1In the second year of Joash the son of Jehoahaz, king of Israel, Amaziah the son of Joash, king of Judah, became king. 2He was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Jehoaddan of Jerusalem. 3And he did what was right in the eyes of Jehovah, yet not like his father David; he did everything as his father Joash had done. 4However the high places were not taken away, and the people were still sacrificing and burning incense on the high places. 5And it happened, as soon as the kingdom had been secured in his hand, that he struck his servants who had killed his father the king. 6But the children of the murderers he did not execute, according to what is written in the Book of the Law of Moses, in which Jehovah had commanded, saying, Fathers shall not be put to death for their children, nor shall children be put to death for their fathers; but a person shall be put to death for his own sin. 7He killed ten thousand Edomites in the Valley of Salt, and took Sela by war, and called its name Joktheel to this day. 8Then Amaziah sent messengers to Jehoash the son of Jehoahaz, the son of Jehu, king of Israel, saying, Come, let us look one another in the face. 9And Jehoash king of Israel sent to Amaziah king of Judah, saying, The thistle that was in Lebanon sent to the cedar that was in Lebanon, saying, Give your daughter to my son as wife; and a wild beast that was in Lebanon passed by and trampled the thistle. 10You have attacked to strike Edom, and your heart has lifted you up. Glory in that, and stay at your house; why stir yourself up over evil so that you fall, you and Judah with you? 11But Amaziah would not listen. Therefore Jehoash king of Israel went out; so he and Amaziah king of Judah looked each other in the face at Beth Shemesh of Judah. 12And Judah was struck down before Israel, and every man fled to his tent. 13And Jehoash king of Israel took Amaziah king of Judah, the son of Jehoash, the son of Ahaziah, at Beth Shemesh; and came to Jerusalem, and broke down the wall of Jerusalem from the Gate of Ephraim to the Corner Gate; four hundred cubits. 14And he took all the gold and silver, all the articles that were found in the house of Jehovah and in the treasuries of the king's house, and hostages, and returned to Samaria. 15Now the rest of the acts of Jehoash which he did; his might, and how he fought with Amaziah king of Judah; are they not written in the book of the Chronicles of the kings of Israel. 16So Jehoash rested with his fathers, and was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel. And Jeroboam his son reigned in his place. 17And Amaziah the son of Joash, king of Judah, lived fifteen years after the death of Jehoash the son of Jehoahaz, king of Israel. 18Now the rest of the acts of Amaziah, are they not written in the book of the Chronicles of the kings of Judah. 19And they conspired treason against him in Jerusalem, and he fled to Lachish; but they sent after him to Lachish and killed him there. 20And they brought him on horses, and he was buried at Jerusalem with his fathers in the City of David. 21And all the people of Judah took Azariah, who was sixteen years old, and made him king instead of his father Amaziah. 22He built Elath and restored it to Judah, after the king rested with his fathers. 23In the fifteenth year of Amaziah the son of Joash, king of Judah, Jeroboam the son of Joash, king of Israel, became king in Samaria, and reigned forty-one years. 24And he did evil in the eyes of Jehovah; he did not depart from all the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who had made Israel sin. 25He restored the territory of Israel from the entrance of Hamath to the sea of the plain, according to the Word of Jehovah the God of Israel, which He had spoken through His servant Jonah the son of Amittai, the prophet who was from Gath Hepher. 26For Jehovah saw that the affliction of Israel was very bitter; and whether bond or free, there was no helper for Israel. 27And Jehovah had not spoken to blot out the name of Israel from under the heavens; but He saved them by the hand of Jeroboam the son of Joash. 28Now the rest of the acts of Jeroboam, and all that he did; his might, how he made war, and how he recovered for Israel from Damascus and Hamath what had belonged to Judah; are they not written in the book of the Chronicles of the kings of Israel. 29So Jeroboam rested with his fathers, the kings of Israel. And Zechariah his son reigned in his place.
Jamieson Fausset Brown Bible Commentary 3 AMAZIAH'S GOOD REIGN OVER JUDAH. (
2Kgs 14:1-6)
He did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, yet not like David his father--The beginning of his reign was excellent, for he acted the part of a constitutional king, according to the law of God, yet not with perfect sincerity of heart (compare
2Chr 25:2). As in the case of his father Joash, the early promise was belied by the devious course he personally followed in later life (see
2Chr 20:14), as well as by the public irregularities he tolerated in the kingdom.
5 as soon as the kingdom was confirmed in his hand--It was an act of justice no less than of filial piety to avenge the murder of his father. But it is evident that the two assassins must have possessed considerable weight and influence, as the king was obliged to retain them in his service, and durst not, for fear of their friends and supporters, institute proceedings against them until his power had been fully consolidated.
