2 Kings 14

¹ In the second year of Joash son of Jehoahaz, king of Israel, Amaziah son of Joash became king ofJudah.

² He was twenty-five years old when he came to the throne, and he reigned for twenty-nine years inJerusalem. His mother's name was Jehoaddin of Jerusalem.

³ He did what Yahweh regards as right, though not like his ancestor David; he imitated his father Joashin all respects.

⁴ The high places, however, were not abolished, and the people stil offered sacrifices and incense onthe high places.

⁵ Once the kingdom was firmly under his control, he kil ed those of his retainers who had murdered theking his father.

⁶ But he did not put the murderers' sons to death, in accordance with what is written in the Book ofMoses, where Yahweh has commanded: 'Parents may not be put to death for their children, nor children forparents, but each must be put to death for his own crime.'

⁷ It was he who slaughtered the Edomites in the Valley of Salt, ten thousand of them, and captured theRock; he gave it the name Joktheel, which it bears to the present day.

⁸ Amaziah then sent messengers to Jehoash son of Jehoahaz, king of Israel, saying, 'Come and make atrial of strength!'

⁹ Jehoash king of Israel sent back word to Amaziah king of Judah, 'The thistle of Lebanon sent amessage to the cedar of Lebanon, saying, "Give my son your daughter in marriage"; but a wild animal of theLebanon ran over the thistle and squashed it.

¹⁰ You have conquered Edom and now aspire to even greater glory. Stay where you belong! Whyprovoke disaster, to your own and Judah's ruin?'

¹¹ But Amaziah would not listen, so Jehoash king of Israel marched to the attack. And at Beth-Shemesh,which belongs to Judah, he and Amaziah king of Judah made their trial of strength.

¹² Judah was defeated by Israel, and everyone fled to his tent.

¹³ The king of Judah, Amaziah son of Jehoash, son of Ahaziah, was taken prisoner at Beth-Shemesh byJehoash king of Israel who led him off to Jerusalem, where he demolished four hundred cubits of the city wallbetween the Ephraim Gate and the Corner Gate;

¹⁴ al the gold and silver, and al the vessels to be found in the Temple of Yahweh and in the palacetreasury, and hostages besides, he then took back with him to Samaria.

¹⁵ The rest of the history of Jehoash, his entire career, his prowess, how he waged war on Amaziah kingof Judah, is this not recorded in the Book of the Annals of the Kings of Israel?

¹⁶ Then Joash fel asleep with his ancestors, and was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel; his sonJeroboam succeeded him.

¹⁷ Amaziah son of Joash, king of Judah, lived for fifteen years after the death of Jehoash son ofJehoahaz, king of Israel.

¹⁸ The rest of the history of Amaziah, is this not recorded in the Book of the Annals of the Kings ofJudah?

¹⁹ A plot having been hatched against him in Jerusalem, he fled to Lachish; but he was fol owed toLachish where he was murdered.

²⁰ He was then transported by horse and buried in Jerusalem with his ancestors in the City of David.

²¹ Al the people of Judah then chose Uzziah, who was sixteen years old, and made him king insuccession to his father Amaziah.

²² It was he who rebuilt Elath, recovering it for Judah, after the king had fallen asleep with his ancestors.

²³ In the fifteenth year of Amaziah son of Joash, king of Judah, Jeroboam son of Joash became king ofIsrael in Samaria. He reigned for forty-one years.

²⁴ He did what is displeasing to Yahweh and did not give up any of the sins into which Jeroboam son ofNebat had led Israel.

²⁵ It was he who recovered the territory of Israel from the Pass of Hamath to the Sea of the Arabah, inaccordance with the word which Yahweh, God of Israel, had spoken through his servant Jonah son of Amittai,the prophet from Gath-Hepher.

²⁶ For Yahweh had seen how very bitter the affliction of Israel was, with no one, either fettered or free, tocome to Israel's help.

²⁷ But Yahweh had resolved not to blot out the name of Israel under heaven; he rescued them by meansof Jeroboam son of Joash.

²⁸ The rest of the history of Jeroboam, his entire career, his prowess, what wars he waged, how hebrought Damascus and Hamath back to their allegiance to Judah and Israel, is this not recorded in the Book ofthe Annals of the Kings of Israel?

²⁹ Then Jeroboam fell asleep with his ancestors and was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel; hisson Zechariah succeeded him.