1 A maziah was twenty-five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. His mother was Jehoaddan of Jerusalem.

Amaziah was twenty-five years old when he became king. And he ruled for twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jehoaddan of Jerusalem.

2 H e did right in the Lord’s sight, but not with a perfect or blameless heart.

Amaziah did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, but not with a whole heart.

3 W hen his kingdom was firmly established, he slew his servants who had killed the king his father.

As soon as the nation was under his rule, he killed his servants who had killed his father the king.

4 B ut he did not slay their children; he did as it is written in the Law, in the Book of Moses, where the Lord commanded, The fathers shall not die for the children, or the children die for the fathers; but every man shall die for his own sin.

But he did not kill their children. He did what is written in the Law in the book of Moses. The Lord had said in this Law, “Fathers must not be put to death for the children. And children must not be put to death for the fathers. Each must be put to death for his own sin.” The War against Edom

5 A maziah assembled the men of Judah and set them by fathers’ houses under commanders of thousands and of hundreds for all Judah and Benjamin. He numbered them from twenty years old and over and found them to be 300, 000 choice men fit for war and able to handle spear and shield.

Then Amaziah gathered the men of Judah together. He put them, by their fathers’ houses, under the rule of captains of thousands and of hundreds for all Judah and Benjamin. He numbered those who were twenty years old and older. And he found that they were 300, 000 chosen men, able to go to war and fight with spear and battle-covering.

6 H e hired also 100, 000 mighty men of valor from Israel for 100 talents of silver.

He also asked for the help of 100, 000 powerful soldiers from Israel and paid them with silver weighing as much as 100 men.

7 B ut a man of God came to him, saying, O king, do not let all this army of Ephraimites of Israel go with you, for the Lord is not with you,

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. He is not with all these sons of Ephraim.

8 F or if you go, no matter how strong you are for battle, God will cast you down before the enemy, for God has power to help and to cast down.

But if you think that in this way you will be strong in war, God will destroy you in front of those who fight you. For God has power to help and to destroy.”

9 A nd Amaziah said to the man of God, But what shall we do about the 100 talents which I have given to the army of Israel? The man of God answered, The Lord is able to give you much more than this.

Amaziah said to the man of God, “But what should I do about the silver weighing as much as 100 men, which I have given to the army of Israel?” The man of God answered, “The Lord has much more to give you than this.”

10 S o Amaziah discharged the army that came to him from Ephraim to go home. So their anger was greatly kindled against Judah; they returned home in fierce wrath.

Then Amaziah sent the army home which had come to him from Ephraim. These hired soldiers were angry at the people of Judah. As they returned home they were very angry.

11 A nd Amaziah took courage and led forth his people to the Valley of Salt and smote 10, 000 of the men of Seir.

Now Amaziah made himself strong of heart, and he led his people to the Valley of Salt and killed 10, 000 men of Seir.

12 A nother 10, 000 the men of Judah captured alive and brought them to the top of a crag and cast them down from it, and they were all dashed to pieces.

The men of Judah also took 10, 000 men alive. They brought them to the top of a high rock and threw them down from it, so they were all crushed to pieces.

13 B ut the soldiers of the band which Amaziah sent back, not allowing them to go with him to battle, fell upon the cities of Judah, from Samaria even to Beth-horon, and smote 3, 000 and took much spoil.

But the soldiers from Israel whom Amaziah had sent back from going with him to battle came and fought against the cities of Judah. They fought cities from Samaria to Beth-horon, and killed 3, 000 people living in them. And they took many things which had belonged to the people in these cities.

14 A fter Amaziah came back from the slaughter of the Edomites, he brought their gods and set them up to be his gods and bowed before them and burned incense to them.

After Amaziah came from killing the Edomites, he brought the gods of the men of Seir. He set them up as his gods. He bowed down in front of them, and burned special perfume to them.

15 S o the anger of the Lord was kindled against Amaziah, and He sent to him a prophet, who said, Why have you sought after the gods of the people, which could not deliver their own people out of your hand?

