Chapter 25

1 Amaziah beginneth to reign well. 3 He executeth justice on the traitors. 5 Having hired an army of Israelites against the Edomites, at the word of a prophet he loseth the hundred talents, and dismisseth them. 11 He overthroweth the Edomites. 10, 13 The Israelites, discontented with their dismission, spoil as they return home. 14 Amaziah, proud of his victory, seventh the gods of Edom, and victory, serveth the gods of Edom, and despiseth the admonitions of the prophet. 17 He provoketh Joash to his overthrow. 25 His reign. 27 He is slain by conspiracy.

1. Amaziah. This chapter, dealing with the reign of Amaziah, is parallel to 2 Kings 14:1–20. The parallels are particularly close in vs. 1–4, which correspond to 2 Kings 14:2–6; vs. 17–24, which correspond to 2 Kings 14:8–14; and vs. 25–28, which parallel 2 Kings 14:17–20. However, there are a number of important items not found in Kings, particularly in vs. 5–10, 13–16.

2. But not with a perfect heart. “Yet not like David his father: he did according to all things as Joash his father did” (2 Kings 14:3). Of both Joash (2 Chron. 24:2) and Amaziah it is said that they did “that which was right in the sight of the Lord,” but neither of these kings was wholehearted in his service, at least not during his entire reign. Each portrayed outstanding weaknesses and had to pay the penalty for his shortcomings. The failure of Amaziah to remove the high places is not mentioned (cf. 2 Kings 14:4).

5. Gathered Judah together. Verses 5–13 discuss the military strength of the nation and an attack on Edom. For the most part this section is peculiar to Chronicles. In Kings the record of war with Edom constitutes a single verse (2 Kings 14:7).

Silencing Syrian Aggression Under Adad-Nirari

Three hundred thousand. Compare this number with the total under Jehoshaphat (ch. 17:14–18), of probably 580,000 (see on ch. 17:14), and the 580,000 warriors of Asa (ch. 14:8). Undoubtedly the manpower of the nation had greatly declined during the disastrous wars of Jehoram and Joash (see chs. 21:8, 16; 24:23, 24).

6. Hundred thousand. Only a short time before, the army of Israel under Jehoahaz is said to have numbered 50 horsemen and 10,000 infantry (2 Kings 13:7). This number evidently constituted, not the number of men available for war in Israel, but the standing army left after the disastrous war with Syria. The fact that Amaziah was compelled to hire a force to swell the size of his army clearly indicates that 300,000 constituted approximately the available manpower of Judah at this time (v. 5).

7. Go with thee. Numbers alone do not constitute strength. The forces of Judah with God would be far stronger than they would be with the addition of the contingent from Israel without the presence and help of the Lord.

All the children of Ephraim. This is added as an explanation, and shows that the term “Ephraim” is employed as a synonym for the nation of Israel (see Hosea 5:11, 14; 6:4).

8. If thou wilt go. The prophet was saying in effect, “but if you insist on going, thinking that in this way you will be strong, go ahead, employ all your strength, and you will still not succeed.” God’s messenger endeavored to cause Amaziah to realize the folly of depending upon human help without the help of the Lord (see ch. 16:7–9).

Power to help. Some of the greatest defeats that have come to God’s people have resulted from their failure to remember that the Lord has power to help (see Num. 13:31–33; 14:1, 29–33).

9. For the hundred talents. This was a typical human reaction. Amaziah should have thought more of what was right or wrong than of the payment that had been made to the king of Israel, which would now prove to be a complete loss. But even if the men of Israel had accompanied him on the campaign to Edom, Amaziah would have been no better off. One foolish act can never be atoned for by another.

10. Greatly kindled. It could hardly have been otherwise. Amaziah could have told them the true reason for their dismissal, that the Lord was not with Israel (v. 7) and that their presence would bring defeat (v. 8). This, of course, would have angered them. Or, as was probably the case, he did not give a reason. This would lead them to suppose that they had been dismissed because their good faith had been questioned. The result would likewise have been anger on their part.

11. The valley of salt. The valley of salt (see 2 Sam. 8:13; 1 Chron. 18:12) was probably near the Dead Sea (see on 2 Kings 14:7). The record in Kings also states that they took Selah, which means “Rock.” This is probably the famous region of Petra, about 50 miles (80 km.) south of the Dead Sea. “Petra” is the Greek name for “rock.” Selah was probably the site of the Edomite capital at that time.

