2 Chronicles 25 · WEB
Amaziah's Mixed Reign
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Amaziah was twenty-five years old when he began to reign; and he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Jehoaddan of Jerusalem.
2He did that which was right in Yahweh's eyes, but not with a perfect heart.
3Now when the kingdom was established to him, he killed his servants who had killed the king his father.
4But he didn't put their children to death, but did according to that which is written in the law in the book of Moses, as Yahweh 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."
5Moreover Amaziah gathered Judah together and set them in order by fathers' houses, under captains of thousands and captains of hundreds, even all Judah and Benjamin. He numbered them from twenty years old and upward and found them to be three hundred thousand chosen men, able to go to war, who could handle spear and shield.
6He also hired one hundred thousand mighty men of valor out of Israel for a hundred talents of silver.
7A man of God came to him, saying, "O king, don't let the army of Israel go with you; for Yahweh is not with Israel — all the children of Ephraim.
8But if you will go, do it; be strong for the battle. God will overthrow you before the enemy; for God has power to help and to overthrow."
9Amaziah said to the man of God, "But what shall we do for the hundred talents which I have given to the army of Israel?" The man of God answered, "Yahweh is able to give you much more than this."
10Then Amaziah separated them — the army that had come to him out of Ephraim — to go home again; and their anger was greatly kindled against Judah, and they returned home in fierce anger.
11Amaziah took courage, and led his people forth, and went to the Valley of Salt, and struck ten thousand of the children of Seir.
12The children of Judah captured ten thousand alive and brought them to the top of the rock and threw them down from the top of the rock, so that they all were broken in pieces.
13But the men of the army whom Amaziah sent back, who were not allowed to go with him to battle, fell on the cities of Judah from Samaria to Beth Horon, struck thirty thousand of them, and took much plunder.
14Now after Amaziah came from the slaughter of the Edomites, he brought the gods of the children of Seir, and set them up for himself as gods, and bowed down himself before them, and burned incense to them.
15Therefore the anger of Yahweh was kindled against Amaziah; and he sent to him a prophet, who said to him, "Why have you sought the gods of the people, which have not delivered their own people out of your hand?"
16As he talked with him, the king said to him, "Have we made you one of the king's counselors? Stop! Why should you be struck down?" Then the prophet stopped, and said, "I know that God has determined to destroy you, because you have done this and have not listened to my counsel."
17Then Amaziah king of Judah took advice and sent to Joash the son of Jehoahaz, the son of Jehu, king of Israel, saying, "Come, let's look one another in the face."
18Joash 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 your daughter to my son as wife;' and a wild animal that was in Lebanon passed by and trod down the thistle.
19You say to yourself that you have struck Edom; and your heart lifts you up to boast. Now stay at home; why should you provoke trouble, that you should fall, even you, and Judah with you?"
20But Amaziah would not listen; for it was of God, that he might deliver them into the hand of their enemies, because they had sought the gods of Edom.
21So Joash the king of Israel went up; and they saw one another in the face, he and Amaziah king of Judah, at Beth Shemesh, which belongs to Judah.
22Judah was defeated by Israel; and they each fled to his tent.
23Joash 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 broke down the wall of Jerusalem from the gate of Ephraim to the corner gate, four hundred cubits.
24He took all the gold and silver, and all the vessels that were found in God's house with Obed Edom, and the treasuries of the king's house, and the hostages also; then he returned to Samaria.
25Amaziah the son of Joash king of Judah lived after the death of Joash the son of Jehoahaz king of Israel fifteen years.
26Now the rest of the acts of Amaziah, first and last, aren't they written in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel?
27Now from the time that Amaziah turned away from following Yahweh, they made a conspiracy against him in Jerusalem; and he fled to Lachish; but they sent after him to Lachish, and killed him there.
28They brought him on horses, and buried him with his fathers in the city of Judah.
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Summary
Amaziah does right but "not with a perfect heart." He shows genuine faith early — sending home 100,000 hired Israelite mercenaries on God's command despite the cost — and defeats Edom in the Valley of Salt. But then he commits the absurd sin of worshiping the gods of the people he just defeated. When a prophet points out the idiocy of worshiping gods that couldn't save their own people, Amaziah silences him. Pride then leads him to pick a fight with Israel's king Joash, who warns him with a parable about a thistle challenging a cedar. Amaziah ignores it, is humiliated militarily, and eventually assassinated.
Themes
- Half-hearted faith producing inconsistent outcomes
- The folly of idolatry — worshiping defeated gods
- Pride following success leading to humiliation
Key verses
- 2 Chr 25:14-15 — “After defeating Edom, Amaziah worships Edom's gods; "Why have you sought the gods of the people who have not delivered their own people out of your hand?”
- 2 Chr 25:2 — “He did that which was right in Yahweh's eyes, but not with a perfect heart.”
- 2 Chr 25:9 — “Yahweh is able to give you much more than this.”
Context & background
Amaziah reigned c. 796–767 BC. The Valley of Salt (near the Dead Sea, Arabah region, modern Israel/Jordan border) was the site of his victory over Edom (Seir). The mercenaries from Israel, sent home on God's command, then raided Judean cities while Amaziah was away — a costly consequence of initially hiring them. Amaziah's adoption of Edomite gods after defeating Edom is one of Scripture's most puzzling moments of spiritual failure — it seems to reflect a polytheistic mentality where you collect the gods of conquered peoples. The prophet's logic is devastating in its simplicity: why worship gods that just lost?
Cross-references
- 2 Chronicles 26:1 — Uzziah's successful reign follows; the contrast is sharp
- 2 Kings 14:1-20 — Parallel account of Amaziah's reign
- Deuteronomy 24:16 — "Fathers shall not be put to death for their children" — Amaziah applies this (v. 4)
- Luke 12:20 — "You fool! This night your soul is required of you" — the futility of Amaziah's pride
- Psalm 115:4-8 — "Their idols are silver and gold, the work of men's hands... those who make them will be like them"