Israel Defeats Judah^(A)

¹⁷ After this, King Amaziah of Judah sought some advice and then challenged Jehoahaz’ son King Joash of Israel, the grandson of Jehu, telling him, “Come out and let’s fight each other!”

¹⁸ But King Joash of Israel replied to King Amaziah of Judah, “There once was a thorn bush in Lebanon that sent an invitation to the cedar of Lebanon that read ‘Give your daughter to my son in marriage.’ Right about then, a wild animal in Lebanon passed by and trampled the thorn bush. ¹⁹ You claim you’ve defeated Edom, but you’re really only puffed up with arrogant boasting. So stay home. Why stir up trouble so you die, and the rest of Judah with you?”

²⁰ But Amaziah refused to listen, because the situation was being orchestrated by God in order to turn them over to the control of their enemies because they had pursued those Edomite gods. ²¹ So King Joash of Israel went out to battle against King Amaziah of Judah, and they fought at Beth-shemesh, which is part of Judah’s territory. ²² Judah was defeated by Israel, and every soldier ran home. ²³ King Joash of Israel captured Joash’s son King Amaziah of Judah, the grandson of Ahaziah, at Beth-shemesh and brought him back to Jerusalem, where he broke down 400 cubits^[a] of the wall of Jerusalem from the Ephraim Gate to the Corner Gate. ²⁴ He confiscated all the gold, silver, and utensils that he could find in the care of Obed-edom inside of God’s Temple and inside the royal palace. Then he took some hostages and returned to Samaria.