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The Book of 2 Kings

2 Kings Chapter 14

  

Amaziah King of Judah

1
IN

the second year of the reign of Jehoash son of Jehoahaz, king of Israel, Amaziah son of Joash became king of Judah.  2  He was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem twenty-nine years. His mother’s name was Jehoaddin of Jerusalem.  3  He did what was right in the sight of the Lord, but not as his father David had done; in all things he did as his father Joash had done.  4  However the high places were not taken away. The people continued to offer sacrifices and burn incense on the high places.

5 As soon as the kingdom was firmly in his grasp, Amaziah put to death the officials who had murdered his father the king.  6  But he did not put to death the children of the murderers, in accordance with what is written in the Book of the Law of Moses, where the Lord commanded: “Fathers shall not be put to death for their children, and children shall not be put to death for their fathers. Each person must only be put to death for his own sins.”

7 Amaziah killed ten thousand Edomites in the Valley of Salt, and captured Sela in battle. He named it Joktheel, which is its name to this day.  8  Then Amaziah sent messengers to Jehoash son of Jehoahaz, the son of Jehu, king of Israel, saying, “Come, let us meet face to face.”

9 Jehoash king of Israel sent word to Amaziah king of Judah: “A thistle in Lebanon sent a message to the cedar in Lebanon, saying, ‘Give your daughter to my son as a wife’. Then a wild beast in Lebanon passed and trampled the thistle.  10  You have indeed defeated Edom, and now you have become arrogant. Enjoy your glory, but stay at home. Why should you stir up trouble and cause your own downfall, and drag down Judah with you also?”

11  But Amaziah would not listen, so Jehoash king of Israel went up to do battle. He faced off with Amaziah king of Judah at Beth-shemesh in Judah.  12  Judah was routed by Israel, and every man fled to his tent.  13  Jehoash king of Israel captured the king of Judah, King Amaziah, the son of Joash, the son of Ahaziah, at Beth-shemesh. Then Jehoash went to Jerusalem, and he broke down a four hundred cubit long section of the wall of Jerusalem, from the Ephraim Gate to the Corner Gate.  14  He took all the gold and silver and all the vessels found in the House of the Lord and in the treasuries of the king’s palace, and he also took hostages. Then he returned to Samaria.

The Death of Jehoash

15  As for the other events of the reign of Jehoash, all that he did, and his accomplishments, and his war with Amaziah king of Judah, are they not written about in the Book of the Annals of the Kings of Israel?  16  Jehoash rested with his fathers, and was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel; and Jeroboam succeeded him as king.

The Death of Amaziah

17  Amaziah son of Joash, king of Judah lived fifteen years after the death of Jehoash son of Jehoahaz, king of Israel.  18  As for the other events of the reign of Amaziah, and all that he did, are they not written about in the Books of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah?

19  They conspired against him in Jerusalem, and he fled to Lachish; but they sent men after him to Lachish and killed him there.  20  Then they carried his body back on horses, and he was buried at Jerusalem with his fathers in the City of David.

21  Then all the people of Judah took Azariah, who was sixteen years old, and made him king in place of his father Amaziah.  22  He rebuilt Elath and restored it to Judah, after King Amaziah slept with his fathers.

Jeroboam II King of Israel

23  In the fifteenth year of the reign of Amaziah son of Joash, king of Judah, Jeroboam son of Jehoash, king of Israel became king of Israel in Samaria, and he reigned forty-one years.  24  He did what was evil in the sight of the Lord. He did not turn away from the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, which he had caused Israel to commit.  25  It was Jeroboam king of Israel who restored the border of Israel from Lebo-hamath as far as the Sea of the Arabah, in accordance with the word of the Lord, the God of Israel, which He had spoken through his servant Jonah son of Amittai, the prophet from Gath-hepher.

26  For the Lord saw that the affliction of Israel was very bitter; and there was no one to help them, either bond or free.  27  Yet the Lord did not say that He would blot out the name of Israel from under heaven; but He saved them by the hand of Jeroboam son of Jehoash.

28  As for the other events of the reign of Jeroboam, all that he did, and the power he wielded, including waging war and recovering Damascus and Hamath for Israel, which had belonged to Judah, are they not written about in the Book of the Annals of the Kings of Israel?  29  Jeroboam slept with his fathers, the kings of Israel; and his son Zechariah succeeded him as king.