II Kings 14:14 · Bible study
2 Kings 14:14 Commentary: Hostages and Temple Desecration
Hebrew · 7 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Jehoash of Israel plunders the temple and takes hostages after defeating Amaziah's pride. A rare practice that signals severe judgment.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Jehoash plunders the temple and takes hostages as part of a total victory over proud Amaziah.
- Key words: “hostages” (בְּנֵי הַתַּעֲרֻבוֹת), a rare term for persons given as pledge; “found” (nimtse’im) implies inventory of seized items.
- Main debate: The exact identity and purpose of the hostages, princes, nobles, or others, and whether they were taken to secure Amaziah’s release or prevent future rebellion.
- Theological theme: Pride leads to humiliation; God may allow even sacred places to be violated when His people act arrogantly.
- Best use: A cautionary sermon or lesson on the cost of ignoring wise counsel and overestimating one’s strength.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
He took all the gold and silver and all the articles found in the house of the LORD and in the treasuries of the royal palace, as well as some hostages. Then he returned to Samaria.
WEB World English Bible 2000
He took all the gold and silver and all the vessels that were found in Yahweh’s house and in the treasures of the king’s house, the hostages also, and returned to Samaria.
KJV King James Version 1769
And he took all the gold and silver, and all the vessels that were found in the house of the Lord, and in the treasures of the king’s house, and hostages, and returned to Samaria.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
And he took all the gold and silver, and all the vessels that were found in the house of Jehovah, and in the treasures of the king’s house, the hostages also, and returned to Samaria.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
and hath taken all the gold and the silver, and all the vessels that are found in the house of Jehovah, and in the treasures of the house of the king, and the sons of the pledges, and turneth back to Samaria.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
And he took all the gold and the silver, and all the vessels that were found in the house of Jehovah, and in the treasures of the king's house, and hostages, and returned to Samaria.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
And 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.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Y tomó todo el oro y la plata, y todos los vasos que fueron hallados en la casa de Jehová, y en los tesoros de la casa del rey, y los hijos en rehenes, y volvióse á Samaria.
E tomou todo o ouro e a prata, e todos os vasos que foram achados na casa do SENHOR, e nos tesouros da casa do rei, e os filhos em reféns, e voltou-se a Samaria.
Il prit tout l’ or et l’ argent et tous les vases qui se trouvaient dans la maison de l’ Éternel et dans les trésors de la maison du roi; il prit aussi des otages, et il retourna à Samarie.
und nahm alles Gold und Silber und Gerät, das gefunden ward im Hause des HERRN und im Schatz des Königshauses, dazu die Geiseln, und zog wieder gen Samaria.
En hij nam al het goud, en het zilver, en al de vaten, die gevonden werden in het huis des HEEREN, en in de schatten van des konings huis, mitsgaders gijzelaars; en hij keerde weder naar Samaria.
E prese tutto l’oro e l’argento e tutti i vasi che si trovavano nella casa dell’Eterno e nei tesori della casa del re; prese anche degli ostaggi, e se ne tornò a Samaria.
I zabrał wszystko złoto i srebro i wszystkie naczynia, które się znalazły w domu Pańskim, i w skarbach domu królewskiego, i ludzie zastawne, i wrócił się do Samaryi.
И взял все золото и серебро, и все сосуды, какие нашлись в доме Господнем и в сокровищницах царского дома, и заложников, и возвратился в Самарию.
又將 耶和華 殿 裡與王 宮 府庫 裡 所有的 金 銀 和 器皿 都 拿了去，並 帶人 去為質，就回 撒馬利亞去了。
And he took all the gold and silver and all the vessels which were in the house of the Lord and in the store-house of the king, together with those whose lives would be the price of broken faith, and went back to Samaria.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · II Kings 14:14
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree this verse records a complete military victory followed by systematic stripping of Judah’s most sacred and royal treasures. Barnes calls it “the only distinct mention of hostages in the Old Testament,” noting the rarity of the practice in Israelite warfare. The Hebrew term for hostages, בְּנֵי הַתַּעֲרֻבוֹת (sons of pledges), suggests individuals, likely sons of nobles or the king, given as security for Amaziah’s future conduct. Clarke speculates they were taken to secure Amaziah’s release, though the exact terms remain unknown. Gill adds that these hostages may have been princes of Judah. The Cambridge Bible concludes the conquest “appears to have been most complete,” and Jehoash’s restraint, returning to Samaria rather than annexing Judah, shows he aimed to cripple, not absorb, the southern kingdom. The plundering of Yahweh’s house, a sign of divine abandonment, echoes earlier acts (1 Kings 14:26; II Kings 24:13) and underscores the cost of human pride.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Hostages as peace pledges: Clarke and Cambridge suggest they secured Amaziah’s release or good behavior.
