2 Kings 14

Amaziah of Judah

¹In the second year of Joash, son of Joahaz, king of Israel, Amaziah the son of Joash king of Judah began to reign.

²He was twenty-five years old when he began to reign; and he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jehoaddin of Jerusalem.

³He did that which was right in the LORD’s eyes, yet not like David his father. He did according to all that Joash his father had done.

⁴However the high places were not taken away. The people still sacrificed and burned incense in the high places.

⁵As soon as the kingdom was established in his hand, he killed his servants who had slain the king his father,

⁶but the children of the murderers he didn’t put to death, according to that which is written in the book of the law of Moses, as the LORD commanded, saying, “The fathers shall not be put to death for the children, nor the children be put to death for the fathers; but every man shall die for his own sin.”

⁷He killed ten thousand Edomites in the Valley of Salt, and took Sela by war, and called its name Joktheel, to this day.

⁸Then Amaziah sent messengers to Jehoash, the son of Jehoahaz son of Jehu, king of Israel, saying, “Come, let’s look one another in the face.”

⁹Jehoash the king of Israel sent to Amaziah king of Judah, saying, “The thistle that was in Lebanon sent to the cedar that was in Lebanon, saying, ‘Give your daughter to my son as wife.’ Then a wild animal that was in Lebanon passed by, and trampled down the thistle.

¹⁰You have indeed struck Edom, and your heart has lifted you up. Enjoy the glory of it, and stay at home; for why should you meddle to your harm, that you fall, even you, and Judah with you?”

¹¹But Amaziah would not listen. So Jehoash king of Israel went up; and he and Amaziah king of Judah looked one another in the face at Beth Shemesh, which belongs to Judah.

¹²Judah was defeated by Israel; and each man fled to his tent.

¹³Jehoash king of Israel took Amaziah king of Judah, the son of Jehoash the son of Ahaziah, at Beth Shemesh and came to Jerusalem, then broke down the wall of Jerusalem from the gate of Ephraim to the corner gate, four hundred cubits.

¹⁴He took all the gold and silver and all the vessels that were found in the LORD’s house and in the treasures of the king’s house, the hostages also, and returned to Samaria.

¹⁵Now the rest of the acts of Jehoash which he did, and his might, and how he fought with Amaziah king of Judah, aren’t they written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?

¹⁶Jehoash slept with his fathers, and was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel; and Jeroboam his son reigned in his place.

¹⁷Amaziah the son of Joash king of Judah lived after the death of Jehoash son of Jehoahaz, king of Israel, fifteen years.

¹⁸Now the rest of the acts of Amaziah, aren’t they written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?

¹⁹They made a conspiracy against him in Jerusalem, and he fled to Lachish; but they sent after him to Lachish and killed him there.

²⁰They brought him on horses, and he was buried at Jerusalem with his fathers in David’s city.

²¹All the people of Judah took Azariah, who was sixteen years old, and made him king in the place of his father Amaziah.

²²He built Elath and restored it to Judah. After that the king slept with his fathers.

Jeroboam II of Israel

²³In 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 for forty-one years.

²⁴He did that which was evil in the LORD’s sight. He didn’t depart from all the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, with which he made Israel to sin.

²⁵He restored the border of Israel from the entrance of Hamath to the sea of the Arabah, according to the LORD, the God of Israel’s word, which he spoke by his servant Jonah the son of Amittai, the prophet, who was from Gath Hepher.

²⁶For the LORD saw the affliction of Israel, that it was very bitter for all, slave and free; and there was no helper for Israel.

²⁷The LORD didn’t say that he would blot out the name of Israel from under the sky; but he saved them by the hand of Jeroboam the son of Joash.

²⁸Now the rest of the acts of Jeroboam, and all that he did, and his might, how he fought, and how he recovered Damascus, and Hamath, which had belonged to Judah, for Israel, aren’t they written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?

²⁹Jeroboam slept with his fathers, even with the kings of Israel; and Zechariah his son reigned in his place.

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Next 2 Kings 15

2 Kings 14 chronicles the reigns of Amaziah of Judah and Jeroboam II of Israel, highlighting the complex dynamics between the divided kingdoms. Amaziah begins well by executing justice according to God's law and achieving military success against Edom, but his pride leads him to challenge Israel's king Jehoash in a disastrous war that results in Judah's defeat, Jerusalem's humiliation, and the temple's plundering. The chapter concludes with Jeroboam II's ascension in Israel and Amaziah's eventual assassination, demonstrating how initial obedience can be undermined by pride and poor judgment.

Context

This chapter continues the parallel accounts of Israel and Judah's kings following the previous chapter's focus on Jehoash, setting up the significant reign of Jeroboam II that will dominate Israel's later history.

Key Themes

Outline

1-4
Amaziah's Reign Begins Amaziah becomes king of Judah at twenty-five, doing right in God's eyes but failing to remove the high places.
5-7
Justice and Military Success Amaziah executes his father's assassins according to God's law and achieves victory over Edom.
8-11
Challenge to Israel Pride leads Amaziah to challenge King Jehoash of Israel, who warns him against this folly through a parable.
12-14
Judah's Defeat and Humiliation Israel defeats Judah at Beth Shemesh, captures Amaziah, breaks down Jerusalem's walls, and plunders the temple.
15-22
Deaths and Succession Jehoash dies and Jeroboam II becomes king of Israel, while Amaziah faces conspiracy and assassination in Judah.
23-29
Jeroboam II's Reign Despite doing evil, Jeroboam II experiences God's mercy as he restores Israel's borders according to prophetic word.

Amaziah of Judah

14:1–14:22

narrative narration solemn

King Amaziah of Judah initially does right but becomes prideful after military success, leading to his defeat by Israel's King Jehoash despite warnings against unnecessary conflict.

person_contrast

Amaziah uniquely executes his father's assassins while sparing their children according to Mosaic law, making this the only narrative where royal vengeance explicitly yields to written Torah commands.

Jeroboam II of Israel

14:23–14:29

narrative narration contemplative

Jeroboam II of Israel continues in sin yet God uses him to deliver Israel from affliction and restore territorial boundaries, showing divine mercy despite disobedience.

person_contrast

Joash appears in twenty-nine biblical passages typically associated with leadership and authority, yet here uniquely connects disobedience with divine deliverance through his son Jeroboam II.

Insight Character Study

Joash appears in twenty-nine biblical passages typically associated with leadership and authority, yet here uniquely connects disobedience with divine deliverance through his son Jeroboam II.