The Second Book of the Kings

⭑ Berean Study Bible :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 14 -

(2 Chronicles 25:1–4)

In the second year of the reign of Jehoash (a) son of Jehoahaz over Israel, Amaziah son of Joash became king of Judah.

He was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem twenty-nine years. His mother’s name was Jehoaddan; she was from Jerusalem.

And he did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, but not as his father David had done. He did everything as his father Joash had done.

Nevertheless, the high places were not taken away, and the people continued sacrificing and burning incense on the high places.

As soon as the kingdom was firmly in his grasp, Amaziah executed the servants who had murdered his father the king.

Yet he did not put the sons of the murderers to death, but acted according to what is written in the Book of the Law of Moses, where the LORD commanded: “Fathers must not be put to death for their children, and children must not be put to death for their fathers; each is to die for his own sin.”(b)

Amaziah struck down 10,000 Edomites in the Valley of Salt. He took Sela in battle and called it Joktheel, which is its name to this very day.

Jehoash Defeats Amaziah

(2 Chronicles 25:17–24)

Then Amaziah sent messengers to the king of Israel Jehoash son of Jehoahaz, the son of Jehu. “Come, let us meet face to face,” he said.

But Jehoash king of Israel replied to Amaziah king of Judah: “A thistle in Lebanon sent a message to a cedar in Lebanon, saying, ‘Give your daughter to my son in marriage.’ Then a wild beast in Lebanon came along and trampled the thistle.

You have indeed defeated Edom, and your heart has become proud. Glory in that and stay at home. Why should you stir up trouble so that you fall—you and Judah with you?”

But Amaziah would not listen, and Jehoash king of Israel advanced. He and King Amaziah of Judah faced each other at Beth-shemesh in Judah.

And Judah was routed before Israel, and every man fled to his home.

There at Beth-shemesh, Jehoash king of Israel captured Amaziah king of Judah, the son of Joash, the son of Ahaziah. Then Jehoash went to Jerusalem and broke down the wall of Jerusalem from the Ephraim Gate to the Corner Gate—a section of four hundred cubits.(c)

He took all the gold and silver and all the articles found in the house of the LORD and in the treasuries of the royal palace, as well as some hostages. Then he returned to Samaria.

Jeroboam II Succeeds Jehoash in Israel

As for the rest of the acts of Jehoash, along with his accomplishments, his might, and how he waged war against Amaziah king of Judah, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel?

And Jehoash rested with his fathers and was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel. And his son Jeroboam reigned in his place.

The Death of Amaziah

(2 Chronicles 25:25–28)

Amaziah son of Joash king of Judah lived for fifteen years after the death of Joash son of Jehoahaz king of Israel.

As for the rest of the acts of Amaziah, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah?

And conspirators plotted against Amaziah in Jerusalem, and he fled to Lachish. But men were sent after him to Lachish, and they killed him there.

They carried him back on horses and buried him in Jerusalem with his fathers in the City of David.

Azariah Succeeds Amaziah in Judah

(2 Chronicles 26:1–2)

Then all the people of Judah took Azariah,(d) who was sixteen years old, and made him king in place of his father Amaziah.

Azariah was the one who rebuilt Elath (e) and restored it to Judah after King Amaziah rested with his fathers.

Jeroboam II Reigns in Israel

In the fifteenth year of the reign of Amaziah son of Joash over Judah, Jeroboam son of Jehoash became king of Israel, and he reigned in Samaria forty-one years.

And he did evil in the sight of the LORD and did not turn away from all the sins that Jeroboam son of Nebat had caused Israel to commit.

This Jeroboam restored the boundary of Israel from Lebo-hamath to the Sea of the Arabah,(f) according to the word that the LORD, the God of Israel, had spoken through His servant Jonah son of Amittai, the prophet from Gath-hepher.

For the LORD saw that the affliction of the Israelites, both slave and free, was very bitter. There was no one to help Israel,

and since the LORD had said that He would not blot out the name of Israel from under heaven, He saved them by the hand of Jeroboam son of Jehoash.

As for the rest of the acts of Jeroboam, along with all his accomplishments and might, and how he waged war and recovered both Damascus and Hamath for Israel from Judah, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel?

And Jeroboam rested with his fathers,(g) the kings of Israel. And his son Zechariah reigned in his place.

Footnotes

(a)14:1 Hebrew Joash, a variant of Jehoash; also in verses 13, 23, and 27

(b)14:6 Deuteronomy 24:16

(d)14:21 Azariah is also called Uzziah; see 2 Chronicles 26:1.

