2 Kings 14:1-6

Amaziah King of Judah

1 In the second year of Jehoash^[a] son of Jehoahaz king of Israel, Amaziah son of Joash king of Judah began to reign.

2 He was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem twenty-nine years. His mother’s name was Jehoaddan; she was from Jerusalem.

3 He did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, but not as his father David had done. In everything he followed the example of his father Joash.

4 The high places, however, were not removed; the people continued to offer sacrifices and burn incense there.

5 After the kingdom was firmly in his grasp, he executed the officials who had murdered his father the king.

6 Yet he did not put the children of the assassins to death, in accordance with what is written in the Book of the Law of Moses where the LORD commanded: “Parents are not to be put to death for their children, nor children put to death for their parents; each will die for their own sin.”^[b]

2 Kings 14:1-6 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO 2 KINGS 14

In this chapter we have the good reign of Amaziah king of Judah, his victories over the Edomites, and war with Jehoash king of Israel, by whom he was taken, who died quickly after, 2Ki 14:1-16, but Amaziah lived fifteen years afterwards, and was slain by a conspiracy against him, and Azariah his son reigned in his stead, 2Ki 14:17-22, and a short account is given of the reign of Jeroboam the second, king of Israel, 2Ki 14:23-29.

Cross References

• 1. 2 Kings 12:3; 2 Kings 16:4
• 2. 2 Kings 21:24
• 3. 2 Kings 12:20
• 4. S Deuteronomy 28:61
• 5. S Numbers 26:11; Job 21:20; Jeremiah 31:30; Jeremiah 44:3; Ezekiel 18:4,20

Footnotes

• [a]. Hebrew "Joash," a variant of "Jehoash" ; also in verses 13, 23 and 27
• [b]. Deut. 24:16