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2
Chronicles Chapter Twenty-five
New King James Version (NKJV)
INTRODUCTION TO 2 CHRONICLES 25
This
chapter begins with the reign of Amaziah, and some of the first acts of it,
slaying those that killed his father, 2 Chronicles 25:1,
raising a large army in his own kingdom, to which he added 100,000 more he
hired out of Israel, whom yet he sent home by the advice of a prophet, 2 Chronicles 25:5,
and with his own army marched against the Edomites, and obtained a victory over
them, 2 Chronicles 25:11,
but the Israelites being displeased with him for dismissing them, fell on some
of his cities, and slew many in them, 2 Chronicles 25:13,
and such was his stupidity, as to worship the gods of the Edomites he had
conquered, for which he was reproved by a prophet, 2 Chronicles 25:14
and being elated with his victory, he sent a challenge to the king of Israel,
who accepting of it, a battle ensued, in which Judah was worsted, their king
taken, and treasuries spoiled, 2 Chronicles 25:17,
and the chapter is closed with the death and burial of Amaziah, 2 Chronicles 25:25.
2 Chronicles
25:1 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.
YLT
1A 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,
Verses 1-4
Amaziah was twenty five years old when he began to reign,.... Of these
verses; see Gill on 2 Kings 14:2. See
Gill on 2 Kings 14:3. See
Gill on 2 Kings 14:5. See
Gill on 2 Kings 14:6.
2 Chronicles
25:2 2 And
he did what was right in the sight of the Lord, but not with a
loyal heart.
YLT
2and he doth that which is
right in the eyes of Jehovah -- only, not with a perfect heart.
2 Chronicles 25:3 3 Now it happened, as soon
as the kingdom was established for him, that he executed his servants who had
murdered his father the king.
YLT
3And it cometh to pass, when
the kingdom hath been strong upon him, that he slayeth his servants, those
smiting the king his father,
2 Chronicles 25:4 4 However he did not execute
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 be put to death for their children,
nor shall the children be put to death for their fathers; but a person shall
die for his own sin.”[a]
YLT
4and 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.'
2 Chronicles 25:5 5 Moreover Amaziah gathered
Judah together and set over them captains of thousands and captains of
hundreds, according to their fathers’ houses, throughout all Judah and
Benjamin; and he numbered them from twenty years old and above, and found them
to be three hundred thousand choice men, able to go to war, who could
handle spear and shield.
YLT
5And 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.
Moreover Amaziah gathered Judah together,.... The
inhabitants thereof:
and made them captains over thousands, and captains over hundreds,
according to the houses of their fathers, throughout all Judah and Benjamin; he divided
the people, according to their families throughout his kingdom, into thousands
and hundreds, and out of their respective families appointed captains over
them:
and he numbered them from twenty years old and above; the usual age
men were numbered at for war, to the fiftieth, according to Josephus; the Roman
lawF1Seneca de Brevitate Vitae, c. 20. obliged none to be soldiers
after fifty, nor might any be dismissed beforeF2Liv. Hist. l. 42. c.
33. ; the age of military men with the Romans was from seventeen to forty six,
or, as some, forty five; but with the Persians from twenty as here to fiftyF3Alex.
ab. Alex. Genial. Dier. l. 1. c. 20. :
and found them three hundred thousand choice men, able to go forth
to war, that could handle spear and shield; which shows that their
number was greatly decreased since the times of Jehoshaphat, 2 Chronicles 17:14,
occasioned by the wars under Jehoram, Ahaziah, and Joash; some copies of the
Vulgate LatinF4Ed. of Sixtus V. the Lovain and MSS. in James's
Corruption of the Fathers, p. 295. have only 30,000.
2 Chronicles 25:6 6 He also hired one hundred
thousand mighty men of valor from Israel for one hundred talents of silver.
