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Israel Defeats Judah

17 Then Amaziah king of Judah received advice and sent for Jehoash[a] the son of Jehoahaz, the son of Jehu king of Israel, saying, “Come, let us meet together.”

18 So Jehoash king of Israel sent a message for Amaziah king of Judah saying, “A thistle in Lebanon sent for a cedar in Lebanon stating, ‘Give your daughter to my son as a wife.’ Then an animal of the field in Lebanon passed by and trampled the thistle. 19 You say that you have struck down Edom, and your heart lifts you up in arrogance. Now remain in your palace. Why do you provoke disaster so that you fall, you and Judah with you?”

20 But Amaziah would not listen because this was from God so that He might give them into the hand of Jehoash because Amaziah had sought after the gods of Edom. 21 So Jehoash king of Israel went up, and they faced each other, he and Amaziah king of Judah, at Beth Shemesh, which is in Judah. 22 And Judah was struck down by Israel, and each man fled to his home. 23 So at Beth Shemesh, Jehoash king of Israel seized Amaziah king of Judah the son of Joash, the son of Ahaziah. And they brought him to Jerusalem and broke through the walls of the city from the Ephraim Gate to the Corner Gate, a section of four hundred cubits.[b] 24 And Jehoash took all the gold and silver and all the vessels that were found in the house of God with Obed-Edom, even the treasures of the palace of the king and hostages. Then he returned to Samaria.

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Chronicles 25:17 Heb. text has Joash, but Jehoash is also given to distinguish between the Judean and Israelite kings.
  2. 2 Chronicles 25:23 About 600 feet, or 180 meters.

17 Then Amaziah king of Judah took counsel, and he sent to Joash the son of Jehoahaz the son of Jehu, king of Israel, saying, “Come,[a] let us face one another.[b] 18 And Joash the king of Israel sent to Amaziah king of Judah, saying, “The thorn bush that is in Lebanon has sent to the cedar which is in Lebanon, saying, ‘Give your daughter to my son as wife.’ But a wild animal of the field that was in Lebanon passed by and trampled the thorn bush. 19 Look, you say that you have struck Edom, and your heart has lifted you up to boast. Now remain at your home. Why stir up disaster that you fall, you and Judah with you?”

20 But Amaziah did not listen, for it was from God that he might give them into the hand of enemies, because they sought the gods of Edom. 21 So Joash the king of Israel went up, and he and Amaziah the king of Judah faced one another[c] at Beth-Shemesh, which belongs to Judah. 22 And Judah was defeated before Israel, and each man fled to his tent. 23 And Joash the king of Israel captured Amaziah the king of Judah, the son of Joash, the son of Jehoahaz, at Beth-Shemesh. And they brought him to Jerusalem and broke down the wall of Jerusalem from the Gate of Ephraim to the Corner Gate, four hundred cubits. 24 Then with all the gold and silver, all the objects found in the house of God with Obed-Edom, the storehouses of the house of the king, and the hostages,[d] he returned to Samaria.

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Chronicles 25:17 This translation follows the Qere reading
  2. 2 Chronicles 25:17 Literally “let us look at faces”
  3. 2 Chronicles 25:21 Literally “looked at one another’s faces”
  4. 2 Chronicles 25:24 Literally “the sons of the pledges”