TRV
Translation
King James Version
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?
KJV (with Strong's)
Now the rest H3499 of the acts H1697 of Jeroboam H3379, and all that he did H6213, and his might H1369, how he warred H3898, and how he recovered H7725 Damascus H1834, and Hamath H2574, which belonged to Judah H3063, for Israel H3478, are they not written H3789 in the book H5612 of the chronicles H1697 H3117 of the kings H4428 of Israel H3478?
Complete Jewish Bible
Other activities of Yarov'am, all his accomplishments, all his power, how he conducted war and how he recovered Dammesek and Hamat for Y'hudah in Isra'el are recorded in the Annals of the Kings of Isra'el.
Berean Standard Bible
As for the rest of the acts of Jeroboam, along with all his accomplishments and might, and how he waged war and recovered both Damascus and Hamath for Israel from Judah, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel?
American Standard Version
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 had belonged to Judah, for Israel, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?
World English Bible Messianic
Now the rest of the acts of Jeroboam, and all that he did, and his might, how he fought, and how he recovered Damascus, and Hamath, which had belonged to Judah, for Israel, aren’t they written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?
Geneva Bible (1599)
Concerning the rest of the actes of Ieroboam, and all that he did, and his valiant deedes, and how he fought, and how he restored Damascus, and Hamath to Iudah in Israel, are they not written in the booke of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel?
Young's Literal Translation
And the rest of the matters of Jeroboam, and all that he did, and his might with which he fought, and with which he brought back Damascus, and Hamath of Judah, into Israel, are they not written on the book of the Chronicles of the kings of Israel?
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In the KJVVerse 9,925 of 31,102
Study This Verse
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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SUMMARY
Second Kings 14:28 provides the concluding summary of the reign of Jeroboam II, one of the most militarily successful kings of the Northern Kingdom of Israel. It succinctly records his significant military achievements and territorial expansions, particularly the recovery of Damascus and Hamath, which restored Israel's borders to a size not seen since the united monarchy. The verse also employs a common Deuteronomistic formula, directing the reader to external, non-biblical historical records for a more comprehensive account of his deeds, including his military prowess and successful campaigns.
CONTEXT
Literary Context: This verse functions as the definitive concluding summary statement for the reign of Jeroboam II, adhering to the established formulaic pattern found throughout the Books of Kings for each monarch. It immediately follows the narrative detailing his lengthy and prosperous rule (c. 793-753 BC) and, significantly, the prophecy delivered by Jonah concerning his territorial expansion, as recorded in 2 Kings 14:25. Despite the impressive military successes and the economic prosperity Israel experienced under Jeroboam II, the preceding verses consistently underscore his profound spiritual failure, explicitly stating that "he did what was evil in the sight of the LORD and did not depart from all the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, which he made Israel to commit" (2 Kings 14:24). Thus, the verse marks the end of a significant, albeit morally compromised, era for the Northern Kingdom, serving as a pivot point before the subsequent tumultuous period leading to its final decline and exile.
Historical & Cultural Context: Jeroboam II's reign coincided with a period of notable weakness for the dominant regional power, the Assyrian Empire, which was preoccupied with internal strife and other external conflicts. This temporary power vacuum provided a crucial window of opportunity for smaller nations, including Israel, to reassert their independence and expand their territories. Damascus, the capital of Aram (Syria), had historically been a formidable adversary of Israel, frequently engaging in warfare and at times exerting significant control over Israelite affairs. Hamath, located further north along the Orontes River, was another strategically important Aramean city-state. Jeroboam II's successful military campaigns against these long-standing rivals, particularly the recovery of Damascus and Hamath, signified a remarkable resurgence of Israelite political, economic, and military power. This expansion brought the Northern Kingdom's borders close to their maximum extent under the united monarchy of David and Solomon, leading to a period of considerable wealth and influence, even though this prosperity was built upon a foundation of spiritual apostasy and social injustice, as condemned by contemporary prophets like Amos and Hosea.
Key Themes: The verse encapsulates several pivotal themes prevalent throughout the Books of Kings. Firstly, it prominently features Military Might and Territorial Expansion, showcasing Jeroboam II's instrumental role in restoring Israel's geopolitical standing and temporary prosperity. Secondly, it powerfully illustrates the theme of Divine Sovereignty and the Fulfillment of Prophecy, as Jeroboam's conquests, despite his personal wickedness, were explicitly foretold by the prophet Jonah (2 Kings 14:25). This demonstrates God's ability to work through imperfect human instruments to achieve His purposes, often out of compassion for His people, as explicitly stated in 2 Kings 14:26-27. Lastly, the concluding rhetorical question, "are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?", points to the Use of External Historical Records by the biblical author. This common literary device signifies that the biblical narrative is selective, focusing on key events and theological insights, while acknowledging that more extensive historical details could be found in the official state archives of the time, thereby affirming the historical grounding of the biblical account.
