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 Beth-horon, 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 Beth-shemesh, 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 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.
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.

1Amaziah was twentie and fiue yeeres olde when hee began to reigne, and hee reigned twentie and nine yeeres in Ierusalem, and his mothers name was Iehoadan of Ierusalem.

2And hee did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, but not with a perfite heart.

3 Now it came to passe when the kingdome was established to him, that he slew his seruants, that had killed the king his father.

4But hee slewe not their children, but did as it is written in the Law in the booke of Moses, where the Lord commanded, saying, The fathers shall not die for the children, neither shall the children die for the fathers; but euery man shall die for his owne sinne.

5 Moreouer, Amaziah gathered Iudah together, and made them Captaines ouer thousands, and captaines ouer hundreds, according to the houses of their fathers, throughout all Iudah and Beniamin: And he numbred them from twentie yeeres olde and aboue, and found them three hundred thousand choice men, able to goe foorth to warre, that could handle speare and shield.

6Hee hired also an hundred thousand mightie men of valour, out of Israel, for an hundred talents of siluer.

7But there came a man of God to him, saying, O king, let not the armie of Israel goe with thee: for the Lord is not with Israel, to wit, with all the children of Ephraim.

8But if thou wilt goe, doe it, bee strong for the battell: God shall make thee fall before the enemy: for God hath power to helpe, and to cast downe.

9And Amaziah said to the man of God, But what shall wee doe for the hundred talents which I haue giuen to the armie of Israel? And the man of God answered, The Lord is able to giue thee much more then this.

10Then Amaziah separated them, to wit, the armie that was come to him out of Ephraim, to goe home againe. Wherfore their anger was greatly kindled against Iudah, and they returned home in great anger.

11 And Amaziah strengthened himselfe, and ledde foorth his people, and went to the valley of salt, and smote of the children of Seir, ten thousand.

12And other ten thousand left aliue, did the children of Iudah cary away captiue, and brought them vnto the top of the rocke, and cast them downe from the top of the rocke, that they all were broken in pieces.

13 But the souldiers of the army which Amaziah sent backe, that they should not goe with him to battell, fell vpon the cities of Iudah, from Samaria euen vnto Beth-horon, and smote three thousand of them, and took much spoile.

14 Now it came to passe, after that Amaziah was come from the slaughter of the Edomites, that hee brought the gods of the children of Seir, and set them vp to be his gods, and bowed down himselfe before them, and burned incense vnto them.

15Wherfore the anger of the Lord was kindled against Amaziah, and hee sent vnto him a Prophet, which said vnto him, Why hast thou sought after the gods of the people, which could not deliuer their owne people out of thine hand?

16And it came to passe as hee talked with him, that the king said vnto him, Art thou made of the Kings counsell? forbeare; 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 vnto my counsell.

17 Then Amaziah king of Iudah tooke aduice, and sent to Ioash the sonne of Iehoahaz the sonne of Iehu, king of Israel, saying, Come, let vs see one another in the face.

18And Ioash king of Israel sent to Amaziah king of Iudah, saying, The thistle that was in Lebanon, sent to the Cedar that was in Lebanon, saying, Giue thy daughter to my sonne to wife: and there passed by a wild beast that was in Lebanon, and trode downe the thistle.

19Thou sayest, Loe, thou hast smitten the Edomites, and thine heart lifteth thee vp to boast. Abide now at home, why shouldest thou meddle to thine hurt, that thou shouldest fall, euen thou, and Iudah with thee?

20But Amaziah would not heare: for it came of God, that he might deliuer them into the hand of their enemies, because they sought after the gods of Edom.

21So Ioash the King of Israel went vp, and they saw one another in the face, both hee and Amaziah King of Iudah at Beth-shemesh, which belongeth to Iudah.

22And Iudah was put to the worse before Israel, and they fled euery man to his tent.

23And Ioash the king of Israel tooke Amaziah king of Iudah the son of Ioash, the son of Ioahaz, at Bethshemesh, and brought him to Ierusalem, and brake downe the wall of Ierusalem, from the gate of Ephraim to the corner gate, foure hundred cubits.

24And hee tooke all the gold and the siluer, and all the vessels that were found in the house of God with Obed-Edom, and the treasures of the kings house, the hostages also, and returned to Samaria.

25 And Amaziah the sonne of Ioash King of Iudah liued after the death of Ioash sonne of Iehoahaz king of Israel, fifteene yeeres.

26Now the rest of the acts of Amaziah, first and last, behold, are they not written in the booke of the Kings of Iudah and Israel?

27 Now after the time that Amaziah did turne away from following the Lord, they made a conspiracie against him in Ierusalem, and he fled to Lachish: but they sent to Lachish after him, and slew him there.

