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2 Chronicles 25:18

in 2 Chronicles 25

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.

BSB

The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾

ASV

And Joash 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 trod down the thistle.

KJV

And Joash 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.

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This verse in 2 Chronicles 25

Commentary

3 notes on this verse

A commentator

Adam Clarke

1762–1832

Commentary on the Bible · Written before 1832.

The thistle that was in Lebanon - See the explanation of this 2Ki 14:9 (note). After reciting this fable, the Targum adds, “Thus hast thou done in the time thou didst send unto me, and didst lead up from the house of Israel a hundred thousand strong warriors for a hundred talents of silver: and after they were sent, thou didst not permit them to go with thee to war, but didst send them back, greatly enraged, so that they spread themselves over the country; and having cut off three thousand, they brought back much spoil.”

This site's exposition

Come, let us meet face to face

on 2 Chronicles 25:17-19

Amaziah’s challenge and Jehoash’s fable of the thistle and the cedar follow 2 Kings 14:8-9 closely. In Kings the challenge follows straight on the Edom victory, while here it follows the idol worship and the silenced prophet. Jehoash’s counsel, “Now stay at home,” is the second warning Amaziah refuses.

This site's exposition

A thistle in Lebanon sent a message

Adam Clarke cites the Targum, which applies the fable to the hired men of verse 10. In that reading, Amaziah's dismissal of the Israelite troops was the insult that set the two kingdoms against each other. The raid of verse 13 stands behind the challenge.

How the passage was read

What the Jewish commentators add

On the verses either side of this one

Come, let us confront each other to show our might on horses with spears.
Rashi: France, 1040–1105 · Rashi on II Chronicles 25:17:1, via Sefaria, The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg
1 more on this passage, in their own words ▾
and your heart has made you haughty to pursue glory, and you wish to be glorified also on my account. In II Kings (14:10), the reading is: “Retain your honor by staying home.”
Rashi: France, 1040–1105 · Rashi on II Chronicles 25:19:1, via Sefaria, The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg

This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.

Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 3 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.

The words behind it

31 Hebrew words

Every Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.

  • וַיִּשְׁלַ֞חand he sent

    vaiyishlachH7971 →845 times

  • יוֹאָ֣שׁJoash

    yoashH3101 →47 times

  • מֶֽלֶךְ־[the] king of

    melekh-H4428 →2525 times

  • יִשְׂרָאֵ֗לIsrael

    yisraelH3478 →2507 times

  • אֶל־to

    ʾel-H413 →5510 times

  • אֲמַצְיָ֣הוּAmaziah

    ʾamatzyahuH558 →40 times

  • מֶֽלֶךְ־[the] king of

    melekh-H4428 →2525 times

  • יְהוּדָה֮Judah

    yehudahH3063 →819 times

  • לֵאמֹר֒<to> saying

    lemorH559 →5305 times

  • הַח֜וֹחַthe thornbush

    hachoachH2336 →12 times

  • אֲשֶׁ֣רwhich

    ʾasherH834 →5497 times

  • בַּלְּבָנ֗וֹן[was] in <the> Lebanon

    balevanonH3844 →71 times

  • שָׁ֠לַחit sent

    shalachH7971 →845 times

  • אֶל־to

    ʾel-H413 →5510 times

  • הָאֶ֜רֶזthe cedar

    haerezH730 →73 times

  • אֲשֶׁ֤רwhich

    ʾasherH834 →5497 times

  • בַּלְּבָנוֹן֙[was] in <the> Lebanon

    balevanonH3844 →71 times

  • לֵאמֹ֔ר<to> saying

    lemorH559 →5305 times

  • תְּנָֽה־give !

    tenah-H5414 →2011 times

  • אֶת־<obj.>

    ʾet-H853 →10935 times

  • בִּתְּךָ֥daughter your

    bitekhaH1323 →588 times

  • לִבְנִ֖יto son my

    livniH1121 →4930 times

  • לְאִשָּׁ֑הto a wife

    leishahH802 →781 times

  • וַֽתַּעֲבֹ֞רand it passed by

    vataavorH5674 →556 times

  • חַיַּ֤ת[the] animal of

    chaiyatH2416 →498 times

  • הַשָּׂדֶה֙the field

    hasadehH7704 →334 times

  • אֲשֶׁ֣רwhich

    ʾasherH834 →5497 times

  • בַּלְּבָנ֔וֹן[was] in <the> Lebanon

    balevanonH3844 →71 times

  • וַתִּרְמֹ֖סand it trampled

    vatirmosH7429 →

  • אֶת־<obj.>

    ʾet-H853 →10935 times

  • הַחֽוֹחַ׃the thornbush

    hachoachH2336 →12 times

A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.

Related verses

5 in all, six open

The number beside each verse is how many compiled reference works tie it to this one. The strongest six stand open.

Judges 9:8–15One day the trees set out to anoint a king for themselves. They said to the olive tree, ‘Reign over us.’4 works1 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.2 worksPsalms 80:13The boar from the forest ravages it, and the creatures of the field feed upon it.2 works2 Chronicles 18:22So you see, the LORD has put a lying spirit in the mouths of these prophets of yours, and the LORD has pronounced disaster against you.”2 works2 Kings 14:9But 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.2 works

The walk

8 stops

Each card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.

  • Through

    1 Kings 4:33

    He spoke of trees, from the cedar in Lebanon to the hyssop growing in the wall, and he taught about animals, birds, reptiles, and fish.

    it leads to

    • Psalms 92:12

      The righteous will flourish like a palm tree, and grow like a cedar in Lebanon.

    • Psalms 51:7

      Purify me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.

    • 2 Kings 19:23

      Through your servants you have taunted the Lord, and you have said: “With my many chariots I have ascended to the heights of the mountains, to the remote peaks of Lebanon. I have cut…

    • Numbers 19:18

      Then a man who is ceremonially clean is to take some hyssop, dip it in the water, and sprinkle the tent, all the furnishings, and the people who were there. He is also to…

    • Exodus 12:22

      Take a cluster of hyssop, dip it into the blood in the basin, and brush the blood on the top and sides of the doorframe. None of you shall go out the door of…

  • Through

    Psalms 80:13

    The boar from the forest ravages it, and the creatures of the field feed upon it.

    it leads to

    • Jeremiah 5:6

      Therefore a lion from the forest will strike them down, a wolf from the desert will ravage them. A leopard will lie in wait near their cities, and everyone who ventures out will be…

    • Jeremiah 4:7

      A lion has gone up from his thicket, and a destroyer of nations has set out. He has left his lair to lay waste your land. Your cities will be reduced to ruins and…

    • 2 Chronicles 32:1–33

      After all these acts of faithfulness, Sennacherib king of Assyria came and invaded Judah. He laid siege to the fortified cities, intending to conquer them for himself.

About 2 Chronicles

Saphan Reading the Book of the Law to Josiah, Philip Galle, engraving after Maarten van Heemskerck, 1569, Royal Library of Belgium. Public domain.
Saphan Reading the Book of the Law to Josiah, Philip Galle, engraving after Maarten van Heemskerck, 1569, Royal Library of Belgium. Public domain.
2 Chronicles: the study guide →Read 2 Chronicles 25 →

This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Keil, The Books of the Chronicles and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.

Read on in 2 Chronicles 25 →