2 Chronicles
Chapter Twenty-Five
1 ¶ Amaziah was twenty-five
years old when he became king, and he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem.
His mother's name was Jehoaddan of Jerusalem.
2 And he did what was right in the sight of the LORD, but not with a loyal heart.
3 Now it happened, as soon as the kingdom was established for him, that he executed
his servants who had murdered his father the king.
4 However he did not execute their children, but did as it is written in the
Law in the Book of Moses, where the LORD commanded, saying, "The fathers
shall not be put to death for their children, nor shall the children be put
to death for their fathers; but a person shall die for his own sin."
5 Moreover Amaziah gathered Judah together and set over them captains of thousands
and captains of hundreds, according to their fathers' houses, throughout all
Judah and Benjamin; and he numbered them from twenty years old and above, and
found them to be three hundred thousand choice men, able to go to war, who could
handle spear and shield.
6 He also hired one hundred thousand mighty men of valor from Israel for one
hundred talents of silver.
7 But a man of God came to him, saying, "O king, do not let the army of
Israel go with you, for the LORD is not with Israel-not with any of the children
of Ephraim.
8 "But if you go, be gone! Be strong in battle! Even so, God shall make
you fall before the enemy; for God has power to help and to overthrow."
9 Then Amaziah said to the man of God, "But what shall we do about the
hundred talents which I have given to the troops of Israel?" And the man
of God answered, "The LORD is able to give you much more than this."
10 So Amaziah discharged the troops that had come to him from Ephraim, to go
back home. Therefore their anger was greatly aroused against Judah, and they
returned home in great anger.
11 Then Amaziah strengthened himself, and leading his people, he went to the
Valley of Salt and killed ten thousand of the people of Seir.
12 Also the children of Judah took captive ten thousand alive, brought them
to the top of the rock, and cast them down from the top of the rock, so that
they all were dashed in pieces.
13 But as for the soldiers of the army which Amaziah had discharged, so that
they would not go with him to battle, they raided the cities of Judah from Samaria
to Beth Horon, killed three thousand in them, and took much spoil.
14 ¶ Now it was so, after Amaziah came from the slaughter of the Edomites,
that he brought the gods of the people of Seir, set them up to be his gods,
and bowed down before them and burned incense to them.
15 Therefore the anger of the LORD was aroused against Amaziah, and He sent
him a prophet who said to him, "Why have you sought the gods of the people,
which could not rescue their own people from your hand?"
16 So it was, as he talked with him, that the king said to him, "Have we
made you the king's counselor? Cease! Why should you be killed?" Then the
prophet ceased, and said, "I know that God has determined to destroy you,
because you have done this and have not heeded my advice."
17 ¶ Now Amaziah king of Judah asked advice and sent to Joash the son of
Jehoahaz, the son of Jehu, king of Israel, saying, "Come, let us face one
another in battle."
18 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.
19 "Indeed you say that you have defeated the Edomites, and your heart
is lifted up to boast. Stay at home now; why should you meddle with trouble,
that you should fall-you and Judah with you?"
20 But Amaziah would not heed, for it came from God, that He might give them
into the hand of their enemies, because they sought the gods of Edom.
21 So Joash king of Israel went out; and he and Amaziah king of Judah faced
one another at Beth Shemesh, which belongs to Judah.
22 And Judah was defeated by Israel, and every man fled to his tent.
23 Then Joash the king of Israel captured Amaziah king of Judah, the son of
Joash, the son of Jehoahaz, at Beth Shemesh; and he brought him to Jerusalem,
and broke down the wall of Jerusalem from the Gate of Ephraim to the Corner
Gate-four hundred cubits.
24 And he took all the gold and silver, all the articles that were found in
the house of God with Obed-Edom, the treasures of the king's house, and hostages,
and returned to Samaria.
25 Amaziah the son of Joash, king of Judah, lived fifteen years after the death
of Joash the son of Jehoahaz, king of Israel.
26 Now the rest of the acts of Amaziah, from first to last, indeed are they
not written in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel?
27 After the time that Amaziah turned away from following the LORD, they made
a conspiracy against him in Jerusalem, and he fled to Lachish; but they sent
after him to Lachish and killed him there.
28 Then they brought him on horses and buried him with his fathers in the City
of Judah.
Go to Chapter Twenty-Six
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