YLT
6And he hireth out of Israel
a hundred thousand mighty ones of valour, with a hundred talents of silver;
He hired also one hundred thousand mighty men of valour out of
Israel,.... The ten tribes, judging his own army not sufficient for his
expedition against the Edomites he was meditating:
for one hundred talents of silver; which amounted to 35,300
pounds sterling, and according to BeckiusF5Not. in Targum in loc.
were about five florins and a half to each soldier.
2 Chronicles 25:7 7 But a man of God came to him,
saying, “O king, do not let the army of Israel go with you, for the Lord is not
with Israel—not with any of the children of Ephraim.
YLT
7and 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;
But there came a man of God to him,.... Who the Jews sayF6Seder
Olam Rabba, c. 20. Shalshalet Hakabala, fol. 11. 2. was the brother of the
king, Amos, the father of Isaiah, but without foundation:
saying, O king, let not the army of Israel go with thee; to war
against Edom; meaning the 100,000 men he had hired, and suggesting that to have
them with him would not be to his advantage, but his detriment, for the
following reason:
for the Lord is not with Israel, to wit:
with all the children of Ephraim; they being idolaters,
worshippers of the calves; and as they had forsaken the Lord, he had forsaken
them; therefore no help could be expected from them; the Targum is,"the
Word of the Lord is not their help.'
2 Chronicles 25:8 8 But if you go, be gone! Be
strong in battle! Even so, God shall make you fall before the enemy; for
God has power to help and to overthrow.”
YLT
8but 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.'
But if thou wilt go, do it, be strong for the battle,.... An
ironical expression; if thou wilt not be advised, take them with thee, and try
what thou canst do; exert all thy courage, and use thy military skill, and mark
the issue:
God shall make thee fall before the enemy;
notwithstanding the number of thy troops, and those of thy auxiliaries; though
some take them to be spoken seriously, and read the words, "but go
thou"; that is, alone, without the hired troops, and fight boldly and
courageously; or otherwise "God shall make thee fall", &c.
for God hath power to help and to cast down; to help with
a few, and to cast down with many; to help without the hired Israelites, and to
cast down with them.
2 Chronicles 25:9 9 Then Amaziah said to the
man of God, “But what shall we do about the hundred talents which I have
given to the troops of Israel?” And the man of God answered, “The Lord is able to
give you much more than this.”
YLT
9And 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.'
And Amaziah said to the man of God, but what shall we do for the
one hundred talents which I have given to the army of Israel?.... They will
be lost, there is no demanding them back again; this he spake with some
concern, as loath to lose so much money:
and the man of God answered, the Lord is able to give thee much
more than this; whose is the earth, and the fulness thereof, the gold and
silver, and all the riches of it; and therefore he had no need to trouble
himself about the loss of his money, which, if obedient to the will of God, he
might expect it would be abundantly repaid him.
2 Chronicles 25:10 10 So Amaziah discharged the
troops that had come to him from Ephraim, to go back home. Therefore their
anger was greatly aroused against Judah, and they returned home in great anger.
YLT
10And 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.
Then Amaziah separated them,.... From his army, among
whom they were incorporated and ranked, to wit:
the army that was come to him out of Ephraim; which he had
hired of the ten tribes, these he singled out:
to go home again; to their own country:
wherefore their anger was greatly kindled against Judah, and they
returned home in great anger; it being a great slight put upon them, and
a reproach to them, to be thus dismissed, as they thought; and especially if
they understood that it was because they were idolaters; and the rather as they
might have hoped to have had their share in the plunder of the Edomites.
2 Chronicles 25:11 11 Then Amaziah strengthened
himself, and leading his people, he went to the Valley of Salt and killed ten
thousand of the people of Seir.
YLT
11And Amaziah hath
strengthened himself, and leadeth his people, and goeth to the Valley of Salt,
and smiteth the sons of Seir -- ten thousand.
