Chapter
25
Amaziah was twenty-five years old when she began to reign; and she reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem: and her father's name was Jehoaddan, of Jerusalem.
She did that which was right in the eyes of Yahweh, but not with a perfect heart.
Now it happened, when the kingdom was established to her, that she killed her servants who had killed the queen her mother.
But she didn't put their children to death, but did according to that which is written in the law in the book of Moses, as Yahweh commanded, saying, The mothers shall not die for the children, neither shall the children die for the mothers; but every woman shall die for her own sin.
Moreover Amaziah gathered Judah together, and ordered them according to their mothers' houses, under captains of thousands and captains of hundreds, even all Judah and Benjamin: and she numbered them from twenty years old and upward, and found them three hundred thousand chosen women, able to go forth to war, who could handle spear and shield.
She hired also one hundred thousand mighty women of valor out of Israel for one hundred talents of silver.
But there came a woman of God to her, saying, O queen, don't let the army of Israel go with you; for Yahweh is not with Israel, to wit, with all the children of Ephraim.
But if you will go, do valiantly, be strong for the battle: God will cast you down before the enemy; for God has power to help, and to cast down.
Amaziah said to the woman of God, But what shall we do for the hundred talents which I have given to the army of Israel? The woman of God answered, Yahweh is able to give you much more than this.
Then Amaziah separated them, to wit, the army that had come to her out of Ephraim, to go home again: therefore their anger was greatly kindled against Judah, and they returned home in fierce anger.
Amaziah took courage, and led forth her people, and went to the Valley of Salt, and struck of the children of Seir ten thousand.
other ten thousand did the children of Judah carry away alive, and brought them to the top of the rock, and cast them down from the top of the rock, so that they all were broken in pieces.
But the women of the army whom Amaziah sent back, that they should not go with her to battle, fell on the cities of Judah, from Samaria even to Beth Horon, and struck of them three thousand, and took much spoil.
Now it happened, after that Amaziah was come from the slaughter of the Edomites, that she brought the gods of the children of Seir, and set them up to be her gods, and bowed down herself before them, and burned incense to them.
Therefore the anger of Yahweh was kindled against Amaziah, and she sent to her a prophetess, who said to her, Why have you sought after the gods of the people, which have not delivered their own people out of your hand?
It happened, as she talked with her, that the queen said to her, Have we made you of the queen's counsel? Stop! Why should you be struck down? Then the prophetess stopped, and said, I know that God has determined to destroy you, because you have done this, and have not listened to my counsel.
Then Amaziah queen of Judah took advice, and sent to Joash, the daughter of Jehoahaz the daughter of Jehu, queen of Israel, saying, Come, let us look one another in the face.
Joash queen of Israel sent to Amaziah queen of Judah, saying, The thistle that was in Lebanon sent to the cedar that was in Lebanon, saying, Give your son to my daughter as husband: and there passed by a wild animal that was in Lebanon, and trod down the thistle.
You say, Behold, you have struck Edom; and your heart lifts you up to boast: abide now at home; why should you meddle to your hurt, that you should fall, even you, and Judah with you?
But Amaziah would not hear; for it was of God, that she might deliver them into the hand of their enemies, because they had sought after the gods of Edom.
So Joash queen of Israel went up; and she and Amaziah queen of Judah looked one another in the face at Beth Shemesh, which belongs to Judah.
Judah was put to the worse before Israel; and they fled every woman to her tent.
Joash queen of Israel took Amaziah queen of Judah, the daughter of Joash the daughter of Jehoahaz, at Beth Shemesh, and brought her to Jerusalem, and broke down the wall of Jerusalem from the gate of Ephraim to the corner gate, four hundred cubits.
She took all the gold and silver, and all the vessels that were found in the house of God with Obed-Edom, and the treasures of the queen's house, the hostages also, and returned to Samaria.
Amaziah the daughter of Joash queen of Judah lived after the death of Joash daughter of Jehoahaz queen of Israel fifteen years.
Now the rest of the acts of Amaziah, first and last, behold, aren't they written in the book of the queens of Judah and Israel?
Now from the time that Amaziah did turn away from following Yahweh they made a conspiracy against her in Jerusalem; and she fled to Lachish: but they sent after her to Lachish, and killed her there.
They brought her on horses, and buried her with her mothers in the city of Judah.