Verses 1-28

5. Decline and Apostasy under Amaziah, Uzziah, Jotham and Ahaz

CHAPTER 25 The Reign of Amaziah

1. The record of Amaziah’s reign (2 Chronicles 25:1-4)

2. The war against Edom (2 Chronicles 25:5-13)

3. His idolatry and the divine rebuke (2 Chronicles 25:14-16)

4. The war between Judah and Israel (2 Chronicles 25:17-25)

5. The death of Amaziah (2 Chronicles 25:26-28)

Joash’s son Amaziah (strength of the Lord) took up the government in Judah when he was twenty-five years old. His mother’s name, Jehoaddan, means “Jehovah is pleased.” Perhaps it was through her influence, as her name indicates godliness, that her son began the reign well. He did that which was right in the sight of the LORD. But the Lord, who looks deeper and knows the heart of man, knew that it was “not with a perfect heart.” He dealt out justice to the murderers of his father, and also adhered closely to the law of God. In the account in 2 Kings 14 but a passing statement is given on the war with Edom. The details are recorded in the present chapter. He gathered a large army and hired 100,000 mighty men of the kingdom of Israel. It was a hasty deed and showed that Amaziah was not acting in faith. A man of God appeared next and warned him to have nothing to do with the 100,000 hirelings, “for the LORD is not with Israel.” This is a good test still in all undertakings. Every believer should ask before he enters upon anything: Can the Lord approve of it? Is the Lord with it? But Amaziah had already paid the hundred talents to the soldiers. So he asked about the money. And the man of God gave a beautiful answer. “The LORD is able to give thee much more than this.” Whenever believers face pecuniary losses on account of being true to the Lord and to His Word, they should remember that the Lord, who is thus honored, is able to make up for it and give much more. How many have found out that this is true! He dismissed the hirelings and Israel was angry. Cruel was Amaziah’s deed done to the Edomites. After smiting 10,000 of them he took another 10,000 captive and brought them unto the top of the rock and cast them down so that they were broken in pieces. It was a horrible crime. The deed was committed in the wild regions of Selah or Petra (2 Kings 14:7). Evidently Amaziah had become greatly impressed with the magnificent rock temples which he saw in Mount Seir. In their weird and grand temples the Edomites practised their abominable idol-worship with human sacrifices. Some of these “gods” of the children of Seir, Amaziah brought back from his expedition and set them up to be his gods. A prophet rebuked him with a statement of much force. And the king answered with a sneer and a threat, showing how hopeless was his case. Then the prophet became silent after he made the solemn declaration: “I know that God hath determined to destroy thee, because thou hast done this, and hast not hearkened to my counsel” (verses 15-16).

The comment on the war between Amaziah and the king of Israel is given in 2 Kings 14. Amaziah was slain in Lachish.