(A)Then Amaziah sent messengers to Jehoash[a] the son of Jehoahaz, son of Jehu, king of Israel, saying, “Come, (B)let us look one another in the face.” And Jehoash king of Israel sent word to Amaziah king of Judah, (C)“A thistle on Lebanon sent to a cedar on Lebanon, saying, ‘Give your daughter to my son for a wife,’ and a wild beast of Lebanon passed by and trampled down the thistle. 10 You have indeed (D)struck down Edom, (E)and your heart has lifted you up. Be content with your glory, and stay at home, for why should you provoke trouble so that you fall, you and Judah with you?”

11 But Amaziah would not listen. So Jehoash king of Israel went up, and he and Amaziah king of Judah (F)faced one another in battle at (G)Beth-shemesh, which belongs to Judah. 12 And Judah was defeated by Israel, (H)and every man fled to his home. 13 And Jehoash king of Israel captured Amaziah king of Judah, the son of Jehoash, son of Ahaziah, at Beth-shemesh, and came to Jerusalem and broke down the wall of Jerusalem for four hundred cubits,[b] from (I)the Ephraim Gate to (J)the Corner Gate. 14 And he seized (K)all the gold and silver, and all the vessels that were found in the house of the Lord and in the treasuries of the king's house, also hostages, and he returned to Samaria.

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Kings 14:8 Jehoash is an alternate spelling of Joash (son of Jehoahaz) as in 13:9, 12–14; also verses 9, 11–16
  2. 2 Kings 14:13 A cubit was about 18 inches or 45 centimeters

Amaziah then sent messengers to Jehoash son of Jehoahaz, son of Jehu, king of Israel, and challenged him: “Come, let’s meet face to face.”(A)

King Jehoash of Israel sent word to King Amaziah of Judah, saying, “The thistle in Lebanon once sent a message to the cedar(B) in Lebanon,(C) saying, ‘Give your daughter to my son as a wife.’ Then a wild animal in Lebanon passed by and trampled the thistle. 10 You have indeed defeated Edom, and you have become overconfident.[a](D) Enjoy your glory and stay at home. Why should you stir up such trouble that you fall—you and Judah with you?”

11 But Amaziah would not listen, so King Jehoash of Israel advanced. He and King Amaziah of Judah met face to face at Beth-shemesh(E) that belonged to Judah. 12 Judah was routed before Israel, and each man fled to his own tent.(F) 13 King Jehoash of Israel captured Judah’s King Amaziah son of Joash,[b] son of Ahaziah, at Beth-shemesh. Then Jehoash went to Jerusalem and broke down two hundred yards[c] of Jerusalem’s wall from the Ephraim Gate(G) to the Corner Gate.(H) 14 He took all the gold and silver, all the articles found in the Lord’s temple and in the treasuries of the king’s palace, and some hostages.(I) Then he returned to Samaria.

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Footnotes

  1. 14:10 Lit and your heart has lifted you
  2. 14:13 Lit Jehoash
  3. 14:13 Lit 400 cubits