's H4428 sons H1121 which were slain H4191; and they hid H5641 him, even him and his nurse H3243, in the bedchamber H2315 H4296 from H6440 Athaliah H6271, so that he was not slain H4191.
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Complete Jewish Bible
But Y'hosheva the daughter of King Yoram, sister of Achazyah, took Yo'ash the son of Achazyah and stole him away from among the princes who were being slaughtered. She took him and his nurse, sequestered them in a bedroom, and hid them from 'Atalyah, so that he was not killed.
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Berean Standard Bible
But Jehosheba daughter of King Joram, the sister of Ahaziah, took Joash son of Ahaziah and stole him away from among the sons of the king who were being murdered. She put him and his nurse in a bedroom to hide him from Athaliah, and he was not killed.
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American Standard Version
But Jehosheba, the daughter of king Joram, sister of Ahaziah, took Joash the son of Ahaziah, and stole him away from among the king’s sons that were slain, even him and his nurse, and put them in the bedchamber; and they hid him from Athaliah, so that he was not slain;
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World English Bible Messianic
But Jehosheba, the daughter of king Joram, sister of Ahaziah, took Joash the son of Ahaziah, and stole him away from among the king’s sons who were slain, even him and his nurse, and put them in the bedroom; and they hid him from Athaliah, so that he was not slain;
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Geneva Bible (1599)
But Iehosheba the daughter of King Ioram, and sister to Ahaziah tooke Ioash the sonne of Ahaziah, and stale him from among the Kings sonnes that shoulde be slaine, both him and his nource, keeping them in the bed chaber, and they hid him from Athaliah, so that he was not slaine.
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Young's Literal Translation
and Jehosheba daughter of king Joram, sister of Ahaziah, taketh Joash son of Ahaziah, and stealeth him out of the midst of the sons of the king who are put to death, him and his nurse, in the inner part of the bed-chambers, and they hide him from the presence of Athaliah, and he hath not been put to death,
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See also
2 Kings 8:16Isaiah 65:8Isaiah 65:92 Kings 11:212 Kings 12:2Jeremiah 33:17Proverbs 21:30
In the KJVVerse 9,832 of 31,102

Study This Verse

SUMMARY

Second Kings 11:2 narrates the miraculous preservation of Joash, the infant son of King Ahaziah, from the genocidal purge initiated by his grandmother, Queen Athaliah. In a moment of extreme peril for the Davidic dynasty, Jehosheba, Ahaziah's sister, bravely intervened, secretly taking Joash and his nurse and hiding them away in the bedchamber. This clandestine act of defiance ensured the survival of the royal lineage, a critical event for the fulfillment of God's covenant promises and the ultimate arrival of the Messiah.

CONTEXT

  • Literary Context: This verse immediately follows the account of Athaliah's ruthless seizure of power in 2 Kings 11:1. King Ahaziah, Athaliah's son, had just been killed by Jehu (as detailed in 2 Kings 9:27), leaving a power vacuum. Athaliah, a daughter of Ahab and Jezebel, responded to her son's death not with grief but with a calculated and brutal act: the extermination of all potential heirs to the throne from the royal house of Judah. This act, described in 2 Kings 11:1, sets the stage for the desperate and heroic rescue described in verse 2, which is the sole exception to Athaliah's murderous decree. The narrative then progresses to describe Joash's six years of hidden life in the temple (2 Kings 11:3), culminating in his public anointing as king and Athaliah's overthrow (2 Kings 11:4-16).
  • Historical & Cultural Context: The events unfold in Judah during a turbulent period marked by political instability and spiritual decline. Athaliah's lineage from the Omride dynasty of Israel (Ahab and Jezebel) meant she was steeped in Baal worship and ruthless political maneuvering, a stark contrast to the Davidic line's nominal adherence to Yahweh. Her massacre of the royal seed was an unprecedented act of usurpation in Judah, where the Davidic dynasty had been divinely established. Kings typically ascended the throne through hereditary succession, and the complete annihilation of the royal family would have been seen as an attempt to sever the covenant line and establish a new, illegitimate regime. The hiding of Joash in the temple, a sacred space, provided not only physical security but also symbolic protection under the very presence of Yahweh, highlighting the religious dimension of this political struggle.
  • Key Themes: The preservation of Joash in 2 Kings 11:2 is central to several overarching themes in the Books of Kings. Firstly, it powerfully illustrates Divine Providence and Preservation, demonstrating God's sovereign hand at work even amidst human wickedness and chaos. Despite Athaliah's attempt to extinguish the Davidic line, God supernaturally ensures its continuity, underscoring His faithfulness to His promises. Secondly, it highlights the Faithfulness of Individuals, specifically Jehosheba (and later Jehoiada), who act with courage and righteousness in the face of overwhelming evil, risking their lives to protect the vulnerable and uphold God's purposes. Thirdly, and most critically, this event is a pivotal moment for the Davidic Covenant. God had promised David an enduring dynasty and an eternal throne (as seen in 2 Samuel 7:12-16). Athaliah's actions directly threatened this covenant, and Joash's survival ensured that the "lamp" of David would not be extinguished, maintaining the royal lineage through which the Messiah would eventually come. This narrative reinforces the theological conviction that God's plans cannot be thwarted by human rebellion.

EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

Key Word Analysis

  • stole (Hebrew, gânab', H1589): This verb (H1589) means "to thieve (literally or figuratively); by implication, to deceive; carry away, secretly bring, steal (away), get by stealth." In this context, Jehosheba's act was a clandestine, urgent, and covert removal of Joash, not for criminal gain but for rescue. It highlights the desperate circumstances and the hidden nature of the rescue, emphasizing the necessity of circumventing Athaliah's murderous decree.
  • hid (Hebrew, çâthar', H5641): The verb (H5641) means "to hide (by covering), literally or figuratively; to keep close, conceal, or keep secret." This term reinforces the secretive and protective nature of Joash's preservation. Coupled with "stole," it paints a picture of deliberate concealment, underscoring the extreme measures taken to keep the vulnerable infant safe from Athaliah's reach. The act of hiding was crucial for the six-year period of secret protection that followed.
  • bedchamber (Hebrew, cheder', H2315): This noun (H2315) refers to "an apartment, usually literal; an inner chamber or innermost part." While the KJV uses "bedchamber" (a compound of cheder and mittah), cheder itself denotes a private, often secure, inner room. Its mention here underscores the immediate danger and the quick thinking required, as it served as the initial, temporary hiding place before Joash was moved to the more secure temple precincts. Ironically, a place of intimacy and vulnerability became a site of salvation.

Verse Breakdown

  • "But Jehosheba, the daughter of king Joram, sister of Ahaziah, took Joash the son of Ahaziah,": This clause introduces the key protagonist, Jehosheba, and meticulously defines her royal lineage. She is identified as King Joram's daughter and Ahaziah's sister, making her Joash's aunt. This familial connection provides the motivation and opportunity for her heroic intervention, underscoring that the rescue came from within the royal family itself, a stark contrast to Athaliah's internal threat.
  • "and stole him from among the king's sons [which were] slain;": This powerful phrase reveals the horrific context of Athaliah's massacre. Joash was literally snatched from the midst of his murdered half-brothers, emphasizing the scale of the slaughter and the immediate peril he faced. The use of "stole" highlights the clandestine and urgent nature of the rescue, an act of defiance against a genocidal decree.
  • "and they hid him, [even] him and his nurse, in the bedchamber from Athaliah,": This clause describes the initial act of concealment. "They hid him" implies that Jehosheba was not alone in this endeavor; his nurse was also involved, signifying the immediate care and protection Joash received. The "bedchamber" served as a temporary, secret refuge, a desperate first step to evade Athaliah's murderous search.
  • "so that he was not slain.": This concise concluding clause states the ultimate, miraculous outcome. Despite Athaliah's determined efforts to eradicate the royal line, Joash's life was preserved. This outcome is not merely a fortunate escape but a testament to divine providence, ensuring the continuity of the Davidic dynasty against all odds.

Literary Devices

The narrative of 2 Kings 11:2 is rich with literary devices that amplify its theological and dramatic impact. Irony is prominent, as Athaliah's ruthless attempt to secure her power by eliminating all heirs inadvertently leads to the very person who will eventually overthrow her being saved under her nose. The "bedchamber," a place of privacy and vulnerability, becomes the ironic site of salvation. There is a strong contrast between the brutal, power-hungry Athaliah and the courageous, compassionate Jehosheba, highlighting the moral divide within the royal family. The narrative also employs suspense, as the reader is left to wonder about Joash's fate after the initial rescue, only to discover his hidden survival. Furthermore, the preservation of Joash serves as powerful foreshadowing of God's unwavering faithfulness to His covenant with David, ensuring the continuation of the royal line from which the Messiah would ultimately descend. The entire episode is a testament to divine providence, where God's unseen hand works through human agents to achieve His purposes, even in the darkest of times.

THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS

The rescue of Joash in 2 Kings 11:2 is a profound theological statement about God's unwavering faithfulness to His covenant promises, particularly the Davidic Covenant. Athaliah's attempted genocide was not merely a political coup; it was a direct assault on God's plan to establish an eternal dynasty through David. The survival of Joash, the sole remaining heir, demonstrates that no human wickedness or power can thwart the divine will. It underscores the theme of divine preservation, where God actively intervenes to protect His chosen line and ensure the continuity of His redemptive purposes. This event serves as a powerful reminder that God is sovereign over history, working even through the courage of individuals like Jehosheba to bring about His ultimate design.

REFLECTION AND APPLICATION

The story of Joash's rescue in 2 Kings 11:2 offers profound lessons for believers today. It reminds us that even in the darkest valleys of human history, where evil seems to triumph and hope appears lost, God remains sovereign and actively at work. Jehosheba's courageous act of defiance, risking her own life to save a vulnerable infant, challenges us to consider our own response to injustice and oppression. Are we willing to stand for righteousness, protect the innocent, and act with integrity even when it demands personal sacrifice or goes against prevailing evil? This narrative also reinforces the enduring faithfulness of God to His covenants and promises. Just as He preserved the Davidic line against overwhelming odds, He remains faithful to His promises to us, providing hope that His ultimate plans for redemption and restoration will prevail despite human opposition or seemingly insurmountable obstacles. We are called to trust in His providence, even when His hand is unseen, and to participate in His work of preserving life and upholding justice in our own spheres of influence.

Questions for Reflection

  • In what ways does this story challenge my understanding of God's sovereignty amidst human evil?
  • Who are the "vulnerable" in my community or the world whom God might be calling me to protect or advocate for, even at personal risk?
  • How does Jehosheba's courage inspire me to act faithfully in situations where I might feel powerless or intimidated?
  • What "impossible" situations in my life or the world can I entrust to God's preserving hand, drawing hope from this narrative?

FAQ

What was Athaliah's motivation for killing all the royal heirs?

Answer: Athaliah's primary motivation was to consolidate and secure her own power. As the queen mother, she seized the opportunity presented by her son King Ahaziah's death to eliminate all potential rivals to the throne. Her actions in 2 Kings 11:1 were a ruthless attempt to establish herself as the sole ruler of Judah, breaking the traditional line of succession and effectively usurping the Davidic throne. Her background, as the daughter of the idolatrous King Ahab and Queen Jezebel of Israel, suggests a deep-seated ruthlessness and disregard for the covenantal promises associated with the Davidic dynasty.

CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT

The miraculous preservation of Joash in 2 Kings 11:2 is a powerful testament to God's unwavering commitment to His covenant with David, ultimately pointing to the coming of Jesus Christ. The Davidic covenant, promising an eternal throne and kingdom (as detailed in 2 Samuel 7:12-16), was directly threatened by Athaliah's genocidal purge. Joash's survival ensured the continuity of that royal lineage, a lineage that would eventually lead to Jesus, the true Son of David. Just as Joash was saved from certain death to fulfill God's promise of a king on David's throne, so too was Jesus preserved through various threats to His life (e.g., Herod's massacre of the innocents in Matthew 2:16-18) to ultimately fulfill the Messianic prophecies. Jesus is the ultimate heir to David's throne, the one whose kingdom will have no end (Luke 1:32-33). The preservation of Joash, a fragile infant, foreshadows God's meticulous care for His redemptive plan, culminating in the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, who, through His death and resurrection, secured an eternal kingdom for all who believe.

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Commentary on 2 Kings 11 verses 1–3

God had assured David of the continuance of his family, which is called his ordaining a lamp for his anointed; and this cannot but appear a great thing, now that we have read of the utter extirpation of so many royal families, one after another. Now here we have David's promised lamp almost extinguished and yet wonderfully preserved.

