⁸ Amaziah sent messengers to Jehoash son of Jehoahaz, the son of Jehu, king of Israel. They said, “Come, let’s meet face to face [^Ceither a call for negotiations or a challenge to battle, but taken by Jehoash as the latter].”

⁹ Then Jehoash king of Israel answered Amaziah king of Judah, “A thornbush in Lebanon sent a message to a cedar tree in Lebanon. It said, ‘Let your daughter marry my son.’ But then a wild ·animal [beast] from Lebanon came by, ·walking [trampling] on and crushing the thornbush. ¹⁰ You have defeated Edom, ·but [and now] you have become ·proud [arrogant]. Stay at home and ·brag [or enjoy your victory/glory]. Don’t ·ask for [stir up] trouble, or you and Judah will ·be defeated [fall].”

¹¹ But Amaziah would not listen, so Jehoash king of Israel went ·to attack [^Lup]. He and Amaziah king of Judah faced each other in battle at Beth Shemesh in Judah. ¹² Israel ·defeated [routed] Judah, and every man of Judah ·ran away [fled] to his ·home [^Ltent]. ¹³ At Beth Shemesh Jehoash king of Israel captured Amaziah king of Judah. (Amaziah was the son of Joash, who was the son of Ahaziah.) Jehoash went up to Jerusalem and ·broke down [demolished] the wall of Jerusalem from the Gate of Ephraim to the Corner Gate, which was about ·six hundred feet [^Lfour hundred cubits]. ¹⁴ He took all the gold and silver and all the utensils found in the ·Temple [^Lhouse] of the Lord, and he took the treasuries of the ·palace [^Lking’s house] and some hostages. Then he returned to Samaria.