2 Kings 13:9 Meaning and Explanation
“And Jehoahaz slept with his fathers; and they buried him in Samaria: and Joash his son reigned in his stead.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Jehoahaz's reign ends in death, and his son Joash succeeds him as king of Israel.
The Context of 2 Kings 13:9
Jehoahaz's death and burial in Samaria marks the formal end of his reign. Joash (also called Jehoash), his son, becomes the next king of Israel, continuing the dynasty.
What Does 2 Kings 13:9 Mean?
'Slept with his fathers' is the ancient euphemism for death, gentle and final. Jehoahaz goes to join the dead kings who came before him. He is buried in Samaria, the city that remained defiled by its grove, its idolatrous symbols still standing. His life, marked by weakness under Syrian oppression, by prayer and partial deliverance, by a persistent refusal to fully turn from sin, ends as all lives end: in mortality. The throne passes to his son Joash, who will inherit not just the kingdom but its spiritual condition, its weakness, its unfinished reckoning with God.
Death is the boundary we all face. It comes for kings and paupers alike. What marks a life is not its length but what we do with the years given us. Jehoahaz prayed when pressed; he experienced God's hearing; he lived to see deliverance begin. Yet he did not turn fully. His story ends here, incomplete, unresolved. And his son must begin where his father left off, must face the same choice his father faced but refused.
How to Apply 2 Kings 13:9 Today
We all come to the end of our days. The question is not whether death will come, but what we will have done with the time before it. Partial obedience, delayed repentance, deferred turning toward God means we leave our legacy incomplete, our spiritual work unfinished. Those who come after us inherit both the blessing and the burden of what we did and did not do.
Frequently Asked Questions About 2 Kings 13:9
What does 2 Kings 13:9 mean?
Jehoahaz's reign ends in death, and his son Joash succeeds him as king of Israel.
What is the context of 2 Kings 13:9?
Jehoahaz's death and burial in Samaria marks the formal end of his reign. Joash (also called Jehoash), his son, becomes the next king of Israel, continuing the dynasty.
How can I apply 2 Kings 13:9 today?
We all come to the end of our days. The question is not whether death will come, but what we will have done with the time before it. Partial obedience, delayed repentance, deferred turning toward God means we leave our legacy incomplete, our spiritual work unfinished. Those who come after us inherit both the blessing and the burden of what we did and did not do.