2 ChroniquesChapitre 25

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Amaziah was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Jehoaddan, of Jerusalem.

He did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, yet not with a whole heart.

Once the kingdom was firmly in his grasp, he executed the officials who had murdered his father the king.

But he did not put their children to death, for he acted according to what is written in the Law, in the book of Moses, where the LORD commanded: "Fathers shall not die for their children, nor children for their fathers; each one shall die for his own sin."

Amaziah assembled Judah and organized them by their fathers' households under commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds, for all of Judah and Benjamin. He mustered those twenty years old and upward and found there were three hundred thousand choice men fit for military service, able to handle spear and shield.

He also hired a hundred thousand seasoned warriors from Israel for a hundred talents of silver.

But a man of God came to him and said: "Your Majesty, do not let the army of Israel go with you, for the LORD is not with Israel—not with any of the Ephraimites.

Even if you go and fight ever so bravely, God will bring you down before the enemy, for God has power to help and power to overthrow."

Amaziah said to the man of God, "But what about the hundred talents I paid to the troops of Israel?" The man of God answered, "The LORD can give you far more than that."

So Amaziah dismissed the troops that had come to him from Ephraim and sent them back to their own place. They were furious with Judah and went home in a blazing rage.

Amaziah then took courage, led out his people, and marched to the Valley of Salt, where he struck down ten thousand men of Seir.

The men of Judah also captured ten thousand alive; they brought them to the top of the cliff and threw them down from the top of the cliff, so that all of them were dashed to pieces.

Meanwhile the troops Amaziah had sent back, refusing to let them go with him into battle, raided the towns of Judah from Samaria to Beth Horon. They killed three thousand people and carried off a great deal of plunder.

When Amaziah returned from slaughtering the Edomites, he brought back the gods of the people of Seir, set them up as his own gods, bowed down before them, and burned offerings to them.

The anger of the LORD burned against Amaziah, and he sent a prophet to him, who said, "Why have you sought the gods of this people, gods that could not deliver their own people from your hand?"

While the prophet was still speaking, the king said to him, "Have we appointed you counselor to the king? Stop! Why should you be struck down?" So the prophet stopped, but he said, "I know that God has determined to destroy you, because you have done this and have not listened to my counsel."

After taking counsel, Amaziah king of Judah sent word to Joash son of Jehoahaz, the son of Jehu, king of Israel: "Come, let us meet face to face."

But Joash king of Israel sent back this reply to Amaziah king of Judah: "A thistle in Lebanon sent word to a cedar in Lebanon, 'Give your daughter to my son in marriage.' But a wild beast of Lebanon passed by and trampled the thistle underfoot.

You say to yourself, 'Look, I have defeated Edom,' and your heart has grown proud and boastful. Now stay home! Why provoke disaster and bring yourself down, and Judah with you?"

But Amaziah would not listen, for this was from God, so that he might hand them over to their enemies—because they had sought the gods of Edom.

So Joash king of Israel marched out, and he and Amaziah king of Judah met face to face at Beth Shemesh in Judah.

Judah was routed before Israel, and every man fled to his home.

Joash king of Israel captured Amaziah king of Judah, son of Joash, the son of Jehoahaz, at Beth Shemesh. He brought him to Jerusalem and broke down the wall of Jerusalem from the Ephraim Gate to the Corner Gate—four hundred cubits.

He took all the gold and silver and all the articles found in the house of God, which had been in the care of Obed-Edom, together with the treasures of the royal palace and the hostages, and returned to Samaria.

Amaziah son of Joash king of Judah lived fifteen years after the death of Joash son of Jehoahaz king of Israel.

As for the rest of the acts of Amaziah, from beginning to end, are they not written in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel?

From the time that Amaziah turned away from following the LORD, they conspired against him in Jerusalem, and he fled to Lachish. But they sent men after him to Lachish and killed him there.

They brought him back on horses and buried him with his fathers in the City of Judah.[^1] [^1]: Some ancient manuscripts and versions read "City of David."

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Résumé2

Chapitre 25

Main Theme: Amaziah's reign is marked by partial obedience to God, military success against Edom, but also idolatry and a humiliating defeat at the hands of Israel.

Content: Amaziah became king at twenty-five years old and reigned for twenty-nine years. He did what was right, yet not wholeheartedly. He gathered the army and sent away the Israelite mercenaries on the advice of a prophet, even though this cost him money. He defeated Edom in the Valley of Salt but took their gods as trophies and began to worship them, provoking God's anger. His pride led to an unnecessary attack on Israel, where he suffered defeat, was taken captive, and Jerusalem was plundered. Finally, a conspiracy was formed against him, and he was killed in Lachish.

