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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.
02 And he did that which was right in the sight
of the Lord, but not with a perfect heart.
03 Now it came to pass, when the kingdom was
established to him, that he slew his servants
that had killed the king his father.
04 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.
05 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.
06 He hired also an hundred thousand mighty men
of valour out of Israel for an hundred talents of
silver.
07 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.
08 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.
09 And 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.
10 Then 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.
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 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 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.
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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 determined 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 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.
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 corner 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.
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