1    ^noteAmaziah was twenty-five years old when he came to the throne, and he reigned in Jerusalem for twenty-nine years; his mother was Jehoaddan of Jerusalem. 2   He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, but not whole-heartedly. 3   When the royal power was firmly in his grasp, he put to death those of his servants who had murdered the king his father; 4   but he spared their children, in obedience to the Lord's command written in the law of Moses: ‘Fathers shall not die for their children, nor children for their fathers; a man shall die only for his own sin.’

The kings from Rehoboam to Ahaz

5   Then Amaziah assembled the men of Judah and drew them up by families, all Judah and Benjamin as well, under officers over units of a thousand and a hundred. He mustered those of twenty years old and upwards and found their number to be three hundred thousand, all picked troops ready for service, able to handle spear and shield. 6   He also hired a hundred thousand seasoned troops from Israel for a hundred talents of silver. 7   But a man of God came to him and said, ‘My lord king, do not let the Israelite army march with you; the Lord is not with Israel—all these Ephraimites! 8   For, if you make these people ^note your allies in the war, God will overthrow you in battle; he has power to help or to overthrow.’ 9   Then Amaziah said to the man of God, ‘What am I to do about the hundred talents which I have spent on the Israelite army?’ The man of God answered, ‘It is in the Lord's power to give you much more than that.’ 10   So Amaziah detached the troops which had come to him from Ephraim and sent them home; that infuriated them against Judah and they went home in a rage.

11   Then Amaziah took heart and led his men to the Valley of Salt and there killed ten thousand men of Seir. 12   The men of Judah captured another ten thousand men alive, brought them to the top of a cliff ^note and hurled them over so that they were all dashed to pieces. 13   Meanwhile the troops which Amaziah had sent home without allowing them to take part in the battle raided the cities of Judah from Samaria to Beth-horon, massacred three thousand people in them and carried off quantities of booty.

14   After Amaziah had returned from the defeat of the Edomites, he brought the gods of the people of Seir and, setting them up as his own gods, worshipped them and burnt sacrifices to them. 15   The Lord was angry with Amaziah for this and sent a prophet who said to him, ‘Why have you resorted to gods who could not save their own people from you?’ 16   But while he was speaking, the king said to him, ‘Have we appointed you counsellor to the king? Stop! Why risk your life?’ The prophet did stop, but first he said, ‘I know that God has determined to destroy you because you have done this and have not listened to my counsel.’

17    ^noteThen Amaziah king of Judah, after consultation, sent messengers to Jehoash son of Jehoahaz, son of Jehu, king of Israel, to propose a meeting. 18   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. 19   You have defeated Edom, you say, but it has gone to your head. Enjoy your glory at home and

The kings from Rehoboam to Ahaz stay there. Why should you involve yourself in disaster and bring yourself to the ground, and Judah with you?’

20   But Amaziah would not listen; and this was God's doing in order to give Judah into the power of Jehoash, ^note because they had resorted to the gods of Edom. 21   So Jehoash king of Israel marched out, and he and Amaziah king of Judah met one another at Beth-shemesh in Judah. 22   The men of Judah were routed by Israel and fled to their homes. 23   But Jehoash king of Israel captured Amaziah king of Judah, son of Joash, son of Jehoahaz, at Beth-shemesh, and brought him to Jerusalem. There he broke down the city wall from the Gate of Ephraim to the Corner Gate, a distance of four hundred cubits; 24   he also took ^note all the gold and silver and all the vessels found in the house of God, in the care of Obededom, and the treasures of the royal palace, as well as hostages, and returned to Samaria.

25    ^noteAmaziah son of Joash, king of Judah, outlived Jehoash son of Jehoahaz, king of Israel, by fifteen years. 26   The other events of Amaziah's reign, from first to last, are recorded in the annals of the kings of Judah and Israel. 27   From the time when he turned away from the Lord, there was conspiracy against him in Jerusalem and he fled to Lachish; but they sent after him to Lachish and put him to death there. 28   Then his body was conveyed on horseback to Jerusalem, and there he was buried with his forefathers in the city of David. ^note

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