2Ch 25 | TSK | STEP | Amaziah begins to reign well. He executes justice on the traitors. Having hired an army of Israelites against the Edomites, at the word of a prophet dismisses them. He overthrows the Edomites. The Israelites, discontented with their dismission, spoil as they return home. Amaziah, proud of his victory, serves the gods of Edom, and despises the admonitions of the prophet. He provokes Joash to his overthrow. His reign. He is slain by conspiracy. twenty and five.

2 Chronicles 25

1 Amaziah begins to reign well.

3 He executes justice on the traitors.

5 Having hired an army of Israelites against the Edomites, at the word of a prophet dismisses them.

11 He overthrows the Edomites.

13 The Israelites, discontented with their dismission, spoil as they return home.

14 Amaziah, proud of his victory, serves the gods of Edom, and despises the admonitions of the prophet.

17 He provokes Joash to his overthrow.

25 His reign.

27 He is slain by conspiracy.

twenty and five.

2Ki 14:1-3

but not.

14; 24:2; 26:4; 1Sa 16:7; 2Ki 14:4; Ps 78:37; Isa 29:13; Ho 10:2

Ac 8:21; Jas 1:8; 4:8

A.M. 3166. B.C. 838. Now it came.

2Ki 14:5-22

established to him. Heb. confirmed upon him. he slew.

24:25,26; Ge 9:5,6; Ex 21:14; Nu 35:31-33No doubt those wicked men, Jozachar and Jehozabad, who murdered his father, had considerable influence; and therefore he found it dangerous to bring them to justice, till he was assured of the loyalty of his other officers: when this was clear, he called them to an account, and justly put them to death for treason and murder; for, if even these conspirators against Joash intended to avenge upon him the death of Zechariah, they acted without a commission from that God "to whom vengeance belongeth."

as it is written.

De 24:16; 2Ki 14:5,6; Jer 31:29,30; Eze 18:4,20

A.M. 3177. B.C. 827. captains over thousands.

Ex 18:25; 1Sa 8:12; 1Ch 13:1; 27:1

from twenty.

Nu 1:3

three.

11:1; 14:8; 17:14-18

an hundred talents of silver.Estimating the shekel at 2s. 6d., and the talent, being 3,000 shekels, (see Ex 38:25, 26,) at 375£., one hundred talents would amount to 37,500£.; which, divided among 100,000 men, quotes only 7s. 6d.; hence we may suppose, that this was only an earnest of their pay, or that they expected to be enriched by the plunder of the Edomites.

a man of God.

2Sa 12:1; 1Ki 13:1; 1Ti 6:11; 2Ti 3:17

for the Lord.

13:12; 19:2; 1Ki 12:28; Isa 28:1-3; Ho 5:13-15; 9:13

be strong.

18:14; Ec 11:9; Isa 8:9,10; Joe 3:9-14; Mt 26:45

God hath power.

14:11; 20:6; Jud 7:7; 1Sa 14:6; Job 5:18; 9:13; Ps 20:7; 33:16-10

Ps 62:11; Ec 9:11

army. Heb. band.

The Lord.

1:12; De 8:18; Ps 24:1; Pr 10:22; Hag 2:8; Lu 18:29,30; Php 4:19

Amaziah.

1Ki 12:24

home. Heb. to their place. great anger. Heb. heat ofanger.

2Sa 19:43; Pr 29:22

valley.

2Sa 8:13; 2Ki 14:7; Ps 60:1; *title

And other ten thousand.No intimation is given on what account, or on what provocation, this most cruel conduct towards the prisoners of war was adopted. The enmity between Israel and Edom seems to have been reciprocal and deeply malignant. The victorious king and his army considered every individual of Edom as a traitor and rebel; and so adjudged them to death, and acted on this judgment. But their conduct was wholly inexcusable, and could only perpetuate rancour to future generations, and provoke the surviving Edomites to cruel retaliations, whenever they had it in their power.

cast them.

2Sa 12:31; 1Ch 20:3

broken in pieces.

20:10; 21:8-10

soldiers of the army. Heb. sons of the band.

fell upon the cities.These Israelites seem to have returned home, when discharged by Amaziah, whose powerful army deterred them from attempting revenge at that time; but when he was engaged in war with the Edomites, they marched from Samaria, and plundered all the cities till they came to Beth-horon, where they slew 3,000 of the inhabitants.

Samaria.

1Ki 16:24,29

Beth-horon.

8:5; 1Ki 9:17

he brought.

28:23; Isa 44:19

his gods.

Ex 20:3-5; De 7:5,25; 2Sa 5:21

a prophet.

7; 16:7-9; 19:2; 20:37; 2Sa 12:1-6

Why hast thou sought.

24:20; Jud 2:2; Jer 2:5

the gods.

Ps 96:5

which could.

11,12; Ps 115:4-8; Isa 44:9,10; 46:1,2; Jer 10:7; 1Co 8:4; 10:20

Art thou made.

16:10; 18:25; 24:21; Am 7:10-13; Mt 21:23

forbear.

Pr 9:7,8; Isa 30:10,11; Jer 29:26; 2Ti 4:3; Re 11:10

determined. Heb. counselled.

18:20,21; Ex 9:16; De 2:30; 1Sa 2:25; Isa 46:10; Ac 4:28; Ro 9:22

Eph 1:11

A.M. 3178. B.C. 826. Amaziah.

13; 2Ki 14:8-14

let us see.

2Sa 2:14; Pr 20:3

thistle. or, furze-bush, or thorn.

Jud 9:8-15; 1Ki 4:33

a wild beast. Heb. a beast of the field.

Ps 80:13

heart.

26:16; 32:25; De 8:14; Pr 13:10; 16:18; 28:25; Da 5:20-23; Hab 2:4

Jas 4:6; 1Pe 5:5

to boast.

Jer 9:23; 1Co 1:29

why shouldest.

35:21; Pr 18:6; 20:3; 26:17; Lu 14:31

it came of God.

16; 22:7; 1Ki 12:15; Ps 81:11,12; Ac 28:25-27; 2Th 2:9-11

1Pe 2:8

sought.

they saw one another.That is, "they fought against each other." To face an enemy, or to face one another, is still a common expression. The reason of this war was evidently the injury the army of Joash had done to the unoffending inhabitants of Judah. The ravages committed by them were totally unprovoked, base, and cowardly: they fell upon women, old men, and children, and butchered them in cold blood, when all the effective men were gone with their king against the Edomites. The quarrel of Amaziah were certainly just, yet he was put to the rout: he fell, and Judah with him, as Joash had said; and the reason was, because "it came of God, that he might deliver them into the hands of their enemies, because they sought after the gods of Edom." This was the reason why the Israelites triumphed.

Beth-shemesh.

Jos 21:16; 1Sa 6:9,19,20

put to the worse. Heb. smitten.

28:5,6

fled.

1Sa 4:10; 1Ki 22:36

took Amaziah.

33:11; 36:6,10; Pr 16:18; 29:23; Da 4:37; Ob 1:3; Lu 14:11

Jehoahaz.

21:17; 22:1

Ahaziah.

22:6