Amaziah (I)

I. AMAZIAH, the eighth King of Judah,2 Chron. xxiv. 27. xxv. 1, 2, 3, &c. 2 Kings xiv. was Son to Joash, and succeeded him in the year of the World 3165. before J. C. 835. before the vulgar Æra 839. He was five and twenty years of age, when Deut. xxiv. 16.he began to reign, and he reigned nine and twenty years at Jerusalem He did that which was good in the sight of the Lord, but not with a perfect heart. When he saw himself settled in his Kingdom, he put to death the murderers of his Father, but not their Children; because it is written in the Law, The Fathers shall not be put to death for the Children, neither shall the Children be put to death for the Fathers; every man shall be put to death for his own sin.

In the general muster which he made of his People, he found there were three hundred thousand men capable of bearing arms. He bought besides, an hundred thousand of the Kingdom of Israel; for which he paid the King of Israel an hundred talents; which make thirty four thousand two hundred and eighteen pounds fifteen shillings, English. His design was to employ these Troops against the Edomites, who had revolted from the Kings of Judah, in the reign of Joram, 2 Kings viii. 20. In the year of the World 3173, before J. C. 827, before the vulgar Æra 831. 2 Chron. xxv. 7.about fifty four years before.

At that time a Prophet of the Lord came to him, and said, O King, let not the army of Israel go with thee; for the Lord is not with Israel. But if thou wilt go, do it, be strong, for the battle of God shall make thee fall before the Enemy; for God hath power to help, and to cast down. And Amaziah said to the Man of God, 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 more than this. Amaziah hereupon separated the army which came to him from Ephraim, and sent the troops belonging to it back into their own Country. They returned therefore strangely irritated against Amaziah. They dispersed themselves over all the Cities of Judah, from Bethoron to Samaria, killed three thousand men, and carried off a great booty, to make themselves amends for that which they had promised themselves in the war against Edom.

Amaziah marched therefore only with his own forces, gave battle to the Edomites in the Valley of Salt¹, killed ten thousand Edomites upon the spot, and took ten thousand more, who had saved themselves, in all probability, upon a rock, where they were assaulted, and thrown headlong from the top to the bottom, so that they were 2 Kings xiv. 7.dashed to pieces². Now Amaziah having thus cut off the Edomites, and taken their Gods, adored them; offered incense to them, and acknowledged them for his own Deities. This action provoked the Lord, who sent a Prophet to him, 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? Amaziah answered him, Art thou made of the King’s counsel? Forbear; why shouldst thou be smitten? Then the Prophet forbore, and said, I know that God hath determined to destroy thee, because thou hast done this, and hast not hearkned 2 Kings xiv. 8. 2 Chron. xxv. 14.unto my counsel.

God therefore permitted Amaziah to be so blinded as to believe himself invincible. He sent to defy the King of Israel, saying, Come, let us look one another in the face. The motive of this war was, probably, to oblige Joash King of Israel to repair the ravages which his troops had made, as I before hinted, in their return to the Country of Samaria. Joash answered Amaziah, The Thistle that was at Lebanon sent to the Cedar saying, Give thy Daughter to my Son to wife: And there passed by a wild beast that was in Lebanon, and trod down the Thistle. Thou sayest, Lo, thou hast smitten the Edomites, and thine heart lifteth thee up to boast: Abide now at home, why shouldst thou meddle to thine hurt, that thou shouldst fall, even thou, and Judah with thee?

Amaziah was deaf to these reasons; because God had given him up to his own evil sense of things. He advanced as far as Beth -shemesh with his army; and Joash King of Israel gave him battle. Amaziah gave ground, his army was defeated, and he himself fell into the hands of his Enemies. Joash forced the Camp at Beth-shemesh, and carried Amaziah to Jerusalem. Then he gave orders for demolishing four hundred cubits of the City-walls, from the gate of Ephraim as far as to the corner gate. He carried all the gold and silver to Samaria, all the rich vessels which he found in the House of God, and in the treasuries belonging to the royal Palace; and the Sons of those among his own people, who had been sent as hostages to Jerusalem.

After this Amaziah reigned still fifteen or sixteen years at Jerusalem; but returned not to the Lord with all his heart; wherefore God, to punish him, permitted a Conspiracy to be formed against him at Jerusalem. He was in hopes of making his escape to Lachish; but the Conspirators sent after him, and had him there assassinated. He was brought back upon two horses, and buried with his ancestors in the City of David. He died in the year of the World 3194. before J.C. 806. before the vulgar Æra 810. Uzziah, or Azariah his Son, who was but sixteen years of age, succeeded him.

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