Already reading God's Word on Bible Gateway? Bible Gateway Plus builds on that experience with trusted Study Bibles and commentaries alongside every book, chapter, and verse.
Log In/Sign Up

#
2 Chronicles 25
New International Version

### Amaziah King of Judah(A)(B)(C)

25 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 He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, but not wholeheartedly.(D) 3 After the kingdom was firmly in his control, he executed the officials who had murdered his father the king. 4 Yet he did not put their children to death, but acted in accordance with what is written in the Law, in the Book of Moses,(E) where the Lord commanded: “Parents shall not be put to death for their children, nor children be put to death for their parents; each will die for their own sin.”[a](F)

5 Amaziah called the people of Judah together and assigned them according to their families to commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds for all Judah and Benjamin. He then mustered(G) those twenty years old(H) or more and found that there were three hundred thousand men fit for military service,(I) able to handle the spear and shield. 6 He also hired a hundred thousand fighting men from Israel for a hundred talents[b] of silver.

7 But a man of God came to him and said, “Your Majesty, these troops from Israel(J) must not march with you, for the Lord is not with Israel—not with any of the people of Ephraim. 8 Even if you go and fight courageously in battle, God will overthrow you before the enemy, for God has the power to help or to overthrow.”(K)

9 Amaziah asked the man of God, “But what about the hundred talents I paid for these Israelite troops?”

The man of God replied, “The Lord can give you much more than that.”(L)

10 So Amaziah dismissed the troops who had come to him from Ephraim and sent them home. They were furious with Judah and left for home in a great rage.(M)

11 Amaziah then marshaled his strength and led his army to the Valley of Salt, where he killed ten thousand men of Seir. 12 The army of Judah also captured ten thousand men alive, took them to the top of a cliff and threw them down so that all were dashed to pieces.(N)

13 Meanwhile the troops that Amaziah had sent back and had not allowed to take part in the war raided towns belonging to Judah from Samaria to Beth Horon. They killed three thousand people and carried off great quantities of plunder.

14 When Amaziah returned from slaughtering the Edomites, he brought back the gods of the people of Seir. He set them up as his own gods,(O) bowed down to them and burned sacrifices to them. 15 The anger of the Lord burned against Amaziah, and he sent a prophet to him, who said, “Why do you consult this people’s gods, which could not save(P) their own people from your hand?”

16 While he was still speaking, the king said to him, “Have we appointed you an adviser to the king? Stop! Why be struck down?”

So the prophet stopped but said, “I know that God has determined to destroy you, because you have done this and have not listened to my counsel.”

17 After Amaziah king of Judah consulted his advisers, he sent this challenge to Jehoash[c] son of Jehoahaz, the son of Jehu, king of Israel: “Come, let us face each other in battle.”

18 But Jehoash king of Israel replied to Amaziah king of Judah: “A thistle(Q) in Lebanon sent a message to a cedar in Lebanon, ‘Give your daughter to my son in marriage.’ Then a wild beast in Lebanon came along and trampled the thistle underfoot. 19 You say to yourself that you have defeated Edom, and now you are arrogant and proud. But stay at home! Why ask for trouble and cause your own downfall and that of Judah also?”

20 Amaziah, however, would not listen, for God so worked that he might deliver them into the hands of Jehoash, because they sought the gods of Edom.(R) 21 So Jehoash king of Israel attacked. He and Amaziah king of Judah faced each other at Beth Shemesh in Judah. 22 Judah was routed by Israel, and every man fled to his home. 23 Jehoash king of Israel captured Amaziah king of Judah, the son of Joash, the son of Ahaziah,[d] at Beth Shemesh. Then Jehoash brought him to Jerusalem and broke down the wall of Jerusalem from the Ephraim Gate(S) to the Corner Gate(T)—a section about four hundred cubits[e] long. 24 He took all the gold and silver and all the articles found in the temple of God that had been in the care of Obed-Edom,(U) together with the palace treasures and the hostages, and returned to Samaria.

