TRV
Translation
King James Version
For the LORD saw the affliction of Israel, that it was very bitter: for there was not any shut up, nor any left, nor any helper for Israel.
Complete Jewish Bible
For ADONAI saw how bitterly Isra'el had suffered, with no one left, either slave or free, and no one coming to Isra'el's aid.
Berean Standard Bible
For the LORD saw that the affliction of the Israelites, both slave and free, was very bitter. There was no one to help Israel,
American Standard Version
For Jehovah saw the affliction of Israel, that it was very bitter; for there was none shut up nor left at large, neither was there any helper for Israel.
World English Bible Messianic
For the LORD saw the affliction of Israel, that it was very bitter; for there was no one shut up nor left at large, neither was there any helper for Israel.
Geneva Bible (1599)
For the Lord saw the exceeding bitter affliction of Israel, so that there was none shutte vp, nor any left, neyther yet any that could helpe Israel.
Young's Literal Translation
for Jehovah hath seen the affliction of Israel--very bitter, and there is none restrained, and there is none left, and there is no helper to Israel;
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In the KJVVerse 9,923 of 31,102
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Commentary on 2 Kings 14 verses 23–29
23 ¶ In the fifteenth year of Amaziah the son of Joash king of Judah Jeroboam the son of Joash king of Israel began to reign in Samaria, and reigned forty and one years.
24 And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD: he departed not from all the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin.
25 He restored the coast of Israel from the entering of Hamath unto the sea of the plain, according to the word of the LORD God of Israel, which he spake by the hand of his servant Jonah, the son of Amittai, the prophet, which was of Gathhepher.
26 For the LORD saw the affliction of Israel, that it was very bitter: for there was not any shut up, nor any left, nor any helper for Israel.
27 And the LORD said not that he would blot out the name of Israel from under heaven: but he saved them by the hand of Jeroboam the son of Joash.
28 Now the rest of the acts of Jeroboam, and all that he did, and his might, how he warred, and how he recovered Damascus, and Hamath, which belonged to Judah, for Israel, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?
29 And Jeroboam slept with his fathers, even with the kings of Israel; and Zachariah his son reigned in his stead.
Here is an account of the reign of Jeroboam the second. I doubt it is an indication of the affection and adherence of the house of Jehu to the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin, that they called an heir-apparent to the crown by his name, thinking that an honourable name which in the book of God is infamous and stigmatized as much as any.
I. His reign was long, the longest of all the reigns of the kings of Israel: He reigned forty-one years; yet his contemporary Azariah, the king of Judah, reigned longer, even fifty-two years. This Jeroboam reigned just as long as Asa had done (Kg1 15:10), yet one did that which was good and the other that which was evil. We cannot measure men's characters by the length of their lives or by their outward prosperity. There is one event to the righteous and to the wicked.
II. His character was the same with that of the rest of those kings: He did that which was evil (Kg2 14:24), for he departed not from the sins of Jeroboam; he kept up the worship of the calves, and never left that, thinking there was no harm in it, because it had been the way of all his ancestors and predecessors. But a sin is never the less evil in God's sight, whatever it is in ours, for its being an ancient usage; and a frivolous plea it will be against doing good, that we have been accustomed to do evil.
