Jeroboam II

12The other things Joash did are all written down. That includes how strong he was in his war against Amaziah king of Judah. It is in the book of the history of the kings of Israel.

And the rest of the acts of Joash, and all that he did, and his might wherewith he fought against Amaziah king of Judah, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?

13Joash died like the fathers before him, and Jeroboam took his throne. Joash was buried in Samaria with the other kings of Israel.

And Joash slept with his fathers; and Jeroboam sat upon his throne: and Joash was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel.

NoteThis Jeroboam is a new king, the son of Joash. He is not the same Jeroboam from verse 2. Families often gave babies the names of famous people.

23Amaziah son of Joash had been king of Judah for fifteen years. In that year Jeroboam son of Jehoash became king of Israel. He ruled in Samaria for forty-one years.

In the fifteenth year of Amaziah the son of Joash king of Judah Jeroboam the son of Joash king of Israel began to reign in Samaria, and reigned forty and one years.

24He did what was evil to the LORD. He kept on doing the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat. That Jeroboam had led Israel into sin.

And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD: he departed not from all the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin.

NoteThis Jeroboam was a different king, long before. He made two gold calves for people to bow down to.

25Jeroboam won back Israel's land, from Lebo-hamath down to the Sea of the Arabah. This happened just as the LORD, the God of Israel, had said. He had spoken it through his servant Jonah son of Amittai. Jonah was a prophet from Gath-hepher, someone who told people what God said.

He restored the coast of Israel from the entering of Hamath unto the sea of the plain, according to the word of the LORD God of Israel, which he spake by the hand of his servant Jonah, the son of Amittai, the prophet, which was of Gathhepher.

NoteLebo-hamath was far north and the Sea of the Arabah was far south. So Jeroboam won back a lot of land. This is the same Jonah who has his own book in the Bible.

26The LORD saw how much Israel was hurting. Life was very bitter for everyone, slave and free. There was no one to help Israel.

For the LORD saw the affliction of Israel, that it was very bitter: for there was not any shut up, nor any left, nor any helper for Israel.

27The LORD had said he would not wipe Israel's name off the earth. So he rescued them through Jeroboam son of Jehoash.

And the LORD said not that he would blot out the name of Israel from under heaven: but he saved them by the hand of Jeroboam the son of Joash.

NoteTo wipe a name off the earth means to make a people disappear for good. Nobody would remember them.

28The other things Jeroboam did are written down. So is how strong he was, and how he fought his wars. He also took back Damascus and Hamath for Israel. You can read it in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel.

Now the rest of the acts of Jeroboam, and all that he did, and his might, how he warred, and how he recovered Damascus, and Hamath, which belonged to Judah, for Israel, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?

29Jeroboam slept with his fathers, the kings of Israel. His son Zechariah became king after him.

And Jeroboam slept with his fathers, even with the kings of Israel; and Zachariah his son reigned in his stead.

8Azariah had been king of Judah for 38 years. Then Zachariah, son of Jeroboam, became king of Israel. He ruled in the city of Samaria for six months.

In the thirty and eighth year of Azariah king of Judah did Zachariah the son of Jeroboam reign over Israel in Samaria six months.

NoteSamaria was the capital city of Israel, in the north. Jerusalem was the capital city of Judah, in the south.

9He did what was evil in the LORD's eyes, like his fathers had. He kept doing the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat. Jeroboam had led Israel into those sins.

And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, as his fathers had done: he departed not from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin.

NoteJeroboam son of Nebat was Israel's very first king after the split. He made two golden calves for people to bow down to. Every king after him kept those calves. That is what "the sins of Jeroboam" means.

10Shallum son of Jabesh made a secret plan against him. He struck Zachariah down in front of the people and killed him. Then Shallum became king instead.

And Shallum the son of Jabesh conspired against him, and smote him before the people, and slew him, and reigned in his stead.

NoteIsrael's kings were often killed by someone who wanted the throne. Zachariah was king for only six months.

11The other things Zachariah did are written down. They are in the book called the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel.

And the rest of the acts of Zachariah, behold, they are written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel.

12This was what the LORD had told Jehu long before. He said, "Your sons will sit on Israel's throne for four generations." And that is what happened.

