1 Amaziahwas 25 years old when he became king, and he ruled 29 years from Jerusalem, the hometown of his mother Jehoaddin.25.1 Jehoaddin: The Hebrew text has "Jehoaddan," another spelling of the name.
2 Even though Amaziah obeyed the Lordby doing right, he refused to be completely faithful. 3 For example, as soon as he had control of Judah, he arrested and killed the officers who had murdered his father. 4 Dt 24.16.But the children of those officers were not killed; the Lordhad commanded in the Law of Mosesthat only the people who sinned were to be punished.25.4 the Lord had commanded … punished: See Deuteronomy 24.16.
5 Amaziahsent a message to the tribes of Judah and Benjamin and called together all the men who were 20 years old and older. Three hundred thousand men went to Jerusalem, all of them ready for battle and able to fight with spears and shields. Amaziahgrouped these soldiers according to their clans and put them under the command of his army officers. 6 Amaziah also paid about 3.4 tons of silver to hire 100,000 soldiers from Israel.
7 One of God’s prophets said, "Your Majesty, don’t let these Israelite soldiers march into battle with you. The Lordhas refused to help anyone from the northern kingdom of Israel, 8 and so he will let your enemies defeat you, even if you fight hard. He is the one who brings both victory and defeat."
9 Amaziahreplied, "What am I supposed to do about all the silver I paid those troops?"
"The Lordwill give you back even more than you paid," the prophet answered.
10 Amaziahordered the troops from Israel to go home, but when they left, they were furious with the people of Judah.
11 After Amaziahgot his courage back, he led his troops to Salt Valley, where he killed 10,000 Edomite soldiers in battle. 12 He captured 10,000 more soldiers and dragged them to the top of a high cliff. Then he pushed them over the side, and they all were killed on the rocks below.
13 Meanwhile, the Israelite troops that Amaziahhad sent home, raided the towns in Judah between Samariaand Beth-Horon. They killed 3,000 people and carried off their possessions.
14 After Amaziahhad defeated the Edomite army, he returned to Jerusalem. He took with him the idols of the Edomite gods and set them up. Then he bowed down and offered them sacrifices. 15 This made the Lordvery angry, and he sent a prophet to ask Amaziah, "Why would you worship these foreign gods that couldn’t even save their own people from your attack?"
16 But before the prophet finished speaking, Amaziah interrupted and said, "You’re not one of my advisors! Don’t say another word, or I’ll have you killed."
The prophet stopped. But then he added, "First you sinned and now you’ve ignored my warning. It’s clear that God has decided to punish you!"
17 King Amaziahof Judah talked with his officials, then sent a message to King Jehoash25.17 King Jehoash: The Hebrew text has "King Joash son of Jehoahaz son of Jehu"; Jehoash is another spelling for the name Joash.of Israel: "Come out and face me in battle!"
18 Jehoashsent back a reply that said:
Once upon a time, a small thornbush in Lebanonarranged the marriage between his son and the daughter of a large cedar tree. But a wild animal came along and trampled the small bush.
19 Amaziah, you think you’re so powerful because you defeated Edom. But stay at home and do your celebrating. If you cause any trouble, both you and your kingdom of Judah will be destroyed.
20 God made Amaziahstubborn because he was planning to punish him for worshiping the Edomite gods. Amaziahrefused to listen to Jehoash’s warning, 21 so Jehoashled his army to the town of Beth-Shemeshin Judah to attack Amaziahand his troops. 22 During the battle, Judah’s army was crushed. Every soldier from Judah ran back home, 23 and Jehoashcaptured Amaziah.
Jehoashtook Amaziahwith him when he went to attack Jerusalem. Jehoashbroke down the city wall from Ephraim Gateto Corner Gate, a section nearly 200 meters long. 24 He carried away the gold, the silver, and all the valuable furnishings from God’s temple where the descendants of Obed-Edomstood guard. He robbed the king’s treasury, took hostages, then returned to Samaria.
Amaziah, son of Joash and king of Judah, struck down the Edomites in the Valley of Salt, challenged Joash, king of Israel, was defeated, and was killed in a conspiracy (2 Kings 14:8).
Jerusalem is the city of the house of God, where children of Judah and Benjamin lived; the Babylonian army broke down the walls of the city (2 Kings 25:10).
Moses, a Levite raised by Pharaoh’s daughter, was called by God at the burning bush, brought Israel out of slavery in Egypt, and received the law on Mount Sinai (Exodus 3:4).
Amaziah, son of Joash and king of Judah, struck down the Edomites in the Valley of Salt, challenged Joash, king of Israel, was defeated, and was killed in a conspiracy (2 Kings 14:8).
Amaziah, son of Joash and king of Judah, struck down the Edomites in the Valley of Salt, challenged Joash, king of Israel, was defeated, and was killed in a conspiracy (2 Kings 14:8).
