2Chronicles 25:1 ¶ Amaziah was twenty and five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned twenty and nine years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Jehoaddan of Jerusalem.
2Chronicles 25:2 And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, but not with a perfect heart.
Amaziah was 25 years old when he became king in Jerusalem; he ruled for 29 years. His mother’s name was Jehoaddan of Jerusalem. He did what was right before the LORD, but not with a whole-hearted commitment.
2Chronicles 25:3 Now it came to pass, when the kingdom was established to him, that he slew his servants that had killed the king his father.
2Chronicles 25:4 But he slew not their children, but did as it is written in the law in the book of Moses, where the LORD commanded, saying, 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.
Once he was firmly established as the king, he executed the servants that had killed his father. He did not, however, kill their children as was often done to preclude any possible future threat from them for his own life. He chose to follow the law of the LORD as recorded by Moses. Fathers were not to die because of the actions of their children, nor were children to die for the actions of their fathers. Every individual is accountable before the LORD for his own sin.
2Chronicles 25:5 Moreover Amaziah gathered Judah together, and made them captains over thousands, and captains over hundreds, according to the houses of their fathers, throughout all Judah and Benjamin: and he numbered them from twenty years old and above, and found them three hundred thousand choice men, able to go forth to war, that could handle spear and shield.
2Chronicles 25:6 He hired also an hundred thousand mighty men of valour out of Israel for an hundred talents of silver.
Amaziah also established an army. He appointed captains over thousands and captains over hundreds according to their families throughout Judah and Benjamin. He took a census of those 20 years and older to determine who was fit to go to war. His ended up with an army 300,000 strong that could handle spear and shield.
His next move was not a wise one. He also hired 100,000 mighty men of valor from the northern kingdom of Israel for 100 talents of silver—that’s over 3 tons of silver.
2Chronicles 25:7 But there came a man of God to him, saying, O king, let not the army of Israel go with thee; for the LORD is not with Israel, to wit, with all the children of Ephraim.
2Chronicles 25:8 But if thou wilt go, do it, be strong for the battle: God shall make thee fall before the enemy: for God hath power to help, and to cast down.
2Chronicles 25:9 And Amaziah said to the man of God, But what shall we do for the hundred talents which I have given to the army of Israel? And the man of God answered, The LORD is able to give thee much more than this.
God sent an unnamed prophet to warn Amaziah not to let the men of Israel form a part of his army. Reason—The LORD is not with Israel. If he chose to go into battle with the men of Israel as part of his army, God would ensure that they were defeated. The prophet reminded the king that God had the power to help and the power to make them fall in defeat.
Amaziah took to heart the message of the prophet, but he asked him what he should do about the 100 talents that he had paid to the king of Israel for their services. The prophet basically said, “Don't worry about that; the LORD is able to restore to you much more than that.”
2Chronicles 25:10 Then Amaziah separated them, to wit, the army that was come to him out of Ephraim, to go home again: wherefore their anger was greatly kindled against Judah, and they returned home in great anger.
So King Amaziah sent the men of Israel back home. This made the men very angry because they were expecting to also benefit from the spoils of battle.
2Chronicles 25:11 And Amaziah strengthened himself, and led forth his people, and went to the valley of salt, and smote of the children of Seir ten thousand.
2Chronicles 25:12 And other ten thousand left alive did the children of Judah carry away captive, and brought them unto the top of the rock, and cast them down from the top of the rock, that they all were broken in pieces.
Amaziah courageously led his troops to the Valley of Salt (south of the Dead Sea) and killed 10,000 men of Seir or Edom. Another 10,000 were taken captive to the top of a cliff and thrown off the cliff to their death.
2Chronicles 25:13 But the soldiers of the army which Amaziah sent back, that they should not go with him to battle, fell upon the cities of Judah, from Samaria even unto Bethhoron, and smote three thousand of them, and took much spoil.
Meantime, the soldiers that Amaziah had sent back home to Israel attacked the cities of Judah in their path from Samaria to Behthoron, killing 3000 people and taking much spoil. They were determined to get their payday.
