2 Kings 14

Judah’s King Amaziah

1 In  * 14:1–14 2Ch 25:1–24 the second year of Israel’s King Jehoash  * 14:1 Lit Joash, also in vv. 23,27,* 14:1 2Ch 25:1 son of Jehoahaz,  * 14:1 Lit Joahaz Amaziah  * 14:1 2Kg 13:10 son of Joash became king of Judah. 2 He was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jehoaddan;  * 14:2 Alt Hb tradition, some Hb mss, Syr, Tg, Vg, 2Ch 25:1; other Hb mss, LXX read Jehoaddin she was from Jerusalem. 3 He did what was right in the Lord’s sight, but not like his ancestor David. He did everything his father Joash had done.  * 14:3 2Kg 12:24 Yet the high places were not taken away, and the people continued sacrificing and burning incense on the high places.  * 14:4 1Kg 3:3; 2Kg 12:3; 16:4

5 As soon as the kingdom was firmly in his grasp, Amaziah killed his servants who had killed his father the king.  * 14:5 2Kg 12:206 However, he did not put the children of the killers to death, as it is written in the book of the law of Moses where the Lord commanded, "Fathers are not to be put to death because of children, and children are not to be put to death because of fathers; instead, each one will be put to death for his own sin."  * 14:6 Dt 24:16; Jr 31:30; Ezk 18:4,20

7 Amaziah killed ten thousand Edomites in Salt Valley.  * 14:7 2Sm 8:13 He took Sela  * 14:7 Jdg 1:36 in battle and called it Joktheel,  * 14:7 Jos 15:38 which is still its name today. 8 Amaziah then sent messengers to Jehoash son of Jehoahaz, son of Jehu, king of Israel, and challenged him: "Come, let’s meet face to face."  * 14:8 2Sm 2:14–17

9 King Jehoash of Israel sent word to King Amaziah of Judah, saying, "The thistle in Lebanon once sent a message to the cedar  * 14:9 1Kg 4:33 in Lebanon,  * 14:9 Jdg 9:8–15 saying, ‘Give your daughter to my son as a wife.’ Then a wild animal in Lebanon passed by and trampled the thistle. 10 You have indeed defeated Edom, and you have become overconfident.  * 14:10 Lit and your heart has lifted you,* 14:10 Dt 8:14; 2Ch 26:16; 34:25 Enjoy your glory and stay at home. Why should you stir up such trouble that you fall — you and Judah with you? "

11 But Amaziah would not listen, so King Jehoash of Israel advanced. He and King Amaziah of Judah met face to face at Beth-shemesh  * 14:11 Jos 19:38; 21:16 that belonged to Judah. 12 Judah was routed before Israel, and each man fled to his own tent.  * 14:12 2Sm 18:17; 1Kg 22:3613 King Jehoash of Israel captured Judah’s King Amaziah son of Joash,  * 14:13 Lit Jehoash son of Ahaziah, at Beth-shemesh. Then Jehoash went to Jerusalem and broke down two hundred yards  * 14:13 Lit 400 cubits of Jerusalem’s wall from the Ephraim Gate  * 14:13 Neh 8:16; 12:39 to the Corner Gate.  * 14:13 2Ch 25:23; Zch 14:1014 He took all the gold and silver, all the articles found in the Lord’s temple and in the treasuries of the king’s palace, and some hostages.  * 14:14 1Kg 7:51; 14:26; 2Kg 12:18 Then he returned to Samaria.

Jehoash’s Death

15 The rest of the events of Jehoash’s reign, along with his accomplishments, his might, and how he waged war against King Amaziah of Judah, are written in the Historical Record of Israel’s Kings.  * 14:15–16 2Kg 13:12–1316 Jehoash rested with his ancestors, and he was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel. His son Jeroboam became king in his place.

Amaziah’s Death

17 Judah’s King Amaziah son of Joash lived fifteen years after the death of Israel’s King Jehoash son of Jehoahaz.  * 14:17 2Ch 25:25–2818 The rest of the events of Amaziah’s reign are written in the Historical Record of Judah’s Kings.  * 14:18 2Kg 12:1919 A conspiracy was formed against him in Jerusalem,  * 14:19 2Ch 25:27 and he fled to Lachish.  * 14:19 Jos 10:31; 2Kg 18:14 However, men were sent after him to Lachish, and they put him to death there. 20 They carried him back  * 14:20 2Kg 9:28 on horses, and he was buried in Jerusalem with his ancestors in the city of David.  * 14:20 2Kg 12:21

21 Then all the people of Judah took Azariah,  * 14:21 = Uzziah in 2Ch 26:1,* 14:21 2Kg 15:13; 2Ch 26:1–2 who was sixteen years old, and made him king in place of his father Amaziah. 22 After Amaziah the king rested with his ancestors, Azariah rebuilt Elath  * 14:22 = Eloth in 2Ch 26:2,* 14:22 1Kg 9:26; 2Kg 16:6 and restored it to Judah.

Israel’s King Jeroboam

23 In the fifteenth year of Judah’s King Amaziah son of Joash, Jeroboam  * 14:23 2Kg 13:13 son of Jehoash became king of Israel in Samaria, and he reigned forty-one years. 24 He did what was evil in the Lord’s sight. He did not turn away from all the sins Jeroboam son of Nebat had caused Israel to commit.  * 14:24 1Kg 12:30; 15:30

25 He restored Israel’s border  * 14:25 2Kg 13:25 from Lebo-hamath  * 14:25 1Kg 8:65 as far as the Sea of the Arabah,  * 14:25 Nm 34:3–9 according to the word the Lord, the God of Israel, had spoken through his servant, the prophet Jonah  * 14:25 Jnh 1:1; Mt 12:39 son of Amittai from Gath-hepher.  * 14:25 Jos 19:1326 For the Lord saw that the affliction of Israel was very bitter  * 14:26 Ex 3:7–9; Dt 32:36; 2Kg 13:4 for both slaves and free people.  * 14:26 Hb obscure There was no one to help Israel. 27 The Lord had not said he would blot out the name of Israel under heaven,  * 14:27 Dt 29:20; 2Kg 13:3 so he delivered  * 14:27 Jdg 6:14 them by the hand of Jeroboam son of Jehoash.

28 The rest of the events of Jeroboam’s reign — along with all his accomplishments, the power he had to wage war, and how he recovered for Israel Damascus  * 14:28 2Sm 8:5; 1Kg 11:24 and Hamath,  * 14:28 2Sm 8:9; 2Ch 8:3 which had belonged to Judah  * 14:28 Lit recovered Damascus and for Judah in Israel; Hb obscure — are written in the Historical Record of Israel’s Kings.  * 14:28 2Kg 13:829 Jeroboam rested with his ancestors, the kings of Israel. His son Zechariah became king in his place.  * 14:29 2Kg 13:12–13; 15:8