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
The verse employs several significant Literary Devices. The phrase "the rest of the acts of Jeroboam, and all that he did" utilizes Merism, a rhetorical device where two contrasting or complementary parts are used to represent a complete whole. Here, "the rest of the acts" (implying specific, notable deeds) combined with "all that he did" (implying the totality of his actions) comprehensively covers his entire reign. The concluding question, "are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?", is a classic Rhetorical Question. It is not posed to elicit an answer, but to emphatically affirm a known fact and to direct the reader's attention to the existence of external, corroborating historical documentation. This formula also functions as a Summary Formula or Colophon, a conventional ending for the account of a king's reign in the Deuteronomistic History, signaling the transition to the next king's narrative while providing a sense of historical completeness and authenticity.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Second Kings 14:28, while a seemingly straightforward historical summary, carries profound theological implications. It underscores the theme of God's Sovereignty over History, demonstrating His ability to work through and even grant success to leaders who do not personally adhere to His covenant, like Jeroboam II. This is a powerful testament to God's Common Grace and His enduring Compassion for His People (2 Kings 14:26-27), even when they are steeped in idolatry and rebellion. The prosperity and territorial expansion under Jeroboam II were not a reward for his righteousness but a temporary reprieve for Israel, a demonstration of God's patience before the inevitable judgment. The reference to the "chronicles" also highlights the biblical author's understanding of history as a divinely ordered narrative, where even secular records bear witness to God's unfolding plan. It reminds us that God's purposes are often achieved through complex human actions, both righteous and unrighteous, always moving towards His ultimate ends, demonstrating His ultimate control over all earthly powers and events.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
The account of Jeroboam II's reign, culminating in this summary verse, offers a complex picture of impressive earthly success juxtaposed with profound spiritual failure. It challenges us to critically examine our own definitions of "might" and "success." Jeroboam II achieved significant military victories and economic prosperity, yet the biblical narrator consistently qualifies this by noting his persistent adherence to the idolatrous sins of Jeroboam I. This stark contrast serves as a potent reminder that earthly achievements, no matter how grand or impressive, are ultimately fleeting and insufficient if they are not aligned with God's will and righteousness. It prompts us to look beyond superficial indicators of prosperity and to evaluate our lives, our leaders, and our nations through a spiritual and eternal lens. God's patience and common grace are profoundly evident in His allowing Jeroboam II's success, even for a wicked king, demonstrating His desire for His people's well-being despite their rebellion. This should inspire both profound gratitude for God's undeserved kindness and a sober recognition of our ultimate accountability to Him, regardless of our worldly accomplishments. We are called to seek first God's kingdom and His righteousness, understanding that true and lasting flourishing, both individually and corporately, flows from obedience and devotion to Him, rather than mere temporal power or wealth.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Why does the Bible frequently refer to "the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel" or Judah?
Answer: The recurring phrase "are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel/Judah?" serves several crucial functions within the biblical narrative. Firstly, it affirms the historical grounding of the biblical account, indicating that the biblical authors drew upon and referenced official state annals or historical records of the time, lending credibility to the historical claims made in the Books of Kings. Secondly, it signals that the biblical account is not an exhaustive history but a selective, theologically driven narrative. The biblical writers focused on events and details that illuminated God's covenant relationship with Israel, His judgment, and His faithfulness, leaving other historical specifics to these external (now lost) chronicles. It implicitly invites the reader to consult these fuller accounts for more secular or administrative details, while the biblical text provides the divine perspective and interpretation of history. This device underscores that the Bible is primarily a theological history, not merely a secular one, demonstrating God's hand in the rise and fall of nations and kings.
How could God grant such military success to a wicked king like Jeroboam II?
Answer: Jeroboam II's military successes, including the recovery of Damascus and Hamath, were not a divine endorsement of his personal wickedness or his idolatrous practices. Rather, they were a profound demonstration of God's compassion and common grace towards His people, Israel, despite their persistent sin. As 2 Kings 14:26-27 explicitly explains, "For the LORD saw that the affliction of Israel was very bitter... and the LORD had not said that he would blot out the name of Israel from under heaven, but he saved them by the hand of Jeroboam son of Joash." God used Jeroboam II as an instrument to provide a temporary reprieve and prosperity for Israel, not because Jeroboam was righteous, but because God, in His mercy, had not yet determined to completely abandon His covenant people. This illustrates God's sovereign ability to work through any individual, regardless of their spiritual standing, to achieve His broader purposes for His people and His ultimate plan of salvation. It also highlights the crucial theological truth that earthly success is not always an indicator of divine approval or spiritual righteousness.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
The reign of Jeroboam II, marked by impressive earthly "might" and significant territorial expansion, ultimately serves as a poignant foreshadowing that points to the far greater and eternal reign of Jesus Christ. Jeroboam's recovery of Damascus and Hamath, while restoring Israel's borders to a Solomonic scale, represented a temporary and incomplete restoration, achieved by human strength and followed by spiritual decline and eventual national collapse. This earthly king, despite his considerable power, could not address the root problem of Israel's sin, which continued to plague the nation and ultimately led to its downfall. In stark contrast, Jesus Christ, the true King of Israel and the King of the universe, came not to recover physical territories for a temporal kingdom, but to achieve a far more profound and eternal "recovery"—the redemption of humanity from the bondage of sin and the dominion of death (Matthew 1:21). His "might" is not merely military or political, but divine, demonstrated in His absolute authority over sin, sickness, and death, triumphing over all spiritual powers (Colossians 2:15). While Jeroboam's reign was a fleeting period of prosperity before inevitable judgment, Christ's kingdom is an everlasting one, bringing true and lasting peace, righteousness, and salvation to all who believe (Luke 1:33). The "chronicles" of Jeroboam's reign are lost to history, fading into obscurity, but the "acts" of Christ are eternally recorded and celebrated in the living Word of God, culminating in His glorious return to establish His perfect and final reign, where He will truly "recover" all things and make them new, bringing about a new heaven and a new earth (Revelation 21:5).