Ch. 2 Chronicles 25:1-4 (= 2 Kings 14:1-6). Amaziah Succeeds

2. not with a perfect heart] In Kings, “yet not like David his father” (because “the high places were not taken away”). The Chronicler has something more serious in his mind; cp. 2 Chronicles 25:14-16.

3. to him] R.V. unto him; LXX., ἐν χειρὶ αὐτοῦ; in Kings, “in his hand.”

4. he slew not their children] R.V. he put not their children to death.

as it is written] R.V. according to that which is written; i.e. in Deuteronomy 24:16 (cp. Ezekiel 18:20).

where the Lord] R.V. as the LORD.

5–10 (not in Kings). Amaziah prepares for War

5. and made them … and Benjamin] R.V. and ordered them according to their fathers’ houses, under captains of thousands and captains of hundreds, even all Judah and Benjamin.

three hundred thousand] These were spearmen and correspond in number with Asa’s spearmen (2 Chronicles 14:8).

choice men] R.V. chosen men.

7. the Lord is not with Israel] Cp. 2 Chronicles 13:8-12.

8. do it] R.V. do valiantly (spoken ironically).

shall make thee fall] R.V. shall cast thee down.

9. the army] R.V. mg., the troop (so 2 Chronicles 25:10; 2 Chronicles 25:13). The men in question were freebooters to judge from their conduct (2 Chronicles 25:13).

10. in great anger] R.V. in fierce anger.

11, 12 (cp. 2 Kings 14:7). Victory over Edom

11. strengthened himself] R.V. took courage; cp. 2 Chronicles 1:1 (note).

the valley of salt] The scene of one of David’s victories (1 Chronicles 18:12; see note there).

children of Seir] The Edomites were so called because “Mount Seir” was part of their territory; Deuteronomy 2:5.

12. left alive did the children of Judah carry away captive] R.V. did the children of Judah carry away alive. The “left alive” of the A.V. is misleading, for it suggests that they were prisoners captured in the same battle in which the first ten thousand were slain; a comparison of Kings however suggests that they were the whole (or part) of the garrison of Sela, which fortress was captured by Amaziah after his victory in the valley of salt.

the rock] R.V. mg. Sela; cp. 2 Kings 14:7 and Jeremiah 49:16. Sela is usually identified with Petra (Bädeker, p. 146 ff.), but the identification is by no means certain.

13 (no parallel in Kings). Outrages of the Ephraimite Mercenaries

13. the soldiers of the army] Heb., the sons of the troop.

the cities of Judah, from Samaria even unto Beth-horon] This phrase is strange, for we expect the two names given to be names of cities belonging to the Southern Kingdom. Perhaps we should read for Samaria either Zemaraim (2 Chronicles 13:4; Joshua 18:22) or Ephrain (Ephron; 2 Chronicles 13:19; cp. Joshua 15:9). Both Zemaraim and Ephrain were border cities.

14–16 (not in Kings). Amaziah’s Idolatry and the Prophet’s Rebuke

14. bowed down … and burned] The tenses in the Heb. are imperfect and imply that this became Amaziah’s practice. The act was according to a policy frequently pursued in ancient times. Solomon affords an instance of it (1 Kings 11:7).

15. which could not deliver] R.V. which have not delivered.

16. Art thou made] R.V. Have we made thee.

of the king’s counsel] Lit., “counsellor to the king.”

hath determined] Lit., “hath counselled” (with a play on the king’s word).

17–24 (= 2 Kings 14:8-14). Amaziah Conquered by Joash

17. took advice] Took counsel with a view to demanding satisfaction from Joash for the ravages of the Israelite mercenaries (2 Chronicles 25:13). The sequel suggests that Joash refused to give satisfaction.

let us see one another in the face] R.V. let us look one another in the face. The proposal may be either to fight or (better) to discuss Amaziah’s claims, the two kings meeting as equals. The latter is probably the right alternative, for the answer of Joash draws a scoffing parallel between Amaziah’s proposition and a thorn’s proposal of alliance with a cedar. Had Amaziah’s words been a challenge to fight, Joash’s answer would rather have taken the form in Jdg 9:15, “The thorn said, Fire shall come out of the thorn and devour the cedars of Lebanon,” etc.

18. the thistle] R.V. mg., thorn; cp. Proverbs 26:9 (same Heb. word).

19. Thou sayest] i.e. to thyself.

meddle to thine hurt] R.V. mg., provoke calamity, i.e. by making claims which he could not enforce.

20. for it was of God] Not in Kings. This turn is characteristic of the Chronicler; cp. 2 Chronicles 10:15; 2 Chronicles 22:7.

21. they saw one another in the face, both he and Amaziah …] R.V. he and Amaziah … looked one another in the face. The historian by a kind of irony takes up Amaziah’s phrase (2 Chronicles 25:17) and gives it a fresh application. Cp. the double application (by a similar irony) of the phrase, ‘lift up the head” in Genesis 40:13; Genesis 40:19.

at Beth-shemesh] Cp. 1 Chronicles 6:59 [44 Heb.] (note).

22. to his tent] Cp. 2 Chronicles 7:10 (note).

23. the son of Jehoahaz] i.e. the son of Ahaziah, Jehoahaz and Ahaziah being varying forms of the same name; cp. 2 Chronicles 21:17 (note).

brake down the wall] Rather, made a breach (or breaches) in the wall. The same verb is used in Nehemiah 1:3 (“broken down”) and ibid. Nehemiah 4:7 (“the breaches”).

the gate of Ephraim] This gate cannot be identified, but its name suggests that it was on the north.

the corner gate] Heb. text doubtful, but LXX. ἕως πύλης γωνίας. Cp. 2 Chronicles 26:9; Jeremiah 31:38; Zechariah 14:10. Most probably this gate also was on the north, but nothing certain is known of its position.

four hundred cubits] About 600 feet according to the ancient cubit, and 700 according to the later standard; cp. 2 Chronicles 3:3 (note).

24. And he took] The verb is missing in Chron., and is supplied from Kings.

with Obed-edom] i.e. with the family of Obed-edom which (1 Chronicles 26:4-8; 1 Chronicles 26:15) served as doorkeepers in the House of God. This detail is absent from Kings.

25–28 (= 2 Kings 14:17-20). The End of Amaziah

27. after the time] R.V. from the time. The Chronicler characteristically connects the conspiracy with Amaziah’s apostasy; in Kings the fact only of the conspiracy is stated.

a conspiracy] Athaliah, Joash, Amaziah each fell one after the other before a conspiracy. Jehoiada’s example had far-reaching results.

to Lachish] Perhaps he was trying to reach Egypt.

28. upon horses] Render, upon the horses; i.e. upon the horses of some of his pursuers. The conspirators thereby announced the complete success of their conspiracy.