1 Era Amazias da idade de vinte e cinco anos quando começou a reinar e reinou vinte e nove anos em Jerusalém; sua mãe se chamava Jeoadã, de Jerusalém. 2 Fez ele o que era reto perante o Senhor; não, porém, com inteireza de coração. 3 Uma vez confirmado o reino nas suas mãos, matou os seus servos que tinham assassinado o rei, seu pai. 4 Porém os filhos deles não matou, mas fez segundo está escrito na Lei, no Livro de Moisés, no qual o Senhor deu ordem, dizendo: Os pais não serão mortos por causa dos filhos, nem os filhos, por causa dos pais; cada qual será morto pelo seu próprio pecado.

5 Amazias congregou a Judá e o pôs, segundo as suas famílias, sob chefes de mil e chefes de cem, por todo o Judá e Benjamim; contou-os de vinte anos para cima e achou trezentos mil escolhidos capazes de sair à guerra e manejar lança e escudo. 6 Também tomou de Israel a soldo cem mil homens valentes por cem talentos de prata. 7 Porém certo homem de Deus veio a ele, dizendo: Ó rei, não deixes ir contigo o exército de Israel; porque o Senhor não é com Israel, isto é, com os filhos de Efraim. 8 Porém vai só, age e sê forte; do contrário, Deus te faria cair diante do inimigo, porque Deus tem força para ajudar e para fazer cair. 9 Disse Amazias ao homem de Deus: Que se fará, pois, dos cem talentos de prata que dei às tropas de Israel? Respondeu-lhe o homem de Deus: Muito mais do que isso pode dar-te o Senhor. 10 Então, separou Amazias as tropas que lhe tinham vindo de Efraim para que voltassem para casa; pelo que muito se acendeu a ira deles contra Judá, e voltaram para casa ardendo em ira. 11 Animou-se Amazias e, conduzindo o seu povo, foi-se ao vale do Sal, onde feriu dez mil dos filhos de Seir. 12 Também os filhos de Judá prenderam vivos dez mil e os trouxeram ao cimo de um penhasco, de onde os precipitaram, de modo que todos foram esmigalhados. 13 Porém os homens das tropas que Amazias despedira, para que não fossem com ele à peleja, deram sobre as cidades de Judá, desde Samaria até Bete-Horom; feriram deles três mil e fizeram grande despojo.

14 Vindo Amazias da matança dos edomitas, trouxe consigo os deuses dos filhos de Seir, tomou-os por seus deuses, adorou-os e lhes queimou incenso. 15 Então, a ira do Senhor se acendeu contra Amazias, e mandou-lhe um profeta que lhe disse: Por que buscaste deuses que a seu povo não livraram das tuas mãos? 16 Enquanto lhe falava o profeta, disse-lhe o rei: Acaso, te pusemos por conselheiro do rei? Para com isso. Por que teríamos de ferir-te? Então, parou o profeta, mas disse: Sei que Deus resolveu destruir-te, porque fizeste isso e não deste ouvidos ao meu conselho.

17 Então, Amazias, rei de Judá, tomou conselho e enviou mensageiros a Jeoás, filho de Jeoacaz, filho de Jeú, rei de Israel, dizendo: Vem, meçamos armas. 18 Porém Jeoás, rei de Israel, respondeu a Amazias, rei de Judá: O cardo que está no Líbano mandou dizer ao cedro que lá está: Dá tua filha por mulher a meu filho; mas os animais do campo, que estavam no Líbano, passaram e pisaram o cardo. 19 Tu dizes: Eis que feri os edomitas; e o teu coração se ensoberbeceu para te gloriares; agora, fica em casa; por que provocarias o mal para caíres tu, e Judá, contigo?

20 Mas Amazias não quis atendê-lo; porque isto vinha de Deus, para entregá-los nas mãos dos seus inimigos, porquanto buscaram os deuses dos edomitas. 21 Subiu, então, Jeoás, rei de Israel, e Amazias, rei de Judá, e mediram armas em Bete-Semes, que pertence a Judá. 22 Judá foi derrotado por Israel, e fugiu cada um para sua casa. 23 E Jeoás, rei de Israel, prendeu a Amazias, rei de Judá, filho de Joás, filho de Jeoacaz, em Bete-Semes; levou-o a Jerusalém, cujo muro ele rompeu desde a Porta de Efraim até à Porta da Esquina, quatrocentos côvados. 24 Tomou todo o ouro e a prata, e todos os utensílios que se acharam na Casa de Deus, com Obede-Edom, e os tesouros da casa do rei, como também reféns; e voltou para Samaria.

