2 Kings 14:1-13 ▼

1 IN the second year of Jehoash the son of Jehoahaz king of Israel, Amaziah the son of Joash king of Judah, began to reign.

2 He 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.

3 And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, yet not like David his father; he did according to all things that Joash his father did.

4 But the temples of idols he did not remove, and the people still were sacrificing and burning incense on the altars on the high places.

5 And it came to pass, as soon as the kingdom was firmly in his hand, he slew his servants who had slain King Joash his father.

6 But the children of the murderers he did not kill, according to that which is written in the Book of the Law of Moses, wherein the LORD commanded, saying, The fathers shall not be put to death for the children, nor the children be put to death for the fathers; but every man shall be put to death for his own sin.

7 He slew of Edom in the valley of Salt twenty thousand, and destroyed Selah by war, and called the name of it Nakthael, which is its name to this day.

8 Then Amaziah king of Judah sent messengers to Jehoash, the son of Jehoahaz son of Jehu, king of Israel, saying, Come let us look one another in the face.

9 And Jehoash the 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 to wife; and there passed by a wild beast that was in Lebanon and trod down the thistle.

10 You have indeed smitten Edom, and your heart has lifted you up; glory in this, and tarry at your house; for why should you stir up trouble, so that you should fall, even you, and Judah with you?

11 But Amaziah would not listen to him. So Jehoash king of Israel and Amaziah king of Judah went up and they faced each other at Beth-shemesh, which belongs to Judah.

12 And Judah was defeated before Israel; and they fled every man to his tent.

13 And Jehoash king of Israel captured Amaziah king of Judah at Beth-shemesh, and he entered Jerusalem and broke down the wall of Jerusalem from the gate of Ephraim to the corner gate, four hundred cubits.