2 Chronicles25
New American Standard
1Amaziah was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned for twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Jehoaddan of Jerusalem.
2He did what was right in the sight of the Lord, only not wholeheartedly.
3Now it came about, as soon as the kingdom was firmly in his grasp, that he killed his servants who had killed his father the king.
4However, 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, “Fathers 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.”
5Moreover, 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 took a census of those from twenty years old and upward and found them to be three hundred thousand choice men, able to go to war and handle spear and shield.
6He also hired a hundred thousand valiant warriors from Israel for a hundred talents of silver.
7But a man of God came to him saying, “O king, do not let the army of Israel come with you, for the Lord is not with Israel nor with any of the sons of Ephraim.
8But if you do go, do it, be strong for the battle; yet God will bring you down before the enemy, for God has the power to help and to bring down.”
9Amaziah said to the man of God, “But what are we to do about the hundred talents which I have given to the troops of Israel?” And the man of God answered, “The Lord has much more to give you than this.”
10Then Amaziah dismissed the troops which came to him from Ephraim, to go home; so their anger burned against Judah, and they returned home in fierce anger.
11Now Amaziah gathered his courage and led his people out, and went to the Valley of Salt, and struck and killed ten thousand of the sons of Seir.
12The sons of Judah also captured ten thousand 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.
13But the troops whom Amaziah sent back, those not going with him to battle, raided the cities of Judah from Samaria to Beth-horon, and struck and killed three thousand of them, and plundered a large amount of spoils.
14Now after Amaziah came from slaughtering the Edomites, he brought the gods of the sons of Seir and set them up as his gods. Then he bowed down before them and burned incense to them.
15So 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 who have not saved their own people from your hand?”
16As he was talking with him, the king said to him, “Have we appointed you to be a royal counselor? Stop! Why should you be put to death?” 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.”
17Then Amaziah king of Judah took counsel and sent word to Joash the son of Jehoahaz the son of Jehu, the king of Israel, saying, “Come, let’s face each other.”
18But Joash the king of Israel sent a reply to Amaziah king of Judah, saying, “The thorn bush that was in Lebanon sent word to the cedar that was in Lebanon, saying, ‘Give your daughter to my son in marriage.’ But a wild beast that was in Lebanon passed by and trampled the thorn bush.
19You said, ‘Behold, you have defeated Edom.’ And your heart has lifted you up in boasting. Now stay home; why should you provoke trouble so that you, would fall, you and Judah with you?”
20But Amaziah would not listen, for it was from God, so that He might hand them over to Joash, because they had sought the gods of Edom.
21So Joash king of Israel went up, and he and Amaziah king of Judah faced each other at Beth-shemesh, which belonged to Judah.
22And Judah was defeated by Israel, and they fled, every man to his tent.
23Then Joash king of Israel captured Amaziah king of Judah, the son of Joash the son of Jehoahaz, at Beth-shemesh, and brought him to Jerusalem and tore down the wall of Jerusalem from the Gate of Ephraim to the Corner Gate, four hundred cubits.
24He took all the gold and silver and all the utensils which were found in the house of God with Obed-edom, and the treasures of the king’s house, the hostages too, and returned to Samaria.
25And Amaziah, the son of Joash king of Judah, lived fifteen years after the death of Joash, son of Jehoahaz, king of Israel.
26Now the rest of the acts of Amaziah, from the first to the last, behold, are they not written in the Book of the Kings of Judah and Israel?
27From the time that Amaziah turned away from following the Lord they conspired against him in Jerusalem, and he fled to Lachish; but they sent men after him to Lachish, and they killed him there.
28Then they brought him on horses and buried him with his fathers in the city of Judah.
