Useful Bible Studies > 2 Kings Commentary > chapter 14
Jehoash had ruled northern and central Israel for 16 years. The nation that he had received from his father Jehoahaz was poor and weak. Large parts of Israel were at that time under the control of the powerful king of Aram.
Jehoash fought three times to regain control of towns that Aram’s king had taken from Israel. As Elisha had declared, Jehoash was successful in each of these battles (13:25). In fact, God wanted Jehoash to do much more than this. It was God’s plan for Jehoash to defeat Aram completely and so to end its power over Israel (13:18-19). However, Jehoash did not have the faith (belief and trust in God) to do that. So, the responsibility for that task passed to his son, Jeroboam. As we shall soon see, Jeroboam was a truly great military leader (14:23-27).
In his war against Amaziah, the king of Judah, Jehoash gained great wealth, both for himself and for his country (14:14). Jehoash also made his country much more powerful because of the demands that he made for peace with Judah.
However, it seems that Jehoash did not live long enough to enjoy that wealth and power. Just a short time after he had defeated Judah, Jehoash died.
Jehoash had named his oldest son Jeroboam, perhaps in honour of the first king of northern and central Israel (1 Kings chapter 12). The first king called Jeroboam had established the religion to which Jehoash belonged (13:11). Jehoash’s son, the second Jeroboam, also followed that wrong religion (14:24). All the kings of northern and central Israel followed wrong religions.
Next part: The death of Amaziah (2 Kings 14:17-20)
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