EasyEnglish Bible 2018
2 Kings 14:9
9But King Jehoash of Israel sent this message back to King Amaziah of Judah: ‘In Lebanon, a thorn bush sent this message to a cedar tree: “Please give your daughter to my son, to be his wife.” Then a wild animal of Lebanon came and knocked down the thorn bush. It walked all over it!
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 killed 10,000 soldiers from Edom in Salt valley. He attacked Sela city and he took it for himself. He gave it a new name, ‘Joktheel’. That is still its name. 8Then Amaziah sent men with a message to King Jehoash of Israel. He was the son of Jehoahaz and the grandson of Jehu. Amaziah's message said, ‘Come here and meet me.’ But King Jehoash of Israel sent this message back to King Amaziah of Judah: ‘In Lebanon, a thorn bush sent this message to a cedar tree: “Please give your daughter to my son, to be his wife.” Then a wild animal of Lebanon came and knocked down the thorn bush. It walked all over it! 10Yes! You have won the fight against Edom. But do not boast about your power! You may be very happy, but stay at home! Do not try to fight against us. If you do that, you will cause trouble that destroys both you and your kingdom, Judah.’ 11But Amaziah did not accept Jehoash's message. So King Jehoash of Israel prepared to attack Amaziah's army. Jehoash and Amaziah met together in battle at Beth Shemesh, a town in Judah.
Read all of 2 Kings 142 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
Words taken from the KJV.
- And Jehoashיְהוֹאָשׁyehô'âsh · JehoashH3060
- the kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
- of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
- sentשָׁלַחshâlach · to send: departH7971
- to Amaziahאֲמַצְיָ֫הוּ'ămatsyâh 'ămatsyâhû · AmaziahH558
- of Judahיְהוּדָהyehûdâh · JudahH3063
- sayingאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- The thistleחוֹחַchôach · thistleH2336
- in Lebanonלְבָנוֹןlebânôn · LebanonH3844
- to the cedarאֶ֫רֶז'erez · cedarH730
- Giveנָתַןnâthan · to give: give(marriage)H5414
- thy daughterבַּתbath · daughterH1323
- to my sonבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
- to wifeאִשָּׁה'ishshâh nâshîym · woman: wifeH802
- and there passedעָבַר‛âbar · to passH5674
- by a wildשָׂדֶהώâdeh ώâday · land: wildlifeH7704
- beastחַיָּהchay · living thingH2416
- and trode downרָמַסrâmas · to trampleH7429
Cross-references for 2 Kings 14:9
- Judges 9:8One day, the trees decided to choose a king for themselves. They said to the olive tree, “Be our king.”
- 2 Samuel 12:1The Lord sent Nathan to go and speak to David. Nathan told this story to David, ‘There were two men who lived in the same town. One man was rich and the other man was poor.
- 1 Kings 4:33He could describe many plants. These included large trees like cedar trees that grow in Lebanon and small plants like hyssop that grows on walls. He also taught people about all kinds of animals, birds, insects and fish.
- Ezekiel 20:49Then I said, ‘Almighty Lord, “The people are already saying that my stories make them confused.” ’
- 2 Chronicles 25:18But King Jehoash of Israel sent this message back to King Amaziah of Judah: ‘In Lebanon, a thorn bush sent this message to a cedar tree: “Please give your daughter to my son, to be his wife.” Then a wild animal of Lebanon came and knocked down the thorn bush. It walked all over it!
- Job 31:18Since I was a young man, I have helped those children like a father. All my life I have helped widows too.
- 1 Samuel 13:6The Israelites realized that they would be in big trouble if the Philistines attacked them. Some of them went and hid in caves or among the bushes. Others hid among the rocks, in holes in the ground or in wells.
- 2 Chronicles 33:11So the Lord brought the officers of the king of Assyria's army to attack them. They took hold of Manasseh. They put metal hooks in his nose and they tied bronze chains around him. Then they took him away to Babylon.
- Proverbs 26:9A fool who speaks a proverb is like a drunk person with a thorn in his finger. He does not know what to do with it.
- Proverbs 2:2Listen carefully, so that you understand what wisdom really is.
- Hosea 9:6Listen! Perhaps some Israelites will escape when Assyria's army attacks. But then Egypt's army will take hold of them. They will die in Memphis and people will bury them there. Weeds will grow all over their valuable silver things. Thorn bushes will grow in their homes.
- 2 Chronicles 25:10So Amaziah sent away the soldiers who had come from Ephraim. He told them to go back to their homes. So they became very angry with Judah's people. As they went home, they had angry thoughts.
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
In the dictionaries
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
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