(e)14:22 Elath is a variant of Eloth; see 1 Kings 9:26.

(f)14:25 That is, the Dead Sea

(g)14:29 Hebrew; some LXX manuscripts include and he was buried in Samaria with

(2 Chronicles 25:1–4)

In the second year of Joash, son of Joahaz, king of Israel, Amaziah the son of Joash king of Judah began to reign.

He was twenty-five years old when he began to reign; and he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jehoaddin of Jerusalem.

He did that which was right in the LORD’s eyes, yet not like David his father. He did according to all that Joash his father had done.

However the high places were not taken away. The people still sacrificed and burned incense in the high places.

As soon as the kingdom was established in his hand, he killed his servants who had slain the king his father,

but the children of the murderers he didn’t put to death, according to that which is written in the book of the law of Moses, as the LORD commanded, saying, “The fathers shall not be put to death for the children, nor the children be put to death for the fathers; but every man shall die for his own sin.”

He killed ten thousand Edomites in the Valley of Salt, and took Sela by war, and called its name Joktheel, to this day.

Jehoash Defeats Amaziah

(2 Chronicles 25:17–24)

Then Amaziah sent messengers to Jehoash, the son of Jehoahaz son of Jehu, king of Israel, saying, “Come, let’s look one another in the face.”

Jehoash the 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.’ Then a wild animal that was in Lebanon passed by, and trampled down the thistle.

You have indeed struck Edom, and your heart has lifted you up. Enjoy the glory of it, and stay at home; for why should you meddle to your harm, that you fall, even you, and Judah with you?”

But Amaziah would not listen. So Jehoash king of Israel went up; and he and Amaziah king of Judah looked one another in the face at Beth Shemesh, which belongs to Judah.

Judah was defeated by Israel; and each man fled to his tent.

Jehoash king of Israel took Amaziah king of Judah, the son of Jehoash the son of Ahaziah, at Beth Shemesh and came to Jerusalem, then broke down the wall of Jerusalem from the gate of Ephraim to the corner gate, four hundred cubits.(a)

He took all the gold and silver and all the vessels that were found in the LORD’s house and in the treasures of the king’s house, the hostages also, and returned to Samaria.

Jeroboam II Succeeds Jehoash in Israel

Now the rest of the acts of Jehoash which he did, and his might, and how he fought with Amaziah king of Judah, aren’t they written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?

Jehoash slept with his fathers, and was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel; and Jeroboam his son reigned in his place.

The Death of Amaziah

(2 Chronicles 25:25–28)

Amaziah the son of Joash king of Judah lived after the death of Jehoash son of Jehoahaz, king of Israel, fifteen years.

Now the rest of the acts of Amaziah, aren’t they written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?

They made a conspiracy against him in Jerusalem, and he fled to Lachish; but they sent after him to Lachish and killed him there.

They brought him on horses, and he was buried at Jerusalem with his fathers in David’s city.

Azariah Succeeds Amaziah in Judah

(2 Chronicles 26:1–2)

All the people of Judah took Azariah, who was sixteen years old, and made him king in the place of his father Amaziah.

He built Elath and restored it to Judah. After that the king slept with his fathers.

Jeroboam II Reigns in Israel

In the fifteenth year of Amaziah the son of Joash king of Judah, Jeroboam the son of Joash king of Israel began to reign in Samaria for forty-one years.

He did that which was evil in the LORD’s sight. He didn’t depart from all the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, with which he made Israel to sin.

He restored the border of Israel from the entrance of Hamath to the sea of the Arabah, according to the LORD, the God of Israel’s word, which he spoke by his servant Jonah the son of Amittai, the prophet, who was from Gath Hepher.

For the LORD saw the affliction of Israel, that it was very bitter for all, slave and free; and there was no helper for Israel.

The LORD didn’t say that he would blot out the name of Israel from under the sky; but he saved them by the hand of Jeroboam the son of Joash.

Now the rest of the acts of Jeroboam, and all that he did, and his might, how he fought, and how he recovered Damascus, and Hamath, which had belonged to Judah, for Israel, aren’t they written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?

Jeroboam slept with his fathers, even with the kings of Israel; and Zechariah his son reigned in his place.

Footnotes

(a)14:13 A cubit is the length from the tip of the middle finger to the elbow on a man’s arm, or about 18 inches or 46 centimeters.