Amaziah

1In the second year of Joash son of Jehoahaz king of Israel reigned Amaziah the son of Joash king of Judah.

Jehoash son of Jehoahaz had ruled Israel for two years. In that year Amaziah son of Joash became king of Judah.

2He was twenty and five years old when he began to reign, and reigned twenty and nine years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Jehoaddan of Jerusalem.

Amaziah was twenty-five years old when he became king. He ruled in Jerusalem for twenty-nine years. His mother was Jehoaddan, from Jerusalem.

3And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, yet not like David his father: he did according to all things as Joash his father did.

He did what was right to the LORD. But he was not as good as David, his ancestor. He did what his father Joash had done.

4Howbeit the high places were not taken away: as yet the people did sacrifice and burnt incense on the high places.

But the high places were not taken down. People kept giving offerings and burning incense there.

5And it came to pass, as soon as the kingdom was confirmed in his hand, that he slew his servants which had slain the king his father.

As soon as Amaziah was safely in charge, he acted. He put to death the servants who had killed his father the king.

6But the children of the murderers he slew not: according unto that which is written in the book of the law of Moses, wherein the LORD commanded, saying, The fathers shall not be put to death for the children, nor the children be put to death for the fathers; but every man shall be put to death for his own sin.

But he did not kill the sons of those murderers. He obeyed the book of the law of Moses. There the LORD said this: fathers must not be put to death for their children. Children must not be put to death for their fathers. Each person dies for his own sin.

7He slew of Edom in the valley of salt ten thousand, and took Selah by war, and called the name of it Joktheel unto this day.

Amaziah killed ten thousand men of Edom in the Valley of Salt. He also took the city of Sela in battle. He named it Joktheel, and it still has that name.

8Then Amaziah sent messengers to Jehoash, the son of Jehoahaz son of Jehu, king of Israel, saying, Come, let us look one another in the face.

Then Amaziah sent messengers to Jehoash, the king of Israel. Jehoash was the son of Jehoahaz, the son of Jehu. Amaziah said, "Come, let us look each other in the face."

9And Jehoash the king of Israel sent to Amaziah king of Judah, saying, The thistle that was in Lebanon sent to the cedar that was in Lebanon, saying, Give thy daughter to my son to wife: and there passed by a wild beast that was in Lebanon, and trode down the thistle.

Jehoash king of Israel sent this answer to Amaziah king of Judah. "A small prickly thistle in Lebanon sent word to a tall cedar tree. It said, 'Give your daughter to my son to marry.' Then a wild animal came by and trampled the thistle flat.

10Thou hast indeed smitten Edom, and thine heart hath lifted thee up: glory of this, and tarry at home: for why shouldest thou meddle to thy hurt, that thou shouldest fall, even thou, and Judah with thee?

"You really did beat Edom, and now you feel proud. Be glad about that and stay home. Why start trouble that will hurt you? You will fall, and Judah will fall with you."

11But Amaziah would not hear. Therefore Jehoash king of Israel went up; and he and Amaziah king of Judah looked one another in the face at Bethshemesh, which belongeth to Judah.

But Amaziah would not listen. So Jehoash king of Israel marched out. The two kings faced each other at Beth-shemesh, a town in Judah.

12And Judah was put to the worse before Israel; and they fled every man to their tents.

Judah lost the battle to Israel. Every man of Judah ran away home.

13And Jehoash king of Israel took Amaziah king of Judah, the son of Jehoash the son of Ahaziah, at Bethshemesh, and came to Jerusalem, and brake down the wall of Jerusalem from the gate of Ephraim unto the corner gate, four hundred cubits.

At Beth-shemesh, Jehoash king of Israel captured Amaziah king of Judah. Amaziah was the son of Joash, the son of Ahaziah. Then Jehoash went to Jerusalem. He broke down four hundred cubits of the city wall. That was the part from the Ephraim Gate to the Corner Gate.

14And he took all the gold and silver, and all the vessels that were found in the house of the LORD, and in the treasures of the king’s house, and hostages, and returned to Samaria.

He took all the gold and silver. He took all the dishes and tools in the LORD's house. He took the riches in the king's palace too. He also took some people away as hostages. Then he went back to Samaria.

15Now the rest of the acts of Jehoash which he did, and his might, and how he fought with Amaziah king of Judah, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?

The other things Jehoash did, and how strong he was, are written down. So is his war with Amaziah king of Judah. You can read it in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel.

16And Jehoash slept with his fathers, and was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel; and Jeroboam his son reigned in his stead.

Jehoash slept with his fathers. He was buried in Samaria with the other kings of Israel. His son Jeroboam became king after him.

17And Amaziah the son of Joash king of Judah lived after the death of Jehoash son of Jehoahaz king of Israel fifteen years.

