1 Amaziah was twenty-five years old when he began to reign; and he
reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem: and his mother’s name was Jehoaddan,
of Jerusalem. 2 He did that which was right in the eyes of Yahweh, but not
with a perfect heart. 3 Now it happened, when the kingdom was established
to him, that he killed his servants who had killed the king his father.
4 But he didn’t put their children to death, but did according to that
which is written in the law in the book of Moses, as Yahweh 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, who could handle spear and shield. 6 He hired also one hundred
thousand mighty men of valor out of Israel for one hundred talents of silver.
7 But there came a man of God to him, saying, O king, don’t let the army
of Israel go with you; for Yahweh is not with Israel, to wit, with
all the children of Ephraim. 8 But if you will go, do valiantly,
be strong for the battle: God will cast you down before the enemy; for God
has power to help, and to cast down. 9 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? The man of God answered, Yahweh is able to give you much more than
this. 10 Then Amaziah separated them, to wit, the army that had
come to him out of Ephraim, to go home again: therefore their anger was
greatly kindled against Judah, and they returned home in fierce anger.
11 Amaziah took courage, and led forth his people, and went to the Valley
of Salt, and struck of the children of Seir ten thousand. 12 other
ten thousand did the children of Judah carry away alive, and brought them to
the top of the rock, and cast them down from the top of the rock, so that
they all were broken in pieces. 13 But the men of the army whom Amaziah
sent back, that they should not go with him to battle, fell on the cities of
Judah, from Samaria even to Beth Horon, and struck of them three thousand,
and took much spoil. 14 Now it happened, 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 to them. 15 Therefore the anger of Yahweh was kindled
against Amaziah, and he sent to him a prophet, who said to him, Why have you
sought after the gods of the people, which have not delivered their own
people out of your hand? 16 It happened, as he talked with him, that
the king said to him, Have we made you of the king’s counsel? Stop!
Why should you be struck down? Then the prophet stopped, and said, I know
that God has determined to destroy you, because you have done this, and have
not listened to 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 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 your daughter to my son as wife: and
there passed by a wild animal that was in Lebanon, and trod down the thistle.
19 You say, Behold, you have struck Edom; and your heart lifts you up to
boast: abide now at home; why should you meddle to your hurt, that
you should fall, even you, and Judah with you? 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 belongs to Judah. 22 Judah was
put to the worse before Israel; and they fled every man to his tent.
23 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 broke
down the wall of Jerusalem from the gate of Ephraim to the corner gate, four
hundred cubits. 24 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 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, aren’t they written in the book of the
kings of Judah and Israel? 27 Now from the time that Amaziah did turn away
from following Yahweh they made a conspiracy against him in Jerusalem; and he
fled to Lachish: but they sent after him to Lachish, and killed him there.
28 They brought him on horses, and buried him with his fathers in the city
of Judah.
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