Amaziah, son of Joash and king of Judah, struck down the Edomites in the Valley of Salt, challenged Joash, king of Israel, was defeated, and was killed in a conspiracy (2 Kings 14:8).
Amaziah, son of Joash and king of Judah, struck down the Edomites in the Valley of Salt, challenged Joash, king of Israel, was defeated, and was killed in a conspiracy (2 Kings 14:8).
Amaziah, son of Joash and king of Judah, struck down the Edomites in the Valley of Salt, challenged Joash, king of Israel, was defeated, and was killed in a conspiracy (2 Kings 14:8).
The Valley of Salt is the valley where Abishai son of Zeruiah struck down eighteen thousand Edomites and where Amaziah king of Judah killed ten thousand men of Seir (1 Chronicles 18:12).
Amaziah, son of Joash and king of Judah, struck down the Edomites in the Valley of Salt, challenged Joash, king of Israel, was defeated, and was killed in a conspiracy (2 Kings 14:8).
Beth-horon is the city on the road down from which, toward Azekah, the Lord hurled large hailstones from heaven on the enemies fleeing before Israel (Joshua 10:11).
Amaziah, son of Joash and king of Judah, struck down the Edomites in the Valley of Salt, challenged Joash, king of Israel, was defeated, and was killed in a conspiracy (2 Kings 14:8).
Amaziah, son of Joash and king of Judah, struck down the Edomites in the Valley of Salt, challenged Joash, king of Israel, was defeated, and was killed in a conspiracy (2 Kings 14:8).
Amaziah, son of Joash and king of Judah, struck down the Edomites in the Valley of Salt, challenged Joash, king of Israel, was defeated, and was killed in a conspiracy (2 Kings 14:8).
Joash, son of Jehoahaz and king of Israel, visited Elisha on the prophet’s deathbed and defeated Amaziah king of Judah at Beth-shemesh (2 Kings 13:14).
Joash, son of Jehoahaz and king of Israel, visited Elisha on the prophet’s deathbed and defeated Amaziah king of Judah at Beth-shemesh (2 Kings 13:14).
Lebanon is a land of mountains and cedars, where timber was cut with the help of the Sidonians and where Solomon built whatever he desired, as he did in Jerusalem and throughout the rest of his realm (1 Kings 9:19).
Edom is the land of Seir, where Jacob’s brother Esau lived. The king of Edom refused Israel passage through his land, and Edom rebelled against Judah (2 Kings 8:22).
Amaziah, son of Joash and king of Judah, struck down the Edomites in the Valley of Salt, challenged Joash, king of Israel, was defeated, and was killed in a conspiracy (2 Kings 14:8).
Amaziah, son of Joash and king of Judah, struck down the Edomites in the Valley of Salt, challenged Joash, king of Israel, was defeated, and was killed in a conspiracy (2 Kings 14:8).
Joash, son of Jehoahaz and king of Israel, visited Elisha on the prophet’s deathbed and defeated Amaziah king of Judah at Beth-shemesh (2 Kings 13:14).
Beth-shemesh is the city to which the cows brought the ark of the Lord; its people rejoiced to see the ark and offered burnt offerings and sacrifices to the Lord that day (1 Samuel 6:15).
Amaziah, son of Joash and king of Judah, struck down the Edomites in the Valley of Salt, challenged Joash, king of Israel, was defeated, and was killed in a conspiracy (2 Kings 14:8).
Joash, son of Ahaziah, was hidden in the temple when Athaliah killed the royal family, and he was crowned king of Judah at age seven by Jehoiada the priest (2 Kings 11:21).
Amaziah, son of Joash and king of Judah, struck down the Edomites in the Valley of Salt, challenged Joash, king of Israel, was defeated, and was killed in a conspiracy (2 Kings 14:8).
Joash, son of Ahaziah, was hidden in the temple when Athaliah killed the royal family, and he was crowned king of Judah at age seven by Jehoiada the priest (2 Kings 11:21).
Amaziah, son of Joash and king of Judah, struck down the Edomites in the Valley of Salt, challenged Joash, king of Israel, was defeated, and was killed in a conspiracy (2 Kings 14:8).
Jerusalem is the city of the house of God, where children of Judah and Benjamin lived; the Babylonian army broke down the walls of the city (2 Kings 25:10).
Joash, son of Ahaziah, was hidden in the temple when Athaliah killed the royal family, and he was crowned king of Judah at age seven by Jehoiada the priest (2 Kings 11:21).
The Ephraim Gate is a gate in the wall of Jerusalem; King Joash of Israel broke down four hundred cubits of the wall from this gate to the Corner Gate after capturing Amaziah king of Judah (2 Kings 14:13).
The Corner Gate was a gate in the wall of Jerusalem. Joash king of Israel broke down part of the wall from the Ephraim Gate to this gate, and Uzziah built fortified towers there (2 Kings 14:13).