2Chronicles 25:14 ¶ Now it came to pass, after that Amaziah was come from the slaughter of the Edomites, that he brought the gods of the children of Seir, and set them up to be his gods, and bowed down himself before them, and burned incense unto them.
2Chronicles 25:15 Wherefore the anger of the LORD was kindled against Amaziah, and he sent unto him a prophet, which said unto him, Why hast thou sought after the gods of the people, which could not deliver their own people out of thine hand?
2Chronicles 25:16 And it came to pass, as he talked with him, that the king said unto him, Art thou made of the king’s counsel? forbear; why shouldest thou be smitten? Then the prophet forbare, and said, I know that God hath determined to destroy thee, because thou hast done this, and hast not hearkened unto my counsel.
This section is really hard to believe. The LORD had given Amaziah victory over the Edomites. So what does he decided to do? He takes the gods of the people he defeated and set them up as his own gods. He bowed before them in worship and burned incense unto them.
This really made the LORD angry with Amaziah. Again he sent an unnamed prophet to confront the king. He asked the king why he would choose to worship gods that could not protect their people. The king basically said, “Who asked your advice? Do you really want to die?”
The prophet answered the king with one final pronouncement from the LORD saying, “I know that God has determined to destroy you because you have done this and refused my counsel.”
2Chronicles 25:17 ¶ Then Amaziah king of Judah took advice, and sent to Joash, the son of Jehoahaz, the son of Jehu, king of Israel, saying, Come, let us see one another in the face.
2Chronicles 25:18 And Joash 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 thy daughter to my son to wife: and there passed by a wild beast that was in Lebanon, and trode down the thistle.
2Chronicles 25:19 Thou sayest, Lo, thou hast smitten the Edomites; and thine heart lifteth thee up to boast: abide now at home; why shouldest thou meddle to thine hurt, that thou shouldest fall, even thou, and Judah with thee?
2Chronicles 25:20 But Amaziah would not hear; for it came of God, that he might deliver them into the hand of their enemies, because they sought after the gods of Edom.
Full of pride over his victory, Amaziah took the advice of his counselors and challenged Joash, the king of Israel, grandson of Jehu, to war. “See one another in the face” meant to meet for battle.
Joash basically responded by telling Amaziah that his defeat of the Edomites was nothing compared to facing the armies of Israel. In his message he likened himself to a mighty cedar of Lebanon and Amaziah to a little thistle or thorn. He warned Amaziah to reconsider his challenge.
Amaziah was too full of himself to listen. The Chronicler notes that this was of God because He had determined to deliver the armies of Judah into the hand of their enemy in judgment against them for seeking to follow the gods of Edom.
Chuck Smith makes a good application of verse 19: “Now this business of ‘why meddle to your own hurt?’ is a good warning really, because many times people think that they can meddle with sin and not get hurt. They think that they can play with fire and not get burned. And it is interesting that many times our greatest dangers lie immediately following our greatest victories. Having a great victory can be a dangerous thing, because many times flushed with victory we begin to gain confidence in our flesh. We begin to almost go out looking for trouble. Looking for temptation so that we can conquer over it. Putting ourselves in a place of temptation or jeopardy in order that we might show how strong we are. Meddling around with things that we have no business meddling with. In places we have no business being. Meddling usually results in our own hurt.”
2Chronicles 25:21 So Joash the king of Israel went up; and they saw one another in the face, both he and Amaziah king of Judah, at Bethshemesh, which belongeth to Judah.
2Chronicles 25:22 And Judah was put to the worse before Israel, and they fled every man to his tent.
2Chronicles 25:23 And Joash the king of Israel took Amaziah king of Judah, the son of Joash, the son of Jehoahaz, at Bethshemesh, and brought him to Jerusalem, and brake down the wall of Jerusalem from the gate of Ephraim to the corner gate, four hundred cubits.
2Chronicles 25:24 And he took all the gold and the silver, and all the vessels that were found in the house of God with Obededom, and the treasures of the king’s house, the hostages also, and returned to Samaria.