25 Amazias, filho de Joás, rei de Judá, viveu quinze anos depois da morte de Jeoás, filho de Jeoacaz, rei de Israel. 26 Ora, os mais atos de Amazias, tanto os primeiros como os últimos, porventura, não estão escritos no Livro da História dos Reis de Judá e de Israel? 27 Depois que Amazias deixou de seguir ao Senhor, conspiraram contra ele em Jerusalém, e ele fugiu para Laquis; porém enviaram após ele homens até Laquis e o mataram ali. 28 Trouxeram-no sobre cavalos e o sepultaram junto a seus pais na Cidade de Davi.

1 Amaziah was twenty and five years old when he began to reign; and he reigned twenty and nine years in Jerusalem: and his mother’s name was Jehoaddan, of Jerusalem. 2 And he did that which was right in the eyes of Jehovah, but not with a perfect heart. 3 Now it came to pass, when the kingdom was established unto him, that he slew his servants that had killed the king his father. 4 But he put not their children to death, but did according to that which is written in the law in the book of Moses, as Jehovah commanded, saying, The fathers shall not die for the children, neither shall the children die for the fathers; but every man shall die for his own sin.

5 Moreover Amaziah gathered Judah together, and ordered them according to their fathers’ houses, under captains of thousands and captains of hundreds, even all Judah and Benjamin: and he numbered them from twenty years old and upward, and found them three hundred thousand chosen men, able to go forth to war, that could handle spear and shield. 6 He hired also a hundred thousand mighty men of valor out of Israel for a hundred talents of silver. 7 But there came a man of God to him, saying, O king, let not the army of Israel go with thee; for Jehovah is not with Israel, to wit, with all the children of Ephraim. 8 But if thou wilt go, do valiantly, be strong for the battle: God will cast thee down before the enemy; for God hath power to help, and to cast down. 9 And Amaziah said to the man of God, But what shall we do for the hundred talents which I have given to the army of Israel? And the man of God answered, Jehovah is able to give thee much more than this. 10 Then Amaziah separated them, to wit, the army that was come to him out of Ephraim, to go home again: wherefore their anger was greatly kindled against Judah, and they returned home in fierce anger. 11 And Amaziah took courage, and led forth his people, and went to the Valley of Salt, and smote of the children of Seir ten thousand. 12 And other ten thousand did the children of Judah carry away alive, and brought them unto the top of the rock, and cast them down from the top of the rock, so that they were all broken in pieces. 13 But the men of the army whom Amaziah sent back, that they should not go with him to battle, fell upon the cities of Judah, from Samaria even unto Beth-horon, and smote of them three thousand, and took much spoil.

14 Now it came to pass, after that Amaziah was come from the slaughter of the Edomites, that he brought the gods of the children of Seir, and set them up to be his gods, and bowed down himself before them, and burned incense unto them. 15 Wherefore the anger of Jehovah was kindled against Amaziah, and he sent unto him a prophet, who said unto him, Why hast thou sought after the gods of the people, which have not delivered their own people out of thy hand? 16 And it came to pass, as he talked with him, that the king said unto him, Have we made thee of the king’s counsel? forbear; why shouldest thou be smitten? Then the prophet forbare, and said, I know that God hath determined to destroy thee, because thou hast done this, and hast not hearkened unto my counsel.

17 Then Amaziah king of Judah took advice, and sent to Joash, the son of Jehoahaz the son of Jehu, king of Israel, saying, Come, let us look one another in the face. 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 thy daughter to my son to wife: and there passed by a wild beast that was in Lebanon, and trod down the thistle. 19 Thou sayest, Lo, thou hast smitten Edom; and thy heart lifteth thee up to boast: abide now at home; why shouldest thou meddle to thy hurt, that thou shouldest fall, even thou, and Judah with thee?

