Saturday, October 25, 2025
Amaziah Succeeds Joash in Judah
25 Amaziah was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned for twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Jehoaddan of Jerusalem. 2 He did what was right in the sight of the Lord, only not wholeheartedly. 3 Now it came about, as soon as the kingdom was [a]firmly in his grasp, that he killed his servants who had killed his father the king. 4 However, he did not put their children to death, but did as it is written in the Law in the Book of Moses, which the Lord commanded, saying, “Fathers shall not be put to death for sons, nor sons be put to death for fathers; but each shall be put to death for his own sin.”
Amaziah Defeats Edomites
5 Moreover, Amaziah assembled Judah and appointed them according to their fathers’ households under commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds throughout Judah and Benjamin; and he [b]took a census of those from twenty years old and upward and found them to be three hundred thousand choice men, able to go to war and handle spear and shield. 6 He also hired a hundred thousand valiant warriors from Israel for [c]a hundred talents of silver. 7 But a man of God came to him saying, “O king, do not let the army of Israel come with you, for the Lord is not with Israel nor with any of the sons of Ephraim. 8 But if you do go, do it, be strong for the battle; yet God will [d]bring you down before the enemy, for God has the power to help and to [e]bring down.” 9 Amaziah said to the man of God, “But what are we to do about the [f]hundred talents which I have given to the troops of Israel?” And the man of God answered, “The Lord has much more to give you than this.” 10 Then Amaziah [g]dismissed the troops which came to him from Ephraim, to go home; so their anger burned against Judah, and they returned [h]home in fierce anger.
11 Now Amaziah gathered his courage and led his people out, and went to the Valley of Salt, and struck and killed ten thousand of the sons of Seir. 12 The sons of Judah also captured ten thousand alive and brought them to the top of the cliff, and threw them down from the top of the cliff so that they were all dashed to pieces. 13 But the [i]troops whom Amaziah sent back, those not going with him to battle, raided the cities of Judah from Samaria to Beth-horon, and struck and killed three thousand of them, and plundered a large amount of spoils.
Amaziah Rebuked for Idolatry
14 Now after Amaziah came from slaughtering the Edomites, he brought the gods of the sons of Seir and set them up as his gods. Then he bowed down before them and burned incense to them. 15 So the anger of the Lord burned against Amaziah, and He sent him a prophet who said to him, “Why have you sought the gods of the people who have not saved their own people from your hand?” 16 As he was talking with him, [j]the king said to him, “Have we appointed you to be a royal counselor? Stop! Why should [k]you be put to death?” Then the prophet stopped and said, “I know that God has planned to destroy you, because you have done this and have not listened to my counsel.”
Amaziah Defeated by Joash of Israel
17 Then Amaziah king of Judah took counsel and sent word to Joash the son of Jehoahaz the son of Jehu, the king of Israel, saying, “Come, let’s face each other.” 18 But Joash the king of Israel sent a reply to Amaziah king of Judah, saying, “The thorn bush that was in Lebanon sent word to the cedar that was in Lebanon, saying, ‘Give your daughter to my son in marriage.’ But a wild beast that was in Lebanon passed by and trampled the thorn bush. 19 You said, ‘Behold, you have [l]defeated Edom.’ And your heart has lifted you up in boasting. Now stay home; why should you provoke trouble so that you, would fall, you and Judah with you?”
20 But Amaziah would not listen, for it was from God, so that He might hand them over to Joash, because they had sought the gods of Edom. 21 So Joash king of Israel went up, and he and Amaziah king of Judah faced each other at Beth-shemesh, which belonged to Judah. 22 And Judah was defeated [m]by Israel, and they fled, every man to his tent. 23 Then Joash king of Israel captured Amaziah king of Judah, the son of Joash the son of Jehoahaz, at Beth-shemesh, and brought him to Jerusalem and tore down the wall of Jerusalem from the Gate of Ephraim to the Corner Gate, [n]four hundred cubits. 24 He took all the gold and silver and all the utensils which were found in the house of God with Obed-edom, and the treasures of the king’s house, the hostages too, and returned to Samaria.
25 And Amaziah, the son of Joash king of Judah, lived fifteen years after the death of Joash, son of Jehoahaz, king of Israel. 26 Now the rest of the acts of Amaziah, from the first to the last, behold, are they not written in the Book of the Kings of Judah and Israel? 27 From the time that Amaziah turned away from following the Lord they conspired against him in Jerusalem, and he fled to Lachish; but they sent men after him to Lachish, and they killed him there. 28 Then they brought him on horses and buried him with his fathers in the city of Judah.