III. Yet he prospered more than most of them, for though, in that one thing, he did evil in the sight of the Lord, yet it is likely, in other respects, there was some good found in him and therefore God owned him, 1. By prophecy. He raised up Jonah the son of Amittai, a Galilean (so much were those mistaken that said, Out of Galilee ariseth no prophet, Joh 7:52), and by him intimated the purposes of his favour to Israel, notwithstanding their provocations, encouraged him and his kingdom to take up arms for the recovery of their ancient possessions, and (which would contribute not a little to their success) assured them of victory. It is a sign that God has not cast off his people if he continue faithful ministers among them; when Elisha, who strengthened the hands of Joash, was removed, Jonah was sent to encourage his son. Happy is the land that has a succession of prophets running parallel with a succession of princes, that the word of the Lord may endure for ever. Of this Jonah we read much in that little book of scripture that bears his name. It is probable that it was when he was a young man, and fit for such an expedition, that God sent him to Nineveh, and that it was when he had yet been but a little conversant with the visions of God that he flew off and fretted as he did; and, if so, this is an undoubted evidence of the forgiveness of his faults and follies, that he was afterwards employed as a messenger of mercy to Israel. A commission amounts to a pardon, and he that had himself found mercy, notwithstanding his provocations, could the better encourage them with the hope of mercy notwithstanding theirs. Some that have been foolish and passionate, and have gone about their work very awkwardly at first, yet afterwards have proved useful and eminent. Men must not be thrown away for every fault. 2. By providence. The event was according to the word of the Lord: his arms were successful; he restored the coast of Israel, recovered those frontier-towns and countries that lay from Hamath in the north to the sea of the plain, (that is, the sea of Sodom) in the south, all which the Syrians had possessed themselves of, v. 25. Two reasons are here given why God blessed them with those victories: - (1.) Because their distress was very great, which made them the objects of his compassion, v. 26. Though he saw not any signs of their repentance and formation, yet he saw their affliction, that it was very bitter. Those that lived in those countries which the enemies were masters of were miserably oppressed and enslaved, and could call nothing their own; the rest, we may suppose, were much impoverished by the frequent incursions the enemy made upon them to plunder them, and continually terrified by their threatenings, so that there was none shut up or left, both towns and countries were laid waste and stripped of their wealth, and no helper appeared. To this extremity were they reduced, in many parts of the country, in the beginning of Jeroboam's reign, when God, in mere pity to them, heard the cry of their affliction (for no mention is made here of the cry of their prayers), and wrought this deliverance for them by the hand of Jeroboam. Let those whose case is pitiable take comfort from the divine pity; we read of God's bowels of mercy (Isa 63:15; Jer 31:20) and that he is full of compassion, Psa 86:15. (2.) Because the decree had not yet gone forth for their utter destruction; he had not as yet said he would blot out the name of Israel (Kg2 14:27), and because he had not said it he would not do it. If this be understood of the dispersion of the ten tribes, he did say it and do it, for that name still remains under heaven in the gospel Israel, and will to the end of time; and because they, at present, bore that name which was to have this lasting honour, he showed them this favour, as well as for the sake of the ancient honour of that name, Kg2 13:23.
IV. Here is the conclusion of Jeroboam's reign. We read (Kg2 14:28) of his might, and how he warred, but (Kg2 14:29) he slept with his fathers; for the mightiest must yield to death, and there is no discharge in that war. Many prophets there had been in Israel, a constant succession of them in every age, but none of the prophets had left any of their prophecies in writing till those of this age began to do it, and their prophecies are part of the canon of scripture. It was in the reign of this Jeroboam that Hosea (who continued very long a prophet) began to prophesy, and he was the first that wrote his prophecies; therefore the word of the Lord by him is called the beginning of the word of the Lord, Hos 1:2. Then that part of the word of the Lord began to be written. At the same time Amos prophesied, and wrote his prophecy, soon afterwards Micah, and then Isaiah, in the days of Ahaz and Hezekiah. Thus God never left himself without witness, but, in the darkest and most degenerate ages of the church, raised up some to be burning and shining lights in it to their own age by their preaching and living, and a few by their writings to reflect light upon us on whom the ends of the world have come.
Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 23–29. Public domain.
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Ephrem the SyrianAD 373
ON THE SECOND BOOK OF KINGS 14:23
“In the fifteenth year of King Amaziah son of Joash of Judah, King Jeroboam son of Joash of Israel began to reign in Samaria; he reigned forty-one years. He restored the border of Israel from Lebo-hamath as far as the Sea of the Arabah, according to the word of the Lord, the God of Israel, which he spoke by his servant Jonah son of Amittai, the prophet.” This is the same Jonah who preached the repentance of Nineveh. And the Sea of Arabah is the same that the Scripture calls elsewhere the “salt sea,” situated on the border with Canaan, of which the city of Hamath, beside the Mount Lebanon, is the other northern border. Jeroboam honored the prophet Jonah as his father had honored Elisha and recurred to his useful work, so that, being encouraged by his predictions and advice, was able to conquer back the cities occupied by the Syrians.
