2 Kings 14:6
in 2 Kings 14Yet he did not put the sons of the murderers to death, but acted according to what is written in the Book of the Law of Moses, where the LORD commanded: “Fathers must not be put to death for their children, and children must not be put to death for their fathers; each is to die for his own sin.”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
but the children of the murderers he put not to death; according to that which is written in the book of the law of Moses, as Jehovah commanded, saying, The fathers shall not be put to death for the children, nor the children be put to death for the fathers; but every man shall die for his own sin.
KJV
But the children of the murderers he slew not: according unto that which is written in the book of the law of Moses, wherein the Lord commanded, saying, The fathers shall not be put to death for the children, nor the children be put to death for the fathers; but every man shall be put to death for his own sin.
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This verse in 2 Kings 14
Commentary
9 notes on this verseBut the children of the murderers he slew not,.... Which is an instance of his clemency and goodness, and of his strict regard to justice, and to the law of God; though he might fear, these, being spared, would one time or other revenge their fathers' deaths: according to that which is written in the book of the law of Moses, see Deu 24:16, wherein the Lord commanded, saying, the fathers shall not be put to death for the children, nor the children, &c. to which command Amaziah was obedient.
This site's exposition
the kingdom was confirmed in his hand
on 2 Kings 14:5-6
Amaziah executes the men who murdered his father but spares their children, and the text names its source outright, the book of the law of Moses, quoting Deuteronomy's rule that a man dies for his own sin and not his father's or his son's. The commentators call the restraint contrary to the customs of surrounding nations, where a conspirator's whole household commonly paid with him. Individual accountability under the law stands here as a deliberate choice a king could have set aside and did not.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
"In the second year of King Joash son of Ahaziah of Israel, King Amaziah son of Joash of Judah began to reign," who avenged the death of his father, but with moderation, so that he spared the life of the relatives of the conspirators according …
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
16 ), which he was to judge by, and which he resolved to adhere to and trust God with the issue. God visits the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, because every man is guilty before him and owes him a death; so that, if he require the life for the father's sin, he does not wrong, the sinner having forfeited it already by his own.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-citation-number+unbalanced-parens
Slew not - Wherein he shewed faith and courage, that he would obey this command of God, though it was hazardous to himself, such persons being likely to seek revenge for their father's death.
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
But the children of the murderers he slew not--This moderation, inspired by the Mosaic law (De 24:16), displays the good character of this prince; for the course thus pursued toward the families of the regicides was directly contrary to the prevailing customs of antiquity, according to which all connected with the criminals were doomed to unsparing destruction.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
As in the case of his father Joash, the early promise was belied by the devious course he personally followed in later life (see 2Ch 20:14), as well as by the public irregularities he tolerated in the kingdom.
2 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
But the children of the murderers he slew not - Here he showed his conscientious regard for the law of Moses; for God had positively said, The fathers shall not be put to death for the children, neither shall the children be put to death for the fathers: every man shall be put to death for his own sin, Deu 24:16.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
The children of the murderers he slew not - This seems to be noted as a rare instance of clemency (compare 2Ki 9:26 note). It is strange at first sight, that, when the Law contained so very plain a prohibition (marginal references), the contrary practice should have established itself. But we must remember, first, that the custom was that of the East generally (see Dan 6:24); and secondly, that it had the sanction of one who might be thought to have known thoroughly the mind of the legislator, namely, Joshua (see Jos 7:24-25).