6 But the children of the murderers he slew not--This moderation, inspired by the Mosaic law (
Deut 24:16), displays the good character of this prince; for the course thus pursued toward the families of the regicides was directly contrary to the prevailing customs of antiquity, according to which all connected with the criminals were doomed to unsparing destruction.
7 HE SMITES EDOM. (
2Kgs 14:7)
He slew of Edom in the valley of salt ten thousand--In the reign of Joram the Edomites had revolted (see
2Kgs 8:20). But Amaziah, determined to reduce them to their former subjection, formed a hostile expedition against them, in which he routed their army and made himself master of their capital.
the valley of salt--that part of the Ghor which comprises the salt and sandy plain to the south of the Dead Sea.
Selah--literally, "the rock"; generally thought to be Petra.
Joktheel--that is, "given" or "conquered by God." See the history of this conquest more fully detailed (
2Chr 25:6-16).
8 JOASH DEFEATS HIM. (
2Kgs 14:8-16)
Amaziah sent messengers to Jehoash, the son of Jehoahaz, son of Jehu, king of Israel--This bold and haughty challenge, which was most probably stimulated by a desire of satisfaction for the outrages perpetrated by the discharged auxiliaries of Israel (
2Chr 25:13) on the towns that lay in their way home, as well as by revenge for the massacre of his ancestors by Jehu (2Ki. 9:1-37) sprang, there is little doubt, from pride and self-confidence, inspired by his victory over the Edomites.
9 Jehoash the king of Israel sent to Amaziah--People in the East very often express their sentiments in a parabolic form, especially when they intend to convey unwelcome truths or a contemptuous sneer. This was the design of the admonitory fable related by Joash in his reply. The thistle, a low shrub, might be chosen to represent Amaziah, a petty prince; the cedar, the powerful sovereign of Israel, and the wild beast that trampled down the thistle the overwhelming army with which Israel could desolate Judah. But, perhaps, without making so minute an application, the parable may be explained generally, as describing in a striking manner the effects of pride and ambition, towering far beyond their natural sphere, and sure to fall with a sudden and ruinous crash. The moral of the fable is contained in
2Kgs 14:10.
11 But Amaziah would not hear--The sarcastic tenor of this reply incited the king of Judah the more; for, being in a state of judicial blindness and infatuation (
2Chr 25:20), he was immovably determined on war. But the superior energy of Joash surprised him ere he had completed his military preparations. Pouring a large army into the territory of Judah, he encountered Amaziah in a pitched battle, routed his army, and took him prisoner. Then having marched to Jerusalem [
2Kgs 14:13], he not only demolished part of the city walls, but plundered the treasures of the palace and temple. Taking hostages to prevent any further molestation from Judah, he terminated the war. Without leaving a garrison in Jerusalem, he returned to his capital with all convenient speed, his presence and all his forces being required to repel the troublesome incursions of the Syrians.
19 HE IS SLAIN BY A CONSPIRACY. (
2Kgs 14:17-20)
they made a conspiracy against him in Jerusalem--Amaziah's apostasy (
2Chr 25:27) was followed by a general maladministration, especially the disastrous issue of the war with Israel. The ruinous condition of Jerusalem, the plunder of the temple, and the loss of their children who were taken as hostages [
2Kgs 14:13-14], lost him the respect and attachment not of the grandees only, but of his subjects generally, who were in rebellion. The king fled in terror to Lachish, a frontier town of the Philistines, where, however, he was traced and murdered. His friends had his corpse brought without any pomp or ceremony, in a chariot to Jerusalem, where he was interred among his royal ancestors.
21 AZARIAH SUCCEEDS HIM. (
2Kgs 14:21-22)
all the people of Judah took Azariah--or Uzziah (
2Kgs 15:30;
2Chr 26:1). The popular opposition had been personally directed against Amaziah as the author of their calamities, but it was not extended to his family or heir.
22 He built Elath--fortified that seaport. It had revolted with the rest of Edom, but was now recovered by Uzziah. His father, who did not complete the conquest of Edom, had left him that work to do.
23 JEROBOAM'S WICKED REIGN OVER ISRAEL. (
2Kgs 14:23-29)
Jeroboam, the son of Joash king of Israel--This was Jeroboam II who, on regaining the lost territory, raised the kingdom to great political power (
2Kgs 14:25), but adhered to the favorite religious policy of the Israelitish sovereigns (
2Kgs 14:24). While God granted him so great a measure of national prosperity and eminence, the reason is expressly stated (
2Kgs 14:26-27) to be that the purposes of the divine covenant forbade as yet the overthrow of the kingdom of the ten tribes (see
2Kgs 13:23).