2 Chronicles 25:17
New International Version
After Amaziah king of Judah consulted his advisers, he sent this challenge to Jehoash son of Jehoahaz, the son of Jehu, king of Israel: “Come, let us face each other in battle.”

New Living Translation
After consulting with his advisers, King Amaziah of Judah sent this challenge to Israel’s king Jehoash, the son of Jehoahaz and grandson of Jehu: “Come and meet me in battle!”

English Standard Version
Then Amaziah king of Judah took counsel and sent to Joash the son of Jehoahaz, son of Jehu, king of Israel, saying, “Come, let us look one another in the face.”

Berean Standard Bible
Then Amaziah king of Judah took counsel and sent word to the king of Israel Jehoash son of Jehoahaz, the son of Jehu. “Come, let us meet face to face,” he said.

King James Bible
Then Amaziah king of Judah took advice, and sent to Joash, the son of Jehoahaz, the son of Jehu, king of Israel, saying, Come, let us see one another in the face.

New King James Version
Now Amaziah king of Judah asked advice and sent to Joash the son of Jehoahaz, the son of Jehu, king of Israel, saying, “Come, let us face one another in battle.

New American Standard Bible
Then Amaziah king of Judah took counsel and sent word to Joash the son of Jehoahaz the son of Jehu, the king of Israel, saying, “Come, let’s face each other.”

NASB 1995
Then Amaziah king of Judah took counsel and sent to Joash the son of Jehoahaz the son of Jehu, the king of Israel, saying, “Come, let us face each other.”

NASB 1977
Then Amaziah king of Judah took counsel and sent to Joash the son of Jehoahaz the son of Jehu, the king of Israel, saying, “Come, let us face each other.”

Legacy Standard Bible
Then Amaziah king of Judah took counsel and sent to Joash the son of Jehoahaz the son of Jehu, the king of Israel, saying, “Come, let us face each other.”

Amplified Bible
Then Amaziah king of Judah took counsel and sent word to Joash the son of Jehoahaz the son of Jehu, king of Israel, saying, “Come [to battle], let us face each other.”

Christian Standard Bible
King Amaziah of Judah took counsel and sent word to Jehoash son of Jehoahaz, son of Jehu, king of Israel, and challenged him: “Come, let’s meet face to face.”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
King Amaziah of Judah took counsel and sent word to Jehoash son of Jehoahaz, son of Jehu, king of Israel, saying, “Come, let us meet face to face.”

American Standard Version
Then Amaziah king of Judah took advice, and sent to Joash, the son of Jehoahaz the son of Jehu, king of Israel, saying, Come, let us look one another in the face.

Contemporary English Version
King Amaziah of Judah talked with his officials, then sent a message to King Jehoash of Israel: "Come out and face me in battle!"

English Revised Version
Then Amaziah king of Judah took advice, and sent to Joash, the son of Jehoahaz the son of Jehu, king of Israel, saying, Come, let us look one another in the face.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
After getting advice [from his advisers], King Amaziah of Judah sent messengers to King Jehoash, son of Jehoahaz and grandson of Jehu of Israel, to declare war on Israel.

Good News Translation
King Amaziah of Judah and his advisers plotted against Israel. He then sent a message to King Jehoash of Israel, who was the son of Jehoahaz and grandson of Jehu, challenging him to fight.

International Standard Version
After this, King Amaziah of Judah sought some advice and then challenged Jehoahaz' son King Joash of Israel, the grandson of Jehu, telling him, "Come out and let's fight each other!"

Majority Standard Bible
Then Amaziah king of Judah took counsel and sent word to the king of Israel Jehoash son of Jehoahaz, the son of Jehu. ?Come, let us meet face to face,? he said.

NET Bible
After King Amaziah of Judah consulted with his advisers, he sent this message to the king of Israel, Joash son of Jehoahaz, the son of Jehu, "Come, face me on the battlefield."

New Heart English Bible
Then Amaziah king of Judah consulted his advisers, and sent to Joash, the son of Jehoahaz the son of Jehu, king of Israel, saying, "Come, let us look one another in the face."

Webster's Bible Translation
Then Amaziah king of Judah took advice, and sent to Joash, the son of Jehoahaz, the son of Jehu, king of Israel, saying, Come, let us see one another in the face.

