Amaziah’s War with Israel’s King Jehoash

17 King Amaziah of Judah took counsel(A) and sent word to Jehoash[a] son of Jehoahaz, son of Jehu, king of Israel, and challenged him: “Come, let’s meet face to face.”

18 King Jehoash of Israel sent word to King Amaziah of Judah, saying, “The thistle in Lebanon sent a message to the cedar in Lebanon, saying, ‘Give your daughter to my son as a wife.’ Then a wild animal in Lebanon passed by and trampled the thistle.(B) 19 You have said, ‘Look, I[b] have defeated Edom,’ and you have become overconfident[c](C) that you will get glory. Now stay at home. Why stir up such trouble so that you fall and Judah with you?”

20 But Amaziah would not listen, for this turn of events was from God in order to hand them over to their enemies because they went after the gods of Edom. 21 So King Jehoash of Israel advanced. He and King Amaziah of Judah met face to face at Beth-shemesh that belonged to Judah. 22 Judah was routed before Israel, and each man fled to his own tent. 23 King Jehoash of Israel captured Judah’s King Amaziah son of Joash, son of Jehoahaz,[d](D) at Beth-shemesh. Then Jehoash took him to Jerusalem and broke down two hundred yards[e] of Jerusalem’s wall from the Ephraim Gate to the Corner Gate.[f](E) 24 He took all the gold, silver, all the utensils that were found with Obed-edom(F) in God’s temple, the treasures of the king’s palace, and the hostages. Then he returned to Samaria.

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Footnotes

  1. 25:17 Lit Joash
  2. 25:19 Some LXX mss, Old Lat, Tg, Vg; MT reads you
  3. 25:19 Lit and your heart has lifted you
  4. 25:23 = Ahaziah in 2Kg 14:13
  5. 25:23 Lit 400 cubits
  6. 25:23 Some Hb mss; other Hb mss read to Happoneh

17 After Judah’s King Amaziah consulted with his advisors, he sent a challenge to Israel’s King Joash, Jehoahaz’s son and Jehu’s grandson. “Come on,” he said, “let’s go head-to-head!”

18 Israel’s King Joash sent the following reply to Judah’s King Amaziah: “Once upon a time, a thistle in Lebanon sent a message to a cedar: ‘Give your daughter to my son as a wife.’ But then a wild beast in Lebanon came along and trampled the thistle. 19 Do you think that because you’ve defeated Edom, you can arrogantly seek even more? Stay home! Why invite disaster when both you and Judah will fall?” 20 But Amaziah wouldn’t listen, because God intended to use this to destroy them since they had sought Edom’s gods. 21 So Israel’s King Joash moved against Judah’s King Amaziah and went head-to-head in battle at Beth-shemesh in Judah. 22 Judah was defeated by Israel, and everyone ran home. 23 At Beth-shemesh, Israel’s King Joash captured Judah’s King Amaziah, Jehoash’s[a] son and Ahaziah’s[b] grandson. Joash brought him to Jerusalem and broke down six hundred feet of the Jerusalem wall from the Ephraim Gate to the Corner Gate. 24 Joash took[c] all the gold and silver, and all the objects he could find in God’s temple in the care of Obed-edom, and in the treasuries of the palace, along with some hostages. Then he returned to Samaria.

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Chronicles 25:23 Or Joash (see also 25:25); the king's name is variously spelled in either long Jehoash or short Joash form in 2 Kgs.
  2. 2 Chronicles 25:23 See 2 Kgs 14:13; MT Jehoahaz.
  3. 2 Chronicles 25:24 See 2 Kgs 14:14; Heb omits took.