Amaziah (2 Kings 12:20–21; 2 Kings 14:1–6; 2 Kings 14:7; 2 Kings 14:8–14; 2 Kings 14:17–21; 1 Chronicles 3:12; 2 Chronicles 25:1–4; 2 Chronicles 25:5–10; 2 Chronicles 25:11–16; 2 Chronicles 25:17–24; 2 Chronicles 25:25–28; 2 Chronicles 26:1)

King of Judah, son of Joash

The son of Joash, who began to reign in Judah at twenty-five, did right in the LORD's eyes but not with a perfect heart, defeated Edom, brought home the gods of Seir, would not hear Jehoash king of Israel, was taken at Beth-shemesh, and was slain at Lachish after a conspiracy in Jerusalem.

When the servants of Joash king of Judah smote him, “Amaziah his son reigned in his stead” (2 Kings 12:21). He “was twenty and five years old when he began to reign; and he reigned twenty and nine years in Jerusalem” (2 Kings 14:2). Kings says he “did that which was right in the eyes of Jehovah, yet not like David his father” (2 Kings 14:3); Chronicles says he did right “but not with a perfect heart” (2 Chronicles 25:2). He slew the servants who had slain his father, but “the children of the murderers he put not to death” (2 Kings 14:6), according to the book of the law of Moses (2 Kings 14:5-6).

Chronicles tells how he hired a hundred thousand men out of Israel and, at a man of God's word, sent them home (2 Chronicles 25:5-10). He smote Edom in the Valley of Salt (2 Kings 14:7; 2 Chronicles 25:11-12), but afterward “brought the gods of the children of Seir, and set them up to be his gods, and bowed down himself before them, and burned incense unto them” (2 Chronicles 25:14). A prophet was sent to him, and the king answered, “Have we made thee of the king's counsel? forbear” (2 Chronicles 25:16).

He then sent to Jehoash king of Israel, “Come, let us look one another in the face” (2 Kings 14:8). “But Amaziah would not hear” (2 Kings 14:11), and Judah was put to the worse at Beth-shemesh, where Jehoash took him and broke down the wall of Jerusalem (2 Kings 14:12-14). He lived fifteen years after Jehoash died (2 Kings 14:17). Chronicles dates what followed “from the time that Amaziah did turn away from following Jehovah” (2 Chronicles 25:27): “they made a conspiracy against him in Jerusalem; and he fled to Lachish: but they sent after him to Lachish, and slew him there” (2 Chronicles 25:27). “All the people of Judah took Azariah, who was sixteen years old, and made him king in the room of his father Amaziah” (2 Kings 14:21); Chronicles calls the son Uzziah (2 Chronicles 26:1).

Strengths

• Did right in the LORD's eyes
• Kept the law on the murderers' children
• Sent the army of Israel home at the man of God's word

Weaknesses

• Not with a perfect heart
• Sought after the gods of Edom
• Hearkened not unto the prophet's counsel
• Would not hear
• Turned away from following the LORD

Themes

• Half-hearted obedience
• Hearkening and refusing
• The gods of Seir
• War with Israel
• Two accounts of one reign

Begins to reign and judges his father's murderers (2 Kings 12:20–21; 2 Kings 14:1–6; 2 Chronicles 25:1–4)

Amaziah begins to reign at twenty-five and does right, though the high places remain; he slays the servants who slew his father but not their children.

Hires the army of Israel (2 Chronicles 25:5–10)

Amaziah numbers Judah, hires a hundred thousand men out of Israel for a hundred talents of silver, and sends them home at the word of a man of God, to their fierce anger.

Hires the army of Israel

Amaziah gathered Judah and found “three hundred thousand chosen men, able to go forth to war” (2 Chronicles 25:5), and “He hired also a hundred thousand mighty men of valor out of Israel for a hundred talents of silver” (2 Chronicles 25:6).

“But there came a man of God to him, saying, O king, let not the army of Israel go with thee; for Jehovah is not with Israel” (2 Chronicles 25:7). Amaziah asked, “But what shall we do for the hundred talents which I have given to the army of Israel?” (2 Chronicles 25:9) and the man of God answered, “Jehovah is able to give thee much more than this” (2 Chronicles 25:9).

“Then Amaziah separated them, to wit, the army 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 fierce anger” (2 Chronicles 25:10).

Defeats Edom in the Valley of Salt (2 Kings 14:7; 2 Chronicles 25:11–13)

Amaziah smites Edom in the Valley of Salt and takes Sela, while the soldiers he sent home fall upon the cities of Judah.

Brings home the gods of Seir (2 Chronicles 25:14–16)

After the slaughter of the Edomites Amaziah sets up the gods of Seir as his own; a prophet is sent to him, and the king tells him to forbear.

