aAmaziah was twenty-five
years
old
when he became
king
, and he reigned
twenty-nine
years
in Jerusalem
. And his mother's
name
was Jehoaddan
of Jerusalem
.
He did right
in the sight
of the LORD
, ayet
not with a whole
heart
.
Now ait came about as soon
as the kingdom
was 1firmly
in his grasp
, that he killed
his servants
who had slain
his father
the king
.
However, he did not put their children
to death
, but did as it is written
in the law
in the book
of Moses
, which
the LORD
commanded
, saying
, " aFathers
shall not be put
to death
for sons
, nor
sons
be put
to death
for fathers
, but each
shall be put
to death
for his own sin
."
Moreover, Amaziah assembled
Judah
and appointed
them according to their fathers'
households
under commanders
of thousands
and commanders
of hundreds
throughout
Judah
and Benjamin
; and he 1took
a census
of those afrom twenty
years
old
and upward
and found
them to be b300,000
choice
men, able to go
to war
and handle
spear
and shield
.
He hired also 100,000
valiant
warriors
out of Israel
for one hundred
talents
of silver
.
But aa 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
nor with any
of the sons
of Ephraim
.
"But if you do go
, do
it, be strong
for the battle
; yet God
will 1bring
you down
before
the enemy
, afor God
has
power
to help
and to 1bring
down
."
Amaziah said
to the man
of God
, "But what
shall we do
for the hundred
talents
which
I have given
to the troops
of Israel
?" And the man
of God
answered
, " aThe LORD
has
much
more
to give
you than
this
."
Then Amaziah 1dismissed
them, the troops
which
came
to him from Ephraim
, to go
home
; so their anger
burned
against Judah
and they returned
2home
in fierce
anger
.
Now Amaziah strengthened
himself and led
his people
forth
, and went
to athe Valley
of Salt
and struck
down
10,000
of the sons
of Seir
.
The sons of Judah
also captured
10,000
alive
and brought
them to the top
of the cliff
and threw
them down
from the top
of the cliff
, so that they were all
dashed
to pieces
.
But the 1troops whom
Amaziah
sent
back
from going
with him to battle
, raided
the cities
of Judah
, from Samaria
to Beth-horon
, and struck
down
3,000
of them and plundered
much
spoil
.
Now after Amaziah
came
from slaughtering
the Edomites
, ahe brought
the gods
of the sons
of Seir
, set
them up as his gods
, bowed
down
before
them and burned
incense
to them.
Then the anger of the LORD
burned
against Amaziah
, and He sent
him a prophet
who said
to him, "Why
have you sought
the gods
of the people
awho
have not delivered
their own people
from your hand
?"
As he was talking with him, 1the king said
to him, "Have we appointed
you a royal
counselor
? Stop
! Why
should you be struck
down
?" Then the prophet
stopped
and said
, "I know
that God
has planned
to destroy
you, because
you have done
this
and have not listened
to my counsel
."
aThen Amaziah king
of Judah
took
counsel
and sent
to Joash
the son
of Jehoahaz
the son
of Jehu
, the king
of Israel
, saying
, "Come
, let us face
each other."
Joash the king
of Israel
sent
to Amaziah
king
of Judah
, saying
, " aThe 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
.
"You said, `Behold
, you have 1defeated
Edom
.' And ayour heart
has 2become
proud
in boasting
. Now
stay
at home
; for why
should you provoke
trouble
so that you, even you, would fall
and Judah
with you?"
But Amaziah would not listen
, for it was from God
, that He might deliver
them into the hand
of Joash because
they had sought
the gods
of Edom
.
So Joash king
of Israel
went
up, and he and Amaziah
king
of Judah
faced
each other at Beth-shemesh
, which
belonged to Judah
.
Judah was defeated
1by Israel
, and they fled
each
to his tent
.
Then Joash king
of Israel
captured
Amaziah
king
of Judah
, the son
of Joash
the son
of aJehoahaz
, at Beth-shemesh
, and brought
him to Jerusalem
and tore
down
the wall
of Jerusalem
from the Gate
of Ephraim
to the Corner
Gate
, 400
1cubits
.
He took all the gold
and silver
and all
the utensils
which were found
in the house
of God
with aObed-edom
, and the treasures
of the king's
house
, the hostages
also, and returned
to Samaria
.
aAnd Amaziah, the son
of Joash
king
of Judah
, lived
fifteen
years
after
the death
of Joash
, son
of Jehoahaz
, king
of Israel
.
Now the rest of the acts
of Amaziah
, from first
to last
, behold
, are they not written
in the Book
of the Kings
of Judah
and Israel
?
From the time that Amaziah
turned
away
from following
the LORD
they conspired
against
him in Jerusalem
, and he fled
to Lachish
; but they sent
after
him to Lachish
and killed
him there
.
Then they brought him on horses
and buried
him with his fathers
in the city
of Judah
.