Key Words/Images:

Not Wholeheartedly (v.2): Amaziah's fundamental problem—outward obedience without complete devotion to God.
Man of God/Prophet (vv.7–9, 15–16): God sends warnings, but Amaziah rejects them when they challenge his choices.
The Thistle and the Cedar (v.18): Joash's parable that exposes Amaziah's pride following his victory over Edom.
Edomite Gods (vv.14–15): Amaziah's incomprehensible decision to worship the gods of a people he himself had defeated.

Contexte historique

Historical and Cultural Context for 2 Chronicles 25

People

Amaziah (אֲמַצְיָהוּ, "The Lord is strong") was the ninth king of Judah after the kingdom split and reigned approximately 796–767 B.C. His mother Jehoaddan (יְהוֹעַדָּן) was from Jerusalem, which underscores his legitimate connection to the capital. The text gives him a mixed evaluation: he did what was right, but "not with a whole heart" (v. 2)—a characteristic that explains his later apostasy into idolatry.

Joash of Israel (יוֹאָשׁ), son of Jehoahaz and grandson of Jehu, reigned in Samaria approximately 798–782 B.C. His fable about the thornbush and the cedar tree (vv. 18–19) shows literary sophistication and serves as a sharp political warning to the overconfident Amaziah.

Places

Valley of Salt (גֵּיא הַמֶּלַח) was the battlefield against the Edomites. This is likely Wadi el-Milh south of the Dead Sea, an area with salt deposits where several historical battles took place. David had previously defeated the Edomites at this same location (2 Sam 8:13).

Sela (הַסֶּלַע, "the rock") was an Edomite fortress, probably identical to later Petra in present-day Jordan. The ten thousand captives were thrown down from this cliff (v. 12)—a brutal execution method known from antiquity.

Beth-shemesh (בֵּית שֶׁמֶשׁ, "house of the sun") was located in the Shephelah region, about 24 km west of Jerusalem. The city was a strategically important border town between Judah and Philistine territory. Archaeological excavations at the site (Tell er-Rumeileh) have uncovered settlement layers from this period.

Lachish (לָכִישׁ), where Amaziah fled and was killed, was Judah's second most important fortified city. Tel Lachish has yielded rich archaeological finds confirming the city's significance in the 700s B.C.

Events and Customs

The chapter cites Deuteronomy 24:16 regarding individual responsibility for punishment—"fathers shall not be put to death for their children" (v. 4). This principle was remarkable in a culture where collective punishment was common. Amaziah's adherence to this law shows respect for the Mosaic Law, even though he later broke the covenant through idolatry.

Mercenary soldiers were common practice in the ancient Near East. Amaziah paid 100 talents of silver (about 3.4 tons) for 100,000 Israelite soldiers—a substantial sum equivalent to roughly one-third of a talent per man. The man of God's warning against this alliance reflects the recurring theme in Chronicles that Judah should not seek military support from the apostate Northern Kingdom.

Key Terms

The expression "not with a whole heart" (לֹא בְּלֵבָב שָׁלֵם) is theologically central in Chronicles. The Hebrew שָׁלֵם ("whole, complete") describes undivided loyalty to the Lord. Amaziah's divided loyalty led to his downfall.

"Let us meet face to face" (נִתְרָאֶה פָנִים, v. 17) was a formal challenge to battle in antiquity, a diplomatic way of declaring hostilities.

Chapter-Specific Findings

The plundering of Jerusalem, where 400 cubits (about 180 meters) of the city wall were torn down between the Ephraim Gate and the Corner Gate (v. 23), represents a serious humiliation. Archaeologically, remains of Jerusalem's walls from this period have been identified, although these specific gates have not been securely located. Assyrian reliefs and texts from the same era document similar practices where victors systematically destroyed parts of city walls to demonstrate the vulnerability of the defeated city.

Personnages8

Amaziah (Father of Josha, mentioned in the genealogy of Simeon (1 Chron. 4:34))8 Obed-Edom1 Jehu1 Joash5 Joaddan1 Judah1 Jacob1 Joahaz (son of Jehu)3

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Mots-clés8

Amaziah — King of Judah, son of Joash, who reigned in Jerusalem and followed God's laws, but not wholeheartedly.
War — A conflict between nations or groups, often involving violence and destruction. In this chapter, it refers to the wars Amaziah waged against Edom and Israel.
Edom — An Old Testament kingdom southeast of the Dead Sea, known for its hostility toward Israel.
Golden Calves — Idols made of gold, often shaped like calves, which some Israelites worshiped despite it being forbidden by the Ten Commandments.
Prophet — A person who speaks on behalf of God and delivers His message to the people. In this chapter, a prophet warns Amaziah against relying on Israel's military strength.
Victory — Success in battle, war, or competition. Amaziah achieves victory over Edom but suffers defeat against Israel.
Defeat — Loss in battle, war, or competition. Amaziah is defeated by Joash, king of Israel, and loses parts of Judah's territory.
Captivity — A state in which a person is held as a prisoner, often as a result of war. Amaziah is taken captive by the king of Israel after his defeat.