World English Bible
Then Amaziah king of Judah consulted his advisers, and sent to Joash, the son of Jehoahaz, the son of Jehu, king of Israel, saying, “Come! Let’s look one another in the face.”
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And Amaziah king of Judah takes counsel, and sends to Joash son of Jehoahaz, son of Jehu, king of Israel, saying,

Young's Literal Translation
And Amaziah king of Judah taketh counsel, and sendeth unto Joash son of Jehoahaz, son of Jehu, king of Israel, saying,

Smith's Literal Translation
And Amaziah king of Judah will take counsel, and will send to Joash son of Jehoahaz, son of Jehu, king of Israel, saying, Come, we will see faces.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Then Amasias king of Juda taking very bad counsel, sent to Joas the son of Joachaz the son of Jehu, king of Israel, saying: Come, let us see one another.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And so Amaziah, the king of Judah, undertaking a very wicked counsel, sent to Joash, the son of Jehoahaz, the son of Jehu, the king of Israel, saying: “Come, let us see one another.”

New American Bible
Having taken counsel, Amaziah, king of Judah, sent word to Joash, son of Jehoahaz, son of Jehu, the king of Israel, saying, “Come, let us meet face to face.”

New Revised Standard Version
Then King Amaziah of Judah took counsel and sent to King Joash son of Jehoahaz son of Jehu of Israel, saying, “Come, let us look one another in the face.”
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Then Amaziah king of Judah took counsel, and sent to Joash, the son of Jehoahaz, the son of Jehu, king of Israel, saying, Come, let us face each other in battle.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And King Amutsia took counsel of the house of Yehuda and he sent to Yoash son of Yahuakhaz, son of Yahu King of Israel, and said to him: “Come, we shall see face to face!”
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
Then Amaziah king of Judah took advice, and sent to Joash, the son of Jehoahaz the son of Jehu, king of Israel, saying: 'Come, let us look one another in the face.'

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And Amasias king of Juda took counsel, and sent to Joas, son of Joachaz, son of Jeu, king of Israel, saying, Come, and let us look one another in the face.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Amaziah Defeated by Joash
17Then Amaziah king of Judah took counsel and sent word to the king of Israel Jehoash son of Jehoahaz, the son of Jehu. “Come, let us meet face to face,” he said. 18But Jehoash king of Israel replied to Amaziah king of Judah: “A thistle in Lebanon sent a message to a cedar in Lebanon, saying, ‘Give your daughter to my son in marriage.’ Then a wild beast in Lebanon came along and trampled the thistle.…

Cross References
2 Kings 14:8-14
Then Amaziah sent messengers to the king of Israel Jehoash son of Jehoahaz, the son of Jehu. “Come, let us meet face to face,” he said. / But Jehoash king of Israel replied to Amaziah king of Judah: “A thistle in Lebanon sent a message to a cedar in Lebanon, saying, ‘Give your daughter to my son in marriage.’ Then a wild beast in Lebanon came along and trampled the thistle. / You have indeed defeated Edom, and your heart has become proud. Glory in that and stay at home. Why should you stir up trouble so that you fall—you and Judah with you?” ...

2 Chronicles 25:18-24
But Jehoash king of Israel replied to Amaziah king of Judah: “A thistle in Lebanon sent a message to a cedar in Lebanon, saying, ‘Give your daughter to my son in marriage.’ Then a wild beast in Lebanon came along and trampled the thistle. / You have said, ‘Look, I have defeated Edom,’ and your heart has become proud and boastful. Now stay at home. Why should you stir up trouble so that you fall—you and Judah with you?” / But Amaziah would not listen, for this had come from God in order to deliver them into the hand of Jehoash, because they had sought the gods of Edom. ...

1 Kings 12:24
that this is what the LORD says: ‘You are not to go up and fight against your brothers, the Israelites. Each of you must return home, for this is My doing.’” So they listened to the word of the LORD and turned back according to the word of the LORD.

2 Samuel 10:1-19
Some time later, the king of the Ammonites died and was succeeded by his son Hanun. / And David said, “I will show kindness to Hanun son of Nahash, just as his father showed kindness to me.” So David sent some of his servants to console Hanun concerning his father. But when they arrived in the land of the Ammonites, / the princes of the Ammonites said to Hanun their lord, “Just because David has sent you comforters, do you really believe he is showing respect for your father? Has not David instead sent his servants to explore the city, spy it out, and overthrow it?” ...

1 Kings 20:1-21
Now Ben-hadad king of Aram assembled his entire army. Accompanied by thirty-two kings with their horses and chariots, he marched up, besieged Samaria, and waged war against it. / Then he sent messengers into the city to Ahab king of Israel, / saying, “This is what Ben-hadad says: ‘Your silver and gold are mine, and your best wives and children are mine!’” ...

2 Chronicles 18:1-34
Now Jehoshaphat had an abundance of riches and honor, and he allied himself with Ahab by marriage. / And some years later he went down to visit Ahab in Samaria, where Ahab sacrificed many sheep and cattle for him and the people with him and urged him to march up to Ramoth-gilead. / Ahab king of Israel asked Jehoshaphat king of Judah, “Will you go with me against Ramoth-gilead?” And Jehoshaphat replied, “I am as you are, and my people are your people; we will join you in the war.” ...

2 Chronicles 24:17-22
After the death of Jehoiada, however, the officials of Judah came and paid homage to the king, and he listened to them. / They abandoned the house of the LORD, the God of their fathers, and served the Asherah poles and idols. So wrath came upon Judah and Jerusalem for this guilt of theirs. / Nevertheless, the LORD sent prophets to bring the people back to Him and to testify against them, but they would not listen. ...

2 Chronicles 28:5-15
So the LORD his God delivered Ahaz into the hand of the king of Aram, who attacked him and took many captives to Damascus. Ahaz was also delivered into the hand of the king of Israel, who struck him with great force. / For in one day Pekah son of Remaliah killed 120,000 valiant men in Judah. This happened because they had forsaken the LORD, the God of their fathers. / Zichri, a mighty man of Ephraim, killed Maaseiah the son of the king, Azrikam the governor of the palace, and Elkanah the second to the king. ...

2 Chronicles 35:20-24
After all this, when Josiah had set the temple in order, Neco king of Egypt marched up to fight at Carchemish by the Euphrates, and Josiah went out to confront him. / But Neco sent messengers to him, saying, “What is the issue between you and me, O king of Judah? I have not come against you today, but I am fighting another dynasty, and God has told me to hurry. So stop opposing God, who is with me, or He will destroy you!” / Josiah, however, did not turn away from him; instead, in order to engage him in battle, he disguised himself. He did not listen to Neco’s words from the mouth of God, but went to fight him on the Plain of Megiddo. ...

Proverbs 16:18
Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.

Isaiah 7:1-9
Now in the days that Ahaz son of Jotham, the son of Uzziah, was king of Judah, Rezin king of Aram marched up to wage war against Jerusalem. He was accompanied by Pekah son of Remaliah the king of Israel, but he could not overpower the city. / When it was reported to the house of David that Aram was in league with Ephraim, the hearts of Ahaz and his people trembled like trees in the forest shaken by the wind. / Then the LORD said to Isaiah, “Go out with your son Shear-jashub to meet Ahaz at the end of the aqueduct that feeds the upper pool, on the road to the Launderer’s Field, ...

Matthew 7:3-5
Why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye but fail to notice the beam in your own eye? / How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ while there is still a beam in your own eye? / You hypocrite! First take the beam out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.

Luke 14:31-32
Or what king on his way to war with another king will not first sit down and consider whether he can engage with ten thousand men the one coming against him with twenty thousand? / And if he is unable, he will send a delegation while the other king is still far off, to ask for terms of peace.

Romans 12:3
For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but think of yourself with sober judgment, according to the measure of faith God has given you.

Galatians 6:3
If anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself.


Treasury of Scripture

Then Amaziah king of Judah took advice, and sent to Joash, the son of Jehoahaz, the son of Jehu, king of Israel, saying, Come, let us see one another in the face.

A.

2 Chronicles 25:13
But the soldiers of the army which Amaziah sent back, that they should not go with him to battle, fell upon the cities of Judah, from Samaria even unto Bethhoron, and smote three thousand of them, and took much spoil.

2 Kings 14:8-14
Then Amaziah sent messengers to Jehoash, the son of Jehoahaz son of Jehu, king of Israel, saying, Come, let us look one another in the face…

let us see

2 Samuel 2:14
And Abner said to Joab, Let the young men now arise, and play before us. And Joab said, Let them arise.

Proverbs 20:3
It is an honour for a man to cease from strife: but every fool will be meddling.

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Advice Amaziah Counsel Face Israel Jehoahaz Jehu Joash Judah
2 Chronicles 25
1. Amaziah begins to reign well
3. He executes justice on the traitors
5. having hired an army of Israelites against the Edomites,
7. at the word of a prophet dismisses them
11. He overthrows the Edomites
13. The Israelites, discontented with their dismission, spoil as they return home
14. Amaziah, proud of his victory, serves the gods of Edom, and ignores the prophet
17. He provokes Joash to his overthrow
25. His reign
27. He is slain by conspiracy














Then Amaziah king of Judah
Amaziah, whose name means "Yahweh is mighty," was the ninth king of Judah. His reign is marked by a mixture of obedience and pride. Historically, Amaziah's rule followed the tumultuous period of his father Joash, and he initially sought to follow the ways of the Lord. However, his later actions, including this confrontation, reveal a shift towards pride and self-reliance. The title "king of Judah" signifies his authority over the southern kingdom, a remnant of David's line, emphasizing the ongoing division between Judah and Israel.

