2 Chronicles 25:1-9

1 Amaziah was twenty-five years old when he became king and reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. His mother was Jehoaddin from Jerusalem.
2 He lived well before God, doing the right thing for the most part. But he wasn't wholeheartedly devoted to God.
3 When he had the affairs of the kingdom well in hand, he executed the palace guard who had assassinated his father the king.
4 But he didn't kill the sons of the assassins - he was mindful of what God commanded in The Revelation of Moses, that parents shouldn't be executed for their childrens' sins, nor children for their parents'. We each pay personally for our sins.
5 Amaziah organized Judah and sorted out Judah and Benjamin by families and by military units. Men twenty years and older had to register - they ended up with 300,000 judged capable of military service.
6 In addition he hired 100,000 soldiers from Israel in the north at a cost of about four and a half tons of silver.
7 A holy man showed up and said, "No, O king - don't let those northern Israelite soldiers into your army; God is not on their side, nor with any of the Ephraimites.
8 Instead, you go by yourself and be strong. God and God only has the power to help or hurt your cause."
9 But Amaziah said to the holy man, "But what about all this money - these tons of silver I have already paid out to hire these men?" "God's help is worth far more to you than that," said the holy man.

2 Chronicles 25:1-9 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO 2 CHRONICLES 25

This chapter begins with the reign of Amaziah, and some of the first acts of it, slaying those that killed his father, 2Ch 25:1-4, raising a large army in his own kingdom, to which he added 100,000 more he hired out of Israel, whom yet he sent home by the advice of a prophet, 2Ch 25:5-10, and with his own army marched against the Edomites, and obtained a victory over them, 2Ch 25:11,12, but the Israelites being displeased with him for dismissing them, fell on some of his cities, and slew many in them, 2Ch 25:13, and such was his stupidity, as to worship the gods of the Edomites he had conquered, for which he was reproved by a prophet, 2Ch 25:14-16 and being elated with his victory, he sent a challenge to the king of Israel, who accepting of it, a battle ensued, in which Judah was worsted, their king taken, and treasuries spoiled, 2Ch 25:17-24, and the chapter is closed with the death and burial of Amaziah, 2Ch 25:25-28.

\\reign\\ Of these verses, \\See Gill on "2Ki 14:2"\\. \\See Gill on "2Ki 14:3"\\. \\See Gill on "2Ki 14:5"\\. \\See Gill on "2Ki 14:6"\\. 19664-950124-2127-2Ch25.2

Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.