II Kings 14:13 · Bible study
2 Kings 14:13 Commentary: Breached Walls and Captive Kings
Hebrew · 8 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Why did Jehoash break Jerusalem's wall instead of conquering the city? What became of captive Amaziah?
Research Summary
- Meaning: Jehoash captures Amaziah and symbolically breaks Jerusalem's northern wall, humiliating Judah without destroying it.
- Key words: tafas (seized), captures rather than kills; parats (breached), forced open, a violent break; pinah (corner), the northwest angle of the wall.
- Main debate: Whether Amaziah was held captive, released soon after, or kept prisoner until Jehoash's death.
- Theological theme: Pride invites discipline; God's mercy preserves a remnant even through national shame.
- Best use: Study of how God uses foreign rulers to discipline His own people, and how humiliation can become the context for later restoration.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
There at Beth-shemesh, Jehoash king of Israel captured Amaziah king of Judah, the son of Joash, the son of Ahaziah. Then Jehoash went to Jerusalem and broke down the wall of Jerusalem from the Ephraim Gate to the Corner Gate—a section of four hundred cubits.
WEB World English Bible 2000
Jehoash king of Israel took Amaziah king of Judah, the son of Jehoash the son of Ahaziah, at Beth Shemesh and came to Jerusalem, then broke down the wall of Jerusalem from the gate of Ephraim to the corner gate, four hundred cubits.
KJV King James Version 1769
And Jehoash king of Israel took Amaziah king of Judah, the son of Jehoash the son of Ahaziah, at Beth–shemesh, and came to Jerusalem, and brake down the wall of Jerusalem from the gate of Ephraim unto the corner gate, four hundred cubits.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
And Jehoash king of Israel took Amaziah king of Judah, the son of Jehoash the son of Ahaziah, at Beth-shemesh, and came to Jerusalem, and brake down the wall of Jerusalem from the gate of Ephraim unto the corner gate, four hundred cubits.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
And Amaziah king of Judah, son of Jehoash son of Ahaziah, caught hath Jehoash king of Israel in Beth-Shemesh, and they come in to Jerusalem, and he bursteth through the wall of Jerusalem, at the gate of Ephraim unto the gate of the corner, four hundred cubits,
Darby Darby Bible 1890
And Jehoash king of Israel took Amaziah king of Judah, the son of Jehoash son of Ahaziah, at Beth-shemesh, and came to Jerusalem, and broke down the wall of Jerusalem from the gate of Ephraim to the corner-gate, four hundred cubits.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
But 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.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Además Joas rey de Israel tomó á Amasías rey de Judá, hijo de Joas hijo de Ochôzías, en Beth-semes: y vino á Jerusalem, y rompió el muro de Jerusalem desde la puerta de Ephraim hasta la puerta de la esquina, cuatrocientos|strong="H0702, H3967" codos.
Além disso Joás rei de Israel tomou a Amazias rei de Judá, filho de Joás filho de Acazias, em Bete-Semes: e veio a Jerusalém, e rompeu o muro de Jerusalém desde a porta de Efraim até a porta da esquina, quatrocentos côvados.
Joas, roi d’ Israël, prit à Beth-Schémesch Amatsia, roi de Juda, fils de Joas, fils d’Achazia. Il vint à Jérusalem, et fit une brèche de quatre cents coudées dans la muraille de Jérusalem, depuis la porte d’ Éphraïm jusqu’ à la porte de l’ angle.
Und Joas, der König Israels, griff Amazja, den König in Juda, den Sohn des Joas, des Sohnes Ahasjas, zu Beth- Semes und kam gen Jerusalem und riß ein die Mauer Jerusalems von dem Tor Ephraim bis an das Ecktor, vierhundert Ellen lang,
En Joas, de koning van Israel, greep Amazia, den koning van Juda, den zoon van Joas, den zoon van Ahazia, te Beth-Semes, en kwam te Jeruzalem; en hij brak aan den muur van Jeruzalem, van de poort van Efraim tot aan de Hoekpoort, vierhonderd ellen.
