Bible Strands
2 Chronicles 24:23
In the spring, the army of Aram went to war against Joash. They entered Judah and Jerusalem and destroyed all the leaders of the people, and they sent all the plunder to their king in Damascus.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The chronicler records this event immediately after Joash executes Zechariah, marking the moment Judah’s ruling class is decimated by an invading Aramean force. The narrative moves from internal covenant betrayal to external military judgment.
The words — The phrase לִתְקוּפַת הַשָּׁנָה (li/t.ku.Fat ha./sha.Nah) literally means “to the circuit of the year,” denoting the spring military campaign. The verb עָלָה ('a.Lah), “it came up,” describes the Aramean army’s advance against Joash.
The thread — This invasion aligns with Hazael’s campaign against Gath and Jerusalem recorded in 2 Kings 12:17 and fulfills the covenant warning that forsaking God invites national disaster as outlined in Deuteronomy 32:35. The chronicler presents the military defeat as the direct historical outcome of Judah’s apostasy.
Why it lands — The text requires readers to acknowledge that leadership failure and covenant rejection produce concrete historical consequences. It demands a sober assessment of how political and military collapse follows deliberate abandonment of divine authority.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
And it came to pass at the end of the year, that the host of Syria came up against him: and they came to Judah and Jerusalem, and destroyed all the princes of the people from among the people, and sent all the spoil of them unto the king of Damascus.
Cross-references
- 2 Kings 12:17 At that time Hazael king of Aram marched up and fought against Gath and captured it. Then he decided to attack Jerusalem.
- Deuteronomy 32:35 Vengeance is Mine; I will repay. In due time their foot will slip; for their day of disaster is near, and their doom is coming quickly.”
- 1 Kings 20:22 Afterward, the prophet approached the king of Israel and said, “Go and strengthen your position, and take note what you must do, for in the spring the king of Aram will come up against you.”
- 1 Kings 20:26 In the spring, Ben-hadad mobilized the Arameans and went up to Aphek to fight against Israel.
- 2 Chronicles 24:17 After the death of Jehoiada, however, the officials of Judah came and paid homage to the king, and he listened to them.
- Psalms 2:10 Therefore be wise, O kings; be admonished, O judges of the earth.
- Psalms 58:10 The righteous will rejoice when they see they are avenged; they will wash their feet in the blood of the wicked.
- Psalms 82:6 I have said, ‘You are gods; you are all sons of the Most High.’