2 KingsChapter 14

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¹Amaziah son of Joash became king of Judah. This was in the second year that Jehoash son of Jehoahaz ruled over Israel. ²Amaziah was twenty-five years old when he became king. He ruled in Jerusalem for twenty-nine years. His mother's name was Jehoaddan. She was from Jerusalem. ³He did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, but not like his father David. He did everything his father Joash had done. ⁴But the high places were not taken away. The people still offered sacrifices and burned incense at the high places. ⁵As soon as Amaziah had firm control of the kingdom, he put to death the officials who had murdered his father the king. ⁶But he did not put the murderers' sons to death. He obeyed what is written in the Book of the Law of Moses. There the LORD commanded, "Fathers must not be put to death for their children. Children must not be put to death for their fathers. Each one is to die for his own sin." ⁷Amaziah killed 10,000 Edomites in the Valley of Salt. He captured Sela in battle. He named it Joktheel. That is still its name today. ⁸Then Amaziah sent messengers to the king of Israel, Jehoash son of Jehoahaz, the son of Jehu. He said, "Come, let's meet face to face." ⁹But Jehoash king of Israel answered Amaziah king of Judah. "A thornbush in Lebanon sent a message to a cedar tree in Lebanon. It said, 'Give your daughter to my son as his wife.' Then a wild animal in Lebanon came by. It trampled the thornbush. ¹⁰Yes, you have defeated Edom, and now you are proud. Enjoy your fame, but stay at home! Why stir up trouble that will make you fall, you and Judah with you?" ¹¹But Amaziah would not listen. So Jehoash king of Israel marched out. He and King Amaziah of Judah faced each other in battle at Beth-shemesh in Judah. ¹²Israel badly defeated Judah. Every man of Judah ran away to his home. ¹³There at Beth-shemesh, Jehoash king of Israel captured Amaziah king of Judah. Amaziah was the son of Joash, the son of Ahaziah. Then Jehoash went to Jerusalem. He broke down the wall of Jerusalem from the Ephraim Gate to the Corner Gate. That part of the wall was about 600 feet long.a ¹⁴He took all the gold and silver. He took all the objects found in the house of the LORD and in the treasure rooms of the royal palace. He also took some hostages. Then he went back to Samaria. ¹⁵The rest of what Jehoash did, all he achieved, and his power, is written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel. So is how he fought against Amaziah king of Judah. ¹⁶Jehoash died and joined his ancestors. He was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel. His son Jeroboam became king in his place. ¹⁷Amaziah son of Joash king of Judah lived fifteen years after Jehoash son of Jehoahaz king of Israel died. ¹⁸The rest of what Amaziah did is written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah. ¹⁹Some people in Jerusalem made a secret plan against Amaziah. He ran away to Lachish. But they sent men after him to Lachish. They killed him there. ²⁰They brought his body back on horses. He was buried in Jerusalem with his ancestors in the City of David. ²¹Then all the people of Judah took Azariah, who was sixteen years old. They made him king in place of his father Amaziah. ²²After King Amaziah died and joined his ancestors, Azariah rebuilt Elath. He made it part of Judah again. ²³Jeroboam son of Jehoash became king of Israel. This was in the fifteenth year that Amaziah son of Joash ruled over Judah. Jeroboam ruled in Samaria for forty-one years. ²⁴He did evil in the eyes of the LORD. He did not turn away from all the sins that Jeroboam son of Nebat had led Israel to commit. ²⁵This Jeroboam won back Israel's borders. He took back the land from Lebo-hamath to the Sea of the Arabah. This was just what the LORD, the God of Israel, had said through his servant Jonah son of Amittai. Jonah was the prophet from Gath-hepher. ²⁶The LORD saw that the Israelites were suffering terribly, both slave and free. There was no one to help Israel. ²⁷And the LORD had said he would not wipe out the name of Israel from under heaven. So he saved them through Jeroboam son of Jehoash. ²⁸The rest of what Jeroboam did, all he achieved, and his power, is written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel. It tells how he fought in war. It tells how he won back both Damascus and Hamath for Israel from Judah. ²⁹Jeroboam died and joined his ancestors, the kings of Israel. His son Zechariah became king in his place.