What does 2 Kings 11:17 mean?
"¶ And Jehoiada made a covenant between the LORD and the king and the people, that they should be the LORD'S people; between the king also and the people." - 2 Kings 11:17
The Bible verse 2 Kings 11:17 from the King James Version reads, "And Jehoiada made a covenant between the LORD and the king and the people, that they should be the LORD's people; between the king also and the people."
This verse comes at the conclusion of the story of Athaliah's downfall and the restoration of the rightful king, Joash. To fully understand the significance of this verse, it is important to examine the context in which it is situated.
In 2 Kings 11, we read about how Athaliah, the mother of King Ahaziah, usurps the throne of Judah after the death of her son. She orders the execution of all royal heirs in an attempt to secure her position as queen. However, one of the infant princes, Joash, is rescued and hidden by his aunt in the temple for six years.
When Joash reaches the age of seven, Jehoiada, the high priest, orchestrates a coup to overthrow Athaliah and restore the rightful king to the throne. Upon Joash's public coronation, Athaliah is put to death, and the people of Judah rejoice in the restoration of their rightful king. It is at this moment that Jehoiada makes a covenant between the Lord, the king, and the people.
The covenant that Jehoiada establishes serves as a pivotal moment in the history of Israel. It symbolizes the recommitment of the nation to the Lord and the reinstatement of God's chosen ruler. The covenant serves as a unifying force, binding the king and the people together in their allegiance to the Lord.
One of the key themes of this verse is the idea of divine sovereignty and the proper ordering of leadership. Throughout the narrative of 2 Kings, there is a clear emphasis on the importance of God-appointed leaders. The covenant made between the Lord, the king, and the people reinforces the idea that the king's authority is derived from God, and his role is to rule in accordance with God's will.
Furthermore, the covenant serves as a reminder of the people's commitment to the Lord and their covenantal relationship with Him. By entering into this covenant, the people of Judah are affirming their allegiance to the Lord and their willingness to follow His commands. This act of covenant-making is a reaffirmation of the Mosaic covenant and the principles laid out in the Torah.
The symbolic significance of the covenant is also noteworthy. By forging this covenant, Jehoiada is solidifying the unity of the nation under the leadership of the rightful king. The covenant serves as a symbol of stability and solidarity, ensuring that the people are united in their devotion to the Lord and their obedience to the king.
In a broader context, the covenant made in 2 Kings 11:17 foreshadows the ultimate covenant that God makes with His people through Jesus Christ. The New Testament presents Jesus as the ultimate King and High Priest, who establishes a new covenant between God and humanity through His sacrificial death and resurrection. In this sense, the covenant in 2 Kings points forward to the redemptive work of Christ and the establishment of His kingdom.
In conclusion, 2 Kings 11:17 is a pivotal verse that encapsulates the themes of divine sovereignty, covenantal relationships, and the proper ordering of leadership. It serves as a reminder of the importance of loyalty to the Lord and the king, and it symbolizes the unity and stability of the nation under God's authority. This verse not only holds historical significance within the narrative of 2 Kings but also carries broader theological implications that resonate throughout the entirety of Scripture.
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2 Kings 11:17 - "¶ And Jehoiada made a covenant between the LORD and the king and the people, that they should be the LORD'S people; between the king also and the people."
"¶ And Jehoiada made a covenant between the LORD and the king and the people, that they should be the LORD'S people; between the king also and the people." - 2 Kings 11:17
2 Kings 17:11 - "And there they burnt incense in all the high places, as did the heathen whom the LORD carried away before them; and wrought wicked things to provoke the LORD to anger:"
2 Kings 17:2 - "And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, but not as the kings of Israel that were before him."
2 Kings 2:11
2 Kings 2:11
2 Kings 2:11
2 Kings 19:17 - "Of a truth, LORD, the kings of Assyria have destroyed the nations and their lands,"
2 Kings 15:11 - "And the rest of the acts of Zachariah, behold, they are written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel."
1 Kings 17:2 - "And the word of the LORD came unto him, saying,"
2 Kings 17:40 - "Howbeit they did not hearken, but they did after their former manner."
1 Kings 17:11 - "And as she was going to fetch it, he called to her, and said, Bring me, I pray thee, a morsel of bread in thine hand."
2 Kings 7:11 - "And he called the porters; and they told it to the king's house within."
2 Kings 17:8 - "And walked in the statutes of the heathen, whom the LORD cast out from before the children of Israel, and of the kings of Israel, which they had made."
2 Kings 21:17 - "¶ Now the rest of the acts of Manasseh, and all that he did, and his sin that he sinned, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?"
1 Kings 11:17 - "That Hadad fled, he and certain Edomites of his father's servants with him, to go into Egypt; Hadad being yet a little child."
2 Kings 2:11 – "As they were walking along and talking together, suddenly a chariot of fire and horses of fire appeared."
2 Kings 17:17 - "And they caused their sons and their daughters to pass through the fire, and used divination and enchantments, and sold themselves to do evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him to anger."
2 Kings 11:21 - "Seven years old was Jehoash when he began to reign."
"And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, but not as the kings of Israel that were before him." - 2 Kings 17:2
"Of a truth, LORD, the kings of Assyria have destroyed the nations and their lands," - 2 Kings 19:17
2 Kings 17:19 - "Also Judah kept not the commandments of the LORD their God, but walked in the statutes of Israel which they made."
2 Kings 24:11 - "And Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came against the city, and his servants did besiege it."
2 Kings 19:11 - "Behold, thou hast heard what the kings of Assyria have done to all lands, by destroying them utterly: and shalt thou be delivered?"
2 Kings 17:5 - "¶ Then the king of Assyria came up throughout all the land, and went up to Samaria, and besieged it three years."
2 Kings 24:17 - "¶ And the king of Babylon made Mattaniah his father's brother king in his stead, and changed his name to Zedekiah."
2 Kings 17:22 - "For the children of Israel walked in all the sins of Jeroboam which he did; they departed not from them;"
2 Kings 17:12 - "For they served idols, whereof the LORD had said unto them, Ye shall not do this thing."
2 Kings 17:14 - "Notwithstanding they would not hear, but hardened their necks, like to the neck of their fathers, that did not believe in the LORD their God."
2 Kings 4:11 - "And it fell on a day, that he came thither, and he turned into the chamber, and lay there."