The armies of Joash, king of Israel, and Amaziah, king of Judah, met at Bethshemesh, land belonging to Judah. Judah was routed and the troops fled to go home.
The king of Israel took Amaziah to Jerusalem and broke down the walls of Jerusalem from the gate of Ephraim to the corner gate, a length of 400 cubits (about 600 feet). This left the city vulnerable to attack from the north, the area that was hardest to defend. He also took all the gold and silver and vessels from the temple (that were under the care of Obededom) as well as the treasures of the palace. He also took hostages with him back to Samaria.
Principle: The actions of a nation’s leader impact the people of his nation whether for good or bad.
It is this very truth that makes me tremble for my nation as our president positions us against God by seeking to take land that He has given them away from Israel.
Genesis 12:1–3 “Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee…unto a land that I will shew thee: And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee:”
2Chronicles 25:25 And Amaziah the son of Joash king of Judah lived after the death of Joash son of Jehoahaz king of Israel fifteen years.
2Chronicles 25:26 Now the rest of the acts of Amaziah, first and last, behold, are they not written in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel?
King Amaziah of Judah ended up outliving Joash, king of Israel by 15 years. The historian notes that more was written concerning Amaziah in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel.
2Chronicles 25:27 Now after the time that Amaziah did turn away from following the LORD they made a conspiracy against him in Jerusalem; and he fled to Lachish: but they sent to Lachish after him, and slew him there.
2Chronicles 25:28 And they brought him upon horses, and buried him with his fathers in the city of Judah.
After Amaziah had turned away from following the LORD, a plot was made against him in Jerusalem. He evidently found out about it and fled to Lachish (about 30 miles SW of Jerusalem). It was to no avail because they followed him to Lachish and killed him. They did, however, bring him back to Jerusalem and bury him with his ancestors.
2Chronicles 26:1 ¶ Then all the people of Judah took Uzziah, who was sixteen years old, and made him king in the room of his father Amaziah.
2Chronicles 26:2 He built Eloth, and restored it to Judah, after that the king slept with his fathers.
After Amaziah died, the people of Judah made Uzziah (aka Azariah), his sixteen-year-old son, the king. Though it seems to be an abrupt insertion, the historian then notes that after the death of his father, Uzziah restored the city of Eloth, a port on the Red Sea, to Judah.
The IVP commentary adds this information: “Elath (or Eloth) was the seaport constructed by Solomon at the head of the Gulf of Aqaba. It was closely associated with the nearby port of Ezion Geber. It opened trade for Judah with Arabia, Africa and India. Uzziah apparently attempted to revive the Red Sea trade instituted by Solomon.”
2Chronicles 26:3 Sixteen years old was Uzziah when he began to reign, and he reigned fifty and two years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name also was Jecoliah of Jerusalem.
2Chronicles 26:4 And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his father Amaziah did.
2Chronicles 26:5 And he sought God in the days of Zechariah, who had understanding in the visions of God: and as long as he sought the LORD, God made him to prosper.
Uzziah began his rule as king in Jerusalem at age 16, and he ruled for 52 years. His mother was a Jewish woman named Jecoliah. This king did what was right before the LORD, following the example of his father Amaziah (a reference to the beginning of his reign before he turned his heart away from the LORD).
It is noted that he “sought” (Hebrew: follow, worship, diligent) God during the lifetime of Zechariah, a prophet who understood visions of God. The implication is clear; he did not seek God with the same diligence after Zechariah died. (Sounds similar to Joash and Jehoiada. Chapter 24) This is not the prophet Zechariah that authored the subject book in scripture.
Important truth: As long as he sought the LORD, God made him to prosper.
It seems the kings of Judah were no different than our leaders today. They just didn’t learn from their history. You would think that there were plenty of examples by now that proved that to follow God in obedience resulted in prosperity, while rebelling against Him and following false gods resulted in judgment.
Although Uzziah’s reign is characterized as predominantly good, the NIV Commentary makes this note about conditions in the kingdom: “…the contemporaneous preaching of Hosea and Amos indicates the presence of serious moral and spiritual decay.”
