1    ^noteIn the second year of Jehoash son of Jehoahaz king of Israel,

Kings of Israel and Judah Amaziah son of Joash king of Judah succeeded his father. 2   He was twenty-five years old when he came to the throne, and he reigned in Jerusalem for twenty-nine years; his mother was Jehoaddin of Jerusalem. 3   He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, yet not as his forefather David had done; he followed his father Joash in everything. 4   The hill-shrines were allowed to remain; the people continued to slaughter and burn sacrifices there. 5   When the royal power was firmly in his grasp, he put to death those of his servants who had murdered the king his father; 6   but he spared the murderers' children in obedience to the Lord's command written in the law of Moses: ‘Fathers shall not be put to death for their children, nor children for their fathers; a man shall be put to death only for his own sin.’ 7   He defeated ten thousand Edomites in the Valley of Salt and captured Sela; he gave it the name Joktheel, which it still bears.

8    ^noteThen Amaziah sent messengers to Jehoash son of Jehoahaz, son of Jehu, king of Israel, to propose a meeting. 9   But Jehoash king of Israel sent this answer to Amaziah king of Judah: ‘A thistle in Lebanon sent to a cedar in Lebanon to say, “Give your daughter in marriage to my son.” But a wild beast in Lebanon, passing by, trampled on the thistle. 10   You have defeated Edom, it is true; and it has gone to your head. Stay at home and enjoy your triumph. Why should you involve yourself in disaster and bring yourself to the ground, and Judah with you?’

11   But Amaziah would not listen; so Jehoash king of Israel marched out, and he and Amaziah king of Judah met one another at Beth-shemesh in Judah. 12   The men of Judah were routed by Israel and fled to their homes. 13   But Jehoash king of Israel captured Amaziah king of Judah, son of Joash, son of Ahaziah, at Beth-shemesh. He went to Jerusalem and broke down the city wall from the Gate of Ephraim to the Corner Gate, a distance of four hundred cubits. 14   He also took all the gold and silver and all the vessels found in the house of the Lord and in the treasuries of the royal palace, as well as hostages, and returned to Samaria.

15   The other events of the reign of Jehoash, and all his achievements, his exploits and his wars with Amaziah king of Judah, are recorded in the annals of the kings of Israel. 16   So Jehoash rested with his forefathers and was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel; and he was succeeded by his son Jeroboam.

17    ^noteAmaziah son of Joash, king of Judah, outlived Jehoash son of Jehoahaz, king of Israel, by fifteen years. 18   The other events of Amaziah's reign are recorded in the annals of the kings of Judah. 19   A conspiracy was formed against him in Jerusalem and he fled to Lachish; but they sent after him to Lachish and put him to death there. 20   Then his body was conveyed on horseback to Jerusalem, and there he was buried with his

Kings of Israel and Judah forefathers in the city of David. 21   The people of Judah took Azariah, now sixteen years old, and made him king in succession to his father Amaziah. 22   It was he who built Elath and restored it to Judah after the king rested with his forefathers.

23   In the fifteenth year of Amaziah son of Joash king of Judah, Jeroboam son of Jehoash king of Israel became king in Samaria and reigned for forty-one years. 24   He did what was wrong in the eyes of the Lord; he did not give up the sinful practices of Jeroboam son of Nebat who led Israel into sin. 25   He re-established the frontiers of Israel from Lebohamath to the Sea of the Arabah, in fulfilment of the word of the Lord the God of Israel spoken by his servant the prophet Jonah son of Amittai, of Gath-hepher. 26   For the Lord had seen how bitterly Israel had suffered; no one was safe, whether under the protection of his family or not, and Israel was left defenceless. 27   But the Lord had made no threat to blot out the name of Israel under heaven, and he saved them through Jeroboam son of Jehoash. 28   The other events of Jeroboam's reign, and all his achievements, his exploits, the wars he fought and how he recovered Damascus and Hamath in Jaudi for ^note Israel, are recorded in the annals of the kings of Israel. 29   So Jeroboam rested with his forefathers the kings of Israel; and he was succeeded by his son Zechariah.

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