Amaziah son of Joash, king of Judah, lived fifteen more years. That was after Jehoash son of Jehoahaz, king of Israel, died.

18And the rest of the acts of Amaziah, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?

The other things Amaziah did are written down. You can read them in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah.

19Now they made a conspiracy against him in Jerusalem: and he fled to Lachish; but they sent after him to Lachish, and slew him there.

Some men in Jerusalem made a secret plan against him. Amaziah ran away to the town of Lachish. But they sent men after him and killed him there.

20And they brought him on horses: and he was buried at Jerusalem with his fathers in the city of David.

They carried his body back on horses. He was buried in Jerusalem with his family, in the City of David.

21And all the people of Judah took Azariah, which was sixteen years old, and made him king instead of his father Amaziah.

Then all the people of Judah took Azariah, who was sixteen years old. They made him king in place of his father Amaziah.

22He built Elath, and restored it to Judah, after that the king slept with his fathers.

Azariah rebuilt the town of Elath and made it part of Judah again. He did this after his father the king died.

1Amaziah was twenty and five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned twenty and nine years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Jehoaddan of Jerusalem.

Amaziah was twenty-five years old when he became king. He ruled for twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. His mother was named Jehoaddan, and she was from Jerusalem.

2And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, but not with a perfect heart.

He did what was right in the eyes of the LORD. But he did not do it with his whole heart.

3Now it came to pass, when the kingdom was established to him, that he slew his servants that had killed the king his father.

Once his rule was strong and safe, he put to death the servants who had killed his father the king.

4But he slew not their children, but did as it is written in the law in the book of Moses, where the LORD commanded, saying, The fathers shall not die for the children, neither shall the children die for the fathers, but every man shall die for his own sin.

But he did not kill their children. He obeyed the law written in the book of Moses. There the LORD said this: parents must not be put to death for what their children did. Children must not be put to death for what their parents did. Each person must die for his own sin.

5Moreover Amaziah gathered Judah together, and made them captains over thousands, and captains over hundreds, according to the houses of their fathers, throughout all Judah and Benjamin: and he numbered them from twenty years old and above, and found them three hundred thousand choice men, able to go forth to war, that could handle spear and shield.

Amaziah called the men of Judah together. He put leaders over groups of a thousand and groups of a hundred. He sorted the men by their families. He counted every man twenty years old and older in Judah and Benjamin. He found 300,000 strong men ready for war. They knew how to use a spear and a shield.

6He hired also an hundred thousand mighty men of valour out of Israel for an hundred talents of silver.

He also hired 100,000 brave fighters from Israel. He paid them a hundred talents of silver.

7But there came a man of God to him, saying, O king, let not the army of Israel go with thee; for the LORD is not with Israel, to wit, with all the children of Ephraim.

But a man of God came to him. He said, "King, do not let Israel's army go with you. The LORD is not with Israel. He is not with any of the people of Ephraim."

8But if thou wilt go, do it, be strong for the battle: God shall make thee fall before the enemy: for God hath power to help, and to cast down.

"Even if you go and fight bravely, God will make you fall before your enemy. God has power to help, and power to bring down."

9And Amaziah said to the man of God, But what shall we do for the hundred talents which I have given to the army of Israel? And the man of God answered, The LORD is able to give thee much more than this.

Amaziah asked the man of God, "But what about the hundred talents I paid Israel's army?" The man of God answered, "The LORD can give you much more than that."

10Then Amaziah separated them, to wit, the army that was come to him out of Ephraim, to go home again: wherefore their anger was greatly kindled against Judah, and they returned home in great anger.

So Amaziah sent the soldiers from Ephraim back home again. They were very angry at Judah. They went home burning with anger.

11And Amaziah strengthened himself, and led forth his people, and went to the valley of salt, and smote of the children of Seir ten thousand.

Amaziah gathered his strength and led his own men out. They went to the Valley of Salt. There he struck down ten thousand men of Seir.

12And other ten thousand left alive did the children of Judah carry away captive, and brought them unto the top of the rock, and cast them down from the top of the rock, that they all were broken in pieces.

Judah's army also caught ten thousand men alive. They took them to the top of a high rock. They threw them down, and all of them were broken to pieces.

13But the soldiers of the army which Amaziah sent back, that they should not go with him to battle, fell upon the cities of Judah, from Samaria even unto Bethhoron, and smote three thousand of them, and took much spoil.

Meanwhile the soldiers Amaziah had sent home attacked towns in Judah. They went from Samaria all the way to Beth-horon. They killed three thousand people and carried off many goods.

14Now it came to pass, after that Amaziah was come from the slaughter of the Edomites, that he brought the gods of the children of Seir, and set them up to be his gods, and bowed down himself before them, and burned incense unto them.

