2 Kings 14:26
in 2 Kings 14For the LORD saw that the affliction of the Israelites, both slave and free, was very bitter. There was no one to help Israel,
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
For Jehovah saw the affliction of Israel, that it was very bitter; for there was none shut up nor left at large, neither was there any helper for Israel.
KJV
For the Lord saw the affliction of Israel, that it was very bitter: for there was not any shut up, nor any left, nor any helper for Israel.
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This verse in 2 Kings 14
Commentary
7 notes on this verseFor the Lord saw the affliction of Israel, that it was very bitter,.... Being sorely oppressed by their enemies, especially the Syrians; and he was moved to have compassion upon them, and show mercy to them: for, there was not any shut up, nor any left, nor any helper for Israel: they were in the most forlorn and helpless condition; See Gill on Deu 32:36.
This site's exposition
saw the affliction of Israel
on 2 Kings 14:26-27
The reason for Jeroboam's victories is given plainly, the Lord saw Israel's affliction, bitter enough that no one was shut up or left, and no helper anywhere, and he saved them by Jeroboam's own hand. The Lord had not yet said he would blot out Israel's name from under heaven, a Mosaic phrase the commentators trace to Deuteronomy's own warnings, so mercy still runs ahead of the sentence that falls later in the book. A king who never left Jeroboam's sin becomes, without contradiction stated by the text, the instrument of the Lord's compassion on a suffering people.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
4 Howbeit the high places were not taken away: as yet the people did sacrifice and burnt incense on the high places. 5 And it came to pass, as soon as the kingdom was confirmed in his hand, that he slew his servants which had slain the king his father.
quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — verbatim-scripture
Was bitter - Whereby he was moved to pity and help them, though they were an unworthy people. Nor any left - Both towns and country were utterly laid waste.
Let those whose case is pitiable take comfort from the divine pity; we read of God's bowels of mercy ( Isa. lxiii. 20 ) and that he is full of compassion, Ps. lxxxvi.
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
The Lord saw the affliction of Israel - It appears that about this time Israel had been greatly reduced; and great calamities had fallen upon all indiscriminately; even the diseased and captives in the dungeon had the hand of God heavy upon them, and there was no helper; and then God sent Jonah to encourage them, and to assure them of better days. He was the first of the prophets, after Samuel, whose writings are preserved; yet the prophecy delivered on this occasion is not extant; for what is now in the prophecies of Jonah, relates wholly to Nineveh.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
The affliction of Israel - That which the Israelites had suffered for two reigns at the hands of the Syrians 2Ki 10:32-33; 2Ki 13:3, 2Ki 13:7,2Ki 13:22. There was not any shut up, nor any left - A phrase implying complete depopulation (see the marginal reference note; 1Ki 14:10), but here meaning no more than extreme depression and weakness.
The words behind it
15 Hebrew wordsEvery 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.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| כִּי־ | ki- | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| רָאָ֧ה | raah | he saw | H7200 → | 1300 times |
| יְהוָ֛ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| עֳנִ֥י | ʾoni | [the] affliction of | H6040 → | |
| יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל | yisrael | Israel | H3478 → | 2507 times |
| מֹרֶ֣ה | moreh | rebellious | H4784 → | |
| מְאֹ֑ד | meod | very | H3966 → | 300 times |
| וְאֶ֤פֶס | veefes | and there not | H657 → | |
| עָצוּר֙ | ʾatzur | [was] shut up | H6113 → | 47 times |
| וְאֶ֣פֶס | veefes | and there not | H657 → | |
| עָז֔וּב | ʾazuv | [was] freed | H5800 → | 215 times |
| וְאֵ֥ין | veein | and there not | H369 → | 789 times |
| עֹזֵ֖ר | ʾozer | [was] a helper | H5826 → | |
| לְיִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ | leyisrael | for Israel | H3478 → | 2507 times |
כִּי־for
ki-H3588 →4482 times
רָאָ֧הhe saw
raahH7200 →1300 times
יְהוָ֛הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
עֳנִ֥י[the] affliction of
ʾoniH6040 →
יִשְׂרָאֵ֖לIsrael
yisraelH3478 →2507 times
מֹרֶ֣הrebellious
morehH4784 →
מְאֹ֑דvery
meodH3966 →300 times
וְאֶ֤פֶסand there not
veefesH657 →
עָצוּר֙[was] shut up
ʾatzurH6113 →47 times
וְאֶ֣פֶסand there not
veefesH657 →
עָז֔וּב[was] freed
ʾazuvH5800 →215 times
וְאֵ֥יןand there not
veeinH369 →789 times
עֹזֵ֖ר[was] a helper
ʾozerH5826 →
לְיִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃for Israel
leyisraelH3478 →2507 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach 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
Exodus 3:7The LORD said, “I have indeed seen the affliction of My people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their oppressors, and I am aware of their sufferings.
it leads to
- Psalms 145:19
He fulfills the desires of those who fear Him; He hears their cry and saves them.
- Psalms 106:44
Nevertheless He heard their cry; He took note of their distress.
- Exodus 2:23–25
After a long time, the king of Egypt died. The Israelites groaned and cried out under their burden of slavery, and their cry for deliverance from bondage ascended to God.
- Psalms 34:6
This poor man called out, and the LORD heard him; He saved him from all his troubles.
- Exodus 22:23
If you do mistreat them, and they cry out to Me in distress, I will surely hear their cry.
- Psalms 145:19
Through
Exodus 3:9And now the cry of the Israelites has reached Me, and I have seen how severely the Egyptians are oppressing them.
it leads to
- Exodus 3:7
The LORD said, “I have indeed seen the affliction of My people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their oppressors, and I am aware of their sufferings.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Exodus 2:23
After a long time, the king of Egypt died. The Israelites groaned and cried out under their burden of slavery, and their cry for deliverance from bondage ascended to God.
- Proverbs 22:22–23
Do not rob a poor man because he is poor, and do not crush the afflicted at the gate,
- Exodus 3:7
About 2 Kings
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.