2 Chronicleschapter 25

A.Hired soldiers sent home: the LORD is able to give much morevv. 1-13

1 Amaziah 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 And he did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, but not wholeheartedly. 3 As soon as the kingdom was firmly in his grasp, Amaziah executed the servants who had murdered his father the king. 4 Yet he did not put their sons to death, but acted according to what is written in the Law, in the Book of Moses, where the LORD commanded: “Fathers must not be put to death for their children, and children must not be put to death for their fathers; each is to die for his own sin.” 5 Then 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. 6 He also hired 100,000 mighty warriors from Israel for a hundred talents of silver. 7 But 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. 8 Even if you go and fight bravely in battle, God will make you stumble before the enemy, for God has power to help and power to overthrow.” 9 Amaziah 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.” 10 So Amaziah dismissed the troops who had come to him from Ephraim and sent them home. And they were furious with Judah and returned home in great anger. 11 Amaziah, however, summoned his strength and led his troops to the Valley of Salt, where he struck down 10,000 men of Seir, 12 and the army of Judah also captured 10,000 men alive. They took them to the top of a cliff and threw them down so that all were dashed to pieces. 13 Meanwhile the troops that Amaziah had dismissed from battle raided the cities of Judah, from Samaria to Beth-horon. They struck down 3,000 people and carried off a great deal of plunder.

B.Bowing to gods that could not save their own peoplevv. 14-16

14 When 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. 15 Therefore the anger of the LORD burned against Amaziah, and He sent him a prophet, who said, “Why have you sought this people’s gods, which could not deliver them from your hand?” 16 While he was still speaking, the king asked, “Have we made you the counselor to the king? Stop! Why be struck down?” So the prophet stopped, but he said, “I know that God has determined to destroy you, because you have done this and have not heeded my advice.”

C.Thistle and cedar, and Jerusalem's wall broken downvv. 17-24

17 Then 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. 18 But Jehoash king of Israel replied to Amaziah king of Judah: “A thistle in Lebanon sent a message to a cedar in Lebanon, saying, ‘Give your daughter to my son in marriage.’ Then a wild beast in Lebanon came along and trampled the thistle. 19 You have said, ‘Look, I have defeated Edom,’ and your heart has become proud and boastful. Now stay at home. Why should you stir up trouble so that you fall—you and Judah with you?” 20 But Amaziah would not listen, for this had come from God in order to deliver them into the hand of Jehoash, because they had sought the gods of Edom. 21 So Jehoash king of Israel advanced, and he and Amaziah king of Judah faced each other at Beth-shemesh in Judah. 22 And Judah was routed before Israel, and every man fled to his own home. 23 There at Beth-shemesh, Jehoash king of Israel captured Amaziah king of Judah, the son of Joash, the son of Jehoahaz. Then Jehoash brought him to Jerusalem and broke down the wall of Jerusalem from the Ephraim Gate to the Corner Gate—a section of four hundred cubits. 24 He took all the gold and silver and all the articles found in the house of God with Obed-edom and in the treasuries of the royal palace, as well as some hostages. Then he returned to Samaria.

D.A conspiracy, a flight to Lachish, and a king brought back deadvv. 25-28

25 Amaziah son of Joash king of Judah lived for fifteen years after the death of Jehoash son of Jehoahaz king of Israel. 26 As for the rest of the acts of Amaziah, from beginning to end, are they not written in the Book of the Kings of Judah and Israel? 27 From 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. 28 They carried him back on horses and buried him with his fathers in the City of Judah.

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Chapter summary

Amaziah does right, 'but not with a perfect heart.' He executes his father's assassins but spares their children, citing the law of Moses.

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Amaziah does right, 'but not with a perfect heart.' He executes his father's assassins but spares their children, citing the law of Moses. He hires a hundred thousand mercenaries from Israel, and a man of God sends them home: 'Jehovah is not with Israel… God hath power to help, and to cast down.' When Amaziah asks about the hundred talents already paid, the answer is 'Jehovah is able to give thee much more than this.' He wins in the Valley of Salt. Then brings home the gods of Seir and bows to them, and a prophet asks why he sought gods that could not deliver their own people. Pride carries him into a ruinous war with Israel.

Drawn from Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory, Matthew Henry, Complete Commentary and John Wesley, Notes on the Old Testament.