2Chronicles 26:6 And he went forth and warred against the Philistines, and brake down the wall of Gath, and the wall of Jabneh, and the wall of Ashdod, and built cities about Ashdod, and among the Philistines.
2Chronicles 26:7 And God helped him against the Philistines, and against the Arabians that dwelt in Gurbaal, and the Mehunims.
2Chronicles 26:8 And the Ammonites gave gifts to Uzziah: and his name spread abroad even to the entering in of Egypt; for he strengthened himself exceedingly.
Uzziah led his army against the Philistines, breaking down the walls of Gath, Jabney and Ashdod (west of Jerusalem near the Mediterranean). He then proceeded to build Jewish cities around Ashdod among the Philistines.
God was with the king and gave him victory as he led his troops against the Philistines, Arabians and Mehunims. The Ammonites responded by giving gifts of tribute to Uzziah; they wanted no part of war with him. His name began to be respected all the way to Egypt as he continued to grow ever more powerful.
2Chronicles 26:9 Moreover Uzziah built towers in Jerusalem at the corner gate, and at the valley gate, and at the turning of the wall, and fortified them.
2Chronicles 26:10 Also he built towers in the desert, and digged many wells: for he had much cattle, both in the low country, and in the plains: husbandmen also, and vine dressers in the mountains, and in Carmel: for he loved husbandry.
Uzziah strengthened the defenses around Jerusalem by building towers at the Corner Gate, the Valley Gate and the Angle (another area where the wall took a turn) and making them very strong.
JFB quote from Bertheau describes the locations of these towers as follows: “…the corner gate, the northwest corner of the city; at the valley gate on the west, where the Joppa gate now is; at the “turning” — a curve in the city wall on the eastern side of Zion. The town, at this point, commanded the horse gate which defended Zion and the temple hill on the southeast.”
The king also built towers or fortresses of defense in the desert and dug many wells to supply water for his great herds of cattle in the low country and plains and for the farmers and vineyards in the hill country and in Carmel. It is noted that Uzziah loved the soil (from the Hebrew).
Again, JFB provides more detail about the locations: “…Some of these ‘were in the desert,’ that is, in the district to the southeast of Jerusalem, on the west of the Dead Sea, an extensive grazing district ‘in the low country’ lying between the mountains of Judah and the Mediterranean; ‘and in the plains,’ east of the Jordan, within the territory of Reuben.”
2Chronicles 26:11 Moreover Uzziah had an host of fighting men, that went out to war by bands, according to the number of their account by the hand of Jeiel the scribe and Maaseiah the ruler, under the hand of Hananiah, oneof the king’s captains.
2Chronicles 26:12 The whole number of the chief of the fathers of the mighty men of valour were two thousand and six hundred.
2Chronicles 26:13 And under their hand was an army, three hundred thousand and seven thousand and five hundred, that made war with mighty power, to help the king against the enemy.
I liked the wording of the NLT on this section: “Uzziah had an army of well-trained warriors, ready to march into battle, unit by unit. This great army of fighting men had been mustered and organized by Jeiel, the secretary of the army, and his assistant, Maaseiah. They were under the direction of Hananiah, one of the king’s officials. Twenty-six hundred clan leaders commanded these regiments of seasoned warriors. The army consisted of 307,500 men, all elite troops. They were prepared to assist the king against any enemy.”
2Chronicles 26:14 And Uzziah prepared for them throughout all the host shields, and spears, and helmets, and habergeons, and bows, and slings to cast stones.
2Chronicles 26:15 And he made in Jerusalem engines, invented by cunning men, to be on the towers and upon the bulwarks, to shoot arrows and great stones withal. And his name spread far abroad; for he was marvellously helped, till he was strong.
Uzziah provided a variety of weapons for his military forces—shields, spears, helmets, habergeons (armored breastplates of mail), bows (and arrows would be understood) and slings for throwing stones. The king was evidently an innovator. He commissioned skilled men to invent engines to place on the towers and bulwarks (corner areas of the wall) that could shoot arrows and large stones.