E Joas, re d’Israele, fece prigioniero a Beth-Scemesh Amatsia, re di Giuda, figliuolo di Joas, figliuolo di Achazia. Poi venne a Gerusalemme, e fece una breccia di quattrocento cubiti nelle mura di Gerusalemme, dalla porta di Efraim alla porta dell’angolo.
Lecz Amazyjasza, króla Judzkiego, syna Joaza, syna Ochozyjaszowego, pojmał Joaz, król Izraelski, w Betsemes, a przyciągnąwszy do Jeruzalemu, zburzył mur Jeruzalemski od bramy Efraim aż do bramy narożnej, na cztery sta łokci.
И Амасию, царя Иудейского, сына Иоаса, сына Охозиина, захватил Иоас, царь Израильский, в Вефсамисе, и пошел в Иерусалим и разрушил стену Иерусалимскую от ворот Ефремовых до ворот угольных на четыреста локтей.
以色列 王 約阿施在伯．示麥 擒住 亞哈謝 的孫子、約阿施 的兒子 猶大 王 亞瑪謝，就來到 耶路撒冷，拆毀 耶路撒冷 的城牆，從以法蓮 門 直到 角 門 共四 百 肘，
And Jehoash, king of Israel, made Amaziah, king of Judah, the son of Jehoash, son of Ahaziah, prisoner at Beth-shemesh, and came to Jerusalem, and had the wall of Jerusalem pulled down from the doorway of Ephraim to the door in the angle, four hundred cubits.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · II Kings 14:13
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree that the breach of Jerusalem's wall was both a symbolic act of dominance and a practical measure to leave the city exposed. Barnes emphasises that the wall demolition left Jerusalem 'at the mercy of her rival,' and the section chosen, the north wall between the Ephraim Gate and the Corner Gate, was its weakest natural approach. The Cambridge Bible agrees, noting that the breach was in the north wall, facing Israel. On Amaziah's fate, the text is less clear. Clarke observes that 'it is plain that Amaziah afterwards had his liberty,' though on what terms is unknown. The Cambridge Bible suggests the Chronicler's additional detail (2 Chronicles 25:23) that Jehoash 'brought him to Jerusalem' and the unusual report in verse 17 that Amaziah lived (not reigned) after Jehoash's death imply he was kept as a hostage, possibly till the northern king's death. Gill and Josephus (cited by Cambridge) picture Jehoash driving his chariot through the breach, a common ancient conqueror's display.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Low
What is clear: The verse clearly recounts a historical event: Israel's king captured Judah's king, marched on Jerusalem, and broke down a specific section of the north wall as a demonstration of victory and control.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Amaziah's fate after capture | All commentators note that Amaziah was taken alive and eventually freed, since he reigned fifteen more years. | Some (Cambridge Bible, Barnes) think he was kept a hostage until Jehoash's death; others (Clarke) say the terms of his release are unknown but he regained liberty. |
| Purpose of the wall breach | The breach left Jerusalem exposed and symbolised Israel's dominance. | Josephus (cited by Cambridge) says it was to allow Jehoash to ride his chariot into the city; Barnes sees it as a condition of peace ensuring the wall would not be repaired; Ellicott suggests sheer 'insolence of a victorious enemy.' |
| The meaning of 'gate of Ephraim' and 'corner gate' | Both gates were on the north wall, the side closest to Israel. | Gill identifies the corner gate as the junction of north and east walls; Barnes and Cambridge place it at the northwest angle. Both acknowledge these are logical guesses based on later references (Nehemiah 8:16, 12:39). |
| Whether Jehoash's act was excessive cruelty or standard warfare | Breaking walls was a common ancient practice to humiliate and weaken a rival. | Some see it as gratuitous humiliation; others as a measured action that avoided total destruction of Jerusalem, perhaps showing restraint. |
Historical & Cultural Context
The events of verse 13 unfold from a conflict sparked by pride. King Amaziah of Judah, emboldened by a victory over Edom, challenged Jehoash of Israel to battle. Jehoash warned him with the fable of the thistle and the cedar (vv.9, 10), telling him to be satisfied with his glory and stay home. Amaziah refused, and the armies met at Beth Shemesh, a town on Judah's northern border. Judah was routed, and Amaziah himself was taken prisoner.