Then the Lord was angry with Amaziah and sent a man who speaks for God to him, saying, “Why have you worshiped the gods of the people? These gods have not saved their own people from your hand.”

16 A s he was talking, the king said to him, Have we made you the king’s counselor? Stop it! Why should you be put to death? The prophet stopped but said, I know that God has determined to destroy you, because you have done this and ignored my counsel.

But as he was speaking the king said to him, “Have we chosen you to give words of wisdom to the king? Stop! Or I will have you put to death.” So the man who spoke for God stopped, but said, “I know that God has planned to destroy you because you have done this. And you have not listened to what I have said.” Israel Wins over Judah

17 T hen Amaziah king of Judah took counsel and sent to Jehoash son of Jehoahaz, the son of Jehu, king of Israel, saying, Come, let us look one another in the face.

Then King Amaziah of Judah spoke with his wise men, and sent word to Joash the son of Jehoahaz the son of Jehu, the king of Israel, saying, “Come, let us face each other.”

18 J ehoash king of Israel sent to Amaziah king of Judah, saying, A little thistle in Lebanon sent to a great cedar in Lebanon, saying, Give your daughter to my son as wife. And a wild beast of Lebanon passed by and trampled down the thistle.

King Joash of Israel sent an answer to King Amaziah of Judah, saying, “The thorn bush in Lebanon sent word to the cedar in Lebanon, saying, ‘Give your daughter to my son for a wife.’ But a wild animal of Lebanon passed by and crushed the thorn bush under its feet.

19 Y ou say, See, have smitten Edom! Your heart lifts you up to boast. Stay at home; why should you meddle, so you will fall and Judah with you?

You say, ‘See, I have destroyed Edom.’ And your heart has become proud by what you say. Now stay at home. Why should you bring trouble so you will fall, and Judah with you?”

20 B ut Amaziah would not hear, for it came from God, that He might deliver Judah into the hands of their enemies, because they sought after the gods of Edom.

But Amaziah would not listen. God had planned that He would give Judah into the hand of Joash because Judah had worshiped the gods of Edom.

21 S o Jehoash king of Israel went up; and he and Amaziah king of Judah faced one another at Beth-shemesh of Judah.

So King Joash of Israel met King Amaziah of Judah in battle at Beth-shemesh of Judah.

22 A nd Judah was defeated before Israel, and they fled every man to his tent.

And Judah lost the battle to Israel. Each man ran away to his home.

23 A nd Jehoash 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 broke down the wall of Jerusalem from the Ephraim Gate to the Corner Gate, 400 cubits.

King Joash of Israel took King Amaziah of Judah, the son of Joash, son of Jehoahaz, at Beth-shemesh, and brought him to Jerusalem. He tore down the wall of Jerusalem from the Gate of Ephraim to the Corner Gate, as much wall as 200 long steps.

24 A nd he took all the gold, the silver, and all the vessels found in God’s house with Obed-edom, and the treasures of the king’s house and hostages also, and returned to Samaria.

And he took all the gold and silver, and all the objects found in the house of God with Obed-edom. He took the riches of the king’s house, and people also, and returned to Samaria. The Death of Amaziah

25 A nd Amaziah son of Joash king of Judah lived after the death of Jehoash son of Jehoahaz king of Israel fifteen years.

Amaziah, the son of King Joash of Judah, lived fifteen years after the death of Joash, the son of King Jehoahaz of Israel.

26 T he rest of the acts of Amaziah, from first to last, are they not written in the Book of the Kings of Judah and Israel?

Now the rest of the acts of Amaziah, from first to last, are written in the Book of the Kings of Judah and Israel.

27 N ow after Amaziah turned away from the Lord, they made a conspiracy against him in Jerusalem, and he fled to Lachish. But they sent to Lachish and slew him there.

After Amaziah turned away from the Lord, they made plans against him in Jerusalem, and he ran away to Lachish. But they sent men after him to Lachish, and killed him there.

28 A nd they brought him upon horses and buried him with his fathers in the City of Judah.

Then they brought him on horses and buried him with his fathers in the city of Judah.