Amaziah Reigns Well in Judah

(2 Kings 14:1-14)

1A son of twenty and five years hath Amaziah reigned, and twenty and nine years he hath reigned in Jerusalem, and the name of his mother is Jehoaddan of Jerusalem, 2and he doth that which is right in the eyes of Jehovah -- only, not with a perfect heart. 3And it cometh to pass, when the kingdom hath been strong upon him, that he slayeth his servants, those smiting the king his father, 4and their sons he hath not put to death, but did as is written in the law, in the book of Moses, whom Jehovah commanded, saying, 'Fathers do not die for sons, and sons die not for fathers, but each for his own sin they die.'

Amaziah's Victories

5And Amaziah gathereth Judah, and appointeth them, according to the house of the fathers, for heads of the thousands, and for heads of the hundreds, for all Judah and Benjamin; and he inspecteth them from a son of twenty years and upward, and findeth them three hundred thousand chosen ones, going forth to the host, holding spear and target. 6And he hireth out of Israel a hundred thousand mighty ones of valour, with a hundred talents of silver; 7and a man of God hath come in unto him, saying, 'O king, the host of Israel doth not go with thee; for Jehovah is not with Israel -- all the sons of Ephraim; 8but if thou art going -- do it, be strong for battle, God doth cause thee to stumble before an enemy, for there is power in God to help, and to cause to stumble.' 9And Amaziah saith to the man of God, 'And what -- to do for the hundred talents that I have given to the troop of Israel?' And the man of God saith, 'Jehovah hath more to give to thee than this.' 10And Amaziah separateth them -- for the troop that hath come in unto him from Ephraim to go to their own place, and their anger doth burn mightily against Judah, and they turn back to their place in the heat of anger.

11And Amaziah hath strengthened himself, and leadeth his people, and goeth to the Valley of Salt, and smiteth the sons of Seir -- ten thousand. 12And ten thousand alive have the sons of Judah taken captive, and they bring them to the top of the rock, and cast them from the top of the rock, and all of them have been broken. 13And the sons of the troop that Amaziah hath sent back from going with him to battle -- they rush against cities of Judah, from Samaria even unto Beth-Horon, and smite of them three thousand, and seize much prey.

Amaziah Rebuked for Idolatry

14And it cometh to pass, after the coming in of Amaziah from smiting the Edomites, that he bringeth in the gods of the sons of Seir, and establisheth them to him for gods, and before them doth bow himself, and to them he maketh perfume. 15And the anger of Jehovah burneth against Amaziah, and He sendeth unto him a prophet, and he saith unto him, 'Why hast thou sought the gods of the people that have not delivered their people out of thy hand?' 16And it cometh to pass, in his speaking unto him, that he saith to him, 'For a counsellor to the king have we appointed thee? cease for thee; why do they smite thee?' And the prophet ceaseth, and saith, 'I have known that God hath counselled to destroy thee, because thou hast done this, and hast not hearkened to my counsel.'

Amaziah Defeated by Joash of Israel

17And Amaziah king of Judah taketh counsel, and sendeth unto Joash son of Jehoahaz, son of Jehu, king of Israel, saying, 18Come, we look one another in the face.' And Joash king of Israel sendeth unto Amaziah king of Judah, saying, 'The thorn that is in Lebanon hath sent unto the cedar that is in Lebanon, saying, Give thy daughter to my son for a wife; and pass by doth a beast of the field that is in Lebanon, and treadeth down the thorn. 19Thou hast said, Lo, I have smitten Edom; and thy heart hath lifted thee up to boast; now, abide in thy house, why dost thou stir thyself up in evil, that thou hast fallen, thou, and Judah with thee?'

20And Amaziah hath not hearkened, for from God it is in order to give them into hand, because they have sought the gods of Edom; 21and go up doth Joash king of Israel, and they look one another in the face, he and Amaziah king of Judah, in Beth-Shemesh, that is Judah's, 22and Judah is smitten before Israel, and they flee -- each to his tents. 23And Amaziah king of Judah, son of Joash, son of Jehoahaz, hath Joash king of Israel caught in Beth-Shemesh, and bringeth him in to Jerusalem, and breaketh down in the wall of Jerusalem from the gate of Ephraim unto the gate of the corner, four hundred cubits, 24and taketh all the gold, and the silver, and all the vessels that are found in the house of God with Obed-Edom, and the treasures of the house of the king, and the sons of the pledges, and turneth back to Samaria.

The Death of Amaziah

25And Amaziah son of Joash, king of Judah, liveth after the death of Joash son of Jehoahaz, king of Israel, fifteen years; 26and the rest of the matters of Amaziah, the first and the last, lo, are they not written on the books of the kings of Judah and Israel? 27And from the time that Amaziah hath turned aside from after Jehovah -- they make a conspiracy against him in Jerusalem, and he fleeth to Lachish, and they send after him to Lachish, and put him to death there, 28and lift him up on the horses, and bury him with his fathers in the city of Judah.