History · Chapter 25 of 36

2 Chronicles 25

Amaziah does right, but not with a whole heart. He hires Israelite mercenaries, then dismisses them at a prophet's word, trusting God for the loss. He defeats Edom, but foolishly adopts their gods and burns incense to them. Warned by a prophet he rejects, he provokes a war with Israel, is defeated, and Jerusalem is plundered. Later conspirators kill him.

What happens in 2 Chronicles 25

Amaziah reigns rightly but not with a perfect heart. He executes his father's assassins yet spares their children, obeying the law that each dies for his own sin. Mustering Judah, he also hires a hundred thousand fighters from Israel, but a man of God warns that God is not with Israel; if he goes with them, he will fall. Told he will lose the hundred talents already paid, Amaziah hears that the LORD can give far more, and he sends the mercenaries home, though they leave enraged.

He defeats the Edomites in the valley of salt, but then brings back their gods, sets them up, and worships them. When a prophet rebukes this folly, Amaziah threatens him into silence. Emboldened, he challenges Joash of Israel, who warns him with a fable to stay home. Amaziah persists; God delivers him to defeat at Beth-shemesh. Joash breaks Jerusalem's wall and plunders the temple. Years later, conspirators kill Amaziah at Lachish.

2 Chronicles 25 in context

Amaziah embodies the divided heart the Chronicler often exposes: outwardly right, inwardly compromised. His story tests obedience at several points, and he passes some tests and fails others. The absurd idolatry after defeating Edom, worshiping gods that could not save their own people, highlights the irrationality of sin.

His downfall shows how pride, unchecked by a whole heart, leads a promising king to ruin and eventual assassination.

Main themes of 2 Chronicles 25

2 Chronicles 25 (KJV)

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. 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. 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 Bethhoron, 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. 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 Bethshemesh, 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 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. 24And 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. 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.

Verses to carry from 2 Chronicles 25

“And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, but not with a perfect heart.”2 Chronicles 25:2

“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.”2 Chronicles 25:9

“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.”2 Chronicles 25:14

Reflection

Amaziah did right, but not with a whole heart, and the reservation undid him. Where do you obey God only when it is convenient? Notice the point where pride or fear makes you resist correction. Ask for an undivided heart, and trust that God can more than repay whatever obedience costs you.

A prayer from 2 Chronicles 25