Amaziah, the son of Joash, was the ninth king of Judah, reigning in Jerusalem for 29 years during the 8th century BC. His reign is chronicled in 2 Kings 14 and 2 Chronicles 25. Amaziah's life and reign provide a poignant example of impenitence, as he failed to fully commit his heart to the Lord, leading to his downfall.

Amaziah began his reign with a semblance of righteousness, as noted in 2 Kings 14:3 : "He did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, yet not like his father David. He did everything as his father Joash had done." However, his obedience was superficial, lacking the wholehearted devotion that characterized David's relationship with God. This half-heartedness is a key aspect of impenitence, where outward actions may appear righteous, but the heart remains unyielded to God.

One of the significant events highlighting Amaziah's impenitence was his decision to hire 100,000 mercenaries from Israel to strengthen his army against Edom. A man of God warned him against this alliance, saying in 2 Chronicles 25:7-8 , "O king, do not let the army of Israel go with you, for the LORD is not with Israel—not with any of the Ephraimites. Even if you go and fight bravely in battle, God will make you stumble before the enemy, for God has power to help and power to overthrow." Amaziah heeded this warning and dismissed the mercenaries, but his initial decision to rely on human strength rather than God revealed a lack of trust and penitence.

After his victory over Edom, Amaziah's impenitence became more pronounced. He brought back the gods of the Edomites and set them up as his own, bowing down and burning sacrifices to them. This act of idolatry provoked the Lord's anger, and a prophet confronted Amaziah, as recorded in 2 Chronicles 25:15 : "Why have you sought this people’s gods, which could not deliver their own people from your hand?" Amaziah's response to this rebuke was not one of repentance but of defiance, as he threatened the prophet, demonstrating his hardened heart.

Amaziah's impenitence ultimately led to his downfall. His pride and refusal to repent resulted in a disastrous confrontation with Jehoash, king of Israel. Despite being warned, Amaziah insisted on going to war, which ended in his defeat and capture. The consequences of his impenitence were severe, as Jerusalem's wall was breached, and the treasures of the temple and palace were plundered (2 Kings 14:13-14).

Amaziah's reign ended in conspiracy and assassination, as his own officials turned against him. His life serves as a cautionary tale of the dangers of impenitence, illustrating how a lack of true repentance and reliance on God can lead to spiritual and physical ruin.2 Chronicles 25:16
And it came to pass, as he talked with him, that the king said to him, Are you made of the king's counsel? forbear; why should you be smitten? Then the prophet declined, and said, I know that God has determined to destroy you, because you have done this, and have not listened to my counsel.
Nave's Topical Index

The Assyrian Captivity
... The boldness of this utterance was lost on king and people, so far had they gone
in impenitence. Amaziah, a leader among the idolatrous priests at Bethel ...
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The Life and Death of Mr. Badman,
... Nor is it a sign but of desperate impenitence and hardness of heart, when the offspring
or relations of those who have fallen by open, fearful, and prodigious ...
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