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for 2 Chronicles 25.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: Amaziah, king of Judah. (1–13). Amaziah worships the idols of Edom. (14–16). Amaziah's rash challenge. (17–28).
vv1-13
Amaziah was no enemy to religion, but cool and indifferent friend. Many do what is good, but not with a perfect heart. Rashness makes work for repentance. But Amaziah's obedience to the command of God was to his honour. A firm belief of God's all-sufficiency to bear us out in our duty, and to make up all the loss and damage we sustain in his service, will make his yoke very easy, and his burden very light. When we are called to part with any thing for God and our religion, it should satisfy us, that God is able to give us much more than this. Convinced sinners, who have not true faith, always object to self-denying obedience. They are like Amaziah; they say, But what shall we do for the hundred talents? What shall we do if by keeping the sabbath holy we lose so many good customers? What shall we do without this gain? What shall we do if we lose the friendship of the world? Many endeavour to quiet their consciences by the pretence that forbidden practices are necessary. The answer is, as here, The Lord is able to give thee much more than this. He makes up, even in this world, for all that is given up for his sake.
vv14-16
To worship the gods of those whom Amaziah had conquered, who could not help their own worshippers, was the greatest absurdity. If men would consider how unable all those things are to help them, to which they look whenever they forsake God, they would not be such enemies to themselves. The reproof God sent by a prophet was too just to be answered; but he was bidden not to say a word more. The secure sinner rejoices to have silenced his reprovers and monitors; but what comes of it? Those that are deaf to reproof, are ripening for destruction.
vv17-28
Never was a proud prince more thoroughly mortified than Amaziah by Joash king of Israel. A man's pride will bring him low, Pr 29:23; it goes before his destruction, and deservedly brings it on. He that exalteth himself shall be abased. He that goes forth hastily to strive, will not know what he shall do in the end thereof, when his neighbour has put him to shame, Pr 25:8. And what are we when we offer to establish our own righteousness, or presume to justify ourselves before the Most High God, but despicable thistles, that fancy themselves stately cedars? And are not various temptations, is not every corruption, a wild beast of the desert, which will trample on the wretched boaster, and tread his haughty pretensions to the dust? A man's pride shall bring him low; his ruin may be dated from his turning from the Lord.
Key Words
אֲמַצְיָה: Amatsjah, the name of four Israelites
שָׁנֶה: a year (as a revolution of time)
בֵּן: a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like father or brother), etc.)
מָלַךְ: to reign; inceptively, to ascend the throne; causatively, to induct into royalty; hence (by implication) to take counsel
יְרוּשָׁלַ͏ִם: Jerushalaim or Jerushalem, the capital city of Palestine
אֵם: a mother (as the bond of the family); in a wide sense (both literally and figuratively (like father))
שֵׁם: an appellation, as amark or memorial of individuality; by implication honor, authority, character
יְהוֹעַדִּין: Jehoaddin or Jehoaddan, an Israelitess
עָשָׂה: to do or make, in the broadest sense and widest application
יָשָׁר: straight (literally or figuratively)
Cross References
2 Chronicles 25Parallel account of the beginning of Amaziah's reign in Judah.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Direct citation of the law forbidding the execution of children for their fathers' sins.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Parallel narrative of Amaziah's challenge and subsequent defeat by Joash.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Parallel details of the conspiracy against Amaziah and his assassination at Lachish.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Parallel account of the conquest of the Valley of Salt and Petra.
Supported by JFB
Theological link: refusing prophetic counsel as a sign that God determined to destroy him.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Classic Old Testament fable/parable comparison, similar to Joash's thistle and cedar.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Warning against going forth hastily to strive and being put to shame.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Proverbial connection: pride bringing Amaziah low after boasting of his Edomite victory.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Parallels Joash's superficial obedience with Amaziah's lack of a perfect heart.
Supported by JFB
Identifies the conspirators who killed Amaziah's father, Joash, whom Amaziah later executed.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Contrasts Amaziah's reduced military numbers with Jehoshaphat's much larger forces.
Supported by JFB
Verbal link to Obed-edom's family guarding the house of God's treasures.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Proverbial warning that he who is often reproved and hardens his neck shall be destroyed.
Supported by Matthew Poole