1 Amaziah began to reign when he was twenty and five years old, 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 And it came to pass, when the kingdom was established in his hand, that he slew his servants who had slain the king his father. 4 But he slew not their sons, according to the covenant of the law of the Lord, as it is written, and as the Lord commanded, saying, The fathers shall not die for the children, and the sons shall not die for the fathers, but they shall die each for his own sin.

5 And Amaziah assembled the house of Judah, and appointed them according to the houses of their families for captains of thousands and captains of hundreds in all Judah and Jerusalem: and he numbered them from twenty years old and upward, and found them three hundred thousand able to go out to war, holding spear and shield. 6 Also he hired of Israel a hundred thousand mighty men for a hundred talents of silver.

7 And there came a man of God to him, saying, O king, let not the host of Israel go with thee; for the Lord is not with Israel, even all the sons of Ephraim. 8 For if thou shalt undertake to strengthen thyself with these, then the Lord shall put thee to flight before the enemies: for it is of the Lord both to strengthen and to put to flight. 9 And Amaziah said to the man of God, But what shall I do for the hundred talents which I have given to the army of Israel? And the man of God said, The Lord can give thee much more than these.

10 And Amaziah separated from the army that came to him from Ephraim, that they might go away to their place; and they were very angry with Judah, and they returned to their place with great wrath. 11 And Amaziah strengthened himself, and took his people, and went to the Valley of Salt, and smote there the children of Seir ten thousand. 12 And the children of Judah took ten thousand prisoners, and they carried them to the top of the precipice, and cast them headlong from the top of the precipice, and they were all dashed to pieces. 13 And the men of the host whom Amaziah sent back so that they should not go with him to battle, went and attacked the cities of Judah, from Samaria to Beth-horon; and they smote three thousand among them, and took much spoil.

14 And it came to pass, after Amaziah had returned from smiting Edom, that he brought home the gods of the children of Seir, and set them up for himself as gods, and bowed down before them, and he sacrificed to them. 15 And the anger of the Lord came upon Amaziah, and he sent him a prophet, and he said to him, Why hast thou sought the gods of the people, which have not rescued their own people out of thy hand? 16 And it came to pass when the prophet was speaking to him, that he said to him, Have I made thee king’s counselor? take heed lest thou be scourged: and the prophet forebore, and said, I know that God is disposed against thee to destroy thee, because thou hast done this thing, and hast not hearkened to my counsel.

17 And Amaziah king of Judah took counsel, and sent to Joash, son of Jehoahaz, son of Jehu, king of Israel, saying, Come, and let us look one another in the face. 18 And Joash 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 thy daughter to my son to wife; but, behold, the wild beasts of the field that are in Lebanon shall come: and the wild beasts did come, and trod down the thistle. 19 Thou hast said, Behold, I have smitten Edom, and thy stout heart exalts thee: now stay at home; for why dost thou implicate thyself in mischief, that thou shouldest fall, and Judah with thee?

20 Nevertheless Amaziah hearkened not, for it was of the Lord to deliver him into the enemy’s hands, because he sought after the gods of the Edomites. 21 So Joash king of Israel went up; and they saw one another, he and Amaziah king of Judah, in Beth-shemesh, which is of Judah. 22 And Judah was put to flight before Israel, and they fled every man to his tent. 23 And Joash king of Israel took prisoner Amaziah king of Judah, son of Joash, son of Jehoahaz, in Beth-shemesh, and brought him to Jerusalem; and he pulled down part of the wall of Jerusalem from the gate of Ephraim to the corner gate, four hundred cubits. 24 And he took all the gold and the silver, and all the vessels that were found in the house of the Lord and with Obed-edom, and the treasures of the king’s house, and the hostages, and he returned to Samaria.

25 And Amaziah the son of Joash king of Judah lived after the death of Joash the son of Jehoahaz king of Israel fifteen years. 26 And the rest of the acts of Amaziah, the first and the last, lo! are they not written in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel? 27 And at the time when Amaziah departed from the Lord, then they formed a conspiracy against him; and he fled from Jerusalem to Lachish: and they sent after him to Lachish, and slew him there. 28 And they took him up on horses, and buried him with his fathers in the city of David.