Amaziah came home from beating the people of Edom. He brought back the gods of the people of Seir. He set them up as his own gods. He bowed down to them and burned sweet-smelling smoke for them.

15Wherefore the anger of the LORD was kindled against Amaziah, and he sent unto him a prophet, which said unto him, Why hast thou sought after the gods of the people, which could not deliver their own people out of thine hand?

So the LORD grew angry with Amaziah. He sent him a prophet, a person who spoke God's words to others. The prophet asked, "Why do you turn to these gods? They could not even save their own people from you."

16And it came to pass, as he talked with him, that the king said unto him, Art thou made of the king’s counsel? forbear; why shouldest thou be smitten? Then the prophet forbare, and said, I know that God hath determined to destroy thee, because thou hast done this, and hast not hearkened unto my counsel.

While the prophet was still speaking, the king cut in. He said, "Did we make you the king's advisor? Stop! Do you want to be struck down?" So the prophet stopped. But he said, "I know God has decided to destroy you. You did this, and you did not listen to my advice."

17Then Amaziah king of Judah took advice, and sent to Joash, the son of Jehoahaz, the son of Jehu, king of Israel, saying, Come, let us see one another in the face.

Then Amaziah king of Judah talked it over with his advisors. He sent a message to Joash king of Israel, son of Jehoahaz, son of Jehu. The message said, "Come, let us meet face to face."

18And Joash king of Israel sent to Amaziah king of Judah, saying, The thistle that was in Lebanon sent to the cedar that was in Lebanon, saying, Give thy daughter to my son to wife: and there passed by a wild beast that was in Lebanon, and trode down the thistle.

Joash king of Israel sent an answer to Amaziah king of Judah. He said, "A thistle in Lebanon sent a message to a cedar tree in Lebanon. The thistle said, 'Give your daughter to my son to marry.' Then a wild animal in Lebanon walked by and stepped on the thistle."

19Thou sayest, Lo, thou hast smitten the Edomites; and thine heart lifteth thee up to boast: abide now at home; why shouldest thou meddle to thine hurt, that thou shouldest fall, even thou, and Judah with thee?

"You say you have beaten Edom. Now your heart is proud, and you like to boast. Stay home. Why stir up trouble that will hurt you? You will fall, and Judah will fall with you."

20But Amaziah would not hear; for it came of God, that he might deliver them into the hand of their enemies, because they sought after the gods of Edom.

But Amaziah would not listen. This came from God. God would hand Judah over to their enemies, because they had turned to the gods of Edom.

21So Joash the king of Israel went up; and they saw one another in the face, both he and Amaziah king of Judah, at Bethshemesh, which belongeth to Judah.

So Joash king of Israel marched out. He and Amaziah king of Judah met face to face. They met at Beth-shemesh, a town that belonged to Judah.

22And Judah was put to the worse before Israel, and they fled every man to his tent.

Judah lost the battle to Israel. Every man ran away to his own home.

23And Joash the king of Israel took Amaziah king of Judah, the son of Joash, the son of Jehoahaz, at Bethshemesh, and brought him to Jerusalem, and brake down the wall of Jerusalem from the gate of Ephraim to the corner gate, four hundred cubits.

At Beth-shemesh, Joash king of Israel captured Amaziah king of Judah, son of Joash, son of Jehoahaz. Joash brought him to Jerusalem. He broke down the city wall from the Ephraim Gate to the Corner Gate. That part of the wall was four hundred cubits long.

24And he took all the gold and the silver, and all the vessels that were found in the house of God with Obededom, and the treasures of the king’s house, the hostages also, and returned to Samaria.

He took all the gold and silver. He took all the dishes and tools kept in God's house with Obed-edom. He took the riches from the king's palace, and he took people as hostages. Then he went back to Samaria.

25And Amaziah the son of Joash king of Judah lived after the death of Joash son of Jehoahaz king of Israel fifteen years.

Amaziah son of Joash, king of Judah, lived fifteen more years. That was after Joash son of Jehoahaz, king of Israel, died.

26Now the rest of the acts of Amaziah, first and last, behold, are they not written in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel?

The rest of the things Amaziah did, from start to finish, are written down. You can find them in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel.

27Now after the time that Amaziah did turn away from following the LORD they made a conspiracy against him in Jerusalem; and he fled to Lachish: but they sent to Lachish after him, and slew him there.

From the time Amaziah turned away from the LORD, people in Jerusalem made a secret plan against him. He ran away to the town of Lachish. But they sent men after him to Lachish, and they killed him there.

28And they brought him upon horses, and buried him with his fathers in the city of Judah.

They brought his body back on horses. They buried him with his family in the city of Judah.