2 Chronicles 25:1-28
1 Amaziah 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.
2 And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, but not with a perfect heart.
3 Now it came to pass, when the kingdom was establisheda to him, that he slew his servants that had killed the king his father.
4 But 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.
5 Moreover 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.
6 He hired also an hundred thousand mighty men of valour out of Israel for an hundred talents of silver.
7 But 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.
8 But 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.
9 And Amaziah said to the man of God, But what shall we do for the hundred talents which I have given to the armyb of Israel? And the man of God answered, The LORD is able to give thee much more than this.
10 Then Amaziah separated them, to wit, the army that was come to him out of Ephraim, to go home again:c wherefore their anger was greatly kindled against Judah, and they returned home in great anger.
11 And Amaziah strengthened himself, and led forth his people, and went to the valley of salt, and smote of the children of Seir ten thousand.
12 And 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.
13 But the soldiersd 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 Bethhoron, and smote three thousand of them, and took much spoil.
14 Now 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.
15 Wherefore 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?
16 And 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 determinede to destroy thee, because thou hast done this, and hast not hearkened unto my counsel.
17 Then 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.
18 And Joash king of Israel sent to Amaziah king of Judah, saying, The thistlef 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.
19 Thou 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?
20 But 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.
21 So Joash the king of Israel went up; and they saw one another in the face, both he and Amaziah king of Judah, at Bethshemesh, which belongeth to Judah.
22 And Judah was put to the worse before Israel, and they fled every man to his tent.
23 And Joash the king of Israel took Amaziah king of Judah, the son of Joash, the son of Jehoahaz, at Bethshemesh, and brought him to Jerusalem, and brake down the wall of Jerusalem from the gate of Ephraim to the cornerg gate, four hundred cubits.
24 And he took all the gold and the silver, and all the vessels that were found in the house of God with Obededom, and the treasures of the king's house, the hostages also, and returned to Samaria.
25 And Amaziah the son of Joash king of Judah lived after the death of Joash son of Jehoahaz king of Israel fifteen years.
26 Now 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?
27 Now 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.
28 And they brought him upon horses, and buried him with his fathers in the city of Judah.h
2 Chronicles 25:4. He slew not their children, as noted in 2 Kings 14. Whether the king was justly put to death for the blood of Zechariah and his brothers, is a question too delicate for human tribunals: yet we know that heaven ever maintains a just revenge for innocent blood. As the captains had no divine, no lawful authority to assassinate the king, it was just to put them and their assistants to death.
2 Chronicles 25:5. He found them three hundred thousand. One third of these were sufficient for any wars with the southern rebels. The princes of those times understood the art of carnage and slaughter, better than the art of war.
2 Chronicles 25:6. For a hundred talents of silver; a vile price for wicked men to do wicked work. Those mercenaries hoped for better wages in plunder.
2 Chronicles 25:7. A man of God. In Seder-Olam he is called Amos, father of Isaiah the prophet, and brother-in-law of king Amaziah.
2 Chronicles 25:12. Other ten thousand left alive. Hebrews חיום chajaim, lives, souls. Such is the Greek, which better designates the cruelty of forcing them down the precipice, after being spared. Surely to devote the ringleaders, had been punishment sufficient.
2 Chronicles 25:14. Amaziah brought the gods of Seir and set them up to be his gods. We must seek for the true sense of this preposterous worship in the customs of ancient superstition. The Romans adopted the gods of all the countries they conquered. When Scipio stood before Carthage, he is said to have made this invocation: “And you, oh gods, whosoever you are that defend this city, come over to us, and I will worship you with more costly sacrifices, and will build for you more splendid temples.”
2 Chronicles 25:24. With Obed-edom; that is, the descendants of Obed-edom, who was a levite, and blessed because the ark remained awhile in his house.
REFLECTIONS.
Amaziah came to the throne in the vortex of the factions, in which his father fell, and in a time of great religious corruption. However, on feeling the reins of government in his hands, he gained the affections of his people, by executing the regicides, and by sparing their children, according to the law. Deuteronomy 24:16. And if a nation count itself happy in reposing confidence in a prince of impartial justice, how blessed is the man who reposes his confidence in God alone.
The cause of the war with Edom, and with the whole of the southern nations, if we may judge from the forces required, was a general revolt, on hearing of the murder of the king; and it discovers to us that the new king trusted more in an arm of flesh than in the Lord. By deeming his own people inadequate to the enterprise, though they mustered three hundred thousand strong, it is evident he had no faith in God the giver of victory. Therefore he hired one hundred thousand of Jehu's people. However, though wanting in faith, yet when reproved by a prophet, he obeyed the Lord, and yielded to his loss. But how much better is it to ask advice and prevent a false step, than repent of it afterwards. His allies, disappointed of the expected booty, fell upon the cities of Judah on their return, and made reprisals.
The rigours of war exercised on the ten thousand Edomites, can be defended only by the more barbarous examples of the age. In cases of an obstinate siege, and when a city was taken by assault, the law of Moses and of nations allowed of carnage; but now to spare their lives and to throw them from the rock, was an act of unjustifiable cruelty. Conquerors in the moment of indignation and triumph had better beware of injustice and slaughter, because there is an everliving God who requires blood for blood.
Prosperity is apt to destroy the man who is not properly acquainted with God, and with himself. Amaziah, having triumphed over Edom; having extended his limits to the utmost of Solomon's border in the south, and having rebuilt Elath to restore the Indian trade, was lifted up above his God; and so much so as to worship the gods he had captured, though they were not able to defend their own votaries. These he ought to have destroyed, and returned thanks to the God of Israel. It is a most unwise experiment for a man to dally with idols; he may next adore them, and so provoke the Lord to his utter destruction.
In the character of Amaziah we find this realized. Flushed with victory, and enriched with spoil, he not only set himself above the law of God, but even menaced the prophet with death who came to reprove him. Therefore the Lord left him to take his own way, and to follow the pride of his heart. The challenge he sent to Joash son of Jehu, though with the counsel of men like himself, betrayed the arrogance of his heart, and the little regard he had for the lives of his people: defeat and shame were therefore his portion. Men who despise divine instruction, and mock at menaces, shall in the issue feel a rod which shall make them tremble. “He that, being often reproved, hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy.” This prince, having long bid defiance to God and his prophets, and long acknowledged no power above his own pleasure, became insupportable to his subjects. The whole of Judah seems to have revolted against him, and in favour of Azariah his son, though an infant; and they were so exasperated against him, as to pursue him with the sword even into Philistia. So this man, who was not careful of human blood, ultimately received his own reward. On hearing the particulars of his death, what would Edom say, whose ten thousand captives he had thrown from the rock? And what would the Israelites say, whose relatives had fallen in the war which he had wantonly excited among brethren? Happy is that well instructed prince, whose sole aim in swaying the sceptre is to please God, and make his people happy.