17
After consulting with his advisers, King Amaziah of Judah sent this challenge to Israel’s king Jehoash, the son of Jehoahaz and grandson of Jehu: “Come and meet me in battle!”
Ver. 17-19. Then Amaziah king of Judah took advice Not of God, nor of his prophets, but of some of his nobles like himself:
and sent to Joash--king of Israel; of his message to him here, and his answer in the two following verses, see the following notes: (See Gill on 2 Kings 14:8). (See Gill on 2 Kings 14:9). (See Gill on 2 Kings 14:10).
15
This made the LORD very angry, and he sent a prophet to ask, “Why do you turn to gods who could not even save their own people from you?”
16
But the king interrupted him and said, “Since when have I made you the king’s counselor? Be quiet now before I have you killed!” So the prophet stopped with this warning: “I know that God has determined to destroy you because you have done this and have refused to accept my counsel.”
17
After consulting with his advisers, King Amaziah of Judah sent this challenge to Israel’s king Jehoash, the son of Jehoahaz and grandson of Jehu: “Come and meet me in battle!”
18
But King Jehoash of Israel replied to King Amaziah of Judah with this story: “Out in the Lebanon mountains, a thistle sent a message to a mighty cedar tree: ‘Give your daughter in marriage to my son.’ But just then a wild animal of Lebanon came by and stepped on the thistle, crushing it!
19
“You are saying, ‘I have defeated Edom,’ and you are very proud of it. But my advice is to stay at home. Why stir up trouble that will only bring disaster on you and the people of Judah?”
Footnotes 2
[a].
Hebrew Joash, a variant spelling of Jehoash; also in 25:18, 21, 23, 25 .
[b].
Hebrew Come, let us look one another in the face.