The gate of Ephraim, named for the northern tribe, was on Jerusalem's north wall, likely near what later became the Damascus Gate. The corner gate was at the northwest angle, where the wall turned westward toward the Valley of Hinnom. Barnes explains that in ancient cities, gates were named after the towns they led to. This section of wall was the most vulnerable to attack from the north, the direction of Israel. Demolishing four hundred cubits, roughly two hundred metres, left a wide gap. Josephus (as cited by the Cambridge Bible and Gill) adds that Jehoash rode his chariot through the opening, a standard conqueror's act. The breach signalled that Jerusalem, even its royal city, could not protect its king. By taking hostages and plundering temple and palace treasuries (v.14) rather than destroying the city, Jehoash imposed a heavy tribute and humiliation without fully annexing Judah.
Amaziah's fate after capture is debated. Wesley notes that his father's genealogy is given fully, perhaps to mark God's judgment for the sins of his ancestors. What is certain: after his release, Amaziah lived another fifteen years, but his reign was effectively over, and a conspiracy ended his life (v.19).
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note no significant manuscript variants affecting the meaning of this verse. The parallel account in II Chronicles 25:23 agrees verbatim on the key details of the capture and the length of the breach. A minor textual difference in the Hebrew of the Chronicler (some manuscripts read 'gate that turneth' instead of 'corner gate') does not alter the geography: it still points to the same northwest gate.
Reception History
Early Jewish readings in the Talmud (Megillah 10b) see the breach as just punishment for Judah's idolatry. Christian commentators from Augustine to Calvin read the wall break as a warning against pride and a picture of how God allows the walls around His people to be broken when they put their trust in power rather than in Him. Matthew Henry (1710) emphasises Amaziah's foolish challenge and the lesson of staying content with one's calling. Modern interpreters often focus on the political dynamics of the divided kingdom, seeing in this event the harsh reality of intra-covenantal conflict that God uses to discipline His people without abandoning them.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- Pride goes before a capture. Amaziah's victory over Edom inflated his ego. He ignored wise counsel and a fable that warned of his smallness. Pride isolates us from God and from those who could help us.
- Humiliation is not the end of the story. Amaziah was taken prisoner, his capital's wall broken, his treasury plundered. Yet he lived fifteen more years, and God raised up Jeroboam II to restore Israel's borders (vv.25, 27). Even in judgment, God preserves a remnant.
- Walls can be broken, but God's purposes remain. The breach was a bitter symbol of vulnerability. Yet Jerusalem and David's line continued. God's promise to David did not end because of one king's folly.
Five-point outline
- Challenge from pride, Amaziah picked a fight he could not win.
- Warning rejected, Jehoash's parable of the thistle was a gracious caution.
- Capture and breach, The king taken, the wall broken: the visible consequences of stubbornness.
- Hostages and plunder, The cost of pride extended beyond the king to the nation.
- Unexpected endurance, Amaziah survived, and Judah continued. God's mercy outlasts human failure.
Illustration hooks
- A local sports team that wins a championship and then, puffed up, loses to a weaker team in the next season. The danger of 'glorying in your own strength.'
- A homeowner who neglects a neighbour's boundary warning and ends up paying for an expensive fence repair. The small caution that could have saved a large loss.
- The experience of watching a city skyline after a storm: the broken skyline reminds everyone of what was lost, and of the work of rebuilding that still lies ahead.
Questions your congregation is asking
- If God is with Judah, why did Amaziah lose and Jerusalem suffer?
- Was Amaziah killed or later freed? The text is ambiguous, what should we believe?
- What does this story say about the consequences of pride in my own life?
Leading a Discussion
This verse sits at the low point of Amaziah's reign. A king who challenged God's people in pride now leads his own city into humiliation. The wall breach is the visible scar of a spiritual wound. As you study, consider both the public consequences of pride and the hidden mercy that allows Judah to continue.
Discussion questions
- What do we learn about Amaziah from his actions before and after the battle? How does his pride shape the events of this chapter?
- The wall was broken at the north side, the weakest approach. Why do you think Jehoash chose to demolish the wall but not the city itself?
