Lectionary Calendar
Monday, April 20th, 2026
the Third Week after Easter
Attention!
StudyLight.org has pledged to help build churches in Uganda. Help us with that pledge and support pastors in the heart of Africa.
Click here to join the effort!

Read the Bible

Douay-Rheims Bible

2 Chronicles 25:18

But he sent back the messengers, saying: The thistle that is in Libanus, sent to the cedar in Libanus, saying: Give thy daughter to my son to wife: and behold the beasts that were in the wood of Libanus passed by and trod down the thistle.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Jehoash;   Pride;   Sarcasm;   Thistle;   Thompson Chain Reference - Parables;   Truth;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Kings;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Amaziah;   Joash or Jehoash;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Amaziah;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Chronicles, Books of;   Fable;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Alliance;   Chronicles, I;   Thorns, Thistles, Etc;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Amaziah ;   Joash ;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Kingdom of Judah;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Jehoash;   Thorns;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Joash;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
King Jehoash of Israel sent word to King Amaziah of Judah, saying, “The thistle in Lebanon sent a message to the cedar in Lebanon, saying, ‘Give your daughter to my son as a wife.’ Then a wild animal in Lebanon passed by and trampled the thistle.
Hebrew Names Version
Yo'ash king of Yisra'el sent to Amatzyah king of Yehudah, saying, The thistle that was in Levanon sent to the cedar that was in Levanon, saying, Give your daughter to my son as wife: and there passed by a wild animal that was in Levanon, and trod down the thistle.
King James Version
And Joash king of Israel sent to Amaziah king of Judah, saying, The thistle that was in Lebanon sent to the cedar that was in Lebanon, saying, Give thy daughter to my son to wife: and there passed by a wild beast that was in Lebanon, and trode down the thistle.
English Standard Version
And Joash the king of Israel sent word to Amaziah king of Judah, "A thistle on Lebanon sent to a cedar on Lebanon, saying, ‘Give your daughter to my son for a wife,' and a wild beast of Lebanon passed by and trampled down the thistle.
New Century Version
Then Jehoash king of Israel answered Amaziah king of Judah, "A thornbush in Lebanon sent a message to a cedar tree in Lebanon. It said, ‘Let your daughter marry my son.' But then a wild animal from Lebanon came by, walking on and crushing the thornbush.
New English Translation
King Joash of Israel sent this message back to King Amaziah of Judah, "A thorn bush in Lebanon sent this message to a cedar in Lebanon, ‘Give your daughter to my son as a wife.' Then a wild animal of Lebanon came by and trampled down the thorn bush.
Amplified Bible
Then Joash king of Israel sent word to Amaziah king of Judah, saying, "The [little] thorn bush in Lebanon sent word to the [great] cedar in Lebanon, saying, 'Give your daughter to my son in marriage.' But a wild beast in Lebanon passed by and trampled down the thorn bush.
New American Standard Bible
But Joash the king of Israel sent a reply to Amaziah king of Judah, saying, "The thorn bush that was in Lebanon sent word to the cedar that was in Lebanon, saying, 'Give your daughter to my son in marriage.' But a wild beast that was in Lebanon passed by and trampled the thorn bush.
World English Bible
Joash king of Israel sent to Amaziah king of Judah, saying, The thistle that was in Lebanon sent to the cedar that was in Lebanon, saying, Give your daughter to my son as wife: and there passed by a wild animal that was in Lebanon, and trod down the thistle.
Geneva Bible (1587)
But Ioash King of Israel sent to Amaziah King of Iudah, saying, The thistle that is in Lebanon, sent to the cedar that is in Lebanon, saying, Giue thy daughter to my sonne to wife: and the wilde beast that was in Lebanon went and trode downe the thistle.
Legacy Standard Bible
And Joash the king of Israel sent to Amaziah king of Judah, saying, "The thorn bush which was in Lebanon sent to the cedar which was in Lebanon, saying, ‘Give your daughter to my son as a wife.' But a beast of the field that was in Lebanon passed by and trampled the thorn bush.
Berean Standard Bible
But Jehoash king of Israel replied to Amaziah king of Judah: "A thistle in Lebanon sent a message to a cedar in Lebanon, saying, 'Give your daughter to my son in marriage.' Then a wild beast in Lebanon came along and trampled the thistle.
Contemporary English Version
Jehoash sent back a reply that said: Once upon a time, a small thornbush in Lebanon arranged the marriage between his son and the daughter of a large cedar tree. But a wild animal came along and trampled the small bush.
Complete Jewish Bible
Yo'ash the king of Isra'el sent this reply to Amatzyah king of Y'hudah: "Once, in the L'vanon, the thistle sent a message to the cedar: ‘Give your daughter to my son in marriage.' But a wild animal passed by the thistle and squashed it.
Darby Translation
And Joash king of Israel sent to Amaziah king of Judah, saying, The thorn-bush that is in Lebanon sent to the cedar that is in Lebanon, saying, Give thy daughter to my son as wife; and there passed by the wild beast that is in Lebanon, and trode down the thorn-bush.
Easy-to-Read Version
Then Jehoash sent his answer to Amaziah. Jehoash was the king of Israel and Amaziah was the king of Judah. Jehoash told this story: "A little thornbush of Lebanon sent a message to a big cedar tree of Lebanon. The little thornbush said, ‘Let your daughter marry my son.' But a wild animal came and walked over the thornbush and destroyed it.
George Lamsa Translation
But Joash king of Israel sent to Amaziah king of Judah, saying, The thistle that is in Lebanon sent to the cedar that is in Lebanon, saying, Give your daughter to my son to wife; and there passed by a wild beast that was in Lebanon and trampled down the thistle.
Good News Translation
Jehoash sent this answer to Amaziah: "Once a thorn bush in the Lebanon Mountains sent a message to a cedar: ‘Give your daughter in marriage to my son.' A wild animal passed by and trampled the bush down.
Lexham English Bible
And Joash the king of Israel sent to Amaziah king of Judah, saying, "The thorn bush that is in Lebanon has sent to the cedar which is in Lebanon, saying, ‘Give your daughter to my son as wife.' But a wild animal of the field that was in Lebanon passed by and trampled the thorn bush.
Literal Translation
And Jehoash the king of Israel sent to Amaziah the king of Judah, saying, The thorn that was in Lebanon sent to the cedar in Lebanon, saying, Give your daughter to my son for a wife; and a beast of the field that was in Lebanon passed by and trampled down the thorn.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
But Ioas the kynge of Israel sent vnto Amasias ye kynge of Iuda, sayenge: The hawthorne in Libanus sent vnto ye Cedre tre in Libanus, sayege: Geue thy doughter vnto my sonne to wife. But a wylde beest in Libanus ranne ouer ye hawthorne, & trode it downe.
American Standard Version
And Joash king of Israel sent to Amaziah king of Judah, saying, The thistle that was in Lebanon sent to the cedar that was in Lebanon, saying, Give thy daughter to my son to wife: and there passed by a wild beast that was in Lebanon, and trod down the thistle.
Bible in Basic English
And Joash, king of Israel, sent to Amaziah, king of Judah, saying, The thorn-tree in Lebanon sent to the cedar in Lebanon, saying, Give your daughter to my son for a wife: and a beast from the woodland in Lebanon went by, crushing the thorn under his feet.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And Ioas king of Israel sent to Amaziahu king of Iuda, saying: A thistle that is in Libanon, sent to a Cedar tree of Libanon, saying, Geue thy daughter to my sonne to wyfe: And there came a wylde beast of Libanon, and trode downe the thistle.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And Joash king of Israel sent to Amaziah king of Judah, saying: 'The thistle that was in Lebanon sent to the cedar that was in Lebanon, saying: Give thy daughter to my son to wife; and there passed by the wild beasts that were in Lebanon, and trod down the thistle.
King James Version (1611)
And Ioash king of Israel sent to Amaziah king of Iudah, saying, The thistle that was in Lebanon, sent to the Cedar that was in Lebanon, saying, Giue thy daughter to my sonne to wife: and there passed by a wild beast that was in Lebanon, and trode downe the thistle.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And Joas king of Israel sent to Amasias king of Juda, saying, The thistle that was in Libanus sent to the cedar that was in Libanus, saying, Give thy daughter to my son to wife; but, behold, thy wild beasts of the field that are in Libanus shall come: and the wild beasts did come, and trod down the thistle.
English Revised Version
And Joash king of Israel sent to Amaziah king of Judah, saying, The thistle that was in Lebanon sent to the cedar that was in Lebanon, saying, Give thy daughter to my son to wife: and there passed by a wild beast that was in Lebanon; and trode down the thistle.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And he sente ayen messangeris, and seide, A `cardue, ether a tasil, which is in the Liban sente to the cedre of the Liban, and seide, Yyue thi douyter a wijf to my sone; and lo! beestis that weren in the wode of the Liban yeden and defouliden the cardue.
Update Bible Version
And Joash king of Israel sent to Amaziah king of Judah, saying, The thistle that was in Lebanon sent to the cedar that was in Lebanon, saying, Give your daughter to my son as wife: and there passed by a wild beast that was in Lebanon, and trod down the thistle.
Webster's Bible Translation
And Joash king of Israel sent to Amaziah king of Judah, saying, The thistle that [was] in Lebanon sent to the cedar that [was] in Lebanon, saying, Give thy daughter to my son for a wife: and there passed by a wild beast that [was] in Lebanon, and trod down the thistle.
New King James Version
And Joash king of Israel sent to Amaziah king of Judah, saying, "The thistle that was in Lebanon sent to the cedar that was in Lebanon, saying, "Give your daughter to my son as wife'; and a wild beast that was in Lebanon passed by and trampled the thistle.
New Living Translation
But King Jehoash of Israel replied to King Amaziah of Judah with this story: "Out in the Lebanon mountains, a thistle sent a message to a mighty cedar tree: ‘Give your daughter in marriage to my son.' But just then a wild animal of Lebanon came by and stepped on the thistle, crushing it!
New Life Bible
King Joash of Israel sent an answer to King Amaziah of Judah, saying, "The thorn bush in Lebanon sent word to the cedar in Lebanon, saying, ‘Give your daughter to my son for a wife.' But a wild animal of Lebanon passed by and crushed the thorn bush under its feet.
New Revised Standard
King Joash of Israel sent word to King Amaziah of Judah, "A thornbush on Lebanon sent to a cedar on Lebanon, saying, ‘Give your daughter to my son for a wife'; but a wild animal of Lebanon passed by and trampled down the thornbush.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And Joash king of Israel sent unto Amaziah king of Judah, saying, A thistle that was in Lebanon, sent unto a cedar that was in Lebanon, saying, Come! give thy daughter unto my son to wife, - but there passed by a beast of the field that was in Lebanon, and trampled down the thistle.
Revised Standard Version
And Jo'ash the king of Israel sent word to Amazi'ah king of Judah, "A thistle on Lebanon sent to a cedar on Lebanon, saying, 'Give your daughter to my son for a wife'; and a wild beast of Lebanon passed by and trampled down the thistle.
Young's Literal Translation
`Come, we look one another in the face.' And Joash king of Israel sendeth unto Amaziah king of Judah, saying, `The thorn that [is] in Lebanon hath sent unto the cedar that [is] in Lebanon, saying, Give thy daughter to my son for a wife; and pass by doth a beast of the field that [is] in Lebanon, and treadeth down the thorn.
THE MESSAGE
Jehoash king of Israel replied to Amaziah king of Judah, "One day a thistle in Lebanon sent word to a cedar in Lebanon, ‘Give your daughter to my son in marriage.' But then a wild animal of Lebanon passed by and stepped on the thistle, crushing it. Just because you've defeated Edom in battle, you now think you're a big shot. Go ahead and be proud, but stay home. Why press your luck? Why bring defeat on yourself and Judah?"
New American Standard Bible (1995)
Joash the king of Israel sent to Amaziah king of Judah, saying, "The thorn bush which was in Lebanon sent to the cedar which was in Lebanon, saying, 'Give your daughter to my son in marriage.' But there passed by a wild beast that was in Lebanon and trampled the thorn bush.

