◄ 2 Kings 14:3 ►
And he did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, but not as his father David had done. He did everything as his father Joash had done.
Study Bible
He did what was right in the eyes of the LORD
This phrase indicates a moral and spiritual evaluation of King Amaziah's reign. The Hebrew word for "right" is "yashar," which conveys a sense of uprightness and righteousness. In the context of the Hebrew Bible, doing what is right in the eyes of the LORD implies adherence to the covenantal laws and commands given to Israel. This phrase sets a standard for kingship, emphasizing that true leadership is measured by faithfulness to God's statutes rather than mere political success.

yet not like his father David
David is often held as the gold standard for kingship in Israel due to his heart for God, despite his personal failings. The comparison here highlights that while Amaziah did what was right, he did not reach the spiritual heights or possess the same depth of relationship with God as David did. The Hebrew root for "not like" (lo kemo) suggests a divergence in quality or degree, indicating that Amaziah's righteousness was lacking in some aspects compared to David's wholehearted devotion.

he did everything as his father Joash had done
This phrase points to the continuity of Amaziah's actions with those of his father, Joash. The Hebrew word "kol" (everything) suggests a comprehensive imitation of Joash's policies and practices. Joash, while initially faithful, eventually turned away from God, which implies that Amaziah's reign, though right in some respects, was marred by similar shortcomings. This continuity serves as a cautionary note about the influence of parental legacy and the importance of personal spiritual integrity.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Amaziah
The king of Judah who reigned after his father Joash. He is noted for doing what was right in the eyes of the LORD, though not with the same heart as David.

2. David
The former king of Israel, known for his wholehearted devotion to God. He serves as the benchmark for righteous kingship in the biblical account.

3. Joash
Amaziah's father, who also did what was right in the eyes of the LORD but failed to remove the high places, leading to incomplete obedience.

4. Judah
The southern kingdom of Israel, where Amaziah reigned. It is significant as the lineage through which the Davidic covenant is fulfilled.

5. High Places
Locations of worship that were not sanctioned by God, often associated with idolatry and syncretism, which persisted during Amaziah's reign.
Teaching Points
Partial Obedience is Incomplete
Amaziah's reign teaches us that doing what is right in the eyes of the LORD requires full obedience, not just partial compliance. Like Amaziah, we may do many things right, but God desires our complete devotion.

The Legacy of Influence
Amaziah followed in the footsteps of his father Joash. This reminds us of the powerful influence of parental and spiritual legacies. We should strive to leave a legacy of wholehearted devotion to God.

The Heart of Worship
The persistence of high places during Amaziah's reign indicates a divided heart in worship. We are called to worship God with undivided hearts, removing any idols or distractions that compete for our devotion.

Comparison with David
David is often used as a standard for righteous leadership. We should aspire to have a heart like David's, fully committed to God, rather than settling for lesser standards.
Bible Study Questions
1. In what ways can we identify and remove "high places" in our own lives that hinder our full obedience to God?

2. How does the legacy of our spiritual leaders or parents influence our walk with God, and how can we ensure it is a positive influence?

3. What are some practical steps we can take to ensure our worship is wholehearted and undivided?

4. How can we use David's example of devotion to God as a benchmark for our own spiritual lives?

5. Reflect on a time when you practiced partial obedience. What were the consequences, and how can you learn from that experience to pursue complete obedience in the future?
Connections to Other Scriptures
2 Chronicles 25
Provides a parallel account of Amaziah's reign, offering more details about his actions and the consequences of his partial obedience.

1 Kings 15:11-14
Discusses King Asa, who also did what was right in the eyes of the LORD but did not remove the high places, similar to Amaziah.

Deuteronomy 12:2-4
Commands the Israelites to destroy all high places, highlighting the importance of complete obedience to God's instructions.
Sermons
Amaziah Doing RightJ. Orr 2 Kings 14:1-7
Significant Facts in God's GovernmentD. Thomas 2 Kings 14:1-29
People
Ahaziah, Amaziah, Amittai, Azariah, David, Edomites, Hepher, Jehoaddan, Jehoahaz, Jehoash, Jehu, Jeroboam, Joahaz, Joash, Jonah, Nebat, Zachariah, Zechariah
Places
Beth-shemesh, Corner Gate, Damascus, Edom, Elath, Ephraim Gate, Gath-hepher, Hamath, Israel, Jerusalem, Joktheel, Lachish, Lebanon, Lebo-hamath, Samaria, Sea of the Arabah, Sela, Syria, Valley of Salt
Topics
David, Example, Followed, Joash, Jo'ash, Sight, Though, Yet
Dictionary of Bible Themes
2 Kings 14:3