Footnotes
- 2 Chronicles 25:3 Lit firm upon him
- 2 Chronicles 25:5 Lit mustered
- 2 Chronicles 25:6 About 3.75 tons or 3.4 metric tons
- 2 Chronicles 25:8 Lit cause you to stumble
- 2 Chronicles 25:8 Lit cause to stumble
- 2 Chronicles 25:9 About 3.75 tons or 3.4 metric tons
- 2 Chronicles 25:10 Lit separated
- 2 Chronicles 25:10 Lit to their own place
- 2 Chronicles 25:13 Lit sons of the troops
- 2 Chronicles 25:16 Lit he
- 2 Chronicles 25:16 Lit they strike and kill you
- 2 Chronicles 25:19 Lit struck
- 2 Chronicles 25:22 Lit before
- 2 Chronicles 25:23 About 600 ft. or 183 m
The Lord’s Covenant with David and Israel’s Afflictions.
A [a]Maskil of [b]Ethan [c]the Ezrahite.
89 I will sing of the graciousness of the Lord forever;
To all generations I will make Your faithfulness known with my mouth.
2 For I have said, “Graciousness will be built up forever;
In the heavens You will establish Your faithfulness.”
3 “I have made a covenant with My chosen;
I have sworn to My servant David,
4 I will establish your [d]descendants forever
And build up your throne to all generations.” Selah
5 The heavens will praise Your wonders, Lord;
Your faithfulness also in the assembly of the holy ones.
6 For who in the skies is comparable to the Lord?
Who among the [e]sons of the mighty is like the Lord,
7 A God greatly feared in the council of the holy ones,
And awesome above all those who are around Him?
8 Lord God of armies, who is like You, mighty [f]Lord?
Your faithfulness also surrounds You.
9 You rule the surging of the sea;
When its waves rise, You calm them.
10 You Yourself crushed [g]Rahab like one who is slain;
You scattered Your enemies with [h]Your mighty arm.
11 The heavens are Yours, the earth also is Yours;
The world and [i]all it contains, You have established them.
12 The north and the south, You have created them;
Tabor and Hermon shout for joy at Your name.
13 You have [j]a strong arm;
Your hand is mighty, Your right hand is exalted.
14 Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne;
Mercy and [k]truth go before You.
15 Blessed are the people who know the [l]joyful sound!
Lord, they walk in the light of Your face.
16 In Your name they rejoice all the day,
And by Your righteousness they are exalted.
17 For You are the glory of their strength,
And by Your favor [m]our horn is exalted.
18 For our shield belongs to the Lord,
[n]And our king to the Holy One of Israel.
19 [o]Once You spoke in vision to Your godly [p]ones,
And said, “I have [q]given help to one who is mighty;
I have exalted one chosen from the people.
20 I have found My servant David;
With My holy oil I have anointed him,
21 With whom My hand will be established;
My arm also will strengthen him.
22 The enemy will not [r]deceive him,
Nor will the [s]son of wickedness afflict him.
23 But I will crush his adversaries before him,
And strike those who hate him.
24 My faithfulness and My favor will be with him,
And in My name his horn will be exalted.
25 I will also place his hand on the sea,
And his right hand on the rivers.
26 He will call to Me, ‘You are my Father,
My God, and the rock of my salvation.’
27 I will also make him My firstborn,
The highest of the kings of the earth.
28 I will maintain My favor for him forever,
And My covenant shall be confirmed to him.
29 So I will establish his [t]descendants forever,
And his throne as the days of heaven.
Footnotes
- Psalm 89 Title Possibly, Contemplative; or Didactic; or Skillful Psalm
- Psalm 89 Title 1 Kin 4:31
- Psalm 89 Title Ps 88: title
- Psalm 89:4 Lit seed
- Psalm 89:6 Or sons of gods
- Psalm 89:8 Heb Yah
- Psalm 89:10 I.e., Egypt, as a sea monster; not to be confused with Rahab in Joshua 2
- Psalm 89:10 Lit the arm of Your might
- Psalm 89:11 Lit its fullness
- Psalm 89:13 Lit an arm with strength
- Psalm 89:14 Or faithfulness
- Psalm 89:15 Or blast of the trumpet, shout of joy
- Psalm 89:17 Another reading is You exalt our horn
- Psalm 89:18 Or Even to the Holy One of Israel our King
- Psalm 89:19 Or At that time
- Psalm 89:19 Some mss one
- Psalm 89:19 Lit placed help upon
- Psalm 89:22 Or exact usury from him
- Psalm 89:22 Or wicked man
- Psalm 89:29 Lit seed