THE SECOND BOOK OF THE
CHRONICLES
2 Chronicles 25 ©
Amaziah reigns well in the beginning, v. 1, etc. He avenges his father’s death, 3. He prepares to fight against Edom, not only with his own people, but also hired Israelites, 5. He disbands those hired soldiers by a prophet’s advice, 7. With his own men he conquers the Edomites, 11. Sustains damage by the disbanded Israelites, 13. Falls into idolatry, 14. Challenges the king of Israel presumptuously into the field, 17. Is smitten by him, 22. Is driven away and murdered by his own people, 27.
AMAZIAHawas twenty and five years 1old when he began to reign, and he reigned twenty and nine years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Jehoaddan of Jerusalem.
And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, but 2not with a perfect heart.
¶Now it came to pass, when the kingdom was established to him, that he slew 3his servants that had 4killed the king his father.
But he 5slew not their children, but did as it is written in the law inb the book of Moses, where the LORD commanded, saying, 6The fathers shall not die for the children, neither shall the children die for the fathers, but every man shall die for his own sin.
¶Moreover Amaziah gathered Judah together, and made them captains over thousands, and captains over hundreds, according to the 7houses of their fathers, throughout all Judah and Benjamin: and he numbered them 8from twenty years old and above, and found them three hundred thousand choice men, able to go forth to war, that could handle 9spear and shield.
He hired also an hundred thousand mighty men of valour 10out of Israel for an 11hundred talents of silver.
But there came a 12man of God to him, saying, O king, let not the army of Israel go with thee; for the LORD is not with 13Israel, to wit, with all the 14children of Ephraim.
But if thou wilt go, 15do it, be strong for the battle: God shall make thee fall before the enemy: for God hath power to help, and to cast down.
And Amaziah said to the man of God, But what shall we do for the 16hundred talents which I have given to the army of Israel? And the man of God answered, The LORD is able to give thee much more than this.
Then Amaziah separated them, to wit, the army that was come to him out of 17Ephraim, to go home again: wherefore their anger was greatly kindled against Judah, and they returned home in great anger.
¶And Amaziah strengthened himself, and led forth 18his people, and went to the 19valley of salt, and smote of the 20children of Seir ten thousand.
And other 21ten thousand left alive did the children of Judah carry away captive, and brought them unto the top of the 22rock, and cast them down from the top of the rock, that they all were broken in pieces.
¶But the 23soldiers of the army which Amaziah sent back, that they should not go with him to battle, fell upon the 24cities of 25Judah, from Samaria even unto 26Beth-horon, and smote three thousand of them, and took much spoil.
¶Now it came to pass, after that Amaziah was come from the slaughter of the Edomites, that he brought the 27gods of the children of Seir, and set them up to be his gods, and bowed down himself before them, and burned incense unto them.
Wherefore the anger of the LORD was kindled against Amaziah, and he sent unto him a prophet, which said unto him, 28Why hast thou sought after the gods of the people, which could not deliver their own people out of thine hand?
And it came to pass, as he talked with him, that the king said unto him, Art thou made of the king’s counsel? 29forbear; why shouldest 30thou be smitten? Then the prophet forbare, and said, I know that God hath 31determined to destroy thee, because thou hast done this, and hast not hearkened unto my counsel.
¶Thenc Amaziah king of Judah took advice, and 32sent to Joash, the son of Jehoahaz, the son of Jehu, king of Israel, saying, Come, let us see one 33another in the face.
And Joash king of Israel sent to Amaziah king of Judah, saying, 34The thistled 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.
Thou sayest, Lo, thou hast 35smitten the Edomites; and thine heart lifteth thee up to boast: abide now at home; why shouldest thou meddle to thine hurt, that thou shouldest fall, even thou, and Judah with thee?
But Amaziah would not hear; for 36it came of God, that he might deliver them into the hand of their enemies, because they sought after the gods of Edom.
So Joash the king of Israel went up; and they 37saw one another in the face, both he and Amaziah king of Judah, at Beth-shemesh, which belongeth to 38Judah.
And Judah was put to the worse before Israel, and they fled every man to his tent.
And Joash the king of Israel took Amaziah king of Judah, the son of Joash, the son of 39Jehoahaz, at Beth-shemesh, and brought him to Jerusalem, and brakee down the wall of Jerusalem from the 40gate of Ephraim to the 41corner gate, four hundred cubits.
And he took all the gold and the silver, and all the vessels that were found in the house of God 42with Obed-edom, and the treasures of the king's house, the 43hostages also, and returned to Samaria.
¶And Amaziah the son of Joash king of Judah lived after the death of Joash son of Jehoahaz king of Israel fifteen years.
Nowf the rest of the acts of Amaziah, first and last, behold, are they not written in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel?
¶Now after the time that Amaziah did turn away 44from following the LORD they 45made a conspiracy against him in Jerusalem; and he fled to 46Lachish: but they sent to Lachish after him, and slew him there.
And they brought him upon horses, and buried him with his fathers 47in the city of Judah.