^aAmaziah was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned for twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jehoaddan of Jerusalem. 2 He did right in the sight of the LORD, ^ayet not wholeheartedly. 3 When ^ahis kingdom was firmly established, he killed his servants who had struck down his father the king. 4 But he did not kill their children; for he did as it is written in the Law, in the Book of Moses, where the LORD commanded, “The ^afathers shall not die for the children, nor the children die for the fathers, but each shall be put to death for his own sin.”

5 Amaziah assembled the men of Judah and appointed them in accordance with their fathers’ (ancestors’) households under commanders of thousands and of hundreds throughout Judah and Benjamin. He numbered them ^afrom twenty years old and above and found there to be ^b300,000 choice men fit for war and able to handle spear and shield. 6 He also hired 100,000 brave warriors from Israel for a hundred talents of silver. 7 But ^aa man of God came to him, saying, “O king, do not let this army of Israel go with you, for the LORD is not with Israel nor with any of the sons of ¹Ephraim. 8 But if you do go in spite of this warning, be strong and courageous for battle; yet God will cause you to stumble and fall before the enemy, ^afor God has power to help and to cause people to stumble.” 9 Amaziah said to the man of God, “But what shall we do about the hundred talents which I gave to the troops of Israel?” The man of God answered, “^aThe LORD is able to give you much more than this.” 10 So Amaziah dismissed the troops that came to him from Ephraim, to go home. So their anger was kindled and burned greatly against Judah, and they returned home in the heat of anger.

11 Now Amaziah took courage and led his people out to ^athe Valley of Salt, and he struck down 10,000 of the men of Seir (Edom) . 12 The sons of Judah also captured 10,000 alive and brought them to the top of the cliff. They threw them down from the top of the cliff and they were all crushed to pieces. 13 But the troops whom Amaziah sent back, those not allowed to go with him to battle, attacked and raided the cities of Judah, from Samaria to Beth-horon, and struck down 3,000 men and took a large amount of spoil.

14 After Amaziah came back from the slaughter of the Edomites, ^ahe brought the gods of the sons of Seir, and set them up to be his gods, bowed before them, and burned incense to them. 15 So the anger of the LORD burned against Amaziah, and He sent him a prophet who said to him, “Why have you ¹desired the gods of the people ^awho did not save their own people from your hand?” 16 As he was talking, the king said to him, “Have we made you the king’s counselor? Stop! Why should you be put to death?” Then the prophet stopped and said, “I know that God has decided to destroy you because you have done this and have ignored my advice.”

17 ^aThen Amaziah king of Judah took counsel and sent word to Joash the son of Jehoahaz the son of Jehu, king of Israel, saying, “Come to battle, let us face each other.” 2+@Kin 14:8-20 18 Then Joash king of Israel sent word to Amaziah king of Judah, saying, “The little ^athorn bush in Lebanon sent word to the great cedar in Lebanon, saying, ‘Give your daughter to my son in marriage.’ But a wild beast in Lebanon passed by and trampled down the thorn bush. 19 You say, ‘See, I have struck down and defeated Edom.’ ^aYour heart lifts you up to boast about your victory. Now stay at home; why should you meddle and court disaster so that you, even you, will fall and Judah with you?”

20 But Amaziah would not listen, for it was from God, so that He might hand Judah over to Joash because they had desired the gods of Edom. 21 So Joash king of Israel went up; and he and Amaziah king of Judah faced one another at Beth-shemesh, which belonged to Judah. 22 And Judah was defeated by Israel, and they fled, every man to his tent. 23 Then Joash king of Israel captured Amaziah king of Judah, the son of Joash the son of ^aJehoahaz (Ahaziah) , at Beth-shemesh, and brought him to Jerusalem and broke down the wall of Jerusalem from the Ephraim Gate to the Corner Gate, 400 ¹cubits. 24 He took all the gold and silver and all the utensils which were found in the house of God with the doorkeeper ^aObed-edom, and the treasures of the king’s house (palace) , and the hostages, and returned to Samaria.

25 ^aAnd Amaziah the son of Joash king of Judah lived fifteen years after the death of Joash the son of Jehoahaz king of Israel. 26 Now the rest of the acts of Amaziah, from the first to the last, are they not written in the Book of the Kings of Judah and Israel? 27 Now from the time that Amaziah turned away from following the LORD, they conspired against him in Jerusalem, and he fled to Lachish; but they sent men after him to Lachish and killed him there. 28 Then they brought him on horses and buried him with his fathers in the City of David in Judah.