And Amaziah strengthened himself, and led forth his people,.... To go to
war with the Edomites; not discouraged by the dismission of the hired troops,
but trusting in the promise and power of God, he went forth with boldness and
intrepidity:
and went to the valley of salt, and smote of the children of Seir,
ten thousand; the Edomites; so called, not because they were the posterity of
Seir, but because they dwelt in Seir, from whence they drove the descendants of
Seir, and dwelt in their stead; see 2 Kings 14:7.
2 Chronicles 25:12 12 Also the children of Judah
took captive ten thousand alive, brought them to the top of the rock, and cast
them down from the top of the rock, so that they all were dashed in pieces.
YLT
12And 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.
And other ten thousand left alive did the children of Judah carry
away captive,.... The rest of the army of the Edomites, which amounted to the
same number, fell into their hands, and they took them, and carried them off:
and brought them unto the top of the rock; very probably
the same on which the city Petra, the metropolis of Edom, was built, called
also Selah, 2 Kings 14:7 both
which names signify a rock. JosephusF7Antiqu. l. 9. c. 9. sect. 1.
calls it the great rock in Arabia; that is, Arabia Petraea:
and cast them down from the top of the rock, that they were broken
all in pieces; burst asunder, bones broken, and limb from limb separated. This
sort of punishment was inflicted by the Romans on various malefactors, by
casting them down from the Tarpeian rockF8Liv. Hist. l. 6. c. 20.
Patercul. Hist. Roman. l. 2. Aurel. Victor. de Vir. Illustr. c. 27, 70. Vid,
Rycquium de Capitol. Roman. c. 4. p. 45, &c. ; and in Greece, according to
the Delphian law, such as were guilty of sacrilege were led to a rock, and cast
down headlong from thenceF9Aelian. Var. Hist. l. 11. c. 5. : and now
in Turkey, at a place called Constantine, a town situated on the top of a great
rock, the usual way of executing great criminals is by pushing them from off
the cliffF11Pitt's Account of the Mahometans, ch. 1. p. 10. ; see Luke 4:29, but to
use captives taken in war after this manner seems cruel and barbarous; and what
should be the reason of such treatment of them is not easy to say.
2 Chronicles 25:13 13 But as for the soldiers of
the army which Amaziah had discharged, so that they would not go with him to
battle, they raided the cities of Judah from Samaria to Beth Horon, killed
three thousand in them, and took much spoil.
YLT
13And 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.
But the soldiers of the army which Amaziah sent back, that they
should not go with him to battle, The 100,000 men hired
out of Israel, whom he dismissed before he went against Edom:
fell upon the cities of Judah, from Samaria even unto Bethhoron; which, though
it formerly belonged to Ephraim, had been taken by the men of Judah; they did
not fall on these as they returned home, for then it would have been said from
Bethhoron to Samaria: but after they had returned home, they meditated this
piece of revenge for the ill treatment of them, as they reckoned it:
and smote three thousand of them; of the inhabitants of
the cities, who rose up and opposed them:
and took much spoil; out of them, and went
their way with it.
2 Chronicles 25:14 14 Now it was so, after
Amaziah came from the slaughter of the Edomites, that he brought the gods of
the people of Seir, set them up to be his gods, and bowed down before
them and burned incense to them.
YLT
14And it cometh to pass,
after the coming in of Amaziah from smiting the Edomites, that he bringeth in
the gods of the sons of Seir, and establisheth them to him for gods, and before
them doth bow himself, and to them he maketh perfume.
Now it came to pass, after that Amaziah was come from the
slaughter of the Edomites,.... Instead of returning thanks to God for
the victory obtained, and giving him the glory of it:
that he brought the gods of the children of Seir, and set them up
to be his gods; what were the gods of the Edomites is nowhere said in Scripture;
only JosephusF12Antiqu. l. l5. c. 7. sect. 9. speaks of the priests
of Coze, which he says was a god of the Idumaeans:
and bowed himself before them, and burned incense unto them; which was the
greatest piece of sottishhess and stupidity imaginable, to worship the gods of
a nation conquered by him; for since they could not save them, what help could
he expect from them?
