2 Kings 14:9

2 Kings 14:9 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And Jehoash the king of Israel sent to Amaziah king of Judah, saying, The thistle that was in Lebanon sent to the cedar that was in Lebanon, saying, Give thy daughter to my son to wife: and there passed by a wild beast that was in Lebanon, and trode down the thistle.
• New International Version (NIV)But Jehoash king of Israel replied to Amaziah king of Judah: “A thistle in Lebanon sent a message to a cedar in Lebanon, ‘Give your daughter to my son in marriage.’ Then a wild beast in Lebanon came along and trampled the thistle underfoot.
• English Standard Version (ESV)And Jehoash king of Israel sent word to Amaziah king of Judah, "A thistle on Lebanon sent to a cedar on Lebanon, saying, 'Give your daughter to my son for a wife,' and a wild beast of Lebanon passed by and trampled down the thistle.
• New King James Version (NKJV)And Jehoash king of Israel sent to Amaziah king of Judah, saying, “The thistle that was in Lebanon sent to the cedar that was in Lebanon, saying, ‘Give your daughter to my son as wife’; and a wild beast that was in Lebanon passed by and trampled the thistle.

Context of 2 Kings 14:9

7Amaziah struck down 10,000 Edomites in the Valley of Salt. He took Sela in battle and called it Joktheel, which is its name to this very day. 8Then Amaziah sent messengers to the king of Israel Jehoash son of Jehoahaz, the son of Jehu. “Come, let us meet face to face,” he said. But Jehoash king of Israel replied to Amaziah king of Judah: “A thistle in Lebanon sent a message to a cedar in Lebanon, saying, ‘Give your daughter to my son in marriage.’ Then a wild beast in Lebanon came along and trampled the thistle. 10You have indeed defeated Edom, and your heart has become proud. Glory in that and stay at home. Why should you stir up trouble so that you fall—you and Judah with you?” 11But Amaziah would not listen, so Jehoash king of Israel advanced. He and King Amaziah of Judah faced each other at Beth-shemesh in Judah.

2 Kings 14:9 word by word

וַיִּשְׁלַ֞ח יְהוֹאָ֣שׁ מֶֽלֶךְ־יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל אֶל־אֲמַצְיָ֣הוּ מֶֽלֶךְ־יְהוּדָה֮ לֵאמֹר֒ הַח֜וֹחַ אֲשֶׁ֣ר בַּלְּבָנ֗וֹן שָׁ֠לַח אֶל־הָאֶ֜רֶז אֲשֶׁ֤ר בַּלְּבָנוֹן֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר תְּנָֽה־אֶת־בִּתְּךָ֥ לִבְנִ֖י לְאִשָּׁ֑ה וַֽתַּעֲבֹ֞ר חַיַּ֤ת הַשָּׂדֶה֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר בַּלְּבָנ֔וֹן וַתִּרְמֹ֖ס אֶת־הַחֽוֹחַ׃Read the interlinear

• But Jehoashיְהוֹאָשׁyehô'âsh · JehoashH3060
• kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
• of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
• repliedשָׁלַחshâlach · to send: departH7971
• toאֶל'êl 'el · to(wards)H413
• Amaziahאֲמַצְיָ֫הוּ'ămatsyâh 'ămatsyâhû · AmaziahH558
• of Judahיְהוּדָהyehûdâh · JudahH3063
• ·אָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• A thistleחוֹחַchôach · thistleH2336
• ·אֲשֶׁר'ăsher · whichH834
• in Lebanonלְבָנוֹןlebânôn · LebanonH3844
• a cedarאֶ֫רֶז'erez · cedarH730
• Giveנָתַןnâthan · to give: give(marriage)H5414
• ·אֵת'êth · [Obj.]H853
• your daughterבַּתbath · daughterH1323
• to my sonבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
• in marriageאִשָּׁה'ishshâh nâshîym · woman: wifeH802
• Then a wildשָׂדֶהώâdeh ώâday · land: wildlifeH7704
• beastחַיָּהchay · living thingH2416
• came alongעָבַר‛âbar · to passH5674
• and trampledרָמַסrâmas · to trampleH7429