took counsel
The phrase "took counsel" indicates that Amaziah sought advice or deliberated on a course of action. In the Hebrew context, this often involved consulting with advisors or elders. This action reflects a common practice among ancient Near Eastern monarchs, who relied on counsel for military and political decisions. However, the nature of the counsel—whether godly or worldly—can significantly impact the outcome, as seen in Amaziah's subsequent decisions.

and sent word to Jehoash son of Jehoahaz, the son of Jehu, king of Israel
Jehoash, also known as Joash, was the king of the northern kingdom of Israel. His lineage, "son of Jehoahaz, the son of Jehu," connects him to Jehu, a king known for his zeal in eradicating Baal worship. This lineage highlights the complex relationship between the two kingdoms, both politically and religiously. The northern kingdom often strayed from the worship of Yahweh, leading to tensions with Judah. Amaziah's decision to send word to Jehoash suggests a desire to address these tensions, though his motives may have been more personal or prideful than diplomatic.

saying, 'Come, let us meet face to face.'
The invitation to "meet face to face" is a call for confrontation, likely a challenge to battle. In the ancient Near Eastern context, such meetings were often preludes to war, where kings would settle disputes through combat. This phrase reveals Amaziah's confidence, possibly stemming from his recent victory over Edom. However, it also exposes his hubris, as he underestimates the potential consequences of provoking Israel. Theologically, this reflects a departure from reliance on God, as Amaziah seeks to assert his strength through human means rather than divine guidance.

AMAZIAH CHALLENGES JOASH OF ISRAEL TO BATTLE, AND SUFFERS DISASTROUS DEFEAT (2Chronicles 25:17-24). (Comp. 2Kings 14:8-14.)

(17) Then Amaziah . . . took advice.--And Amaziah took counsel (2Chronicles 10:6). Different from the counsel which the prophet would have tendered him (2Chronicles 25:16).

And sent to Joash.--See 2Kings 14:8 : "Sent messengers." The rest of the verse is the same in both passages. . . .

Verse 17. - Took advice; i.e. took counsel; as in foregoing verse, "Art thou made king's counsellor?" and as in same verse, "counselled" should read instead of "determined," The verb (יָעצ), in kal, niph., and once only in hithp., occurs just eighty times, always in this sense, and almost always so rendered in the Authorized Version, Let us see one another in the face. A refined analogy to this expression, with all its speaking significance, occurs in 2 Samuel 2:13; and, perhaps yet more remarkably, a strange some balance between vers. 14, 15, 17 of that chapter and our vers. 21, 22 may be noticed.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Then Amaziah
אֲמַצְיָ֙הוּ֙ (’ă·maṣ·yā·hū)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 558: Amaziah -- 'Yah is mighty', the name of several Israelites

king
מֶ֣לֶךְ (me·leḵ)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 4428: A king

of Judah
יְהוּדָ֔ה (yə·hū·ḏāh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3063: Judah -- 'praised', a son of Jacob, also the southern kingdom, also four Israelites

took counsel
וַיִּוָּעַ֗ץ (way·yiw·wā·‘aṣ)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 3289: To advise, to deliberate, resolve

and sent
וַ֠יִּשְׁלַח (way·yiš·laḥ)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 7971: To send away, for, out

word to
אֶל־ (’el-)
Preposition
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

the king
מֶ֥לֶךְ (me·leḵ)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 4428: A king

of Israel,
יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל (yiś·rā·’êl)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3478: Israel -- 'God strives', another name of Jacob and his desc

Jehoash
יוֹאָ֨שׁ (yō·w·’āš)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3101: Joash

son
בֶּן־ (ben-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 1121: A son

of Jehoahaz,
יְהוֹאָחָ֧ז (yə·hō·w·’ā·ḥāz)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3059: Jehoahaz -- 'Yah has grasped', the name of several Israelites

the son
בֶּן־ (ben-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 1121: A son

of Jehu.
יֵה֛וּא (yê·hū)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3058: Jehu -- 'the LORD is He', the name of several Israelites

“Come,
לְכָ֖ה (lə·ḵāh)
Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular | third person feminine singular
Strong's Hebrew

let us meet
נִתְרָאֶ֥ה (niṯ·rā·’eh)
Verb - Hitpael - Imperfect Cohortative if contextual - first person common plural
Strong's 7200: To see

face to face,”
פָנִֽים׃ (p̄ā·nîm)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 6440: The face

he said.
לֵאמֹ֑ר (lê·mōr)
Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Strong's 559: To utter, say


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OT History: 2 Chronicles 25:17 Then Amaziah king of Judah took advice (2 Chron. 2Ch iiCh ii ch 2 chr 2chr)
2 Chronicles 25:16
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