2 Chronicles 25:15 15 Therefore the anger of the
Lord was aroused
against Amaziah, and He sent him a prophet who said to him, “Why have you
sought the gods of the people, which could not rescue their own people from
your hand?”
YLT
15And the anger of Jehovah
burneth against Amaziah, and He sendeth unto him a prophet, and he saith unto
him, `Why hast thou sought the gods of the people that have not delivered their
people out of thy hand?'
Wherefore the anger of the Lord was kindled against Amaziah,.... Idolatry
being always highly displeasing to the Lord; and this was a most provoking
instance of it, that when the Lord had given him victory over his enemies, that
he should forsake him, and worship their gods:
and he sent unto him a prophet; whether the same as
before, is not certain:
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? and therefore
it was madness in him to seek after them, and worship them.
2 Chronicles 25:16 16 So it was, as he talked
with him, that the king said to him, “Have we made you the king’s
counselor? Cease! Why should you be killed?” Then the prophet ceased, and said,
“I know that God has determined to destroy you, because you have done this and
have not heeded my advice.”
YLT
16And it cometh to pass, in
his speaking unto him, that he saith to him, `For a counsellor to the king have
we appointed thee? cease for thee; why do they smite thee?' And the prophet
ceaseth, and saith, `I have known that God hath counselled to destroy thee,
because thou hast done this, and hast not hearkened to my counsel.'
And it came to pass, as he talked with him, that the king said
unto him, art thou made of the king's council?.... He was not indeed
one of his privy council, made so by him, but he was appointed a counsellor to
him by the Lord, the King of kings, to expostulate with him about his idolatry,
and to advise him to relinquish it, to whose counsel he ought to have
hearkened:
forbear, why shouldest thou be smitten? bidding him
hold his peace, and threatening him, that if he did not, he must expect to be
smitten; that is, with death, as Zechariah the prophet was by the order of his
father:
then the prophet forbore; left off speaking, only
added this at parting:
and said, I know that God hath determined to destroy thee; being given
up to hardness of heart, so as to pay no regard to the Lord and his prophets,
which was a sure presage of destruction:
because thou hast done this; committed such idolatry,
and persisted in it:
and hast not hearkened to my counsel; to reform
from it.
2 Chronicles 25:17 17 Now Amaziah king of Judah
asked advice and sent to Joash[b] the son of
Jehoahaz, the son of Jehu, king of Israel, saying, “Come, let us face one
another in battle.”
YLT
17And Amaziah king of Judah
taketh counsel, and sendeth unto Joash son of Jehoahaz, son of Jehu, king of
Israel, saying,
Verses 17-19
Then Amaziah king of Judah took advice,.... Not of
God, nor of his prophets, but of some of his nobles like himself:
and sent to Joash--king of Israel; of his message to him
here, and his answer in the two following verses, see the following notes: See
Gill on 2 Kings 14:8. See
Gill on 2 Kings 14:9. See
Gill on 2 Kings 14:10.
2 Chronicles 25:18 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 your daughter to my son as
wife’; and a wild beast that was in Lebanon passed by and trampled the
thistle.
YLT
18`Come, we look one another
in the face.' And Joash king of Israel sendeth unto Amaziah king of Judah,
saying, `The thorn that [is] in Lebanon hath sent unto the cedar that [is] in
Lebanon, saying, Give thy daughter to my son for a wife; and pass by doth a
beast of the field that [is] in Lebanon, and treadeth down the thorn.
2 Chronicles 25:19 19 Indeed you say that you
have defeated the Edomites, and your heart is lifted up to boast. Stay at home
now; why should you meddle with trouble, that you should fall—you and Judah
with you?”
YLT
19Thou hast said, Lo, I have
smitten Edom; and thy heart hath lifted thee up to boast; now, abide in thy
house, why dost thou stir thyself up in evil, that thou hast fallen, thou, and
Judah with thee?'
