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¹ AMAZIAH was twenty-five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. And his mothers 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 strengthened in his hand, he slew his servants who had killed the king his father.⁴ But he did not slay the children of the murderers, because so it is written in the book of the law 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 Then Amaziah gathered Judah together and appointed over them commanders of thousands and captains of 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 that they were three hundred thousand young men, able to go forth to war, that could draw sword and handle shield.⁶ He hired also a hundred thousand mighty men of valour from Israel for a hundred talents of silver.⁷ But there came a prophet of the LORD to him, saying, O king, let not all the army of Israel go with you; for the LORD is not with all Israel, neither with all the house of Ephraim.⁸ You are to engage in a great battle, and the LORD will cause you to fall before your enemies because you have not praised the LORD, for he is the helper and one who exalts.⁹ And Amaziah said to the prophet of the LORD, What folly have I committed in giving the hundred talents to the men of Israel? And the prophet of God said to him, The LORD your God is able to give you much more than this, double what you have given.¹⁰ Then Amaziah separated the men that had come to him from Ephraim, to go home again; wherefore his anger was greatly kindled against Israel. And he sent them back home in his great anger.¹¹ And Amaziah strengthened himself and led forth his people, and went to the valley of salt and slew ten thousand of the men of mount Gebal.¹² And another ten thousand left alive, the children of Judah captured and brought to the top of the rocks, and all of them came bound in chains.¹³ And the valiant men whom Amaziah had carried captive when he went to war, he set over the cities of Judah, and over Samaria, and over the towns of the Gentiles; and they smote three thousand men of the towns and took much spoil.

¹⁴ Now it came to pass after Amaziah was come from slaughter of the Edomites, they brought to him the gods of the men of mount Gebal, and he set them up before him and worshipped before them and burned Incense to them.¹⁵ Therefore the anger of the LORD was kindled against Amaziah, and he sent to him a prophet, who said to him, Why have you prayed before the gods of the Gentiles, which could not deliver their own people out of your hands?¹⁶ And it came to pass, as the prophet conversed with him, he said to him, The worship of wooden idols has been taken up by the kings. Then the prophet withdrew from him, and said to him, Woe to you! for, behold, the LORD has determined to destroy you because you have done this and have not listened to my counsel.

¹⁷ Then Amaziah king of Judah took counsel, and sent to Joash, the son of Jehoahaz, the son of Jehu, king of Israel, saying, Come, let us face each other in battle.¹⁸ But Joash king of Israel sent to Amaziah king of Judah, saying, The thistle that is in Lebanon sent to the cedar that is in Lebanon, saying, Give your daughter to my son to wife; and there passed by a wild beast that was in Lebanon and trampled down the thistle.¹⁹ Surely, because you have defeated the Edomites, your heart has lifted you up to boast; keep your dignity and stay at home; why should you stir up trouble, that you should fall, even you and all Judah with you?²⁰ But Amaziah would not listen; then Joash king of Israel and Amaziah king of Judah went up²¹ And confronted each other in battle, at the town of Beth-shemesh, which is in the border of the land of Judah.²² And Judah was defeated before Israel; and they fled every man to his tent.²³ And Joash the king of Israel captured Amaziah king of Judah in the town of Beth-shemesh, and brought him to Jerusalem, and broke down the wall of Jerusalem from the gate of Ephraim to the corner gate, four hundred cubits.²⁴ And he took all the silver and the gold and all the vessels that were found in the house of God, together with the vessels that were kept by Ober-edom, and the treasures of the kings house and the vessels of the kings house and the vessels of gold, 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, they are written in the Book of the Kings of Judah and Israel.²⁷ Now from the time that Amaziah turned away from following the LORD, his servants 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 his servants brought him upon horses, and buried him with his fathers in the city of David.