Amaziah King of Judah

2022-05-24

Amaziah, the son of Jehoash, became king of Judah. The first part of his life was characterized by serving the Lord. He followed the Law; the example given is that he punished those who killed his father, but not their families: “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” (2 Chronicles 25:4; cf. 2 Kings 14:6).

Amaziah went to war against Edom, hiring Ephraimite mercenaries to help him. A prophet of the Lord told him that the Lord was not with them, so the king obeyed and dismissed them. Judah defeated Edom and Selah. At Edom, they killed many, and threw some of the survivors off a cliff.

Second Kings misses some of the details that 2 Chronicles covers. Amaziah’s cruelty was not the only sin he committed in Edom. He also brought back Edomite gods and served them. A prophet challenged the king as to why he would turn to false gods that could not save in battle. Amaziah rejected the prophet.

Amaziah discovered that the mercenaries he dismissed killed thousands and spoiled towns on their way home. Amaziah decided to challenge the king of Israel to war. Judah lost, and Joash king of Israel broke down part of the wall in Jerusalem. Israel also took away treasures from the Temple and the king’s house. Later, like his father, he was assassinated.

It is sad to see someone who was so devoted to the Lord turn away and do great evil. Turning from the Creator God to a false god is to turn to something far inferior. Why pursue things that cannot save you?

This is a part of the Kings of Judah series. To go back to the table of contents, proceed here.