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Scriptural Text [& Editorial]
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Commentary & Explanation
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Footnotes ~ References ~ JST
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CHAPTER 25
Amaziah reigns, smites Edomites, and worships false gods—A prophet
foretells Amaziah's destruction—Judah is defeated by Israel, and
Amaziah is slain in a conspiracy.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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 Beth-horon, and smote three
thousand of them, and took much spoil.
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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.
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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?
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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
Beth-shemesh, which belongeth to Judah.
22 And Judah was put to the worse before
Israel, and they fled every man to his tent.
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23 And Joash the king of Israel took Amaziah
king of Judah, the son of Joash, the son of Jehoahaz, at Beth-shemesh, 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
Obed-edom, and the treasures of the king's house, the hostages also, and
returned to Samaria.
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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
Amaziaha, first
and last, behold, are they not written in the book of the kings of
Judah and Israel?
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26a Now the rest of the acts of
Amaziah A famous story of interest news commentator named Paul
Harvey would come on and give points of curious interest upon a story which
would leave 'hooks of interest' unanswered. After the break, he'd come back
on with 'The rest of the story'. This is the type of manner which the parallel
histories of Chronicles and Kings do seem to play. One will give a part of the
story and the other will then be referenced to as giving 'the rest of the
acts'. The 'rest of the acts' of this dual named Amaziah is in 2 Kings 14.
And there in 2 Kings 14:18 it but refers back to Chonicles for the 'rest of
the acts of Amaziah' which are not accounted for there. Therefore it seems
prudent to read and study both chapters together as it does seem to so be the
case throughout the parallel records of Kings and Chronicles to get a fuller,
though not always a complete or clear understanding even then.
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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.
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