20 But Amaziah would not hear; for it was of God, that he might deliver them into the hand of their enemies, because they had sought after the gods of Edom. 21 So Joash king of Israel went up; and he and Amaziah king of Judah looked one another in the face at Beth-shemesh, which belongeth to Judah. 22 And Judah was put to the worse before Israel; and they fled every man to his tent. 23 And Joash king of Israel took Amaziah king of Judah, the son of Joash the son of Jehoahaz, at Beth-shemesh, and brought him to Jerusalem, and brake down the wall of Jerusalem from the gate of Ephraim unto the corner gate, four hundred cubits. 24 And he took all the gold and silver, and all the vessels that were found in the house of God with Obed-edom, and the treasures of the king’s house, the hostages also, and returned to Samaria.

25 And Amaziah the son of Joash king of Judah lived after the death of Joash son of Jehoahaz king of Israel fifteen years. 26 Now the rest of the acts of Amaziah, first and last, behold, are they not written in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel? 27 Now from the time that Amaziah did turn away from following Jehovah they made a conspiracy against him in Jerusalem; and he fled to Lachish: but they sent after him to Lachish, and slew him there. 28 And they brought him upon horses, and buried him with his fathers in the city of Judah.

1 Amaziah 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.

2 He did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, but not wholeheartedly.

3 After the kingdom was firmly in his control, he executed the officials who had murdered his father the king.

4 Yet he did not put their children to death, but acted in accordance with what is written in the Law, in the Book of Moses, where the LORD commanded: "Parents shall not be put to death for their children, nor children be put to death for their parents; each will die for their own sin." [^1]

5 Amaziah called the people of Judah together and assigned them according to their families to commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds for all Judah and Benjamin. He then mustered those twenty years old or more and found that there were three hundred thousand men fit for military service, able to handle the spear and shield.

6 He also hired a hundred thousand fighting men from Israel for a hundred talents "of silver.

7 But a man of God came to him and said, "Your Majesty, these troops from Israel must not march with you, for the LORD is not with Israel —not with any of the people of Ephraim.

8 Even if you go and fight courageously in battle, God will overthrow you before the enemy, for God has the power to help or to overthrow."

9 Amaziah asked the man of God, "But what about the hundred talents I paid for these Israelite troops?" The man of God replied, "The LORD can give you much more than that."

10 So Amaziah dismissed the troops who had come to him from Ephraim and sent them home. They were furious with Judah and left for home in a great rage.

11 Amaziah then marshaled his strength and led his army to the Valley of Salt, where he killed ten thousand men of Seir.

12 The army of Judah also captured ten thousand men alive, took them to the top of a cliff and threw them down so that all were dashed to pieces.

13 Meanwhile the troops that Amaziah had sent back and had not allowed to take part in the war raided towns belonging to Judah from Samaria to Beth Horon. They killed three thousand people and carried off great quantities of plunder.

14 When Amaziah returned from slaughtering the Edomites, he brought back the gods of the people of Seir. He set them up as his own gods, bowed down to them and burned sacrifices to them.

15 The anger of the LORD burned against Amaziah, and he sent a prophet to him, who said, "Why do you consult this people's gods, which could not save their own people from your hand?"

16 While he was still speaking, the king said to him, "Have we appointed you an adviser to the king? Stop! Why be struck down?" So the prophet stopped but said, "I know that God has determined to destroy you, because you have done this and have not listened to my counsel."

17 After Amaziah king of Judah consulted his advisers, he sent this challenge to Jehoash "son of Jehoahaz, the son of Jehu, king of Israel: "Come, let us face each other in battle."

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

19 You say to yourself that you have defeated Edom, and now you are arrogant and proud. But stay at home! Why ask for trouble and cause your own downfall and that of Judah also?"

20 Amaziah, however, would not listen, for God so worked that he might deliver them into the hands of Jehoash, because they sought the gods of Edom.

21 So Jehoash king of Israel attacked. He and Amaziah king of Judah faced each other at Beth Shemesh in Judah.

22 Judah was routed by Israel, and every man fled to his home.

23 Jehoash king of Israel captured Amaziah king of Judah, the son of Joash, the son of Ahaziah, "at Beth Shemesh. Then Jehoash brought him to Jerusalem and broke down the wall of Jerusalem from the Ephraim Gate to the Corner Gate —a section about four hundred cubits "long.

24 He took all the gold and silver and all the articles found in the temple of God that had been in the care of Obed-Edom, together with the palace treasures and the hostages, and returned to Samaria.

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

26 As for the other events of Amaziah's reign, from beginning to end, are they not written in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel?

27 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 men after him to Lachish and killed him there.

28 He was brought back by horse and was buried with his ancestors in the City of Judah. [^6]