G11 Q 1,2. Introduction.
R S 3,4. Home events. Requital.
T 5-13. Foreign events. War.
R S 14-16. Home events. Apostasy.
T 17-24. Foreign events. War.
Q 25-28. Conclusion.
1 Amaziah (= the strength of the Lord) 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 sight of the Lord but not with a perfect heart. (Cp. vv.6-9,14,17. Cp. 2 Kings 14:4)
3 Now it came to pass, when the kingdom was confirmed to him, that he slew his servants that had killed the king his father. (24:25,26)
4 But he slew not their children, but did as it is written in the law in the book of Moses (cp. Deut. 24:16), where the Lord commanded, saying, "The fathers shall not die for the sons, neither shall the sons die for the fathers, but every man shall die for his own sin."
T w 5. House levies. Raised.
x 6-10. Mercenaries. Prohibition.
w 11,12. Home levies. Led.
x Mercenaries. Sent back.
5 Moreover Amaziah gathered Judah together, and made them captains over thousands, and captains over hundreds, according to the houses of their fathers, throughout all Judah and Benjamin: and he numbered them from twenty years old and above, and found them three hundred thousand choice men, able to go forth to war, that could handle spear and shield.
6 He hired also an hundred thousand mighty men of valor out of Israel for a hundred talents of silver. (= 750 lbs.)
7 But there came a man of God to him, saying, "O king, let not (for similar protests cp. 19:2; 20:37) the host of Israel go with you (these were mercenaries gathered out of the 10 tribes, to be used against Edom [v.6]); for the Lord is not with Israel (this is the measure by which our alliances of all kind should be tried), to wit, with any of the sons of Ephraim (of these were the kings of Israel. Ephraim put for the whole northern kingdom).
8 But if you will go, do it; be strong for the battle: God shall make you fall before the enemy: for God has 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 troop of Israel?" And the man of God answered, "The Lord is able to give you much more than this."
10 Then Amaziah separated them, to wit, the troop 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 great anger.
11 And Amaziah strengthened himself, and led forth his people, and went to the valley of salt (south of the Dead Sea), and smote of the sons of Seir ten thousand. (i.e. the Edomites)
12 And other ten thousand left alive did the sons of Judah carry away captive, and brought them to the top of the rock, and cast them down from the top of the rock, that they all were broken in pieces.
13 But the soldiers of the army which Amaziah sent back, that they should not go with him to battle, fell upon the cities of Judah, from Samaria even to Beth-horon, and smote three thousand of them (i.e. men, not villages), 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 sons of Seir, and set them up to be his gods (for similar action see 28:23), and bowed down himself before them, and burned incense to them.
15 Wherefore the anger of the Lord was kindled against Amaziah, and he sent to him a prophet (when He might have sent a sore judgment), which said to him, "Why have you sought after the gods of the people, which could not rescue their own people out of your hand?"
16 And it came to pass, as he talked with him, that the king said to him, "Have we given you to be for counselor to the king? forbear; why should you be smitten?" Then the prophet forbear, and said, "I know that God has counseled to destroy you, because you have done this, and have not hearkened to my counsel."
T y 17. Amaziah. Challenge.
z 18-20. Challenge given.
z 21. Challenge accepted.
y 22-24. Amaziah. Defeat
17 Then Amaziah king of Judah took counsel (as in v.16. He took man's counsel, but not God's), 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." (Idiom for desire to fight.)
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 to wife:' and there passed by a wild beast that was in Lebanon, and trode down the thorn.
19 You say, Lo, you have smitten the Edomites; 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 came of God, that He might deliver them into the hand of their enemies, because they sought after the gods of Edom.
21 So Joash the king of Israel went up; and they looked one another in the face, both he and Amaziah king of Judah, at Bethshemesh, which belongs to Judah.
22 And Judah was put to the worse before Israel, and they fled every man to his tent.
23 And Joash the king of Israel took Amaziah 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. (From 17 to 21 inches. Went by measurement of fingertips to elbow of the king at the time)
24 And he took all the gold and the silver, and all the vessels that were found in the house of God with Obed-edom (he and his family were the Temple treasurers [1 Chron. 26:15]), and the treasures of the king's house, the hostages also, and returned to Samaria.
729-714 B.C.
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 after the time that Amaziah did turn away from following the Lord they conspired a great conspiracy against him in Jerusalem; and he fled to Lachish: but they sent 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. (= Jerusalem. The only occurrence of the expression. Some codices read "the city of David")