His servants arose, and made a conspiracy, and struck Joash at the house of Millo, on the way that goes down to Silla. For Jozacar the son of Shimeath, and Jehozabad the son of Shomer, his servants, struck him, and he died; and they buried him with his fathers in David’s city; and Amaziah his son reigned in his place.
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2 Kings 12:20-21 sits inside this longer paragraph.
Then Hazael king of Syria went up, and fought against Gath, and took it; and Hazael set his face to go up to Jerusalem. Jehoash king of Judah took all the holy things that Jehoshaphat and Jehoram and Ahaziah, his fathers, kings of Judah, had dedicated, and his own holy things, and all the gold that was found in the treasures of Yahweh’s house, and of the king’s house, and sent it to Hazael king of Syria; and he went away from Jerusalem. Now the rest of the acts of Joash, and all that he did, aren’t they written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? His servants arose, and made a conspiracy, and struck Joash at the house of Millo, on the way that goes down to Silla. For Jozacar the son of Shimeath, and Jehozabad the son of Shomer, his servants, struck him, and he died; and they buried him with his fathers in David’s city; and Amaziah his son reigned in his place.
Parallel Translations
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His servants arose, and made a conspiracy, and struck Joash at the house of Millo, on the way that goes down to Silla.
For Jozacar the son of Shimeath, and Jehozabad the son of Shomer, his servants, struck him, and he died; and they buried him with his fathers in David’s city; and Amaziah his son reigned in his place.
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And his servants arose, and made a conspiracy, and slew Joash in the house of Millo, which goeth down to Silla.
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.
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(12-21) And his servants arose, and made a conspiracy, and smote Joash at Beth-millo, on the way that goeth down to Silla.
(12-22) For Jozacar 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.
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Contradictions (1)
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Cross-references (9)
- 2 Kings 14:5 (v20) As soon as the kingdom was established in his hand, he killed his servants who had slain the king his father,
- 2 Chronicles 24:24-27 (v20) For the army of the Syrians came with a small company of men; and Yahweh delivered a very great army into their hand, because they had…
- Judges 9:6 (v20) All the men of Shechem assembled themselves together with all the house of Millo, and went and made Abimelech king by the oak of the pillar…
- 2 Samuel 5:9 (v20) David lived in the stronghold, and called it David’s city. David built around from Millo and inward.
- 1 Kings 11:27 (v20) This was the reason why he lifted up his hand against the king: Solomon built Millo, and repaired the breach of his father David’s city.
Show all 9 cross-references
- 2 Kings 14:1 (v21) In the second year of Joash son of Joahaz king of Israel Amaziah the son of Joash king of Judah began to reign.
- 2 Chronicles 24:26-27 (v21) These are those who conspired against him: Zabad the son of Shimeath the Ammonitess and Jehozabad the son of Shimrith the Moabitess. Now…
- 2 Chronicles 25:27 (v20) Now from the time that Amaziah turned away from following Yahweh, they made a conspiracy against him in Jerusalem. He fled to Lachish, but…
- 2 Chronicles 33:24 (v20) His servants conspired against him, and put him to death in his own house.
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this passage (14 sources)
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Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain On vv20–21 Because he had put Zechariah the son of Jehoiada…
Because he had put Zechariah the son of Jehoiada to death, 2 Chron. 24:25.
Read 2 Sam. 3:9.
Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.
John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain On vv20–21 2Ki 12:20 And his servants arose, and made a…
2Ki 12:20 And his servants arose, and made a conspiracy, and slew Joash in the house of Millo, which goeth down to Silla.
Ver. 20. And slew Joash.] After that the Syrian rovers had first wounded him, and, perhaps by torturing him, left him under sore diseases, {2Ch 24:23-25} according to what holy Zechariah at his death had prayed and prophesied, The Lord look upon it (i.e., my death), and require it.
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain On vv20–21 Made a conspiracy; of which see 2Ch 24:25.
Made a conspiracy; of which see 2Ch 24:25.
In the house of Millo; either in that strong and famous place in Jerusalem called Millo; of which see 2Sa 5:9; 1Ki 9:15,24; 11:27; into which he possibly retired for his security, being afraid even of his own subjects and servants; or in some other place called by the same name, for some resemblance it had with it.
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Which goeth down to Silla, i.e. which standeth upon the descent to Silla, or upon that descending causeway which leadeth from Millo to the king’s house. Some refer this to Joash, and render the place thus, they slew him at or near the house of Millo, descending, or as he was going down to Silla, to escape their hands.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain On v20 And slew Joash - We are told, in the…
And slew Joash - We are told, in the Chronicles, that his murdering the prophet, Jehoiada's son, was the provocation. In this, how unrighteous so ever they were, yet the Lord was righteous. And this was not the only time, that he let even kings know, it was at their peril, if they touched his anointed, or did his prophets any harm. Thus fell Joash, who began in the spirit, and ended in the flesh. And indeed God usually sets marks of his displeasure upon apostates, even in this life.
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain On vv20–21 Verse 20. The house of Millo] Was a royal…
Verse 20. The house of Millo] Was a royal palace, built by David; (see 2Sa 5:9); and Silla is supposed to be the name of the road or causeway that led to it. Millo was situated between the old city of Jerusalem, and the city of David.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Joseph Benson 1811 · Public Domain On v20 2Ki 12:20. His servants made a conspiracy, and slew…
2Ki 12:20. His servants made a conspiracy, and slew Jehoash — Of which, see 2Ch 24:25, where we are told that his murdering the prophet, Jehoiada’s son, was the provocation. In this, how unrighteous soever they were, yet the Lord was righteous: and this was not the only time that he let even kings know, it was at their peril if they touched his anointed, or did his prophets any harm; and that, when he comes to make inquisition for blood, the blood of prophets will run the account very high. Thus fell Joash, who began in the spirit, and ended in the flesh. God usually sets marks of his displeasure upon apostates, even in this life; for they, of all sinners, do most reproach the Lord.
Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain On v20 A conspiracy - Compare the marginal reference Joash, either…
A conspiracy - Compare the marginal reference Joash, either from a suspicion of intended treason, or from some other unknown cause, took up his abode in the fortress of Millo 1Ki 9:24. This conspiracy was connected with religion. Soon after the death of Jehoiada, Joash had apostatised; had renewed the worship of Baal; and, despite of many prophetic warnings, had persisted in his evil courses, even commanding Zechariah to be slain when he rebuked them 2Ch 24:18-27. The conspirators, who wished to avenge Zechariah, no doubt wished also to put down the Baal worship. In this it appears that they succeeded. For, though Amaziah punished the actual murderers after a while 2Ki 14:5, yet he appears not to have been a Baal-worshipper. The only idolatries laid to his charge are the maintenance of the high places 2Ki 14:4, and a worship of the gods of Edom 2Ch 25:14-20.
Silla - This place is quite unknown.
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary 1859 · Public Domain On vv20–21 Sella. A flight of steps leading to the temple.…
Sella. A flight of steps leading to the temple. (Haydock) --- The palace was at the bottom of it, and had been built by Solomon. Here Joas was slain in his bed. (Paralipomenon)
George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown 1871 · Public Domain On v20 HE IS SLAIN. (Kg2 12:19-21)
HE IS SLAIN. (Kg2 12:19-21)
his servants arose . . . and slew Joash in the house of Millo--(See on Ch2 24:25).
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Next: 2 Kings Chapter 13
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain On vv20–21 20. House of Millo — The castle or citadel…
20. House of Millo — The castle or citadel on Zion which David had fortified. 2Sa_5:9, note.
Which goeth down to Silla — “What or where Silla was is entirely matter of conjecture. It must have been in the valley below, overlooked by that part of the citadel which was used as a residence. The situation of the present so-called Pool of Siloam would be appropriate, and the agreement between the two names is tempting; but the likeness exists in the Greek and English versions only. Gesenius, with less than his usual caution, affirms Silla to be a town in the neighbourhood of Jerusalem. Others refer it to a place on or connected with the causeway, or flight of steps, which led from the central valley of the city up to the court of the temple.” — GROVE, in Smith’s Dictionary.
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain On vv20–21 20. And his servants arose] The Chronicler tells us…
20. And his servants arose] The Chronicler tells us that the Syrians left the king suffering from ‘great diseases’, perhaps from wounds received in some battle against the Syrians. He adds also that it was because of the blood ‘of the sons of Jehoiada’ that the conspiracy was formed against Joash. From which it would seem that not Zechariah only but the whole family of Jehoiada had been put to death by the ungrateful king.
slew Joash in the house of Millo] R.V. smote Joash at &c. We see from 2 Chronicles that the king was lying sick at this place. So it probably was some royal residence, or some part thereof. On ‘Millo’, the name of some part of the fortifications of Jerusalem, cf. 1Ki_9:15. Perhaps the place indicated in this verse may have been part of that fortress. The ‘house of Millo’ is mentioned before this, in Jdg_9:6, but that passage has no connexion with this. The Hebrew ‘Beth-Millo’, translated ‘house of Millo’, may have been one proper name which we ought to retain without translation, as in so many other words formed with ‘Beth’ as a prefix.
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which goeth down to Silla] R.V. on the way that goeth down to Silla. The LXX. and other versions take ‘Silla’ as a proper name, but we have no knowledge of it except from this place.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain On vv20–21 (20) His servants.—His immediate attendants. (Comp. 2Ki_8:15.)
(20) His servants.—His immediate attendants. (Comp. 2Ki_8:15.)
Arose—i.e., against him.
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In the house of Millo.—Or, at Beth-Millo. The precise locality cannot be determined. Thenius supposes that the sorely wounded (?) king had retired for greater safety into “the castle palace.” Ewald says the king was murdered while engaged in the fortress. For “the Millo,” see 2Sa_5:9; 1Ki_9:15. The chronicler relates that Jehoash was murdered in his bed.
Which goeth down to Silla.—These words convey no meaning to us, the name Silla being otherwise unknown. The text is probably corrupt, for Silla is almost exactly like Millo in Hebrew writing. (The Vatican LXX. omits “which goeth down.”)
A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain On vv20–21 And his servants arose, and made a conspiracy. By…
And his servants arose, and made a conspiracy. By "his servants" officers of his household are probably intended, attendants whose position would give them ready access to his person. And slew Joash in the house of Millo. Joash had probably transferred his residence to "the house of Mille. the great fortress built by David (2Sa_5:9) and Solomon (1Ki_9:15, 1Ki_9:24) in Jerusalem for greater security during the siege; and, being there prostrated by sickness, could not remove from it when the siege was over. Which goeth down to Silla. No commentator has succeeded in explaining this passage. There is no other mention of Silla; and it is difficult to understand how a fortress could be said to "go down" to any place. Our Revisers" conjecture the way that goeth down to Silla may be accepted as a possible explanation; but it implies that a word ( has dropped out of the text.
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Tyndale Open Study Notes 2022 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On v20 12:20-21 The assassination of the king in 796 BC…
12:20-21 The assassination of the king in 796 BC by some of his own officers was in reprisal for the murder of Jehoiada’s son Zechariah (2 Chr 24:21-22, 25).
12:20 Beth-millo: This district lay on a ridge of the eastern hill of Jerusalem in an area known as the City of David, where Solomon installed a series of supporting terraces (1 Kgs 9:15). • The road to Silla is otherwise unknown.
Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.