2 Chron 25 – Study

For those who may wish to ‘study’ this chapter, the following simple resources are provided for you. Each passage has a four-Part approach to help you take in and think further about what you have read.

Passage: 2 Chron 25:1-28

1 Amaziah was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem for twenty-nine years. His mother’s name was Jehoaddan; she was from Jerusalem. 2 He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, but not wholeheartedly. 3 After the kingdom was firmly in his control, he executed the officials who had murdered his father the king. 4 Yet he did not put their children to death, but acted in accordance with what is written in the Law, in the Book of Moses, where the Lord commanded: ‘Parents shall not be put to death for their children, nor children be put to death for their parents; each will die for their own sin.’

5 Amaziah called the people of Judah together and assigned them according to their families to commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds for all Judah and Benjamin. He then mustered those twenty years old or more and found that there were three hundred thousand men fit for military service, able to handle the spear and shield. 6 He also hired a hundred thousand fighting men from Israel for a hundred talents of silver.

7 But a man of God came to him and said, ‘Your Majesty, these troops from Israel must not march with you, for the Lord is not with Israel – not with any of the people of Ephraim. 8 Even if you go and fight courageously in battle, God will overthrow you before the enemy, for God has the power to help or to overthrow.’

9 Amaziah asked the man of God, ‘But what about the hundred talents I paid for these Israelite troops?’

The man of God replied, ‘The Lord can give you much more than that.’

10 So Amaziah dismissed the troops who had come to him from Ephraim and sent them home. They were furious with Judah and left for home in a great rage.

11 Amaziah then marshalled his strength and led his army to the Valley of Salt, where he killed ten thousand men of Seir. 12 The army of Judah also captured ten thousand men alive, took them to the top of a cliff and threw them down so that all were dashed to pieces.

13 Meanwhile the troops that Amaziah had sent back and had not allowed to take part in the war raided towns belonging to Judah from Samaria to Beth Horon. They killed three thousand people and carried off great quantities of plunder.

14 When Amaziah returned from slaughtering the Edomites, he brought back the gods of the people of Seir. He set them up as his own gods, bowed down to them and burned sacrifices to them. 15 The anger of the Lord burned against Amaziah, and he sent a prophet to him, who said, ‘Why do you consult this people’s gods, which could not save their own people from your hand?’

16 While he was still speaking, the king said to him, ‘Have we appointed you an advisor to the king? Stop! Why be struck down?’

So the prophet stopped but said, ‘I know that God has determined to destroy you, because you have done this and have not listened to my counsel.’

17 After Amaziah king of Judah consulted his advisors, he sent this challenge to Jehoash son of Jehoahaz, the son of Jehu, king of Israel: ‘Come, let us face each other in battle.’

18 But Jehoash king of Israel replied to Amaziah king of Judah, ‘A thistle in Lebanon sent a message to a cedar in Lebanon, “Give your daughter to my son in marriage.” Then a wild beast in Lebanon came along and trampled the thistle underfoot. 19 You say to yourself that you have defeated Edom, and now you are arrogant and proud. But stay at home! Why ask for trouble and cause your own downfall and that of Judah also?’

20 Amaziah, however, would not listen, for God so worked that he might deliver them into the hands of Jehoash, because they sought the gods of Edom. 21 So Jehoash king of Israel attacked. He and Amaziah king of Judah faced each other at Beth Shemesh in Judah. 22 Judah was routed by Israel, and every man fled to his home. 23 Jehoash king of Israel captured Amaziah king of Judah, the son of Joash, the son of Ahaziah, at Beth Shemesh. Then Jehoash brought him to Jerusalem and broke down the wall of Jerusalem from the Ephraim Gate to the Corner Gate – a section about four hundred cubits[s] long. 24 He took all the gold and silver and all the articles found in the temple of God that had been in the care of Obed-Edom, together with the palace treasures and the hostages, and returned to Samaria.

25 Amaziah son of Joash king of Judah lived for fifteen years after the death of Jehoash son of Jehoahaz king of Israel. 26 As for the other events of Amaziah’s reign, from beginning to end, are they not written in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel? 27 From the time that Amaziah turned away from following the Lord, they conspired against him in Jerusalem and he fled to Lachish, but they sent men after him to Lachish and killed him there. 28 He was brought back by horse and was buried with his ancestors in the City of Judah.

A. Find Out:

1. How was Amaziah described and what did he first do? v.1-6
2. How did God correct him? v.7-10
3. What did he go on to do? v.11-14
4. How did the Lord correct him? v.15-16
5. What did he go on to do and with what result? v.17-24
6. What happened in the end? v.25-28

B. Think:

1. How does verse 2 summarise what follows?
2. How was God gracious to him?
3. Yet how did he fail to respond?

C. Comment:

      It’s difficult to know whether Amaziah was insecure or a proud person, of whether one thing was a cover for the other. Most of the record is taken up with two battles and the circumstances surrounding them. He seemed intent on battle.

      The first one was against the Edomites from the south. The location is uncertain. He is chided by a man of God for using troops from Israel and not relying on the Lord, and then has to be chided by another prophet for taking idols from the defeated army. He listens to the first correction but not the second one.

      Having defeated the Edomite forces he obviously thinks he can vanquish anyone and so decides to take on Israel , the bigger neighbour to the north. Israel initially declined the challenge but this king is intent on battle. He doesn’t realise that he is being provoked into this folly to bring the might of Israel upon them in discipline. That is the outcome and Israel actually come and plunder Jerusalem. Surprisingly Amaziah survives but his life is now constantly under threat and eventually he is murdered. He is a marked man, a man who has gone against the counsel of God and therefore all the protection and blessing of the Lord is removed. God will not tolerate wilful folly of His chosen people who are supposed to represent Him. It’s a sad story.

D. Application:

1. Half-heartedness leads us to do silly things.
2. Wholeheartedly seeking the Lord is the only means of security.