1Amaziah was twenty and five years old when he began to reign , and he reigned twenty and nine years in Jerusalem . And his mother’s name was Jehoaddan of Jerusalem . 2And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD , but not with a perfect heart . 3Now it came to pass, when the kingdom was established to him, that he slew his servants that had killed the king his father .
Military Ambitions and Foreign Troops
4But he slew not their children , but did as it is written in the law in the book of Moses , where the LORD commanded , saying , The fathers shall not die for the children , neither shall the children die for the fathers , but every man shall die for his own sin . 5Moreover Amaziah gathered Judah together , and made them captains over thousands , and captains over hundreds , according to the houses of their fathers , throughout all Judah and Benjamin : and he numbered them from twenty years old and above , and found them three hundred thousand choice men, able to go forth to war , that could handle spear and shield . 6He hired also an hundred thousand mighty men of valour out of Israel for an hundred talents of silver . 7But there came a man of God to him, saying , O king , let not the army of Israel go with thee; for the LORD is not with Israel , to wit, with all the children of Ephraim . 8But if thou wilt go , do it , be strong for the battle : God shall make thee fall before the enemy : for God hath power to help , and to cast down . 9And Amaziah said to the man of God , But what shall we do for the hundred talents which I have given to the army of Israel ? And the man of God answered , The LORD is able to give thee much more than this. 10Then Amaziah separated them, to wit , the army that was come to him out of Ephraim , to go home again : wherefore their anger was greatly kindled against Judah , and they returned home in great anger .
The Prophet's Warning
11And Amaziah strengthened himself, and led forth his people , and went to the valley of salt , and smote of the children of Seir ten thousand . 12And other ten thousand left alive did the children of Judah carry away captive , and brought them unto the top of the rock , and cast them down from the top of the rock , that they all were broken in pieces . 13But the soldiers of the army which Amaziah sent back , that they should not go with him to battle , fell upon the cities of Judah , from Samaria even unto Beth-horon , and smote three thousand of them, and took much spoil . 14Now it came to pass, after that Amaziah was come from the slaughter of the Edomites , that he brought the gods of the children of Seir , and set them up to be his gods , and bowed down himself before them, and burned incense unto them. 15Wherefore the anger of the LORD was kindled against Amaziah , and he sent unto him a prophet , which said unto him, Why hast thou sought after the gods of the people , which could not deliver their own people out of thine hand ? 16And it came to pass, as he talked with him, that the king said unto him, Art thou made of the king’s counsel ? forbear ; why shouldest thou be smitten ? Then the prophet forbare , and said , I know that God hath determined to destroy thee, because thou hast done this, and hast not hearkened unto my counsel .
Victory over Edom
17Then Amaziah king of Judah took advice , and sent to Joash , the son of Jehoahaz , the son of Jehu , king of Israel , saying , Come , let us see one another in the face . 18And Joash 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 thy daughter to my son to wife : and there passed by a wild beast that was in Lebanon , and trode down the thistle . 19Thou sayest , Lo, thou hast smitten the Edomites ; and thine heart lifteth thee up to boast : abide now at home ; why shouldest thou meddle to thine hurt , that thou shouldest fall , even thou, and Judah with thee? 20But Amaziah would not hear ; for it came of God , that he might deliver them into the hand of their enemies , because they sought after the gods of Edom . 21So Joash the king of Israel went up ; and they saw one another in the face , both he and Amaziah king of Judah , at Beth-shemesh , which belongeth to Judah . 22And Judah was put to the worse before Israel , and they fled every man to his tent . 23And Joash the 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 brake down the wall of Jerusalem from the gate of Ephraim to the corner gate , four hundred cubits . 24And he took all the gold and the silver , and all the vessels that were found in the house of God with Obed-edom , and the treasures of the king’s house , the hostages also, and returned to Samaria .
Idolatry and Consequences
25And Amaziah the son of Joash king of Judah lived after the death of Joash son of Jehoahaz king of Israel fifteen years . 26Now the rest of the acts of Amaziah , first and last , behold, are they not written in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel ? 27Now after the time that Amaziah did turn away from following the LORD they made a conspiracy against him in Jerusalem ; and he fled to Lachish : but they sent to Lachish after him, and slew him there. 28And they brought him upon horses , and buried him with his fathers in the city of Judah .