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. |
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2: And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, but
not with a perfect heart. |
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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. |
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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. |
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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. |
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6: He hired also an hundred thousand mighty men of valour out of
Israel for an hundred talents of silver. |
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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. |
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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. |
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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.
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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.
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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. |
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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.
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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 Beth-horon, and smote three thousand of them, and
took much spoil. |
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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. |
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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? |
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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. |
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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. |
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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. |
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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? |
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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. |
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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 Beth-shemesh, which
belongeth to Judah. |
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22: And Judah was put to the worse before Israel, and they fled
every man to his tent. |
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23: And Joash the king of Israel took Amaziah king of Judah, the
son of Joash, the son of Jehoahaz, at Beth-shemesh, and brought him to
Jerusalem, and brake down the wall of Jerusalem from the gate of Ephraim
to the corner gate, four hundred cubits. |
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24: And he took all the gold and the silver, and all the vessels
that were found in the house of God with Obed-edom, and the treasures of
the king's house, the hostages also, and returned to Samaria. |
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25: And Amaziah the son of Joash king of Judah lived after the
death of Joash son of Jehoahaz king of Israel fifteen years. |
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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? |
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27: Now after the time that aziah 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. |
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28: And they brought him upon horses, and buried him with his
fathers in the city of Judah. |