- Read 2 Chronicles 25:23, 24. The Chronicler adds that Jehoash brought Amaziah to Jerusalem. What does that extra detail suggest about the humiliation of the king?
- Why does the text bother to mention that Amaziah lived fifteen years after Jehoash's death (v.17)? What might that tell us about God's timing and mercy?
- Verse 14 records that Jehoash took hostages. Why would a conqueror take hostages instead of simply killing or enslaving his captives?
- How does the fable of the thistle and the cedar (v.9) apply to situations of conflict today, in families, churches, or nations?
- In what areas of your life might you be ignoring a warning about pride? How can you respond differently than Amaziah did?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| II Kings 25:6 | Then they captured the king and carried him up to the king of Babylon to Riblah; and they passed judgment on him. |
| II Chronicles 25:23 | Joash king of Israel took Amaziah king of Judah, the son of Joash the son of Jehoahaz, at Beth Shemesh and brought him to Jerusalem, and broke down the wall of Jerusalem from the gate of Ephraim to the corner gate, four hundred cubits. |
| II Chronicles 25:24 | He took all the gold and silver, and all the vessels that were found in God’s house with Obed-Edom, and the treasures of the king’s house, and the hostages, and returned to Samaria. |
| II Chronicles 33:11 | Therefore Yahweh brought on them the captains of the army of the king of Assyria, who took Manasseh in chains, bound him with fetters, and carried him to Babylon. |
| II Chronicles 36:6 | Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up against him, and bound him in fetters to carry him to Babylon. |
| II Chronicles 36:10 | At the return of the year, King Nebuchadnezzar sent and brought him to Babylon, with the valuable vessels of Yahweh’s house, and made Zedekiah his brother king over Judah and Jerusalem. |
| Nehemiah 8:16 | So the people went out and brought them, and made themselves temporary shelters, everyone on the roof of his house, in their courts, in the courts of God’s house, in the wide place of the water gate, and in the wide place of Ephraim’s gate. |
| Nehemiah 12:39 | and above the gate of Ephraim, and by the old gate, and by the fish gate, the tower of Hananel, and the tower of Hammeah, even to the sheep gate; and they stood still in the gate of the guard. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
8 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke points out that while Amaziah later regained his freedom, the circumstances and terms of his release are simply not recorded. This leaves a gap in the historical account that cannot be filled with certainty.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes emphasizes that the breach in Jerusalem's wall occurred on the north side, the city's weakest and most vulnerable quarter. He notes that the gates were named for the destinations they faced, placing the break at the north wall where an invading king could drive his chariot through as a typical conqueror's gesture.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The commentator points out that the full, formal title given to Amaziah signals a crisis at Beth-shemesh. The unusual statement that Amaziah "lived" rather than "reigned" after Jehoash's death suggests he was held prisoner until then. The wall breach at the Gate of Ephraim left Jerusalem deliberately exposed to Israel.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
But Iehoash King of Israel tooke Amaziah King of Iudah, the sonne of Iehoash the sonne of Ahaziah, at Beth-shemesh, and came to Ierusalem, and brake downe the wall of Ierusalem from the gate of Ephraim to the corner gate, foure hundreth cubites.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill notes the specific 400-cubit section of Jerusalem's wall that Jehoash demolished, from the Gate of Ephraim to the Corner Gate, and adds that Jehoash rode his chariot triumphantly through the breach. He also highlights Amaziah's humiliation, captured and forced to watch his capital's wall broken open.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange observes that Amaziah's obedience to God was merely external and traditional, modeled on his father Joash rather than on David's wholehearted devotion. This superficial conformity, driven by political necessity rather than personal faith, left him vulnerable to arrogance and eventual apostasy after his military success.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry observes a shift in Judah's history: earlier they suffered from Israel's hostility, later from Israel's friendship. Here Amaziah renews the old conflict without any provocation, challenging Joash to battle when there was no cause for quarrel.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley observes that Amaziah's genealogy appears abruptly in the text, which he suggests may be intentional. The point seems to be that Amaziah was then experiencing the consequences of his ancestors' sins, so the sudden reminder of his lineage highlights his suffering for their wrongdoing.