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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SUMMARY
Second Kings 14:26 vividly portrays the utterly desperate condition of the Northern Kingdom of Israel during the reign of Jeroboam II, emphasizing God's profound awareness of their intense suffering and complete lack of internal or external assistance. Despite Israel's persistent idolatry and moral decay, this verse underscores the divine compassion that moved the Lord to act in mercy, preventing the nation's total annihilation and initiating a period of surprising restoration.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
The verse employs several powerful literary devices to convey Israel's dire situation and God's compassionate response. Anthropomorphism is evident in "the LORD saw," attributing a human sense (sight) to God to emphasize His active awareness and intimate knowledge of Israel's suffering. This is not merely a passive observation but a concerned gaze that precedes divine action. Hyperbole and Merism are combined in the phrase "not any shut up, nor any left," which exaggerates the extent of Israel's desolation to emphasize that absolutely no one, from any segment of society, was capable of providing assistance. This vivid imagery underscores the nation's utter helplessness. The repetition of "nor any" (implied in the Hebrew structure) creates a sense of anaphora or parallelism, reinforcing the pervasive nature of their need and the complete absence of any source of hope or aid within their own capabilities or from external human sources.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
This verse profoundly illustrates God's sovereign compassion and His commitment to His covenant people, even when they are undeserving. It reveals that God's mercy is not earned but flows from His character and His overarching redemptive plan. Despite Israel's deep-seated idolatry and moral corruption, God "saw" their bitter affliction and acted to preserve them from total destruction, demonstrating His patience and long-suffering. This divine intervention was a delay of deserved judgment, offering another opportunity for repentance, though tragically, Israel would largely fail to seize it. It highlights a recurring biblical pattern: God's faithfulness endures even when His people are unfaithful, ensuring the continuation of His redemptive purposes through a remnant.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
2 Kings 14:26 offers immense comfort and a powerful challenge for believers today. It assures us that God is not distant or indifferent to our suffering. When our own lives feel "very bitter," when we perceive "no helper," and when we are "shut up" by circumstances or feel "left" alone in our struggles, this verse reminds us that the Lord sees. His gaze is one of compassionate awareness, not condemnation. His intervention may not always manifest in the ways we expect, nor does it imply our deservingness, but it is rooted in His unchanging character of mercy, faithfulness, and sovereign power. This should cultivate a deep trust in His providence, encouraging us to cry out to Him in our helplessness, knowing that He is able to bring relief and restoration even when all human avenues are exhausted. It also challenges us to cultivate a similar compassionate awareness for those around us who are suffering, reflecting God's heart in our own actions.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Does God's intervention here mean He approved of Israel's idolatry under Jeroboam II?
Answer: No, God's intervention in 2 Kings 14:26 does not signify His approval of Israel's persistent idolatry or the spiritual decline prevalent during Jeroboam II's reign, which is clearly condemned by prophets like Amos and Hosea. Rather, it highlights God's profound compassion and His faithfulness to His covenant promises, despite Israel's unfaithfulness. The text explicitly states that Jeroboam II "did what was evil in the sight of the LORD" and "did not depart from all the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat" (2 Kings 14:24). God's action was an act of unmerited mercy, a delay of deserved judgment, intended to preserve a remnant of His people and prevent their complete annihilation, thereby ensuring the continuation of His redemptive plan for humanity. It demonstrates His long-suffering and His commitment to His covenant, even when His people are disobedient.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
The desperate plight of Israel in 2 Kings 14:26, utterly helpless and without a helper, finds its ultimate fulfillment and resolution in the person and work of Jesus Christ. Israel's cry for a "helper" foreshadows humanity's universal need for a deliverer from the bitter affliction of sin and its consequences, a state where "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23). Just as the Lord "saw" Israel's suffering and sent Jeroboam II as an imperfect, temporary deliverer, so too did God, in His ultimate compassion, "see" the bitter affliction of a fallen world and send His Son, Jesus, as the perfect and eternal Helper. Jesus is the true "Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!" (John 1:29), the one who, when there was "no helper" among humanity capable of redeeming itself, willingly laid down His life (Romans 5:6-8). He is the ultimate fulfillment of God's promise to preserve His people, not just physically, but spiritually, offering eternal salvation to all who believe (John 3:16). In Christ, the compassionate gaze of God finds its fullest expression, offering not just a delay of judgment but complete redemption and reconciliation with a holy God (2 Corinthians 5:19).