Amaziah
Summary
The ninth king of Judah who defeated Edom but then foolishly worshipped Edomite gods. He recklessly challenged King Jehoash of Israel, suffered a humiliating defeat, and was eventually assassinated.
- Among the passages here, Amaziah is first named in 2 Kings 14:1: “In the second year of the reign of Jehoash son of Jehoahaz over Israel…”
- The record places Amaziah in Divided Kingdom.
- 44 verses name Amaziah, in 4 books.
- 6 moments stand in order on this page, each with its verse.
On this page
Start here
And he did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, but not wholeheartedly.
2 Chronicles 25:2→- 6 key events in order
- 44 verses name Amaziah, across 4 books
In Scripture
- Verses
- 44
- Books
- 4
Amaziah
- Role
- 9th King of Judah
- Era
- Divided Kingdom
- Dates
- 796–767 BC
- Tribe
- Judah
- Father
- Joash of Judah
- Children
- Uzziah
The life in order
from the events the row records, with the first and last verse that names the person among the passages this page stands on
1Where the passages this page records open
2What the record holds, in its own order
- Executed his father's murderers lawfully2 Kings 14:5-6As soon as the kingdom was firmly in his grasp, Amaziah executed the servants who had murdered his father the king.
- Dismissed Israelite mercenaries2 Chronicles 25:7-10But a man of God came to him and said, “O king, do not let the army of Israel go with you, for the LORD is not with Israel—not with any of the Ephraimites.
- Victory over Edom2 Chronicles 25:11-12Amaziah, however, summoned his strength and led his troops to the Valley of Salt, where he struck down 10,000 men of Seir,
- Worshipped Edomite gods2 Chronicles 25:14-16When Amaziah returned from the slaughter of the Edomites, he brought back the gods of the Seirites, set them up as his own gods, bowed before them, and burned sacrifices to them.
- Challenged Israel and was defeated2 Chronicles 25:17-23Then Amaziah king of Judah took counsel and sent word to the king of Israel Jehoash son of Jehoahaz, the son of Jehu. “Come, let us meet face to face,” he said.
- Assassinated2 Chronicles 25:27From the time that Amaziah turned from following the LORD, a conspiracy was formed against him in Jerusalem, and he fled to Lachish. But men were sent after him to Lachish, and they killed him there.
Biography
Amaziah became king after his father Joash was assassinated and began his reign by executing the conspirators — but not their children, citing the law of Moses. He hired 100,000 Israelite mercenaries to fight Edom, but a man of God warned him to send them home, which he did. He then defeated Edom in the Valley of Salt and brought back Edomite idols to worship, a baffling act of spiritual blindness.
Emboldened by his Edomite victory, he sent a challenge to King Jehoash of Israel, who responded with a parable about a thistle and a cedar, warning him not to press his luck. Amaziah refused to listen, was defeated at Beth-shemesh, had the Jerusalem wall broken down, and the Temple treasury plundered. He outlived Jehoash by fifteen years but was eventually killed by conspirators who had been plotting since Jerusalem.
And he did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, but not wholeheartedly.
What they got right, and what they got wrong
Strengths
Initial legal integrity, military success against Edom, obeying the prophet about mercenaries
Weaknesses
Half-hearted devotion, pride, spiritual blindness in adopting Edomite gods, reckless overconfidence
Lessons
Partial obedience and selective devotion are spiritually dangerous. Amaziah's half-heartedness toward God led him from a great military victory straight into absurd idolatry and ultimately to assassination.
Spiritual significance
Amaziah is a portrait of half-hearted faith. He obeyed God when it counted financially (sending home the mercenaries) but then imported the very gods of the nation he just defeated. His story warns against pride after partial victories and the danger of not seeking God wholeheartedly.
Amaziah in Scripture
Open a book to read its mentions here. Text: Berean Standard Bible. Names repeat in Scripture, so some of these verses may speak of another person called Amaziah. The two marks are drawn from the chapters this page's own references stand in.
Old TestamentNew Testamentsegment width = share of mentions
Old Testament4 books · 44 mentions
2 Kings18 mentions
- 2 Kings 12:21His servants Jozabad son of Shimeath and Jehozabad son of Shomer struck him down, and he died. And they buried him with his fathers in the City of David, and his son Amaziah reigned in his place.
- 2 Kings 13:12As for the rest of the acts of Jehoash, along with all his accomplishments and his might, including his war against Amaziah king of Judah, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel?
- 2 Kings 14:1In the second year of the reign of Jehoash son of Jehoahaz over Israel, Amaziah son of Joash became king of Judah.
- 2 Kings 14:5As soon as the kingdom was firmly in his grasp, Amaziah executed the servants who had murdered his father the king.
- 2 Kings 14:7Amaziah struck down 10,000 Edomites in the Valley of Salt. He took Sela in battle and called it Joktheel, which is its name to this very day.
13 further mentions in 2 Kings, read them in the book.
1 Chronicles3 mentions
2 Chronicles21 mentions
- 2 Chronicles 24:27The accounts of the sons of Joash, as well as the many pronouncements about him and about the restoration of the house of God, are indeed written in the Treatise of the Book of the Kings. And his son Amaziah reigned in his place.
- 2 Chronicles 25:1Amaziah was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem twenty-nine years. His mother’s name was Jehoaddan; she was from Jerusalem.
- 2 Chronicles 25:3As soon as the kingdom was firmly in his grasp, Amaziah executed the servants who had murdered his father the king.
- 2 Chronicles 25:5Then Amaziah gathered the people of Judah and assigned them according to their families to commanders of thousands and of hundreds. And he numbered those twenty years of age or older throughout Judah and Benjamin and found 300,000 chosen men able to serve in the army, bearing the spear and shield.
- 2 Chronicles 25:9Amaziah asked the man of God, “What should I do about the hundred talents I have given to the army of Israel?” And the man of God replied, “The LORD is able to give you much more than this.”
16 further mentions in 2 Chronicles, read them in the book.
Amos2 mentions
- Amos 7:10Then Amaziah the priest of Bethel sent word to Jeroboam king of Israel, saying, “Amos has conspired against you in the midst of the house of Israel. The land cannot bear all his words,
- Amos 7:12And Amaziah said to Amos, “Go away, you seer! Flee to the land of Judah; earn your bread there and do your prophesying there.
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