2 Chronicles 25:1-12 ▼

1 AMAZIAH was twenty-five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Jehoaddan of Jerusalem.

2 And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, but not with a perfect heart.

3 Now it came to pass when the kingdom was strengthened in his hand, he slew his servants who had killed the king his father.

4 But he did not slay the children of the murderers, because so it is written in the book of the law of Moses, where the LORD commanded, saying, The fathers shall not die for the children, neither shall the children die for the fathers, but every man shall die for his own sin.

5 Then Amaziah gathered Judah together and appointed over them commanders of thousands and captains of hundreds, according to the houses of their fathers, throughout all Judah and Benjamin; and he numbered them from twenty years old and above, and found that they were three hundred thousand young men, able to go forth to war, that could draw sword and handle shield.

6 He hired also a hundred thousand mighty men of valour from Israel for a hundred talents of silver.

7 But there came a prophet of the LORD to him, saying, O king, let not all the army of Israel go with you; for the LORD is not with all Israel, neither with all the house of Ephraim.

8 You are to engage in a great battle, and the LORD will cause you to fall before your enemies because you have not praised the LORD, for he is the helper and one who exalts.

9 And Amaziah said to the prophet of the LORD, What folly have I committed in giving the hundred talents to the men of Israel? And the prophet of God said to him, The LORD your God is able to give you much more than this, double what you have given.

10 Then Amaziah separated the men that had come to him from Ephraim, to go home again; wherefore his anger was greatly kindled against Israel. And he sent them back home in his great anger.

11 And Amaziah strengthened himself and led forth his people, and went to the valley of salt and slew ten thousand of the men of mount Gebal.

12 And another ten thousand left alive, the children of Judah captured and brought to the top of the rocks, and all of them came bound in chains.