“1 Amaziah [was] twenty and five years old [when] he began to reign,
and he reigned twenty and nine years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name
[was] Jehoaddan of Jerusalem. 2 And he did [that which was] right in the
sight of the LORD, but not with a perfect heart. 3 Now it came to pass,
when the kingdom was established to him, that he slew his servants that
had killed the king his father. 4 But he slew not their children, but
[did] as [it is] written in the law in the book of Moses, where the LORD
commanded, saying, The fathers shall not die for the children, neither
shall the children die for the fathers, but every man shall die for his
own sin. 5 Moreover Amaziah gathered Judah together, and made them
captains over thousands, and captains over hundreds, according to the
houses of [their] fathers, throughout all Judah and Benjamin: and he
numbered them from twenty years old and above, and found them three
hundred thousand choice [men, able] to go forth to war, that could
handle spear and shield. 6 He hired also an hundred thousand mighty men
of valour out of Israel for an hundred talents of silver. 7 But there
came a man of God to him, saying, O king, let not the army of Israel go
with thee; for the LORD [is] not with Israel, [to wit, with] all the
children of Ephraim. 8 But if thou wilt go, do [it], be strong for the
battle: God shall make thee fall before the enemy: for God hath power to
help, and to cast down. 9 And Amaziah said to the man of God, But what
shall we do for the hundred talents which I have given to the army of
Israel? And the man of God answered, The LORD is able to give thee much
more than this. 10 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 great
anger. 11 And Amaziah strengthened himself, and led forth his people,
and went to the valley of salt, and smote of the children of Seir ten
thousand. 12 And [other] ten thousand [left] alive did the children of
Judah carry away captive, and brought them unto the top of the rock, and
cast them down from the top of the rock, that they all were broken in
pieces. 13 But the soldiers of the army which Amaziah sent back, that
they should not go with him to battle, fell upon the cities of Judah,
from Samaria even unto Bethhoron, and smote three thousand of them, and
took much spoil.”
“14 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. 15 Wherefore the anger of the LORD
was kindled against Amaziah, and he sent unto him a prophet, which said
unto him, Why hast thou sought after the gods of the people, which could
not deliver their own people out of thine hand? 16 And it came to pass,
as he talked with him, that [the king] said unto him, Art thou made 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.”
“17 Then Amaziah king of Judah took advice, and sent to Joash, the son
of Jehoahaz, the son of Jehu, king of Israel, saying, Come, let us see
one another in the face. 18 And Joash king of Israel sent to Amaziah
king of Judah, saying, The thistle that [was] in Lebanon sent to the
cedar that [was] in Lebanon, saying, Give thy daughter to my son to
wife: and there passed by a wild beast that [was] in Lebanon, and trode
down the thistle. 19 Thou sayest, Lo, thou hast smitten the Edomites;
and thine heart lifteth thee up to boast: abide now at home; why
shouldest thou meddle to [thine] hurt, that thou shouldest fall, [even]
thou, and Judah with thee? 20 But Amaziah would not hear; for it [came]
of God, that he might deliver them into the hand [of their enemies],
because they sought after the gods of Edom. 21 So Joash the king of
Israel went up; and they saw one another in the face, [both] he and
Amaziah king of Judah, at Bethshemesh, which [belongeth] to Judah. 22
And Judah was put to the worse before Israel, and they fled every man to
his tent. 23 And Joash the king of Israel took Amaziah king of Judah,
the son of Joash, the son of Jehoahaz, at Bethshemesh, and brought him
to Jerusalem, and brake down the wall of Jerusalem from the gate of
Ephraim to the corner gate, four hundred cubits. 24 And [he took] all
the gold and the silver, and all the vessels that were found in the
house of God with Obededom, and the treasures of the king’s house, the
hostages also, and returned to Samaria. 25 And Amaziah the son of Joash
king of Judah lived after the death of Joash son of Jehoahaz king of
Israel fifteen years. 26 Now the rest of the acts of Amaziah, first and
last, behold, [are] they not written in the book of the kings of Judah
and Israel? 27 Now after the time that Amaziah did turn away from
following the LORD they made a conspiracy against him in Jerusalem; and
he fled to Lachish: but they sent to Lachish after him, and slew him
there. 28 And they brought him upon horses, and buried him with his
fathers in the city of Judah.” (2 Chronicles 25:1-28 AV)
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