2 Chronicles 25:20 20 But Amaziah would not
heed, for it came from God, that He might give them into the hand of
their enemies, because they sought the gods of Edom.
YLT
20And Amaziah hath not
hearkened, for from God it [is] in order to give them into hand, because they
have sought the gods of Edom;
Verses 20-28
But Amaziah would not hear,.... What the king of
Israel advised him to, not to meddle to his hurt:
for it came of God, that he might deliver them into the hand of
their enemies; Amaziah and his army into the hands of Joash and his; this was
the will of God, and was brought about by his providence; and that it might be,
Amaziah was given up to blindness and hardness of heart, as a punishment of his
idolatry:
because they sought after the gods of Edom; he and his
nobles, and many of the people following his example; from hence to the end of
the chapter the same things are recorded as in 2 Kings 14:11, see
the notes there; see Gill on 2 Kings 14:11, 2 Kings 14:12, 2 Kings 14:13, 2 Kings 14:14, 2 Kings 14:15, 2 Kings 14:16, 2 Kings 14:17, 2 Kings 14:18, 2 Kings 14:19, 2 Kings 14:20
2 Chronicles 25:21 21 So Joash king of Israel
went out; and he and Amaziah king of Judah faced one another at Beth Shemesh,
which belongs to Judah.
YLT
21and go up doth Joash king
of Israel, and they look one another in the face, he and Amaziah king of Judah,
in Beth-Shemesh, that [is] Judah's,
2 Chronicles 25:22 22 And Judah was defeated by
Israel, and every man fled to his tent.
YLT
22and Judah is smitten before
Israel, and they flee -- each to his tents.
2 Chronicles 25:23 23 Then Joash the king of
Israel captured Amaziah king of Judah, the son of Joash, the son of Jehoahaz,
at Beth Shemesh; and he brought him to Jerusalem, and broke down the wall of
Jerusalem from the Gate of Ephraim to the Corner Gate—four hundred cubits.
YLT
23And Amaziah king of Judah,
son of Joash, son of Jehoahaz, hath Joash king of Israel caught in
Beth-Shemesh, and bringeth him in to Jerusalem, and breaketh down in the wall
of Jerusalem from the gate of Ephraim unto the gate of the corner, four hundred
cubits,
2 Chronicles 25:24 24 And he took all the
gold and silver, all the articles that were found in the house of God with
Obed-Edom, the treasures of the king’s house, and hostages, and returned to
Samaria.
YLT
24and [taketh] all the gold,
and the silver, and all the vessels that are found in the house of God with
Obed-Edom, and the treasures of the house of the king, and the sons of the
pledges, and turneth back to Samaria.
2 Chronicles 25:25 25 Amaziah the son of Joash,
king of Judah, lived fifteen years after the death of Joash the son of
Jehoahaz, king of Israel.
YLT
25And Amaziah son of Joash,
king of Judah, liveth after the death of Joash son of Jehoahaz, king of Israel,
fifteen years;
2 Chronicles 25:26 26 Now the rest of the acts
of Amaziah, from first to last, indeed are they not written in the book
of the kings of Judah and Israel?
YLT
26and the rest of the matters
of Amaziah, the first and the last, lo, are they not written on the books of
the kings of Judah and Israel?
2 Chronicles 25:27 27 After the time that
Amaziah turned away from following the Lord, they made a conspiracy
against him in Jerusalem, and he fled to Lachish; but they sent after him to
Lachish and killed him there.
YLT
27And from the time that
Amaziah hath turned aside from after Jehovah -- they make a conspiracy against
him in Jerusalem, and he fleeth to Lachish, and they send after him to Lachish,
and put him to death there,
2 Chronicles 25:28 28 Then they brought him on
horses and buried him with his fathers in the City of Judah.
YLT
28and lift him up on the
horses, and bury him with his fathers in the city of Judah.
──《John Gill’s
Exposition of the Bible》
New King James
Version (NKJV)