SECOND CHRONICLES

 

2 Chronicles Chapter 25

1 ¶ Amaziah was twenty-five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned for twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Jehoaddan of Jerusalem.

2 And he did what was right in the sight of the LORD, but not with a perfect heart.

3 Now when he began to rule, he executed the servants who had killed his father the king.

4 But he did not kill their children, but did as written in the law in the book of Moses, where the LORD commanded, saying, The fathers shall not die for the children, nor shall the children die for the fathers, but every man shall die for his own sin.

5 Moreover Amaziah gathered all Judah and Benjamin, and organized them according to their father’s houses under commanders over thousands, and commanders over hundreds: and he counted those twenty years old and older, and found he had three hundred thousand choice men, able to go out to war, who could handle spear and shield.

6 He also hired a hundred thousand mighty men of valor from Israel for a hundred talents of silver.

7 But a man of God came to him, saying, O king, Do not allow the army of Israel to go with you; for the LORD is not with Israel, or with any of these men of Ephraim.

8 But if you go, no matter how strong you are for battle: God will make you fall before the enemy: for God has power to help, and to cast down.

9 Then Amaziah asked the man of God, But what will we do about the hundred talents that I have given to the army of Israel? And the man of God answered, The LORD is able to give you much more than this.

10 So Amaziah separated the army that had come to him from Ephraim, and had them return home: But they got very angry at Judah, and returned home furious.

11 And Amaziah strengthened himself, and led his troops out to the valley of salt, and struck down ten thousand of the children of Seir.

12 And Judah carried away captive another ten thousand who remained alive, and took them to the top of the rock, and threw them down from the top of the rock, so that they were all dashed to pieces.

13 But the soldiers of the army that Amaziah sent back, not allowing them to go with him to battle, fell upon the cities of Judah, from Samaria to Bethhoron, and killed three thousand of them, and took much spoil.

14 ¶ Now after Amaziah came back from defeating the Edomites, he brought the idols of the children of Seir, and set them up to be his gods, and bowed down before them, and burned incense to them.

15 Therefore the anger of the LORD was kindled against Amaziah, and he sent a prophet to him, who said, Why have you sought after the gods of those people, that could not deliver their own people from your hand?

16 And as he talked with him, the king said to him, Have you been made the king’s advisor? Shut up; 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 the king of Judah took council, and sent to Joash, the son of Jehoahaz, the son of Jehu, king of Israel, saying, Come, let us meet in battle face to 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 your daughter to my son as a wife: and a wild beast that was in Lebanon passed by, and trampled the thistle.

19 You say, I have smitten the Edomites; and your heart lifts you up to boast: Stay at home; why should you court disaster, and fall, 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 sought help from the gods of Edom.

21 So Joash the king of Israel marched against him; and he and Amaziah the king of Judah faced each other in battle, at Bethshemesh, which belongs to Judah.

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

23 And Joash the king of Israel captured Amaziah the king of Judah, the son of Joash, the son of Jehoahaz, at Bethshemesh, 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 And he took all the gold and the silver, and all the vessels that were found with Obededom in the house of God, along with the treasures of the king’s house, and hostages, and returned to Samaria.

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

26 Now the rest of the acts of Amaziah, from first to last, are they not written in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel?

27 Now after Amaziah turned away from the LORD they made a conspiracy against him in Jerusalem; and he fled to Lachish: but they sent men to Lachish after him, and slew him there.

28 And they brought him upon horses, and buried him with his fathers in the city of Judah.