(A)Then Amaziah sent messengers to [a]Jehoash, the son of Jehoahaz son of Jehu, king of Israel, saying, “(B)Come, let’s face each other in combat.” But Jehoash king of Israel sent messengers to Amaziah king of Judah, saying, “(C)The thorn bush that was in Lebanon sent word to the cedar that was in Lebanon, saying, ‘Give your daughter to my son [b]in marriage.’ But a wild animal that was in Lebanon passed by and trampled the thorn bush. 10 (D)You have indeed [c]defeated Edom, and (E)your heart [d]is elated. Enjoy the glory and stay home; for why should you get involved in trouble so that you would fall, you and Judah with you?”

11 But Amaziah would not listen. So Jehoash king of Israel went up; and they faced each other, he and Amaziah king of Judah, at (F)Beth-shemesh, which belongs to Judah. 12 And Judah was defeated by Israel, and (G)they fled, every man to his tent. 13 Then Jehoash king of Israel captured Amaziah king of Judah, the son of Jehoash the son of Ahaziah, at Beth-shemesh, and came to Jerusalem and tore down the wall of Jerusalem from (H)the Gate of Ephraim to (I)the Corner Gate, [e]four hundred cubits. 14 And (J)he took all the gold and silver and all the utensils which were found in the house of the Lord, and in the treasuries of the king’s house, the hostages as well, and returned to Samaria.

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Kings 14:8 In Heb Jehoash is another spelling of Joash
  2. 2 Kings 14:9 Lit as a wife
  3. 2 Kings 14:10 Lit struck
  4. 2 Kings 14:10 Lit has lifted you up
  5. 2 Kings 14:13 About 600 ft. or 183 m

One day Amaziah sent messengers with this challenge to Israel’s king Jehoash, the son of Jehoahaz and grandson of Jehu: “Come and meet me in battle!”[a]

But King Jehoash of Israel replied to King Amaziah of Judah with this story: “Out in the Lebanon mountains, a thistle sent a message to a mighty cedar tree: ‘Give your daughter in marriage to my son.’ But just then a wild animal of Lebanon came by and stepped on the thistle, crushing it!

10 “You have indeed defeated Edom, and you are proud of it. But be content with your victory and stay at home! Why stir up trouble that will only bring disaster on you and the people of Judah?”

11 But Amaziah refused to listen, so King Jehoash of Israel mobilized his army against King Amaziah of Judah. The two armies drew up their battle lines at Beth-shemesh in Judah. 12 Judah was routed by the army of Israel, and its army scattered and fled for home. 13 King Jehoash of Israel captured Judah’s king, Amaziah son of Joash and grandson of Ahaziah, at Beth-shemesh. Then he marched to Jerusalem, where he demolished 600 feet[b] of Jerusalem’s wall, from the Ephraim Gate to the Corner Gate. 14 He carried off all the gold and silver and all the articles from the Temple of the Lord. He also seized the treasures from the royal palace, along with hostages, and then returned to Samaria.

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Footnotes

  1. 14:8 Hebrew Come, let us look one another in the face.
  2. 14:13 Hebrew 400 cubits [180 meters].