Uzziah’s fame spread far abroad because the LORD helped him greatly until he became very strong.
Adam Clarke makes this observation: “This is the very first intimation on record of any warlike engines for the attack or defense of besieged places; and this account is long prior to any thing of the kind among either the Greeks or Romans. Previously to such inventions, the besieged could only be starved out, and hence sieges were very long and tedious….The Jews alone were the inventors of such engines; and the invention took place in the reign of Uzziah, about eight hundred years before the Christian era. It is no wonder that, in consequence of this, his name spread far abroad, and struck terror into his enemies.”
2Chronicles 26:16 ¶ But when he was strong, his heart was lifted up to his destruction: for he transgressed against the LORD his God, and went into the temple of the LORD to burn incense upon the altar of incense.
2Chronicles 26:17 And Azariah the priest went in after him, and with him fourscore priests of the LORD, that were valiant men:
2Chronicles 26:18 And they withstood Uzziah the king, and said unto him, It appertaineth not unto thee, Uzziah, to burn incense unto the LORD, but to the priests the sons of Aaron, that are consecrated to burn incense: go out of the sanctuary; for thou hast trespassed; neither shall it be for thine honour from the LORD God.
Sad to say, instead of acknowledging God’s empowerment, the king became very prideful and suffered the resulting consequences. He decided he was worthy to go into the temple and burn incense upon the altar of incense—a duty that only the priests were allowed to perform according to God’s command. Azariah the high priest followed him trying to stop him, and 80 courageous priests blocked his way to the altar. They reminded him that only the priests who were descendants of Aaron were set apart for burning that incense and told him to get out of the sanctuary. They warned him that the LORD God would certainly not approve of his sin.
I assume this was after the death of the prophet Zechariah mentioned at the beginning of the chapter.
Guzik used a good quote by Morgan: “The history of men affords persistent witness to the subtle perils which are created by prosperity. More men are blasted by it than by adversity. . . . Prosperity always puts the soul in danger of pride, of the heart lifted up; and pride ever goeth before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.”
2Chronicles 26:19 Then Uzziah was wroth, and had a censer in his hand to burn incense: and while he was wroth with the priests, the leprosy even rose up in his forehead before the priests in the house of the LORD, from beside the incense altar.
2Chronicles 26:20 And Azariah the chief priest, and all the priests, looked upon him, and, behold, he was leprous in his forehead, and they thrust him out from thence; yea, himself hasted also to go out, because the LORD had smitten him.
2Chronicles 26:21 And Uzziah the king was a leper unto the day of his death, and dwelt in a several house, being a leper; for he was cut off from the house of the LORD: and Jotham his son was over the king’s house, judging the people of the land.
Uzziah became very angry. As he stood there in anger before the priests holding the censer, leprosy appeared in his forehead in clear view of the temple priests and they pushed him out of the sanctuary. Finally, he understood that he had done wrong and that God had judged him for it. Uzziah remained a leper until the day of his death. He lived in a house set apart from others because he was a leper, and he could no longer go to the temple. His son Jotham became co-regent and served as the active judge of the people of Judah.
The NIV Commentary dates this event as follows: “His son ‘Jotham’ assumed coregency in the palace. The date of this transfer of power is 751 B.C., since Jotham’s twentieth year (2Ki 15:30) was equivalent to his son Ahaz’s twelfth (16:2), which is 732.”
2Chronicles 26:22 Now the rest of the acts of Uzziah, first and last, did Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, write.
2Chronicles 26:23 So Uzziah slept with his fathers, and they buried him with his fathers in the field of the burial which belonged to the kings; for they said, He is a leper: and Jotham his son reigned in his stead.
The Chronicler closes his account on Uzziah, stating that the prophet Isaiah, son of Amoz, had written more about him. It must have been another record, because he is basically just mentioned in the book of Isaiah that is part of our bible.
Uzziah was buried with his father in a field that belonged to the kings but not with previous kings because of his leprosy. He was yet another of the kings of Judah that started so well only to end so poorly.
Jotham succeeded his father as king.