King James Version
What Does 2 Kings 12:19 Mean?
“And the rest of the acts of Joash, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?”
Context
17
Then Hazael king of Syria went up, and fought against Gath, and took it: and Hazael set his face to go up to Jerusalem.
18
And Jehoash king of Judah took all the hallowed things that Jehoshaphat, and Jehoram, and Ahaziah, his fathers, kings of Judah, had dedicated, and his own hallowed things, and all the gold that was found in the treasures of the house of the LORD, and in the king's house, and sent it to Hazael king of Syria: and he went away from Jerusalem. went: Heb. went up
19
And the rest of the acts of Joash, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?
20
And his servants arose, and made a conspiracy, and slew Joash in the house of Millo , which goeth down to Silla. the house: or, Bethmillo
21
For Jozachar the son of Shimeath, and Jehozabad the son of Shomer, his servants, smote him, and he died; and they buried him with his fathers in the city of David: and Amaziah his son reigned in his stead.
Commentary
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary**2-8. Ahaziah fell down through a lattice in his upper chamber--**This lattice was either a part of the wooden parapet, or fence, which surrounds the flat roofs of houses, and over which the king was carelessly leaning when it gave way; or it might be an opening like a skylight in the roof itself, done over with lattice-work, which, being slender or rotten, the king stepped on and slipped through. This latter supposition is most probably the true one, as Ahaziah did not fall either into the street or the court, but "in his upper chamber."
**inquire of Baalzebub--**Anxious to learn whether he should recover from the effects of this severe fall, he sent to consult Baalzebub, that is, the god of flies, who was considered the patron deity of medicine. A temple to that idol was erected at Ekron, which was resorted to far and wide, though it afterwards led to the destruction of the place (Zec 9:5; Am 1:8; Zep 2:4). "After visiting Ekron, 'the god of flies' is a name that gives me no surprise. The flies there swarmed, in fact so innumerably, that I could hardly get any food without these troublesome insects getting into it" [Van De Velde].
Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset, David Brown. Public Domain.
Historical Context
This verse is found in the book of 2 Kings. Understanding the historical and cultural background helps illuminate its meaning for the original audience and for us today.
Theological Significance
2 Kings 12:19 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 Kings 12:19
Cross-references from Treasury of Scripture Knowledge