2 Kings 14

1 In the second year of Joash son of Jehoahaz king of Israel, Amaziah son of Joash king of Judah began to reign. 2 He 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. [a] 3 And he did what was right in the sight of the Lord, but not as David his father; he did according to everything that Joash his father did. 4 Only, he did not take away the high places; the people still sacrificed and burned incense on the high places.

5 And when the kingdom was firm in his hand, he struck down his servants who had struck down his father. [b] 6 But the sons of those who had struck him he did not put to death, as it is written in the book of the laws of Moses, where the Lord commanded: “Fathers will not die for sons, and sons will not die for fathers; but each one will die for his own sins.” [c]

7 He struck down ten thousand of Edom in the Valley of Salt, and he took the Rock in the war and called its name Kathoel, and so it is to this day. [d]

8 Then Amaziah sent messengers to Joash son of Jehoahaz, son of Jehu, king of Israel, and said, “Come, let us look one another in the face.” [e] 9 And Joash king of Israel sent word to Amaziah king of Judah and said, “The thistle that was in Lebanon sent word to the cedar that was in Lebanon and said, ‘Give your daughter to my son as a wife.’ And the wild animals of the field that were in Lebanon passed by and trampled the thistle down. [f] 10 You have struck Edom hard, and your heart has lifted you up. Take your glory and stay at home. Why quarrel, to your own hurt? You will fall, you and Judah with you.” [g]

11 But Amaziah would not listen. And the 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; 12 and Judah was beaten before Israel, and every man fled to his tent.

13 And Joash son of Jehoahaz king of Israel captured Amaziah son of Joash, son of Ahaziah, king of Judah, at Beth-shemesh. And he came to Jerusalem and broke down the wall of Jerusalem, from the gate of Ephraim as far as the corner gate — six hundred feet. [h] 14 And he took the gold and the silver and all the vessels that were found in the house of the Lord and in the treasuries of the king’s house, and the hostages, and he went back to Samaria. [i]

15 And the rest of the acts of Joash, everything he did in his might, and how he fought against Amaziah king of Judah — are they not written in the book of the daily record of the kings of Israel? 16 And Joash rested with his fathers and was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel, and Jeroboam his son reigned in his place.

17 And Amaziah son of Joash king of Judah lived fifteen years after the death of Joash son of Jehoahaz king of Israel. 18 And the rest of the acts of Amaziah, and everything he did — are they not written in the book of the daily record of the kings of Judah?

19 And they banded together against him in a conspiracy in Jerusalem, and he fled to Lachish; and they sent after him to Lachish and put him to death there. 20 And they carried him up on horses, and he was buried in Jerusalem with his fathers in the city of David.

21 And all the people of Judah took Azariah — and he was sixteen years old — and made him king in place of his father Amaziah. 22 He built Elath and restored it to Judah, after the king rested with his fathers.

23 In the fifteenth year of Amaziah son of Joash king of Judah, Jeroboam son of Joash began to reign over Israel in Samaria, forty-one years. 24 And he did what was evil before the Lord; he did not turn away from any of the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, who made Israel sin.

25 He restored the border of Israel from the entrance of Hamath as far as the sea of the Arabah, according to the word of the Lord, the God of Israel, which he spoke by the hand of his servant Jonah son of Amittai, the prophet from Gath-hepher. [j] 26 For the Lord saw that the humiliation of Israel was very bitter — few in number, hemmed in, in want, and left to themselves — and there was no one helping Israel. 27 And the Lord had not said that he would wipe out the seed of Israel from under heaven; and he saved them by the hand of Jeroboam son of Joash. [k]

28 And the rest of the acts of Jeroboam, and everything he did, and his mighty deeds, how he made war, and how he restored Damascus and Hamath to Judah in Israel — are they not written in the book of the daily record of the kings of Israel? [l] 29 And Jeroboam rested with his fathers, with the kings of Israel, and Azariah son of Amaziah reigned in place of his father. [m]