I. It was almost extinguished by the barbarous malice of Athaliah, the queen-mother, who, when she heard that her son Ahaziah was slain by Jehu, arose and destroyed all the seed-royal (Kg2 11:1), all that she knew to be akin to the crown. Her husband Jehoram had slain all his brethren the sons of Jehoshaphat, Ch2 21:4. The Arabians had slain all Jehoram's sons except Ahaziah, Ch2 22:1. Jehu had slain all their sons (Ch2 22:8) and Ahaziah himself. Surely never was royal blood so profusely shed. Happy the men of inferior birth, who live below envy and emulation! But, as if all this were but a small matter, Athaliah destroyed all that were left of the seed-royal. It was strange that one of the tender sex could be so barbarous, that one who had been herself a king's daughter, a king's wife, and a king's mother, could be so barbarous to a royal family, and a family into which she was herself ingrafted; but she did it, 1. From a spirit of ambition. She thirsted after rule, and thought she could not get to it any other way. That none might reign with her, she slew even the infants and sucklings that might have reigned after her. For fear of a competitor, not any must be reserved for a successor. 2. From a spirit of revenge and rage against God. The house of Ahab being utterly destroyed, and her son Ahaziah among the rest, because he was akin to it, she resolved, as it were, by way of reprisal, to destroy the house of David, and cut off his line, in defiance of God's promise to perpetuate it - a foolish attempt and fruitless, for who can disannul what God hath purposed? Grandmothers have been thought more fond of their grandchildren than they were of their own; yet Ahaziah's own mother is the wilful murderer of Ahazaiah's own sons, and in their infancy too, when she was obliged, above any other, to nurse them and take care of them. Well might she be called Athaliah, that wicked woman (Ch2 24:7), Jezebel's own daughter; yet herein God was righteous, and visited the iniquity of Joram and Ahaziah, those degenerate branches of David's house, upon their children.

II. It was wonderfully preserved by the pious care of one of Joram's daughters (who was wife to Jehoiada the priest), who stole away one of the king's sons, Joash by name, and hid him, Kg2 11:2, Kg2 11:3. This was a brand plucked out of the fire; what number were slain we are not told, but, it seems, this being a child in the nurse's arms was not missed, or not enquired after, or at least no found. The person that delivered him was his own aunt, the daughter of wicked Joram; for God will raise up protectors for those whom he will have protected. The place of his safety was the house of the Lord, one of the chambers belonging to the temple, a place Athaliah seldom troubled. His aunt, by bringing him hither, put him under God's special protection, and so hid him by faith, as Moses was hidden. Now were David's words made good to one of his seed (Psa 27:5), In the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me. With good reason did this Joash, when he grew up, set himself to repair the house of the Lord, for it had been a sanctuary to him. Now was the promise made to David bound up in one life, and yet it did not fail. Thus to the son of David will God, according to his promise, secure a spiritual seed, which, though sometimes reduced to a small number, brought very low, and seemingly lost, will be perpetuated to the end of time, hidden sometimes and unseen, but hidden in God's pavilion and unhurt. It was a special providence that Joram, though a king, a wicked king, married his daughter to Jehoiada a priest, a godly priest. Some perhaps thought it a disparagement to the royal family to marry a daughter to a clergyman, but it proved a happy marriage, and the saving of the royal family from ruin; for Jehoiada's interest in the temple gave her an opportunity to preserve the child, and her interest in the royal family gave him an opportunity to set him on the throne. See the wisdom and care of Providence, and how it prepares for what it designs; and see what blessings those lay up in store for their families that marry their children to those that are wise and good.

Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 1–3. Public domain.
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Ishodad of MervAD 850
BOOKS OF SESSIONS 2 KINGS 11:1
Athaliah exterminated all the royal children. In fact, after her son had been killed by Jehu, she had conceived an extremely perfidious and vicious scheme, saying to herself with anger, “I will reign just the same against the will of God by fighting God’s promises, and I will make the posterity of David’s house perish, as the descendants of my father’s house have perished and have been exterminated.” That scheme resembled the treachery that Satan plotted at the beginning against the chief of our race. However, her scheme was not accomplished, but after seven years the kingdom returned to the family of David, thanks to a righteous man, Jehoiada, the husband of Jehosheba, Joram’s daughter, who had brought up Joash, son of Ahaziah.
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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