Jeroboam son of Joash (2 Kings 13:13; 2 Kings 14:16; 2 Kings 14:23–24; 2 Kings 14:25; 2 Kings 14:26–27; 2 Kings 14:28–29; 2 Kings 15:1; 2 Kings 15:8–12; Hosea 1:1; Amos 1:1; Amos 7:7–11)

King of Israel, son of Jehoash

The son of Jehoash who reigned over Israel in Samaria forty-one years, did evil in the sight of the LORD, restored the border of Israel according to the word spoken by Jonah, and in whose days Hosea and Amos received the word, Amos hearing that the LORD would rise against his house with the sword.

When Joash (Jehoash) of Israel “slept with his fathers” (2 Kings 13:13), the text says “Jeroboam sat upon his throne” (2 Kings 13:13). He is “Jeroboam the son of Joash king of Israel” (2 Kings 14:23), who began to reign in Samaria in the fifteenth year of Amaziah king of Judah and “reigned forty and one years” (2 Kings 14:23). The narrator's verdict is brief: “he did that which was evil in the sight of Jehovah: he departed not from all the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, wherewith he made Israel to sin” (2 Kings 14:24).

Yet the same chapter says that “He restored the border of Israel from the entrance of Hamath unto the sea of the Arabah, according to the word of Jehovah, the God of Israel, which he spake by his servant Jonah the son of Amittai, the prophet” (2 Kings 14:25). The reason given is that “Jehovah saw the affliction of Israel, that it was very bitter” (2 Kings 14:26), and “he saved them by the hand of Jeroboam the son of Joash” (2 Kings 14:27). His might, his warfare, and how he “recovered Damascus, and Hamath, which had belonged to Judah, for Israel” (2 Kings 14:28) are referred to the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel (2 Kings 14:28).

The prophets Hosea and Amos both date their words to his days (Hosea 1:1; Amos 1:1). In a vision of a plumb-line the LORD says to Amos, “I will rise against the house of Jeroboam with the sword” (Amos 7:9), and Amaziah the priest of Beth-el sends word to the king that Amos says, “Jeroboam shall die by the sword” (Amos 7:11). Scripture records no word from Jeroboam in reply. It says only that he “slept with his fathers, even with the kings of Israel; and Zechariah his son reigned in his stead” (2 Kings 14:29); Zechariah reigned six months before Shallum “smote him before the people, and slew him” (2 Kings 15:10).

Weaknesses

• Did evil in the sight of the LORD
• Departed not from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat

Themes

• Forty-one years in Samaria
• Border restored by the prophet's word
• The LORD sees affliction
• The plumb-line
• A house under the sword

Sits on his father's throne (2 Kings 13:13; 2 Kings 14:16)

Jehoash sleeps with his fathers and is buried in Samaria, and Jeroboam his son reigns in his stead.

Reigns forty-one years and does evil (2 Kings 14:23–24)

Jeroboam son of Joash begins to reign in Samaria in the fifteenth year of Amaziah of Judah, and does evil in the sight of the LORD.

Reigns forty-one years and does evil

“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” (2 Kings 14:23).

“And he did that which was evil in the sight of Jehovah: he departed not from all the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, wherewith he made Israel to sin” (2 Kings 14:24).

The narrator measures him by the first Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, as he does his father before him (2 Kings 13:11).

The border restored by Jonah's word (2 Kings 14:25)

Jeroboam restores the border of Israel from Hamath to the sea of the Arabah, according to the word of the LORD spoken by Jonah the son of Amittai.

The LORD saves Israel by his hand (2 Kings 14:26–27)

The LORD sees that Israel's affliction is very bitter, with no helper for Israel, and says not that he would blot out Israel's name, but saves them by the hand of Jeroboam.

The LORD saves Israel by his hand

“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” (2 Kings 14:26).

“And Jehovah 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” (2 Kings 14:27).

The text sets this beside the verdict of 2 Kings 14:24 and gives no further reason for it than the affliction the LORD saw.

His might and the recovery of Damascus and Hamath (2 Kings 14:28)

The rest of his acts, his might, his warfare, and the recovery of Damascus and Hamath for Israel are referred to the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel.

The word against the house of Jeroboam (Amos 7:7–11)

Amos is shown a plumb-line, and the LORD says he will rise against the house of Jeroboam with the sword; Amaziah the priest of Beth-el sends word of it to the king.

The word against the house of Jeroboam

Amos writes that the Lord stood beside a wall with a plumb-line in his hand. “Then said the Lord, Behold, I will set a plumb-line in the midst of my people Israel; I will not again pass by them any more; and the high places of Isaac shall be desolate, and the sanctuaries of Israel shall be laid waste; and I will rise against the house of Jeroboam with the sword” (Amos 7:8-9).

“Then Amaziah the priest of Beth-el sent to Jeroboam king of Israel, saying, Amos hath conspired against thee in the midst of the house of Israel: the land is not able to bear all his words. For thus Amos saith, Jeroboam shall die by the sword, and Israel shall surely be led away captive out of his land” (Amos 7:10-11).

The text records no reply from Jeroboam. Amaziah then speaks to Amos, calling Beth-el “the king's sanctuary” (Amos 7:13).

Sleeps with his fathers; Zechariah reigns (2 Kings 14:29; 2 Kings 15:8–12)

Jeroboam sleeps with his fathers, even with the kings of Israel, and Zechariah his son reigns six months before Shallum slays him.

Sleeps with his fathers; Zechariah reigns

“And Jeroboam slept with his fathers, even with the kings of Israel; and Zechariah his son reigned in his stead” (2 Kings 14:29).

“In the thirty and eighth year of Azariah king of Judah did Zechariah the son of Jeroboam reign over Israel in Samaria six months … And Shallum the son of Jabesh conspired against him, and smote him before the people, and slew him, and reigned in his stead” (2 Kings 15:8-10).

The narrator adds the word the LORD spoke to Jehu: “Thy sons to the fourth generation shall sit upon the throne of Israel. And so it came to pass” (2 Kings 15:12).

Jehoash, king of Israel (2 Kings 13:13; 2 Kings 14:16)

His father, buried in Samaria; Jeroboam his son reigned in his stead.

Zechariah (2 Kings 14:29; 2 Kings 15:8–10)

His son, who reigned in his stead and was slain by Shallum after six months.

Jonah the son of Amittai (2 Kings 14:25)

The prophet by whom the LORD spoke the word of the restored border of Israel.

Amos (Amos 1:1; Amos 7:9–11)

Among the herdsmen of Tekoa, he saw his words in Jeroboam's days and heard the LORD say he would rise against the house of Jeroboam with the sword.

Amaziah the priest of Beth-el (Amos 7:10–13)

Sent to Jeroboam king of Israel, saying that Amos had conspired against him in the midst of the house of Israel.

Major sections

• 2 Kings 14:23–29
• 2 Kings 15:8–12
• Amos 7:7–17

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