This was the word of the LORD which he spake unto Jehu, saying, Thy sons shall sit on the throne of Israel unto the fourth generation. And so it came to pass.

NoteJehu was a king of Israel long before this. God had promised him that his family would rule for four more turns: his son, his grandson, and so on. Zachariah was the last of them.

9The places on the hills where Isaac's family worships will be empty. The holy places of Israel will be knocked down. I will come against King Jeroboam's family with a sword."

And the high places of Isaac shall be desolate, and the sanctuaries of Israel shall be laid waste; and I will rise against the house of Jeroboam with the sword.

NotePeople built places to worship on the tops of hills. The King James calls these "high places." Isaac was a grandfather of all the people of Israel. So "the house of Isaac" means the whole nation. "The house of Jeroboam" means the king and his family.

10Amaziah was the priest at Bethel, a leader who served at the worship place there. He sent a message to Jeroboam, the king of Israel. He said, "Amos is making plans against you right here in Israel. The land cannot put up with everything he says.

Then Amaziah the priest of Bethel sent to Jeroboam king of Israel, saying, Amos hath conspired against thee in the midst of the house of Israel: the land is not able to bear all his words.

NoteBethel was a town in Israel with a famous worship place. The king paid for it, so it mattered a lot. Amaziah was the priest in charge there.

11Here is what Amos has been saying: 'Jeroboam will die by the sword. And Israel will surely be taken away from their own land as prisoners.'"

For thus Amos saith, Jeroboam shall die by the sword, and Israel shall surely be led away captive out of their own land.

NoteBeing taken captive meant enemy soldiers marched people away. They had to leave home and live in a strange country. This happened to whole nations back then.

12Amaziah also said to Amos, "Go away, you seer! Run off to the land of Judah. Earn your bread there. Do your speaking for God there.

Also Amaziah said unto Amos, O thou seer, go, flee thee away into the land of Judah, and there eat bread, and prophesy there:

NoteA seer was another name for a prophet. It means someone who sees what God shows him. Amaziah used the word to make fun of Amos. "Eat bread there" means earn your food there. He was telling Amos to go get paid somewhere else.

13But never speak for God at Bethel again. This is the king's own worship place. This is the temple of the kingdom."

But prophesy not again any more at Bethel: for it is the king’s chapel, and it is the king’s court.

NoteThe King James calls Bethel "the king's chapel." A chapel here means a worship place, not a little church. This one belonged to the king himself.

14Then Amos answered Amaziah. He said, "I was not a prophet, someone trained to speak God's words. My father was not a prophet either. I took care of animals. I also picked figs from sycamore trees.

Then answered Amos, and said to Amaziah, I was no prophet, neither was I a prophet’s son; but I was an herdman, and a gatherer of sycomore fruit:

Note"A prophet's son" did not always mean a real son. Prophets taught young men, and those students were called their sons. Amos was saying he had no training at all. Sycamore figs grow on big trees. Workers had to pinch each fig so it would ripen. It was hot, hard work for little pay.

15But the LORD took me away from following my sheep. The LORD said to me, 'Go and speak my words to my people Israel.'

And the LORD took me as I followed the flock, and the LORD said unto me, Go, prophesy unto my people Israel.

16So now listen to what the LORD says. You tell me, 'Do not speak against Israel. Do not say a word against Isaac's family.'

Now therefore hear thou the word of the LORD: Thou sayest, Prophesy not against Israel, and drop not thy word against the house of Isaac.

17So this is what the LORD says. 'Your wife will become a prostitute in the city. Your sons and daughters will be killed by the sword. Your land will be measured out and split up. And you will die in an unclean land, far from home. Israel will surely be taken away from their own land as prisoners.'

Therefore thus saith the LORD; Thy wife shall be an harlot in the city, and thy sons and thy daughters shall fall by the sword, and thy land shall be divided by line; and thou shalt die in a polluted land: and Israel shall surely go into captivity forth of his land.

NoteA prostitute is a woman men pay to use her body. It was a sad and shameful life. This is what happened to women when an army took a city. A measuring line was a long rope. Winners used it to measure captured land and split it up. "A polluted land" means a foreign country far from home.