Cross-references for 2 Kings 14:9

• Judges 9:8One day the trees set out to anoint a king for themselves. They said to the olive tree, ‘Reign over us.’
• 2 Samuel 12:1Then the LORD sent Nathan to David, and when he arrived, he said, “There were two men in a certain city, one rich and the other poor.
• 1 Kings 4:33He spoke of trees, from the cedar in Lebanon to the hyssop growing in the wall, and he taught about animals, birds, reptiles, and fish.
• Ezekiel 20:49Then I said, “Ah, Lord GOD, they are saying of me, ‘Is he not just telling parables?’”
• 2 Chronicles 25:18But Jehoash king of Israel replied to Amaziah king of Judah: “A thistle in Lebanon sent a message to a cedar in Lebanon, saying, ‘Give your daughter to my son in marriage.’ Then a wild beast in Lebanon came along and trampled the thistle.
• Job 31:18though from my youth I reared him as would a father, and from my mother’s womb I guided the widow—
• 1 Samuel 13:6Seeing that they were in danger because their troops were hard-pressed, the men of Israel hid in caves and thickets, among the rocks, and in cellars and cisterns.
• 2 Chronicles 33:11So the LORD brought against them the military commanders of the king of Assyria, who captured Manasseh, put a hook in his nose, bound him with bronze shackles, and took him to Babylon.
• Proverbs 26:9Like a thorn that goes into the hand of a drunkard is a proverb in the mouth of a fool.
• Proverbs 2:2if you incline your ear to wisdom and direct your heart to understanding,
• Hosea 9:6For even if they flee destruction, Egypt will gather them and Memphis will bury them. Their precious silver will be taken over by thistles, and thorns will overrun their tents.
• 2 Chronicles 25:10So Amaziah dismissed the troops who had come to him from Ephraim and sent them home. And they were furious with Judah and returned home in great anger.

Commentaries on 2 Kings 14:9

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 9Jehoash - sent to Amaziah - saying - The meaning of this parable is plain. The thistle that was in Lebanon - Amaziah, king of Judah, sent to the cedar that was in Lebanon - Jehoash, king of Israel, saying, Give thy daughter - a part of thy kingdom, to my son to wife - to be united to, and possessed by the kings of Judah. And there passed by a wild beast - Jehoash and his enraged army, and trode down the thistle - utterly discomfited Amaziah and his…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 9The Oriental use of apologues on the most solemn and serious occasions is well known to all, and scarcely needs illustration (compare marginal reference). It is a common feature of such apologues that they are not exact parallels to the case whereto they are applied, but only general or partial resemblances. Hence, there is need of caution in applying the several points of the illustration.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 8-14Verses 8-14 For some time after the division of the kingdoms, Judah suffered much from the enmity of Israel. After Asa's time, it suffered more by the friendship of Israel, and by the alliance made with them. Now we meet with hostility between them again. How may a humble man smile to hear two proud and scornful men set their wits on work, to vilify and undervalue one another! Unholy success excites pride; pride excites contentions. The effects of pride…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 9-10Jehoash responded with a parable (see Judges 9:7–15). Basically, Amaziah had as much chance of beating Israel in war as a small thistle demanding something from a strong cedar tree. Amaziah and Judah would be defeated as easily as a random step would crush the proud thistle.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 99. Jehoash the king of Israel sent to Amaziah--People in the East very often express their sentiments in a parabolic form, especially when they intend to convey unwelcome truths or a contemptuous sneer. This was the design of the admonitory fable related by Joash in his reply. The thistle, a low shrub, might be chosen to represent Amaziah, a petty prince; the cedar, the powerful sovereign of Israel, and the wild beast that trampled down the thistle the…Read the comment

Topics related to 2 Kings 14:9

• Ambition
• Israel, Prophecies Concerning
• Jehoash
• Parables
• Pride
• Sarcasm
• Thistle

In the dictionaries

• Amaziah
• Israel
• Judah
• Lebanon
• Wild Beast
• Bramble
• Fable
• Jehoash
• Look
• Meddle

Commentaries on 2 Kings 14

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary