The Meaning of 2 Kings 22:20 Explained

2 Kings 22:20

KJV: Behold therefore, I will gather thee unto thy fathers, and thou shalt be gathered into thy grave in peace; and thine eyes shall not see all the evil which I will bring upon this place. And they brought the king word again.

YLT: therefore, lo, I am gathering thee unto thy fathers, and thou hast been gathered unto thy grave in peace, and thine eyes do not look on any of the evil that I am bringing in on this place;' and they bring the king back word.

Darby: Therefore, behold, I will gather thee unto thy fathers, and thou shalt be gathered to thy grave in peace; and thine eyes shall not see all the evil that I will bring upon this place. And they brought the king word again.

ASV: Therefore, behold, I will gather thee to thy fathers, and thou shalt be gathered to thy grave in peace, neither shall thine eyes see all the evil which I will bring upon this place. And they brought the king word again.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Behold therefore, I will gather  thee unto thy fathers,  and thou shalt be gathered  into thy grave  in peace;  and thine eyes  shall not see  all the evil  which I will bring  upon this place.  And they brought  the king  word  again. 

What does 2 Kings 22:20 Mean?

Context Summary

2 Kings 22:14-20 - Hearkening To The Message
Josiah's fears were deeply stirred by the evils which the Law of the Lord clearly indicated as imminent, and he immediately sent for advice to the prophetess Huldah, who was held in great veneration. Her answer was full of gentle kindness. Though the king's punishment could not be averted, it should nevertheless be postponed. How quick is God to notice the tears of genuine contrition and to meet the soul that seeks to do His will! If only the whole nation had been equally repentant, its fate would have doubtless been altered.
It is remarkable, however, that even in Josiah's case the prediction of the prophetess was not realized. He died in battle, and his dead body was brought to Jerusalem amid mourning that became proverbial, 2 Kings 23:30; Zechariah 12:2. Why this apparent breach of promise? The answer is suggested by our Lord's temptation. He refused to make bread of stones, because of His absolute faith in God, and when Satan tempted him still further to manifest that faith by casting Himself from the beetling Temple crag, he again refused because such an act was not in the scope of the Father's plan. On the other hand, Josiah, disregarding all counsels to the contrary, needlessly flung himself into the fray between Egypt and Babylon and there lost his life. "Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God!" [source]

Chapter Summary: 2 Kings 22

1  Josiah's good reign
3  He takes care for the repair of the temple
8  Hilkiah having found a book of the law,
12  Josiah sends to Huldah to enquire of the Lord
15  Huldah prophesies the destruction of Jerusalem, but respite thereof in Josiah's time

What do the individual words in 2 Kings 22:20 mean?

Therefore surely I will gather you to your fathers and you shall be gathered to your grave in peace and not shall see your eyes all the calamity which I will bring on place This so they brought back - to the king word
לָכֵן֩ הִנְנִ֨י אֹֽסִפְךָ֜ עַל־ אֲבֹתֶ֗יךָ וְנֶאֱסַפְתָּ֣ אֶל־ קִבְרֹתֶיךָ֮ בְּשָׁלוֹם֒ וְלֹא־ תִרְאֶ֣ינָה עֵינֶ֔יךָ בְּכֹל֙ הָֽרָעָ֔ה אֲשֶׁר־ אֲנִ֥י מֵבִ֖יא עַל־ הַמָּק֣וֹם הַזֶּ֑ה וַיָּשִׁ֥יבוּ אֶת־ הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ דָּבָֽר

הִנְנִ֨י  surely 
Parse: Interjection, first person common singular
Root: הֵן  
Sense: behold, lo, though hypothetical part.
אֹֽסִפְךָ֜  I  will  gather  you 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: אָסַף 
Sense: to gather, receive, remove, gather in.
אֲבֹתֶ֗יךָ  your  fathers 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, second person masculine singular
Root: אָב  
Sense: father of an individual.
וְנֶאֱסַפְתָּ֣  and  you  shall  be  gathered 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Nifal, Conjunctive perfect, second person masculine singular
Root: אָסַף 
Sense: to gather, receive, remove, gather in.
קִבְרֹתֶיךָ֮  your  grave 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, second person masculine singular
Root: קֶבֶר  
Sense: grave, sepulchre, tomb.
בְּשָׁלוֹם֒  in  peace 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular
Root: שָׁלֹום  
Sense: completeness, soundness, welfare, peace.
וְלֹא־  and  not 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
תִרְאֶ֣ינָה  shall  see 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person feminine plural
Root: רָאָה 
Sense: to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider.
עֵינֶ֔יךָ  your  eyes 
Parse: Noun, cdc, second person masculine singular
Root: עֹונָה 
Sense: eye.
הָֽרָעָ֔ה  the  calamity 
Parse: Article, Adjective, feminine singular
Root: רַע 
Sense: bad, evil.
מֵבִ֖יא  will  bring 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Participle, masculine singular
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
הַמָּק֣וֹם  place 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מָקֹום  
Sense: standing place, place.
הַזֶּ֑ה  This 
Parse: Article, Pronoun, masculine singular
Root: זֶה  
Sense: this, this one, here, which, this … that, the one … the other, another, such.
וַיָּשִׁ֥יבוּ  so  they  brought  back 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: שׁוּב  
Sense: to return, turn back.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ  to  the  king 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.
דָּבָֽר  word 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: דָּבָר  
Sense: speech, word, speaking, thing.