- Hostages as deterrent: Gill and Barnes argue they prevented future rebellion by holding sons of nobles.
What is clear: Jehoash’s victory was complete: he captured the king, broke the wall, stripped the temple and palace, and took persons as surety before returning home.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Nature of the hostages | The term refers to persons, sons, given as pledges to guarantee compliance with a treaty or peace terms. | Clarke suggests they secured Amaziah's liberty; Gill proposes they were sons of the princes of Judah. Cambridge leaves the detail open but notes the rarity indicates unusual severity. |
| Significance of temple plundering | The removal of sacred vessels was a sign of divine judgment and national vulnerability. | Some emphasize the parallel with Babylonian destruction (II Kings 24:13) as a pattern; others see it as an act of contempt by the northern kingdom rather than foreign invaders. |
| Why Jehoash did not conquer Judah | He returned to Samaria after taking booty and hostages, without annexing Judah. | Matthew Henry suggests he had enough to handle with Syria; Gill thinks he did not think he could hold the territory. Others see restraint as a form of limited judgment. |
Historical & Cultural Context
The backdrop is a chain of pride and recklessness. Amaziah of Judah had defeated Edom, and his success inflated his confidence. Ignoring Jehoash’s parable of the thistle and cedar (v.9), he insisted on a battle. The meeting at Beth Shemesh, inside Judah’s territory, ended in disaster: Judah fled, Amaziah was captured, and Jehoash tore down 400 cubits of Jerusalem’s wall.
In ancient Near Eastern warfare, stripping a conquered city’s temple was not merely looting. It was a theological and political statement: the victor’s god had proven stronger. For the northern king to take the vessels of Yahweh’s house, the same gold and silver Solomon had dedicated, would feel like a direct assault on Judah’s covenant identity. The hostages (ta’arubot) are almost unheard of in Old Testament narratives; the word appears elsewhere only in plural form in Proverbs (17:18, 22:26) for pledges. Taking persons as guarantors was a practice more common among surrounding nations. The fact that Israel’s king resorted to it suggests he regarded Amaziah as untrustworthy and wanted leverage for long-term compliance. Jehoash then returned to Samaria, leaving a broken wall, a humiliated king, and a diminished treasury.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note no significant textual variants for this verse. The Greek Old Testament (Septuagint) preserves the same basic account, though some manuscripts include slight differences in the listing of vessels. The Hebrew Masoretic Text is consistent across major codices.
Reception History
Christian interpreters have seen this event as a cautionary example of pride leading to a fall, often citing it alongside Proverbs 16:18. Early church writers such as Jerome referenced the plundering as a sign that outward religious symbols do not secure God’s favor when the heart is proud. In Jewish tradition, the taking of hostages was noted as unusual; rabbinic sources speculated about the identity of the hostages and the terms of Amaziah’s release. The verse is occasionally invoked in discussions about the limits of divine protection and the seriousness of covenant unfaithfulness. Most modern readers focus on the warning against overconfidence and the cost of ignoring godly counsel.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- Pride opens the door, Amaziah’s victory over Edom led him to overreach. The same success that should have prompted gratitude instead sparked arrogance (v.10).
- Victory has limits, Jehoash took gold, silver, and hostages, but he did not annex Judah. Even in judgment, God restrained the destruction.
- Sacred objects don’t guarantee safety, The silver and vessels in Yahweh’s house could not protect Judah. Religious ritual without humble obedience is hollow.
Five-point outline
- The danger of a lifted heart, Amaziah’s pride was the root of reversal.
- Wisdom spurned, Jehoash’s warning went unheeded.
- Consequences cascade, from defeat to wall breach to temple plunder.
- Hostages as a rare measure, showing the depth of Judah’s subjugation.