28And they brought him vpon horses, and buried him with his fathers in the citie of Iudah.

I == 2nd Kings 14:1

 

II == 2nd Kings 14:4

 

III == 2nd Kings 14:5

 

IV == Deut 24:16 ; 2nd Kings 14:6 ; Jer 31:30 ; Ezek 18:20

 

 

 

V == Num 1:3

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

VIII == 2nd Chr 20:6

 

 

IX == Prov 10:22

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

XI == 2nd Kings 14:7

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

XIV == Ez 20:3 , 5 ; 2nd chr 28:23

 

 

 

XV == 2nd chr 25:11 ; Ps 96:5

 

 

 

XVI == 1st Sam 2:25

 

 

 

 

 

XVII == 2nd Kings 14:8-9

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

XX == 1st Kings 12:15 ; 2nd chr 22:7 ; 25:14

 

 

 

 

 

 

XXIII == 2nd chr 21:17 ; 22:1 , 6

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

XXV == 2nd Kings 14:17

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

XXVIII == 2nd Kings 14:20

 

 

 

 

 

 

1 Amaziah was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. His mother, named Jehoaddan, was from Jerusalem.

2 He did what was pleasing in the sight of the LORD, though not wholeheartedly.

3 After he had strengthened his hold on the kingdom, he slew those of his servants who had killed the king, his father;

4 but he did not put their children to death, for he acted according to what is written in the law, in the Book of Moses, as the LORD commanded: "Fathers shall not be put to death for their children, nor children for their fathers; but only for his own guilt shall a man be put to death."

5 Amaziah mustered Judah and placed them, out of all Judah and Benjamin according to their ancestral houses, under leaders of thousands and of hundreds. When he had counted those of twenty years and over, he found them to be three hundred thousand picked men fit for war, capable of handling lance and shield.

6 He also hired a hundred thousand valiant warriors from Israel for a hundred talents of silver.

7 But a man of God came to him and said: "O king, let not the army of Israel go with you, for the LORD is not with Israel, with any Ephraimite.

8 Instead, go on your own, strongly prepared for the conflict; otherwise the LORD will defeat you in the face of the enemy. It is God who has the power to reinforce or to defeat."

9 Amaziah answered the man of God, "But what is to be done about the hundred talents that I paid for the troops of Israel?" The man of God replied, "The LORD can give you much more than that."

10 Amaziah then disbanded the troops that had come to him from Ephraim, and sent them home. They, however, became furiously angry with Judah, and returned home blazing with resentment.

11 Amaziah now assumed command of his army. They proceeded to the Valley of Salt, and there they killed ten thousand men of Seir.

12 The Judahites also brought back another ten thousand alive, whom they led to the summit of the Rock and then cast down, so that they were all crushed.

13 Meanwhile, the mercenaries whom Amaziah had dismissed from battle service with him raided the cities of Judah from Samaria to Beth-horon. They killed three thousand of the inhabitants and took away much booty.

14 When Amaziah returned from his conquest of the Edomites he brought back with him the gods of the people of Seir, which he set up as his own gods; he bowed down before them and offered sacrifice to them.

15 Then the anger of the LORD blazed out against Amaziah, and he sent a prophet to him who said: "Why have you had recourse to this people's gods that could not save their own people from your hand?"

16 While he was still speaking, however, the king said to him: "Have you been made the king's counselor? Be silent! Why should it be necessary to kill you?" Therefore the prophet desisted. "I know, however," he said, "that God has let you take counsel to your own destruction, because you have done this thing and have refused to hear my counsel."

17 Having taken counsel, King Amaziah of Judah sent messengers to Joash, son of Jehoahaz, son of Jehu, the king of Israel, saying, "Come, let us meet each other face to face."

18 King Joash of Israel sent this reply to King Amaziah of Judah: "The thistle of the Lebanon sent a message to the cedar of the Lebanon, saying, 'Give your daughter to my son for his wife.' But the wild beasts of the Lebanon passed by and trampled the thistle down.

19 You are thinking, 'See, I have beaten Edom!', and thus ambition makes you proud. Remain at home. Why involve yourself, and Judah with you, in misfortune and failure?"

20 But Amaziah would not listen, for God had determined to hand them over because they had had recourse to the gods of Edom.

21 Therefore King Joash of Israel advanced and he and King Amaziah met in battle at Beth-shemesh of Judah.

22 There Judah was defeated by Israel, and all the Judean soldiers fled homeward.

23 King Joash of Israel captured Amaziah, king of Judah, son of Joash, son of Jehoahaz, at Beth-shemesh and brought him to Jerusalem. Then he tore down the wall of Jerusalem from the Ephraim Gate to the Corner Gate, a distance of four hundred cubits.