     5370   kingship, human

2 Kings 14:1-22

     5366   king

2 Kings 14:3-4

     7374   high places

Library
The Prophet Amos.
GENERAL PRELIMINARY REMARKS. It will not be necessary to extend our preliminary remarks on the prophet Amos, since on the main point--viz., the circumstances under which he appeared as a prophet--the introduction to the prophecies of Hosea may be regarded as having been written for those of Amos also. For, according to the inscription, they belong to the same period at which Hosea's prophetic ministry began, viz., the latter part of the reign of Jeroboam II., and after Uzziah had ascended the …
Ernst Wilhelm Hengstenberg—Christology of the Old Testament

The Prophet Jonah.
It has been asserted without any sufficient reason, that Jonah is older than Hosea, Joel, Amos, and Obadiah,--that he is the oldest among the prophets whose written monuments have been preserved to us. The passage in 2 Kings xiv. 25, where it is said, that Jonah, the son of Amittai the prophet, prophesied to Jeroboam the happy success of his arms, and the restoration of the ancient boundaries of Israel, and that this prophecy was confirmed by the event, cannot decide in favour of this assertion, …
Ernst Wilhelm Hengstenberg—Christology of the Old Testament

The Twelve Minor Prophets.
1. By the Jewish arrangement, which places together the twelve minor prophets in a single volume, the chronological order of the prophets as a whole is broken up. The three greater prophets, Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel, stand in the true order of time. Daniel began to prophesy before Ezekiel, but continued, many years after him. The Jewish arrangement of the twelve minor prophets is in a sense chronological; that is, they put the earlier prophets at the beginning, and the later at the end of the …
E. P. Barrows—Companion to the Bible

The Prophet Hosea.
GENERAL PRELIMINARY REMARKS. That the kingdom of Israel was the object of the prophet's ministry is so evident, that upon this point all are, and cannot but be, agreed. But there is a difference of opinion as to whether the prophet was a fellow-countryman of those to whom he preached, or was called by God out of the kingdom of Judah. The latter has been asserted with great confidence by Maurer, among others, in his Observ. in Hos., in the Commentat. Theol. ii. i. p. 293. But the arguments …
Ernst Wilhelm Hengstenberg—Christology of the Old Testament

Tiglath-Pileser iii. And the Organisation of the Assyrian Empire from 745 to 722 B. C.
TIGLATH-PILESER III. AND THE ORGANISATION OF THE ASSYRIAN EMPIRE FROM 745 to 722 B.C. FAILURE OF URARTU AND RE-CONQUEST Of SYRIA--EGYPT AGAIN UNITED UNDER ETHIOPIAN AUSPICES--PIONKHI--THE DOWNFALL OF DAMASCUS, OF BABYLON, AND OF ISRAEL. Assyria and its neighbours at the accession of Tiglath-pileser III.: progress of the Aramaeans in the basin of the Middle Tigris--Urartu and its expansion into the north of Syria--Damascus and Israel--Vengeance of Israel on Damascus--Jeroboam II.--Civilisation …
G. Maspero—History Of Egypt, Chaldaea, Syria, Babylonia, and Assyria, V 7

The Girdle of the City. Nehemiah 3
The beginning of the circumference was from 'the sheep-gate.' That, we suppose, was seated on the south part, yet but little removed from that corner, which looks south-east. Within was the pool of Bethesda, famous for healings. Going forward, on the south part, was the tower Meah: and beyond that, "the tower of Hananeel": in the Chaldee paraphrast it is, 'The tower Piccus,' Zechariah 14:10; Piccus, Jeremiah 31:38.--I should suspect that to be, the Hippic tower, were not that placed on the north …
John Lightfoot—From the Talmud and Hebraica

The Figurative Language of Scripture.
1. When the psalmist says: "The Lord God is a sun and shield" (Psa. 84:11), he means that God is to all his creatures the source of life and blessedness, and their almighty protector; but this meaning he conveys under the figure of a sun and a shield. When, again, the apostle James says that Moses is read in the synagogues every Sabbath-day (Acts 15:21), he signifies the writings of Moses under the figure of his name. In these examples the figure lies in particular words. But it may be embodied …
E. P. Barrows—Companion to the Bible

Kings
The book[1] of Kings is strikingly unlike any modern historical narrative. Its comparative brevity, its curious perspective, and-with some brilliant exceptions--its relative monotony, are obvious to the most cursory perusal, and to understand these things is, in large measure, to understand the book. It covers a period of no less than four centuries. Beginning with the death of David and the accession of Solomon (1 Kings i., ii.) it traverses his reign with considerable fulness (1 Kings iii.-xi.), …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

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