- Divine mercy in the restraint, Jehoash returns home; Judah survives.
Illustration hooks
- College loans, Taking a loan for a dream, overconfident in future income. The fine print includes personal guarantees. One arrogant decision can bind you for years.
- Office politics, A manager wins a small victory and pushes for a bigger fight, only to lose standing and have resources stripped by a rival.
- Sports trophy, After a championship, a team becomes arrogant and loses the next season badly. The trophy goes to the opponent.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Why would God allow the temple to be plundered? Doesn’t He protect His own house?
- What does it mean to have a “lifted heart” in everyday life?
- Are there “hostages” in my life, people or pledges I’m holding to secure my position?
Leading a Discussion
This passage shows how quickly human pride can turn a victory into a loss. Amaziah’s challenge was unnecessary; Jehoash’s response was devastating. As you read the verses, notice the sequence: defeat, captivity, broken wall, stripped temple, hostages. Each step digs deeper into humiliation.
Discussion questions
- Read verses 8, 14 aloud. What stands out to you about the way Israel treated Judah after the battle?
- Why did Jehoash call Amaziah a “thistle” in verse 9? What does that image reveal about pride?
- The taking of hostages is mentioned only here in the Old Testament. Why do you think that detail is included?
- When have you seen success lead to a “lifted heart” in your own life or community?
- What does the plundering of the temple teach us about the relationship between religious practice and obedience?
- How does the fact that Jehoash did not annex Judah (but returned to Samaria) show both judgment and mercy?
- What safeguards can we put in place to avoid the kind of overconfidence Amaziah displayed?
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)
| I Kings 7:51 | Thus all the work that King Solomon did in Yahweh’s house was finished. Solomon brought in the things which David his father had dedicated—the silver, the gold, and the vessels—and put them in the treasuries of Yahweh’s house. |
| I Kings 14:26 | and he took away the treasures of Yahweh’s house and the treasures of the king’s house. He even took away all of it, including all the gold shields which Solomon had made. |
| I Kings 15:18 | Then Asa took all the silver and the gold that was left in the treasures of Yahweh’s house, and the treasures of the king’s house, and delivered it into the hand of his servants. Then King Asa sent them to Ben Hadad, the son of Tabrimmon, the son of Hezion, king of Syria, who lived at Damascus, saying, |
| II Kings 12:18 | Jehoash king of Judah took all the holy things that Jehoshaphat and Jehoram and Ahaziah, his fathers, kings of Judah, had dedicated, and his own holy things, and all the gold that was found in the treasures of Yahweh’s house, and of the king’s house, and sent it to Hazael king of Syria; and he went away from Jerusalem. |
| II Kings 18:23 | Now therefore, please give pledges to my master the king of Assyria, and I will give you two thousand horses if you are able on your part to set riders on them. |
| II Kings 24:13 | He carried out from there all the treasures of Yahweh’s house and the treasures of the king’s house, and cut in pieces all the vessels of gold which Solomon king of Israel had made in Yahweh’s temple, as Yahweh had said. |
| II Kings 25:15 | The captain of the guard took away the fire pans, the basins, that which was of gold, for gold, and that which was of silver, for silver. |
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
6 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke focuses on the Hebrew term for hostages, noting it means pledges or security. He suggests Amaziah likely gave nobles or family members as guarantees for his own release, though the exact terms of the agreement remain unknown.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes notes that this is the only clear reference to hostages in the Old Testament. He observes that Eastern conquerors of the time typically relied on the fear their armies inspired rather than on taking hostages to guarantee agreements.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The commentator highlights that taking hostages as pledges for peace terms appears only here in Scripture, marking this conquest as unusually complete. These distinguished persons of Judah, possibly including the king's own sons, were held by the king of Israel until Amaziah fulfilled the conditions imposed on him.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
And he tooke all the gold and siluer, and all the vessels that were found in the house of the Lord, and in the treasures of the Kings house, and the children that were in hostage, and returned to Samaria.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill highlights that Jehoash took hostages, not spoil alone. He suggests these were either Edomite pledges of loyalty or Judean princes taken as security. Then Jehoash returned to Samaria without conquering Judah, likely because he knew he could not hold it and already faced the Syrians.
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.