24 He took away all the gold and silver and all the vessels he found in the house of God with Obed-edom, together with the treasures of the palace, and hostages as well. Then he returned to Samaria.

25 Amaziah, son of Joash, king of Judah, survived Joash, son of Jehoahaz, king of Israel, by fifteen years.

26 The rest of the acts of Amaziah, first and last, can be found written, as is well known, in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel.

27 Now from the time that Amaziah ceased to follow the LORD, a conspiracy was formed against him in Jerusalem; hence he fled to Lachish. But they pursued him to Lachish and put him to death there.

28 They brought him back on horses and buried him with his ancestors in the City of Judah.

v 1-4. This picks up the reign of Amaziah who began to reign after his father, Joash of Judah was killed by his servants, 12:21. Jehoiada the priest had given Joash two wives, 2 Chr, 24:3, and Amaziah was born to the one named Jehoadin. He was not as good a king as David, but more like his father Joash. Like him, did not succeed in removing the high places where the people worshipped, 12:3. 2 Chr. 25:1,2 says that he did not serve with a perfect heart. After he was established he slew the servants who had killed his father, but spared the children as commanded by Moses, Deut. 24:16, repeated in Ez. 18:4,20. Children should not be put to death for the sins of their fathers.
Amaziah assembled an army of 300,000 choice soldiers and hired an additional 100,000 mighty men out of Israel for about three and a fourth tons of silver. An unnamed man of God rebuked this ungodly alliance, compare 2 Cor. 6:14, and told him to send the soldiers of Israel home or he would fall in battle. Amaziah was willing to obey, but was concerned about all the silver he had already paid. He was told that God could give him much more than that. Amaziah was successful, killing 10,000 and  brutally throwing 10,000 more over a cliff to their death. However the soldiers from Israel were angry at being sent back without having a chance to join in the plunder, so they killed 3000 in Judah and took their own spoil. 
Amaziah did a wicked thing, which set him up for defeat. He brought back gods from Seir and worshipped them as his own. This angered the Lord and he sent a prophet to rebuke him for following gods that could not even save their own nation. Amaziah as much as told him to shut up or be killed, so the prophet told him God would destroy him for not heeding his counsel.
From the action of Israel’s soldiers, Amaziah had good reason for attacking Israel, but now he does not have God with him. Joash the king of Israel tried to persuade him not to join battle, giving him a parable of a thistle that wanted to marry a Cedar in Lebanon, but a wild beast trampled the thistle. Then he made it plain. Amaziah was proud about his victory over Edom and should be content with that, not bring himself and Judah to harm by fighting Israel.
Amaziah insisted on battle, because it was of the Lord he be defeated for turning to the gods of Edom. Otherwise the Lord would surely have given him victory, but he was soundly defeated and all his army fled. Joash captured Amaziah at Bethshemesh and took him to Jerusalem to watch him tear down about 600 feet of the city wall. Then he took all the gold and silver and the vessels and the treasures of the house of God, plus unnumbered hostages back to Samaria. Jehoash’s death is mentioned again as in 13:12-15, because he was holding Amaziah prisoner. When Jehoash died he was replaced by Jeroboam 2nd,
After Jehoash died, Amaziah was released and returned to Judah, and outlived Jehoash 15 years. After he returned to Judah he made his son, Azariah, his vice regent until he died. Unrest because of him turning from the Lord continued, and some, possibly his own officers conspired against him. He fled to Lachish with intent to cross the border out of Judah, but they caught up with him there, slew him, and brought him back to Jerusalem on horses for burial.
Azariah began to reign at sixteen when his father was taken captive, and after his death, he had sole reign. Building Elath on the coast of the Gulf of Aqaba was his most significant action. He is the same as Uzziah and is discussed further in chapter 15 and 2 Chr. 26. v 23-28. Jeroboam 2nd, son of Joash, did as his fathers in following the sins of Jeroboam, but God had pity on Israel because they were in bitter affliction from the Syrians, begun by Hazael, and had no deliverers. The northern nations were weak at his time, and God enabled him to use his military skill to restore all of his northern boundaries and east and south to the Dead Sea. This accomplishment had been prophesied previously by Jonah, but recorded no where else for us. We usually only think of Jonah in connection with his rebellion and reluctant ministry to Ninevah. His town was a liite north of Nazareth. Other prophets active during the reign of Jeroboam 2 were Amos and Hosea. He reigned a total of 41 years, longer than any of Israel’s kings before him. After his death, his son Zechariah reigned, the last of the four generations promised to Jehu.