What Does 2 Chronicles 16:3 Mean in the King James?
There is a league between me and thee, as there was between my father and thy father: behold, I have sent thee silver and gold; go, break thy league with Baasha king of Israel, that he may depart from me.
The analysis reads the King James wording.
King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.
THE KEY
Gold is sent to make another king cut a bond and lift a threat.
THE MEANING
This verse names a living bargain: resources move outward to redirect another person’s allegiance and make danger withdraw. The bond is not merely discussed; the request is to cut it so Baasha departs.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
The belief that a covenant guarantees loyalty under every pressure breaks open here: the verse shows allegiance being targeted through a competing payment.
THE ROOT
כְּרֹת
kĕrōt
GROWS FROM
כרת
to cut, sever
English says “break,” while the Hebrew phrase pictures the covenant as something cut. The request is to sever an existing bond so the threat can be lifted.
ALSO GROWS
keritut: A formal severance.
כְּרִיתוּת
It shows how this root can name the ending of a bond, not just a damaged relationship.
nikhrat: To be severed or cut away.
נִכְרַת
The same root casts the requested break as an actual cutting through a tie.
שָׁלַחְתִּי
shalachti
GROWS FROM
שלח
to send, send away, release
The same root holds sending and release together. Here silver and gold are sent with the aim of releasing Asa from pressure by redirecting another king’s allegiance.
ALSO GROWS
leshalleach: To send someone away or let them go.
לְשַׁלֵּחַ
This is the same verb used in “Let my people go,” where sending becomes release.
shilluach: The act of sending away.
שִׁלּוּחַ
It shows that sending can carry the sense of separation or release, as the payment here is meant to make Baasha’s threat move away.
THE PATTERN
A transfer of wealth can redirect a decision or allegiance toward the payer.
And the lords of the Philistines came up unto her, and said unto her, Entice him, and see wherein his great strength lieth, and by what means we may prevail against him, that we may bind him to afflict him: and we will give thee every one of us eleven hundred pieces of silver.A wicked man taketh a gift out of the bosom to pervert the ways of judgment.And they were glad, and covenanted to give him money.THE THREAD
And the LORD spake unto Moses, Go unto Pharaoh, and say unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Let my people go, that they may serve me.The root behind “sent” here is also the root behind “Let my people go.” In this verse, silver and gold are sent to make a bond be cut; in Exodus, release is spoken directly to the one holding the people.
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