And he was with them hid in the house of God six years: and Athaliah reigned over the land.
Parallel translations
- WEB He was with them hidden in God’s house six years while Athaliah reigned over the land.
- BSB And Joash remained hidden with them in the house of God for six years while Athaliah ruled the land.
- NKJV And he was hidden with them in the house of God for six years, while Athaliah reigned over the land.
- NASB He kept himself hidden with them in the house of God for six years while Athaliah reigned over the land.
- NLT Joash remained hidden in the Temple of God for six years while Athaliah ruled over the land.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Joash was hidden in the temple for six years while Athaliah reigned. The future king was kept safe in God's house.
Overview
For six years the rightful heir was concealed in the temple as the usurper Athaliah held power. The house of God became a place of refuge and preservation for the Davidic promise. This quiet providence prepares for the dramatic restoration of the throne in the next chapter.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 6
- Hab 1:12Art thou not from everlasting, O LORD my God, mine Holy One? we shall not die. O LORD, thou hast ordained them for judgment; and, O mighty God, thou hast established them for correction.
- Ps 27:5For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock.
- Ps 12:8The wicked walk on every side, when the vilest men are exalted.
- Ps 73:14For all the day long have I been plagued, and chastened every morning.
- Ps 73:18–19Surely thou didst set them in slippery places: thou castedst them down into destruction.
- Jer 12:1Righteous art thou, O LORD, when I plead with thee: yet let me talk with thee of thy judgments: Wherefore doth the way of the wicked prosper? wherefore are all they happy that deal very treacherously?
Themes, concepts, people & topics
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.
Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.
Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.
Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.
The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).
Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
Christ at the center
Temple, priesthood, and the repeated need for a faithful king who seeks the LORD all point past every imperfect reign to the King and Temple who finally and fully dwell with God's people.
How 2 Chronicles 22:12 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.