The Meaning of 2 Kings 12:1 Explained

2 Kings 12:1

KJV: In the seventh year of Jehu Jehoash began to reign; and forty years reigned he in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Zibiah of Beersheba.

YLT: In the seventh year of Jehu reigned hath Jehoash, and forty years he hath reigned in Jerusalem, and the name of his mother is Zibiah of Beer-Sheba,

Darby: In the seventh year of Jehu, Jehoash began to reign; and he reigned forty years in Jerusalem; and his mother's name was Zibiah of Beer-sheba.

ASV: In the seventh year of Jehu began Jehoash to reign; and he reigned forty years in Jerusalem: and his mother's name was Zibiah of Beer-sheba.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

In the seventh  year  of Jehu  Jehoash  began to reign;  and forty  years  reigned  he in Jerusalem.  And his mother's  name  [was] Zibiah  of Beersheba. 

What does 2 Kings 12:1 Mean?

Context Summary

2 Kings 12:1-16 - Money For The Lord's House
So long as the good priest lived, the young king did well. How much we owe to the presence of wise, strong men to advise and assist us! But neither king nor priest dared to go to the furthest limit of reform, 2 Kings 12:3. This failure bore disastrous fruit in after-years. It is a mistake to cut off weeds on the surface; they will sprout again and give trouble. If thy right hand cause thee to offend, cut it off.
The Temple had suffered terribly under Athaliah, 2 Chronicles 24:7. The king might well take an interest in its reconstruction, because of the shelter it had afforded him from his enemies. The first attempt to raise a renovation fund was a failure. It was in the wrong hands. The priests appear to have appropriated for their own use offerings intended for Temple repair. A change was therefore required, and their receipts were limited to the sin-offerings. As soon as a clear chance was given to the people, their free-will gifts totaled a large amount, which justified the resumption of the work. Certainly the promptness and integrity of the men who did the work put to shame the lethargy and peculation of the priests. Trust the people! This is not the last time that the heart of the masses was more to be trusted than the priestly caste. [source]

Chapter Summary: 2 Kings 12

1  Jehoash reigns well all the days of Jehoiada
4  He gives order for the repair of the temple
17  Hazael is diverted from Jerusalem by a present of the hallowed treasures
19  Jehoash being slain, Amaziah succeeds him

What do the individual words in 2 Kings 12:1 mean?

In the year of seventh Jehu became king Jehoash and forty years he reigned in Jerusalem And name [was] of His mother Zibiah of Beersheba
בִּשְׁנַת־ שֶׁ֤בַע לְיֵהוּא֙ מָלַ֣ךְ יְהוֹאָ֔שׁ וְאַרְבָּעִ֣ים שָׁנָ֔ה מָלַ֖ךְ בִּירֽוּשָׁלִָ֑ם וְשֵׁ֣ם אִמּ֔וֹ צִבְיָ֖ה מִבְּאֵ֥ר שָֽׁבַע

בִּשְׁנַת־  In  the  year 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: שָׁנָה  
Sense: year.
שֶׁ֤בַע  of  seventh 
Parse: Adjective, feminine singular
Root: שֶׁבַע  
Sense: seven (cardinal number).
לְיֵהוּא֙  Jehu 
Parse: Preposition-l, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יֵהוּא  
Sense: the king of the northern kingdom Israel who overthrew the dynasty of Omri.
מָלַ֣ךְ  became  king 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: מָלַךְ 
Sense: to be or become king or queen, reign.
יְהוֹאָ֔שׁ  Jehoash 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יְהֹואָשׁ  
Sense: son of king Ahaziah and the 8th king of Judah.
וְאַרְבָּעִ֣ים  and  forty 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Number, common plural
Root: אַרְבָּעִים  
Sense: forty.
שָׁנָ֔ה  years 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: שָׁנָה  
Sense: year.
מָלַ֖ךְ  he  reigned 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: מָלַךְ 
Sense: to be or become king or queen, reign.
בִּירֽוּשָׁלִָ֑ם  in  Jerusalem 
Parse: Preposition-b, Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: יְרוּשָׁלַםִ  
Sense: the chief city of Palestine and capital of the united kingdom and the nation of Judah after the split.
וְשֵׁ֣ם  And  name  [was] 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: שֵׁם  
Sense: name.
אִמּ֔וֹ  of  His  mother 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: אֵם  
Sense: mother.
צִבְיָ֖ה  Zibiah 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: צִבְיָה  
Sense: a native of Beersheba, wife of king Ahaziah and mother of king Joash both of Judah.
שָֽׁבַע  Beersheba 
Parse: Preposition, Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: בְּאֵר 
Sense: a city at the south edge of Israel.