The words behind it
28 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וְאֶת־ | veet | and <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| בְּנֵ֥י | benei | [the] sons of | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| הַמַּכִּ֖ים | hamakim | those [who] had struck down | H5221 → | 499 times |
| לֹ֣א | lo' | not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| הֵמִ֑ית | hemit | he put to death | H4191 → | 839 times |
| כַּכָּת֣וּב | kakatuv | according to <the> [what] is written | H3789 → | 224 times |
| בְּסֵ֣פֶר | besefer | in [the] book of | H5612 → | 186 times |
| תּֽוֹרַת־ | torat- | [the] law of | H8451 → | 219 times |
| מֹ֠שֶׁה | mosheh | Moses | H4872 → | 765 times |
| אֲשֶׁר־ | ʾasher- | which | H834 → | 5497 times |
| צִוָּ֨ה | tzivah | he commanded | H6680 → | 494 times |
| יְהוָ֜ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| לֵאמֹ֗ר | lemor | <to> saying | H559 → | 5305 times |
| לֹא־ | lo'- | not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| יוּמְת֨וּ | yumetu | they will be put to death | H4191 → | 839 times |
| אָב֤וֹת | ʾavot | fathers | H1 → | 1212 times |
| עַל־ | ʾal- | on | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| בָּנִים֙ | banim | sons | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| וּבָנִים֙ | uvanim | and sons | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| לֹא־ | lo'- | not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| יוּמְת֣וּ | yumetu | they will be put to death | H4191 → | 839 times |
| עַל־ | ʾal- | on | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| אָב֔וֹת | ʾavot | fathers | H1 → | 1212 times |
| כִּ֛י | ki | that | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| אִם־ | ʾim- | except | H518 → | 1069 times |
| אִ֥ישׁ | ʾish | each | H376 → | 1663 times |
| בְּחֶטְא֖וֹ | becheto | for own sin his | H2399 → | |
| יוּמָֽת׃ | yamut | he will be put to death | H4191 → | 839 times |
וְאֶת־and <obj.>
veetH853 →10935 times
בְּנֵ֥י[the] sons of
beneiH1121 →4930 times
הַמַּכִּ֖יםthose [who] had struck down
hamakimH5221 →499 times
לֹ֣אnot
lo'H3808 →5168 times
הֵמִ֑יתhe put to death
hemitH4191 →839 times
כַּכָּת֣וּבaccording to <the> [what] is written
kakatuvH3789 →224 times
בְּסֵ֣פֶרin [the] book of
beseferH5612 →186 times
תּֽוֹרַת־[the] law of
torat-H8451 →219 times
מֹ֠שֶׁהMoses
moshehH4872 →765 times
אֲשֶׁר־which
ʾasher-H834 →5497 times
צִוָּ֨הhe commanded
tzivahH6680 →494 times
יְהוָ֜הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
לֵאמֹ֗ר<to> saying
lemorH559 →5305 times
לֹא־not
lo'-H3808 →5168 times
יוּמְת֨וּthey will be put to death
yumetuH4191 →839 times
אָב֤וֹתfathers
ʾavotH1 →1212 times
עַל־on
ʾal-H5921 →5755 times
בָּנִים֙sons
banimH1121 →4930 times
וּבָנִים֙and sons
uvanimH1121 →4930 times
לֹא־not
lo'-H3808 →5168 times
יוּמְת֣וּthey will be put to death
yumetuH4191 →839 times
עַל־on
ʾal-H5921 →5755 times
אָב֔וֹתfathers
ʾavotH1 →1212 times
כִּ֛יthat
kiH3588 →4482 times
אִם־except
ʾim-H518 →1069 times
אִ֥ישׁeach
ʾishH376 →1663 times
בְּחֶטְא֖וֹfor own sin his
bechetoH2399 →
יוּמָֽת׃he will be put to death
yamutH4191 →839 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
Deuteronomy 24:16Fathers shall not be put to death for their children, nor children for their fathers; each is to die for his own sin.
it leads to
- Ezekiel 18:20
The soul who sins is the one who will die. A son will not bear the iniquity of his father, and a father will not bear the iniquity of his son. The righteousness of…
Reached by 3 separate paths from here.
- 2 Chronicles 25:4
Yet he did not put their sons to death, but acted according to what is written in the Law, in the Book of Moses, where the LORD commanded: “Fathers must not be put to…
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Jeremiah 31:29–30
“In those days, it will no longer be said: ‘The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the teeth of the children are set on edge.’
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- 2 Kings 14:5–6
As soon as the kingdom was firmly in his grasp, Amaziah executed the servants who had murdered his father the king.
- Ezekiel 18:20
Through
Ezekiel 18:20The soul who sins is the one who will die. A son will not bear the iniquity of his father, and a father will not bear the iniquity of his son. The righteousness of…
it leads to
- Deuteronomy 24:16
Fathers shall not be put to death for their children, nor children for their fathers; each is to die for his own sin.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Ezekiel 18:4
Behold, every soul belongs to Me; both father and son are Mine. The soul who sins is the one who will die.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Matthew 16:27
For the Son of Man will come in His Father’s glory with His angels, and then He will repay each one according to what he has done.
- Deuteronomy 24:16
Through
Ezekiel 18:4Behold, every soul belongs to Me; both father and son are Mine. The soul who sins is the one who will die.
it leads to
- Romans 6:23
For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
- Romans 6:23
About 2 Kings
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on 9 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Ephrem the Syrian, ON THE SECOND BOOK OF KINGS 16:1; Jamieson Fausset and Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.