2 Chronicles, Chapter 25:
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Verses from 2 Chronicles, Chapter 25 of the book of the Bible.
Amaziah is king of Judah
- 1. Amaziah was twenty-five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Jehoadan, a native of Jerusalem.
- 2. He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, but not with complete dedication.
- 3. As soon as Amaziah felt firm in his reign, he ordered the execution of the officials who had murdered his father, the king.
- 4. However, he did not kill the children of the murderers, according to what is written in the Law of Moses, where the Lord commanded: “Fathers shall not be put to death in place of their children, nor children in place of their parents; everyone will die because of their own sin.”
- 5. Amaziah gathered the men of Judah and organized them into units of thousands and hundreds, according to their families, throughout Judah and Benjamin. Then, he summoned all men aged twenty or over and found that there were three hundred thousand warriors, trained for war, capable of wielding spears and shields.
- 6. Furthermore, he hired a hundred thousand warriors from Israel for a large sum of money.
- 7. But a man of God came to him and said, “O king, do not let the troops of Israel fight on your side, for the Lord is not with Israel, nor with any of the Ephraimites.
- 8If you insist on going to war, God will defeat you before the enemy, for He has the power to both help and make you fall.”
- 9. Amaziah asked the man of God, “And what will we do with the money we paid to the warriors of Israel?” The man of God replied, “The Lord can give you much more than that.”
- 10. Then Amaziah sent away the warriors he had hired from Israel, but they were angry with Judah and returned home in anger.
- 11. Amaziah gained courage and led his army to the Valley of Salt, where he killed ten thousand men of Seir.
- 12. Another ten thousand were captured and thrown over a cliff, and they all fell to pieces.
- 13. Meanwhile, the warriors that Amaziah had sent away so that they would not participate in the battle invaded the cities of Judah, from Samaria to Beth Horon. They killed three thousand people and looted a large amount of spoils.
- 14. When Amaziah returned from defeating the Edomites, he brought with him the gods of the children of Seir, whom he established as his own gods and before whom he prostrated himself and burned incense.
- 15. Then the anger of the Lord was kindled against Amaziah, and He sent a prophet to him, who said to him, “Why do you seek the gods of this people, who have not been able to deliver their own people?”
- 16. While the prophet was still speaking, the king interrupted: “Do you think you are the king's advisor? Stop! Why do you want to be killed?” The prophet stopped, but said: “I know that God has decided to destroy you, because you did all this and did not listen to my advice.”
- 17. After consulting his advisors, Amaziah, king of Judah, sent messengers to Jehoash, son of Jehoahaz and grandson of Jehu, king of Israel, with the challenge: “Come and face me in battle.”
- 18. But Jehoash answered Amaziah, “The thornbush of Lebanon sent a message to the cedar of Lebanon: 'Give your daughter in marriage to my son.' But a wild animal from Lebanon passed by and trampled the thorn bush.
- 19. You think you defeated Edom and now you are proud. Stay at home! Why provoke a misfortune that will end up overthrowing him and taking Judah with him?”
- 20. But Amaziah would not listen, for it came from God, who wanted to deliver him into the hands of Jehoash, because he had sought the gods of Edom.
- 21. Then Jehoash king of Israel set out to confront Amaziah king of Judah at Beth Shemesh in Judah.
- 22. Judah was defeated by Israel, and every soldier fled to his home.
- 23. Jehoash captured Amaziah, son of Joash and grandson of Ahaziah, in Beth Shemesh. Then he took him to Jerusalem and destroyed five hundred meters of the city wall, from the Ephraim Gate to the Song Gate.
- 24. He took all the gold, silver and all the objects found in the House of God, under the care of Obed-Edom, and the treasures of the royal palace. He also took hostages and returned to Samaria.
- 25. Amaziah son of Joash, king of Judah, lived fifteen more years after the death of Jehoash, son of Jehoahaz, king of Israel.
- 26. The other events of Amaziah's reign, from the beginning to the end, are recorded in the Books of the Kings of Judah and Israel.
- 27. From the time Amaziah turned away from the Lord, there was a conspiracy against him in Jerusalem, and he fled to Lachish. But they chased him there and killed him.
- 28. Then his body was brought on horseback and buried with his ancestors in the city of Judah.
