2 Chronicles 25 - Study the King James Bible

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.

And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, but not with a perfect heart.

Now it came to pass, when the kingdom was established to him, that he slew his servants that had killed the king his father.

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.

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.

He hired also an hundred thousand mighty men of valour out of Israel for an hundred talents of silver.

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.

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.

2 Chronicles 25:8. But if thou wilt go, do it, &c.— But if thou wilt be more obstinate, and go to the war, the Lord shall cause thee to fall before the enemy. Houbigant; who renders the last clause of the preceding verse, the Lord is not with Israel, who are all the children of Ephraim.

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.

2 Chronicles 25:10. Then Amaziah separated them, to wit— Amaziah, therefore, gave them to the army which had come to him, &c. Houbigant.
REFLECTIONS.—1st, Amaziah's reign we had before, 2 Kings 14. His lukewarm temper in religion, and his execution of his father's murders, were there recorded; his expedition against Edom is here more at large described.
1. He collected his own forces, which we find greatly diminished under the last three reigns. To strengthen them, therefore, he hired 100,000 auxiliaries out of Israel.
2. God, by a prophet, rebukes him for desiring Israel's assistance, whose forces, being under the divine displeasure, would weaken instead of strengthening his army. If he hopes to prosper, therefore, he is commanded to disband them immediately. God with fewer forces can cast down his foes before him; and these offensive auxiliaries, if retained, will but ensure his overthrow. Note; (1.) Multitudes profit nothing, when God is our foe. (2.) Connection with God's enemies, is the way to bring his curse on our enterprizes.
3. Amaziah, with some reluctance, at last consents; unwilling at first to lose the hundred talents with which he had hired the Israelites, but encouraged by the promises of the prophet that he should be no loser by his compliance. Note; (1.) Worldly-mindedness is apt to raise many objections against the precepts of self-denial. (2.) They who are content to trust God, will never have cause to regret it. He will more than repay whatever he requires us to part with for his sake.
4. When he had dismissed the Israelites, he advanced into Idumea, and, having obtained a complete victory, slew 10,000 on the spot, and executed with terrible severity 10,000 captives that fell into his hands. What induced him to exercise this severity, if not cruelty, is not recorded.
5. The disbanded army highly resented the affront put upon them. Ungodly as they were, they could not bear to be treated as such; and in their return they miserably ravaged a part of Judah, and slew three thousand men, in revenge for their disappointment of the spoil of Edom. Note; (1.) Those who have no concern about religion, feel their pride hurt at being treated as irreligious. (2.) Though we suffer for what is well done, we ought not to be discouraged.
2nd, We have Amaziah's idolatry. What infatuation, what sottish stupidity! To leave the service of the conquering Jehovah, for the idols of a vanquished foe. Here is,
1. The reproof given to the idolatrous king. Justly was God displeased, and sends his prophet to reason with him on his folly. Note; They who depart from God, act as unwisely as wickedly.
2. With indignation he receives the mild rebuke; insolently rejects the prophet's warning as impertinent, bids him hold his peace, or threatens him with Zechariah's fate. Note; (1.) The soul that hateth reproof is brutish. (2.) Prophets must not wonder, if their kindest notices are thus insolently returned.
3. The prophet, perceiving his labour fruitless, retires; leaving behind him, however, a solemn notice of that approaching ruin which Amaziah's hardened obstinacy provoked. Note; They who comfort themselves in having removed their troublers, will quickly feel, by their punishments, how little cause they have to rejoice in their success.
3rdly, Amaziah's pride and fall were before recorded 2 Kings 14. Urged on by evil counsellors instead of advising with God's prophet, and justly hurried to his ruin as the punishment of his apostacy from God, he first was enslaved by the king of Israel, and then slain by a conspiracy of his own servants, from whom he in vain attempted to flee; they pursued him to Lachish, and there murdered him. Note, (1.) They who reject the counsel of God are justly given up to be deluded and destroyed. (2.) However wicked the instruments may be that are employed, God is righteous in his judgments.

11.

And Amaziah strengthened himself, and led forth his people, and went to the valley of salt, and smote of the chidren 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.