· Translation: KJV

2 Kings 23:31Jehoahaz was twenty-three years old when he began to reign; and he reigned three months in Jerusalem: and his mother's name was Hamutal the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah.

The setting

Jerusalem, 609 BC. Twenty-three-year-old Jehoahaz is suddenly thrust onto the throne after his father's death in battle. His mother Hamutal watches as her young son faces an impossible situation...

The emotion here: matter-of-fact while recording the beginning of Judah's final collapse

The original word

māshach (מָשַׁח) — to anoint with oil, formally install as king

Why it matters

Jehoahaz reigned only three months before Pharaoh Necho deposed him and took him to Egypt

Read with care

What most readers miss in 2 Kings 23:31

His mother's name is recorded - in ancient times, this indicated she had significant political influence

Common misconceptionPeople think age automatically disqualifies someone from leadership, but Scripture shows God often chooses the young and inexperienced to accomplish His purposes.

Bible Genome reading

2 Kings 23:31 — Bible Genome reading

SpeakerNarrator
EraDivided Kingdom
Primary emotionstarting
Literary typenarrative

Emotional genome

Comfort power30%
Quotability20%
Memorability30%
Crisis relevance30%
Standalone40%
Themes:successionnew beginnings

In context

No verse stands alone.

Read the conversation around it.

Open 2 Kings 23

2 Kings 23:31 comes from the book of 2 Kings, written during the Divided Kingdom period. These words are attributed to Narrator. The dominant emotion in this verse is starting, with a comfort power of 30% and a tone that is conversational. It belongs to the narrative genre of biblical literature. Key themes include succession, new beginnings. Notable phrases: twenty-three years old; three months.

Your reflection

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