12. Top of the rock. This was probably some cliff overhanging the town of Petra. Edomite Selah lay on the steep mountain Umm al Biara, the only place where ancient remains of this period have thus far been found. This massacre of the prisoners is not mentioned in Kings, but is quite understandable in view of the savage warfare of those days (see 2 Kings 8:12; Amos 1:11, 13).

13. Samaria even unto Beth-horon. Neither of these places is on the line of march for an army returning from the road to Edom to the country of Israel, for Samaria was the capital of Israel lying 35 mi. north of Jerusalem, and the two Beth-horons lay 10 and 12 mi. northwest of Jerusalem. If the troops had been dismissed before the march to Edom began, the forces of Judah would have been in a position to counter the depredations of the dismissed Israelites. It is possible that after the Israelites had returned to their country they were sent out from King Jehoash in Samaria to institute a raid against Judah, whereupon the incensed soldiers fell upon the inhabitants of the border area around Beth-horon.

14. Brought the gods. This section (vs. 14–16) dealing with Amaziah’s worship of the Edomite gods is not found in Kings. It was common practice to carry off the gods of conquered countries, not necessarily for purposes of worship but as trophies of victory.

To be his gods. Such is the folly and perfidy of man. The Edomite gods had been unable to provide their people help against the attack from Judah, while Jehovah had given Amaziah a great victory over Edom, yet the king bowed himself in worship before these captured Edomite idols.

16. Be smitten. The prophet’s rebuke would result either in humble repentance if the message were accepted, or in anger and bitterness if it were rejected. Amaziah refused to listen to reason or the voice of God, and apparently was on the verge of ordering the prophet put to death.

Determined to destroy. It was revealed to the prophet that Amaziah’s base defection would not be passed by with impunity and that divine judgment had been decreed against him.

17. Took advice. But not with God. Having forsaken the Lord, he turned for counsel to men whose advice was contrary to the divine will and which brought upon him the judgments God had determined. Verses 17–24, dealing with Amaziah’s rash challenge to Jehoash and Amaziah’s disastrous defeat, are parallel to 2 Kings 14:8–14 (see comments there).

Let us see one another. This was a challenge to war.

18. The thistle. See on 2 Kings 14:9 for this parable.

20. Of God. See on ch. 22:8. The king of Judah had judgment decreed against him because of his worship of the gods of Edom (v. 16), and the Lord chose this method of allowing judgment to fall.

21. Beth-shemesh. A town 15 mi. west of Jerusalem (see on 2 Kings 14:11).

23. Took Amaziah. See on 2 Kings 14:13.

24. With Obed-edom. For a Levitical clan by this name see 1 Chron. 26:4, 8, 15.

25. Fifteen years. This is an unusual chronological statement. Nowhere else (except in the parallel passage of 2 Kings 14:17) are we told that a certain king of Israel or Judah lived a certain number of years after the death of some other king. Some have assumed that although the Bible says that Amaziah “lived” after the death of Joash, it does not affirm that he reigned; that it is improbable that Amaziah was released immediately after his capture; that at this time the people of Judah probably placed Uzziah, the 16-year-old son of Amaziah, upon the throne (see on ch. 26:1); that Amaziah was probably not released till after the death of Joash, at which time he may have been allowed to return to his country, to live for 15 years. If this reconstruction is correct, it provides a reasonable explanation for a coregency at this time.

Verses 25–28, dealing with the close of the reign of Amaziah, are parallel to 2 Kings 14:17–20.

27. After the time. Or, “from the time.” The LXX and the Old Latin versions support the reading, “in the time.” No precise time can be fixed by the Hebrew preposition min, here translated “after,” since it may denote any time after the beginning of the apostasy (see Gen. 4:3; Hosea 6:2; Judges 11:4; Isa. 24:22). Some assume that Amaziah turned away from the Lord (2 Chron 25:14–16) upon the occasion of his worship of the gods captured in the Edomite campaign; that it was at that time he sent his rash challenge to Joash and engaged in the foolhardy war that brought a disastrous defeat to his nation and resulted in his own capture (vs. 17–23); that it was at that time that there was formed against him the conspiracy which placed his 16-year-old son, Uzziah, upon the throne. Hence the brief record would appear to mean that his death followed almost immediately upon the beginning of the conspiracy; yet the time statement in v. 25 and the opening clause of v. 27 have led some to believe that his flight to Lachish, where he was slain, did not take place till 15 years after the death of Joash, hence even more than 15 years after the conspiracy began. However, that the conspiracy began this early cannot be definitely established from available information.