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 other events of Amaziah’s reign, 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 away from following the Lord, they conspired against him in Jerusalem and he fled to Lachish(V), but they sent men after him to Lachish and killed him there. 28 He was brought back by horse and was buried with his ancestors in the City of Judah.[f]

#### Footnotes

1. 2 Chronicles 25:4 Deut. 24:16
2. 2 Chronicles 25:6 That is, about 3 3/4 tons or about 3.4 metric tons; also in verse 9
3. 2 Chronicles 25:17 Hebrew Joash, a variant of Jehoash; also in verses 18, 21, 23 and 25
4. 2 Chronicles 25:23 Hebrew Jehoahaz, a variant of Ahaziah
5. 2 Chronicles 25:23 That is, about 600 feet or about 180 meters
6. 2 Chronicles 25:28 Most Hebrew manuscripts; some Hebrew manuscripts, Septuagint, Vulgate and Syriac (see also 2 Kings 14:20) David

#### Cross references

1. 2 Chronicles 25:1 : 25:1-4pp — 2Ki 14:1-6
2. 2 Chronicles 25:1 : 25:11-12pp — 2Ki 14:7
3. 2 Chronicles 25:1 : 25:17-28pp — 2Ki 14:8-20
4. 2 Chronicles 25:2 : S 1Ki 8:61; S 2Ch 24:2
5. 2 Chronicles 25:4 : S Dt 28:61
6. 2 Chronicles 25:4 : S Nu 26:11
7. 2 Chronicles 25:5 : S 2Sa 24:2
8. 2 Chronicles 25:5 : S Ex 30:14
9. 2 Chronicles 25:5 : S 1Ch 21:1; 2Ch 17:14-19
10. 2 Chronicles 25:7 : S 2Ch 16:2-9; S 19:1-3
11. 2 Chronicles 25:8 : S 2Ch 14:11; S 20:6
12. 2 Chronicles 25:9 : Dt 8:18; Pr 10:22
13. 2 Chronicles 25:10 : ver 13
14. 2 Chronicles 25:12 : Ps 141:6; Ob 1:3
15. 2 Chronicles 25:14 : Ex 20:3; 2Ch 28:23; Isa 44:15
16. 2 Chronicles 25:15 : Isa 36:20
17. 2 Chronicles 25:18 : Jdg 9:8-15
18. 2 Chronicles 25:20 : S 2Ch 10:15
19. 2 Chronicles 25:23 : 2Ki 14:13; Ne 8:16; 12:39
20. 2 Chronicles 25:23 : 2Ch 26:9; Jer 31:38
21. 2 Chronicles 25:24 : S 1Ch 26:15
22. 2 Chronicles 25:27 : S Jos 10:3

New International Version (NIV)

Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.

### More on the NIV

- Unleash God's Word!

#### Bible Gateway Recommends

NIV, Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible, Red Letter Edition: Bringing to Life the Ancient World of Scripture
Retail: $59.99
Our Price: $41.99
Save: $18.00 (30%)
Buy Now
NIV, Radiant Virtues Bible: A Beautiful Word Collection, Red Letter Edition, Comfort Print: Explore the virtues of faith, hope, and love
Retail: $69.98
Our Price: $48.99
Save: $20.99 (30%)
Buy Now
NIV, Lucado Encouraging Word Bible, Comfort Print: Holy Bible, New International Version
Retail: $59.99
Our Price: $41.99
Save: $18.00 (30%)
Buy Now
NIV Application Bible, Red Letter, Comfort Print: Bringing the Ancient Message of the Bible into Your World
Retail: $54.99
Our Price: $35.00
Save: $19.99 (36%)
Buy Now
NIV, Artisan Collection Bible, Gilded Edges, Red Letter Edition, Comfort Print
Retail: $59.99
Our Price: $41.99
Save: $18.00 (30%)
Buy Now
NIV, Biblical Theology Study Bible, Comfort Print: Follow God’s Redemptive Plan as It Unfolds throughout Scripture
Retail: $59.99
Our Price: $41.99
Save: $18.00 (30%)
Buy Now
View more titles