Context

History · Ezra — 2 Chronicles overview

A. 1–13 Hired soldiers sent home: the LORD is able to give much more
B. 14–16 Bowing to gods that could not save their own people
C. 17–24 Thistle and cedar, and Jerusalem's wall broken down
D. 25–28 A conspiracy, a flight to Lachish, and a king brought back dead

Top cross-references8 chapters ▾

2 Kings 149 verses
- 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.
- 2 Kings 14:8Then Amaziah sent messengers to the king of Israel Jehoash son of Jehoahaz, the son of Jehu. “Come, let us meet face to face,” he said.
- 2 Kings 14:14He took all the gold and silver and all the articles found in the house of the LORD and in the treasuries of the royal palace, as well as some hostages. Then he returned to Samaria.
- 2 Kings 14:15As for the rest of the acts of Jehoash, along with his accomplishments, his might, and how he waged war against Amaziah king of Judah, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel?
- Read 2 Kings 14: 3 more there →
2 Chronicles 203 verses
- 2 Chronicles 20:6and said, “O LORD, God of our fathers, are You not the God who is in heaven, and do You not rule over all the kingdoms of the nations? Power and might are in Your hand, and no one can stand against You.
- 2 Chronicles 20:10And now, here are the men of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, whom You did not let Israel invade when they came out of the land of Egypt; but Israel turned away from them and did not destroy them.
- 2 Chronicles 20:34As for the rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat, from beginning to end, they are indeed written in the Chronicles of Jehu son of Hanani, which are recorded in the Book of the Kings of Israel.
- Read 2 Chronicles 20 →
2 Chronicles 252 verses
- 2 Chronicles 25:11Amaziah, however, summoned his strength and led his troops to the Valley of Salt, where he struck down 10,000 men of Seir,
- 2 Chronicles 25:14When 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.
- Read 2 Chronicles 25 →
1 Kings 122 verses
- 1 Kings 12:15So the king did not listen to the people, and indeed this turn of events was from the LORD, to fulfill the word He had spoken to Jeroboam son of Nebat through Ahijah the Shilonite.
- 1 Kings 12:24that this is what the LORD says: ‘You are not to go up and fight against your brothers, the Israelites. Each of you must return home, for this word is from Me.’” So they listened to the word of the LORD and turned back according to the word of the LORD.
- Read 1 Kings 12 →

4 more chapters this one speaks with

2 Chronicles 212 verses
- 2 Chronicles 21:8In the days of Jehoram, Edom rebelled against the hand of Judah and appointed their own king.
- 2 Chronicles 21:17So they went to war against Judah, invaded it, and carried off all the possessions found in the king’s palace, along with his sons and wives; not a son was left to him except Jehoahaz, his youngest.
- Read 2 Chronicles 21 →
1 Kings 162 verses
- 1 Kings 16:24He bought the hill of Samaria from Shemer for two talents of silver and built a city there, calling it Samaria after the name of Shemer, who had owned the hill.
- 1 Kings 16:29In the thirty-eighth year of Asa’s reign over Judah, Ahab son of Omri became king of Israel, and he reigned in Samaria twenty-two years.
- Read 1 Kings 16 →
2 Chronicles 282 verses
- 2 Chronicles 28:5So the LORD his God delivered Ahaz into the hand of the king of Aram, who attacked him and took many captives to Damascus. Ahaz was also delivered into the hand of the king of Israel, who struck him with great force.
- 2 Chronicles 28:23Since Damascus had defeated him, he sacrificed to their gods and said, “Because the gods of the kings of Aram have helped them, I will sacrifice to them that they may help me.” But these gods were the downfall of Ahaz and of all Israel.
- Read 2 Chronicles 28 →
2 Chronicles 222 verses
- 2 Chronicles 22:1Then the people of Jerusalem made Ahaziah, the youngest son of Jehoram, king in his place, since the raiders who had come into the camp with the Arabs had killed all the older sons. So Ahaziah son of Jehoram became king of Judah.
- 2 Chronicles 22:7Ahaziah’s downfall came from God when he went to visit Joram. When Ahaziah arrived, he went out with Joram to meet Jehu son of Nimshi, whom the LORD had anointed to destroy the house of Ahab.
- Read 2 Chronicles 22 →

Cross-references from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge and OpenBible.info.