Jehoash was seven years old when he began to reign.
Parallel translations
- KJV Seven years old was Jehoash when he began to reign.
- BSB Joash was seven years old when he became king.
- NKJV Jehoash was seven years old when he became king.
- NASB Jehoash was seven years old when he became king.
- NLT Joash was seven years old when he became king.
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 only seven years old when he became king. A child inherits the restored throne of David.
Overview
The note of Joash's young age underscores how God preserved the dynasty through a mere infant hidden from slaughter. His reign begins under the guidance of the faithful priest Jehoiada. That the covenant line continued through so vulnerable a child magnifies God's faithfulness in keeping His promise to David.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 3
- 2 Chr 24:1–14Joash was seven years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Zibiah, of Beersheba.
- 2 Kgs 22:1Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned thirty-one years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jedidah the daughter of Adaiah of Bozkath.
- 2 Kgs 11:4In the seventh year Jehoiada sent and fetched the captains over hundreds of the Carites and of the guard, and brought them to him into Yahweh’s house; and he made a covenant with them, and made a covenant with them in Yahweh’s house, and showed them the king’s son.
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
Amid the long decline toward exile, the promise to David's house refuses to die; the flickering lamp kept burning anticipates the coming King who will not fail or be cut off.
How 2 Kings 11:21 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.