^aAmaziah was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned for twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Jehoaddan of Jerusalem. 2 He did what was right in the sight of the LORD, ^aonly not wholeheartedly. 3 Now ^ait came about, as soon as the kingdom was ¹firmly in his grasp, that he killed his servants who had killed his father the king. 4 However, he did not put their children to death, but did as it is written in the Law in the Book of Moses, which the LORD commanded, saying, “^aFathers shall not be put to death for sons, nor sons be put to death for fathers; but each shall be put to death for his own sin.”

5 Moreover, Amaziah assembled Judah and appointed them according to their fathers’ households under commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds throughout Judah and Benjamin; and he ¹took a census of those ^afrom twenty years old and upward and found them to be ^bthree hundred thousand choice men, able to go to war and handle spear and shield. 6 He also hired a hundred thousand valiant warriors from Israel for ¹a hundred talents of silver. 7 But ^aa man of God came to him saying, “O king, do not let the army of Israel come with you, for the LORD is not with Israel nor with any of the sons of Ephraim. 8 But if you do go, do it, be strong for the battle; yet God will ¹bring you down before the enemy, ^afor God has the power to help and to ²bring down.” 9 Amaziah said to the man of God, “But what are we to do about the ¹hundred talents which I have given to the troops of Israel?” And the man of God answered, “^aThe LORD has much more to give you than this.” 10 Then Amaziah ¹dismissed the troops which came to him from Ephraim, to go home; so their anger burned against Judah, and they returned ²home in fierce anger.

11 Now Amaziah gathered his courage and led his people out, and went to ^athe Valley of Salt, and struck and killed ten thousand of the sons of Seir. 12 The sons of Judah also captured ten thousand alive and brought them to the top of the cliff, and threw them down from the top of the cliff so that they were all dashed to pieces. 13 But the ¹troops whom Amaziah sent back, those not going with him to battle, raided the cities of Judah from Samaria to Beth-horon, and struck and killed three thousand of them, and plundered a large amount of spoils.

14 Now after Amaziah came from slaughtering the Edomites, ^ahe brought the gods of the sons of Seir and set them up as his gods. Then he bowed down before them and burned incense to them. 15 So the anger of the LORD burned against Amaziah, and He sent him a prophet who said to him, “Why have you sought the gods of the people ^awho have not saved their own people from your hand?” 16 As he was talking with him, ¹the king said to him, “Have we appointed you to be a royal counselor? Stop! Why should ²you be put to death?” Then the prophet stopped and said, “I know that God has planned to destroy you, because you have done this and have not listened to my counsel.”

17 ^aThen Amaziah king of Judah took counsel and sent word to Joash the son of Jehoahaz the son of Jehu, the king of Israel, saying, “Come, let’s face each other.” 18 But Joash the king of Israel sent a reply to Amaziah king of Judah, saying, “^aThe thorn bush that was in Lebanon sent word to the cedar that was in Lebanon, saying, ‘Give your daughter to my son in marriage.’ But a wild beast that was in Lebanon passed by and trampled the thorn bush. 19 You said, ‘Behold, you have ¹defeated Edom.’ And ^ayour heart has lifted you up in boasting. Now stay home; why should you provoke trouble so that you, would fall, you and Judah with you?”

20 But Amaziah would not listen, for it was from God, so that He might hand them over to Joash, because they had sought the gods of Edom. 21 So Joash king of Israel went up, and he and Amaziah king of Judah faced each other at Beth-shemesh, which belonged to Judah. 22 And Judah was defeated ¹by Israel, and they fled, every man to his tent. 23 Then Joash king of Israel captured Amaziah king of Judah, the son of Joash the son of ^aJehoahaz, at Beth-shemesh, and brought him to Jerusalem and tore down the wall of Jerusalem from the Gate of Ephraim to the Corner Gate, ¹four hundred cubits. 24 He took all the gold and silver and all the utensils which were found in the house of God with ^aObed-edom, and the treasures of the king’s house, the hostages too, and returned to Samaria.

25 ^aAnd Amaziah, the son of Joash king of Judah, lived fifteen years after the death of Joash, son of Jehoahaz, king of Israel. 26 Now the rest of the acts of Amaziah, from the first to the last, behold, are they not written in the Book of the Kings of Judah and Israel? 27 From the time that Amaziah turned away from following the LORD they conspired against him in Jerusalem, and he fled to Lachish; but they sent men after him to Lachish, and they killed him there. 28 Then they brought him on horses and buried him with his fathers in the city of Judah.