King James Version

What Does 2 Chronicles 28:8 Mean?

2 Chronicles 28:8 in the King James Version says “And the children of Israel carried away captive of their brethren two hundred thousand, women, sons, and daughters, and ...” — study this verse from 2 Chronicles chapter 28 with commentary, cross-references, and original Hebrew word analysis.

“And the children of Israel carried away captive of their brethren two hundred thousand, women, sons, and daughters, and took also away much spoil from them, and brought the spoil to Samaria.”

2 Chronicles 28:8 · KJV

Context

6

For Pekah the son of Remaliah slew in Judah an hundred and twenty thousand in one day, which were all valiant men; because they had forsaken the LORD God of their fathers. valiant: Heb. sons of valour

7

And Zichri, a mighty man of Ephraim, slew Maaseiah the king's son, and Azrikam the governor of the house, and Elkanah that was next to the king. next: Heb. the second to the king

8

And the children of Israel carried away captive of their brethren two hundred thousand, women, sons, and daughters, and took also away much spoil from them, and brought the spoil to Samaria.

9

But a prophet of the LORD was there, whose name was Oded: and he went out before the host that came to Samaria, and said unto them, Behold, because the LORD God of your fathers was wroth with Judah, he hath delivered them into your hand, and ye have slain them in a rage that reacheth up unto heaven.

10

And now ye purpose to keep under the children of Judah and Jerusalem for bondmen and bondwomen unto you: but are there not with you, even with you, sins against the LORD your God?

Read 2 Chronicles 28 full chapter

Commentary

KJV Study Commentary
And the children of Israel carried away captive of their brethren two hundred thousand, women, sons, and daughters, and took also away much spoil from them, and brought the spoil to Samaria.

This verse is part of the narrative of Judah's kings, specifically addressing Total rejection of God bringing catastrophic judgment. The Chronicler's theological perspective emphasizes immediate divine retribution—kings who seek God prosper, while those who forsake Him face judgment. This pattern provides instruction for the post-exilic community on the conditions for God's blessing.

The account demonstrates God's covenant faithfulness despite human unfaithfulness. Even in judgment, God preserves a remnant and offers restoration through repentance. The repeated cycle of apostasy, judgment, and restoration reveals both human sinfulness and divine mercy. References to the temple, proper worship, and priestly service emphasize the Chronicler's concern for correct religious observance.

Theologically, these accounts point beyond immediate history to God's ultimate purposes through the Davidic line. Despite repeated failures, God preserves David's dynasty, anticipating the perfect King who will reign in righteousness. The pattern of judgment for sin and restoration through repentance prefigures the gospel message of salvation through Christ.

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Historical & Cultural Context

This passage occurs during the divided monarchy period when Judah existed separately from northern Israel. The Chronicler writes from a post-exilic perspective, addressing the restored community in Jerusalem after the Babylonian exile (539 BCE onward). His emphasis on temple worship, proper religious observance, and God's covenant faithfulness speaks directly to the needs of his audience who had just rebuilt the temple and were reestablishing their identity as God's people.

The historical context demonstrates both God's judgment on persistent sin and His readiness to restore those who genuinely repent. The Chronicler omits most northern kingdom material, focusing on Judah and the Davidic line to emphasize God's faithfulness to His covenant promises. Archaeological discoveries from sites like Lachish, Beersheba, and Jerusalem corroborate the biblical accounts of various kings' reigns and building projects.

Understanding the Chronicler's post-exilic perspective is crucial—he's not merely recording history but applying past lessons to his contemporary audience, showing that the same principles of seeking God, maintaining proper worship, and covenant faithfulness that determined blessing or judgment in the past still apply.

Reflection Questions

  1. How does this verse illustrate the principle of divine retribution (blessing for obedience, judgment for sin)?
  2. What specific applications does this passage have for maintaining spiritual faithfulness in contemporary Christian life?
  3. How does this account point to God's ultimate purposes through the Davidic line and the coming Messiah?

Original Language Analysis

Hebrew · 18 words
וַיִּשְׁבּוּ֩1 of 18

“carried away captive”

H7617

to transport into captivity

בָּנִ֣ים2 of 18

“And the children”

H1121

a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or

יִשְׂרָאֵ֨ל3 of 18

“of Israel”

H3478

he will rule as god; jisral, a symbolical name of jacob; also (typically) of his posterity

מֵֽאֲחֵיהֶ֜ם4 of 18

“of their brethren”

H251

a brother (used in the widest sense of literal relationship and metaphorical affinity or resemblance [like h0001])

מָאתַ֣יִם5 of 18

“two hundred”

H3967

a hundred; also as a multiplicative and a fraction

אֶ֗לֶף6 of 18

“thousand”

H505

hence (the ox's head being the first letter of the alphabet, and this eventually used as a numeral) a thousand

נָשִׁים֙7 of 18

“women”

H802

a woman

בָּנִ֣ים8 of 18

“And the children”

H1121

a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or

וּבָנ֔וֹת9 of 18

“and daughters”

H1323

a daughter (used in the same wide sense as other terms of relationship, literally and figuratively)

וְגַם10 of 18
H1571

properly, assemblage; used only adverbially also, even, yea, though; often repeated as correl. both...and

הַשָּׁלָ֖ל11 of 18

“spoil”

H7998

booty

רָ֖ב12 of 18

“much”

H7227

abundant (in quantity, size, age, number, rank, quality)

בָּֽזְז֣וּ13 of 18

“and took also away”

H962

to plunder

מֵהֶ֑ם14 of 18
H1992

they (only used when emphatic)

וַיָּבִ֥יאוּ15 of 18

“from them and brought”

H935

to go or come (in a wide variety of applications)

אֶת16 of 18
H853

properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)

הַשָּׁלָ֖ל17 of 18

“spoil”

H7998

booty

לְשֹֽׁמְרֽוֹן׃18 of 18

“to Samaria”

H8111

shomeron, a place in palestine

Study Guide

Historical Context

This verse is found in the book of 2 Chronicles. Understanding the historical and cultural background helps illuminate its meaning for the original audience and for us today.

Theological Significance

2 Chronicles 28:8 contributes to our understanding of God's character and His relationship with humanity. Consider how this verse connects to the broader themes of Scripture.

Cross-References

Verses related to 2 Chronicles 28:8 from Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

2 Chronicles 11:4Deuteronomy 28:41Deuteronomy 28:25Acts 7:26Acts 13:26

Places in This Verse

Samaria 1Settlement · Modern: Samaria · 32.28°N, 35.20°E113 verses across 12 books
View all places in 2 Chronicles 28 →

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