Contextual Overview

17 Then Amasias king of Juda taking very bad counsel, sent to Joas the son of Joachaz the son of Jehu, king of Israel, saying: Come, let us see one another. 18 But he sent back the messengers, saying: The thistle that is in Libanus, sent to the cedar in Libanus, saying: Give thy daughter to my son to wife: and behold the beasts that were in the wood of Libanus passed by and trod down the thistle. 19 Thou hast said: I have overthrown Edom, and therefore thy heart is lifted up with pride: stay at home, why dost thou provoke evil against thee, that both thou shouldst fall and Juda with thee. 20 Amasias would not hearken to him, because it was the Lord’s will that he should be delivered into the hands of enemies, because of the gods of Edom. 21 So Joas king of Israel went up, and they presented themselves to be seen by one another: and Amasias king of Juda was in Bethsames of Juda: 22 And Juda fell before Israel, and they fled to their dwellings. 23 And Joas king of Israel took Amasias king of Juda, the son of Joas, the son of Joachaz, in Bethsames, and brought him to Jerusalem: and broke down the walls thereof from the gate of Ephraim, to the gate of the corner, four hundred cubits. 24 And he took all the gold, and silver, and all the vessels, that he found in the house of God, and with Obededom, and in the treasures of the king’s house, moreover also the sons of the hostages, he brought back to Samaria. 25 And Amasias the son of Joas king of Juda lived, after the death of Joas the son of Joachaz king of Israel, fifteen years. 26 Now the rest of the acts of Amasias, the first and last, are written in the book of the kings of Juda and Israel.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

thistle: or, furze-bush, or thorn, Judges 9:8-15, 1 Kings 4:33

a wild beast: Heb. a beast of the field, Psalms 80:13

Reciprocal: 2 Kings 14:9 - The thistle 2 Chronicles 18:22 - and the Lord

Cross-References

Genesis 2:11
The name of the one is Phison: that is it which compasseth all the land of Hevilath, where gold groweth.
Genesis 10:7
And the sons of Chus: Saba, and Hevila, and Sabatha, and Regma, and Sabatacha. The sons of Regma: Saba, and Dadan.
Genesis 10:29
And Ophir, and Hevila, and Jobab. All these were the sons of Jectan.
Genesis 13:10
And Lot lifting up his eyes, saw all the country about the Jordan, which was watered throughout, before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrha, as the paradise of the Lord, and like Egypt as one comes to Segor.
Genesis 14:10
Now the woodland vale had many pits of slime. And the king of Sodom, and the king of Gomorrha turned their backs, and were overthrown there: and they that remained, fled to the mountain.
Genesis 16:12
He shall be a wild man: his hand will be against all men, and all men’s hands against him: and he shall pitch his tents over against all his brethren.
Genesis 20:1
Abraham removed from thence to the south country, and dwelt between Cades and Sur, and sojourned in Gerara.
Genesis 21:14
So Abraham rose up in the morning, and taking bread and a bottle of water, put it upon her shoulder, and delivered the boy, and sent her away. And she departed, and wandered in the wilderness of Bersabee.
Genesis 21:21
And he dwelt in the wilderness of Pharan, and his mother took a wife for him out of the land of Egypt.
Genesis 25:23
And he answering, said: Two nations are in thy womb, and two peoples shall be divided out of thy womb, and one people shall overcome the other, and the elder shall serve the younger.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Ver. 18 :-

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 2 Chronicles 25:18. The thistle that was in Lebanon — See the explanation of this 2 Kings 14:9. After reciting this fable, the Targum adds, "Thus hast thou done in the time thou didst send unto me, and didst lead up from the house of Israel a hundred thousand strong warriors for a hundred talents of silver: and after they were sent, thou didst not permit them to go with thee to war, but didst send them back, greatly enraged, so that they spread themselves over the country; and having cut off three thousand, they brought back much spoil."


 
adsfree-icon
Ads FreeProfile