Brings home the gods of Seir

“Now it came to pass, after that Amaziah was come from the slaughter of the Edomites, that he brought the gods of the children of Seir, and set them up to be his gods, and bowed down himself before them, and burned incense unto them” (2 Chronicles 25:14).

“Wherefore the anger of Jehovah was kindled against Amaziah, and he sent unto him a prophet, who said unto him, Why hast thou sought after the gods of the people, which have not delivered their own people out of thy hand?” (2 Chronicles 25:15).

“And it came to pass, as he talked with him, that the king said unto him, Have we made thee of the king's counsel? forbear; why shouldest thou be smitten? Then the prophet forbare, and said, I know that God hath determined to destroy thee, because thou hast done this, and hast not hearkened unto my counsel” (2 Chronicles 25:16).

Challenges Jehoash and would not hear (2 Kings 14:8–11; 2 Chronicles 25:17–21)

Amaziah sends to Jehoash king of Israel to meet face to face; Jehoash answers with a saying of the thistle and the cedar, and Amaziah would not hear.

Challenges Jehoash and would not hear

“Then Amaziah sent messengers to Jehoash, the son of Jehoahaz son of Jehu, king of Israel, saying, Come, let us look one another in the face” (2 Kings 14:8). Chronicles says that Amaziah “took advice” (2 Chronicles 25:17) and calls the king of Israel Joash (2 Chronicles 25:17).

Jehoash sent word of a thistle in Lebanon that sent to the cedar for the cedar's daughter, and a wild beast that trod the thistle down (2 Kings 14:9). Then: “Thou hast indeed smitten Edom, and thy heart hath lifted thee up: glory thereof, and abide at home; for why shouldest thou meddle to thy hurt, that thou shouldest fall, even thou, and Judah with thee?” (2 Kings 14:10).

“But Amaziah would not hear” (2 Kings 14:11). Chronicles adds: “for it was of God, that he might deliver them into the hand of their enemies, because they had sought after the gods of Edom” (2 Chronicles 25:20).

Taken at Beth-shemesh (2 Kings 14:12–14; 2 Chronicles 25:22–24)

Judah is put to the worse at Beth-shemesh; Jehoash takes Amaziah, breaks down the wall of Jerusalem, and returns to Samaria with the gold, silver, vessels and hostages.

Conspiracy, Lachish, and burial (2 Kings 14:17–21; 2 Chronicles 25:25–28; 2 Chronicles 26:1)

Fifteen years after Jehoash's death a conspiracy forms in Jerusalem; Amaziah flees to Lachish, is slain there, and is brought back on horses and buried.

Conspiracy, Lachish, and burial

“And Amaziah the son of Joash king of Judah lived after the death of Jehoash son of Jehoahaz king of Israel fifteen years” (2 Kings 14:17).

Kings gives no reason: “And they made a conspiracy against him in Jerusalem; and he fled to Lachish: but they sent after him to Lachish, and slew him there” (2 Kings 14:19). Chronicles begins the same sentence differently: “Now from the time that Amaziah did turn away from following Jehovah they made a conspiracy against him in Jerusalem” (2 Chronicles 25:27).

“And they brought him upon horses; and he was buried at Jerusalem with his fathers in the city of David” (2 Kings 14:20); Chronicles has “buried him with his fathers in the city of Judah” (2 Chronicles 25:28). “And all the people of Judah took Azariah, who was sixteen years old, and made him king in the room of his father Amaziah” (2 Kings 14:21).

Joash, king of Judah (2 Kings 12:20–21; 2 Kings 14:1–5)

His servants smote Joash and Amaziah his son reigned in his stead, doing according to all that Joash his father had done.

Azariah (Uzziah) (2 Kings 14:21; 2 Chronicles 26:1)

All the people of Judah took Azariah, sixteen years old, and made him king in the room of his father Amaziah; Chronicles calls him Uzziah.

Jehoash, king of Israel (2 Kings 14:8–14; 2 Chronicles 25:17–24)

Answered Amaziah's challenge with the thistle and the cedar, took him at Beth-shemesh, and broke down the wall of Jerusalem.

The LORD (2 Chronicles 25:15; 2 Chronicles 25:20)

The LORD's anger was kindled against Amaziah and he sent him a prophet; Chronicles says Amaziah's refusal to hear was of God.

The man of God and the prophet (2 Chronicles 25:7–9; 2 Chronicles 25:15–16)

A man of God told him not to take Israel's army, and a prophet asked why he sought the gods of the people; neither is named.

The hired army of Israel (2 Chronicles 25:6–10; 2 Chronicles 25:13)

Hired for a hundred talents of silver and sent home at the man of God's word, they returned in fierce anger and fell upon the cities of Judah.

The children of Seir (2 Chronicles 25:11–14)

Amaziah smote them in the Valley of Salt, then brought their gods home and set them up as his own.

Major sections

• 2 Kings 14:1–22
• 2 Chronicles 25:1–28

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