The Reign of Amaziah

251 A son of twenty and five years hath Amaziah reigned, and twenty and nine years he hath reigned in Jerusalem, and the name of his mother 'is' Jehoaddan of Jerusalem, 2 and he doth that which is right in the eyes of Jehovah—only, not with a perfect heart. 3 And it cometh to pass, when the kingdom hath been strong upon him, that he slayeth his servants, those smiting the king his father, 4 and their sons he hath not put to death, but 'did' as is written in the law, in the book of Moses, whom Jehovah commanded, saying, 'Fathers do not die for sons, and sons die not for fathers, but each for his own sin they die.' 5 And Amaziah gathereth Judah, and appointeth them, according to the house of the fathers, for heads of the thousands, and for heads of the hundreds, for all Judah and Benjamin; and he inspecteth them from a son of twenty years and upward, and findeth them three hundred thousand chosen ones, going forth to the host, holding spear and target. 6 And he hireth out of Israel a hundred thousand mighty ones of valour, with a hundred talents of silver; 7 and a man of God hath come in unto him, saying, 'O king, the host of Israel doth not go with thee; for Jehovah is not with Israel—all the sons of Ephraim; 8 but if thou art going—do 'it', be strong for battle, God doth cause thee to stumble before an enemy, for there is power in God to help, and to cause to stumble.' 9 And Amaziah saith to the man of God, 'And what—to do for the hundred talents that I have given to the troop of Israel?' And the man of God saith, 'Jehovah hath more to give to thee than this.' 10 And Amaziah separateth them—for the troop that hath come in unto him from Ephraim to go to their own place, and their anger doth burn mightily against Judah, and they turn back to their place in the heat of anger. 11 And Amaziah hath strengthened himself, and leadeth his people, and goeth to the Valley of Salt, and smiteth the sons of Seir—ten thousand. 12 And ten thousand alive have the sons of Judah taken captive, and they bring them to the top of the rock, and cast them from the top of the rock, and all of them have been broken. 13 And the sons of the troop that Amaziah hath sent back from going with him to battle—they rush against cities of Judah, from Samaria even unto Beth-Horon, and smite of them three thousand, and seize much prey.

Matthew Henry's Commentary on 2 Chronicles 25:1-13

Commentary on 2 Chronicles 25:1-13

(Read 2 Chronicles 25:1-13)

Amaziah was no enemy to religion, but cool and indifferent friend. Many do what is good, but not with a perfect heart. Rashness makes work for repentance. But Amaziah's obedience to the command of God was to his honour. A firm belief of God's all-sufficiency to bear us out in our duty, and to make up all the loss and damage was sustain in his service, will make his yoke very easy, and his burden very light. When we are called to part with any thing for God and our religion, it should satisfy us, that God is able to give us much more than this. Convinced sinners, who have not true faith, always object to self-denying obedience. They are like Amaziah; they say, But what shall we do for the hundred talents? What shall we do if by keeping the sabbath holy we lose so many good customers? What shall we do without this gain? What shall we do if we lose the friendship of the world? Many endeavour to quiet their consciences by the pretence that forbidden practices are necessary. The answer is, as here, The Lord is able to give thee much more than this. He makes up, even in this world, for all that is given up for his sake.