2 Chronicles 25:1-21

11Amaziah 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. 2He did what was right in the sight of the Lord, 2only not wholeheartedly. 3Now 3it came about, as soon as the kingdom was 4firmly in his grasp, that he killed his servants who had killed his father the king. 4However, 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, “5Fathers 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.”

5Moreover, 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 6took a census of those 7from twenty years old and upward and found them to be 8three hundred thousand choice men, able to go to war and handle spear and shield. 6He also hired a hundred thousand valiant warriors from Israel for 9a hundred talents of silver. 7But 10a 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. 8But if you do go, do it, be strong for the battle; yet God will 11bring you down before the enemy, 12for God has the power to help and to 13bring down.” 9Amaziah said to the man of God, “But what are we to do about the 14hundred talents which I have given to the troops of Israel?” And the man of God answered, “15The Lord has much more to give you than this.” 10Then Amaziah 16dismissed the troops which came to him from Ephraim, to go home; so their anger burned against Judah, and they returned 17home in fierce anger.

11Now Amaziah gathered his courage and led his people out, and went to 18the Valley of Salt, and struck and killed ten thousand of the sons of Seir. 12The 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. 13But the 19troops 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.

14Now after Amaziah came from slaughtering the Edomites, 20he 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. 15So 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 21who have not saved their own people from your hand?” 16As he was talking with him, 22the king said to him, “Have we appointed you to be a royal counselor? Stop! Why should 23you 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.”

1724Then 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.” 18But Joash the king of Israel sent a reply to Amaziah king of Judah, saying, “25The 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. 19You said, ‘Behold, you have 26defeated Edom.’ And 27your 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?”

20But 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. 21So Joash king of Israel went up, and he and Amaziah king of Judah faced each other at Beth-shemesh, which belonged to Judah.