Amasias' reign: he beginneth well, but endeth ill: he is overthrown by
Joas, and slain by his people.
25:1. Amasias was five and twenty years old when he began to reign, and
he reigned nine and twenty years in Jerusalem, the name of his mother
was Joadan of Jerusalem.
25:2. And he did what was good in the sight of the Lord: but yet not
with a perfect heart.
25:3. And when he saw himself strengthened in his kingdom, he put to
death the servants that had slain the king his father.
25:4. But he slew not their children, as it is written in the book of
the law of Moses, where the Lord commanded, saying: The fathers shall
not be slain for the children, nor the children for their fathers, but
every man shall die for his own sin.
25:5. Amasias therefore gathered Juda together, and appointed them by
families, and captains of thousands and of hundreds in all Juda, and
Benjamin: and he numbered them from twenty years old and upwards, and
found three hundred thousand young men that could go out to battle, and
could hold the spear and shield.
25:6. He hired also of Israel a hundred thousand valiant men, for a
hundred talents of silver.
25:7. But a man of God came to him, and said: O king, let not the army
of Israel go out with thee, for the Lord is not with Israel, and all the
children of Ephraim:
25:8. And if thou think that battles consist in the strength of the
army, God will make thee to be overcome by the enemies: for it belongeth
to God both to help, and to put to flight.
25:9. And Amasias said to the man of God: What will then become of the
hundred talents which I have given to the soldiers of Israel? and the
man of God answered him: The Lord is rich enough to be able to give thee
much more than this.
25:10. Then Amasias separated the army, that came to him out of Ephraim,
to go home again: but they being much enraged against Juda, returned to
their own country.
25:11. And Amasias taking courage led forth his people, and went to the
vale of saltpits, and slew of the children of Seir ten thousand.
25:12. And other ten thousand men the sons of Juda took, and brought to
the steep of a certain rock, and cast them down headlong from the top,
and they all were broken to pieces.
25:13. But that army which Amasias had sent back, that they should not
go with him to battle, spread themselves among the cities of Juda, from
Samaria to Beth-horon, and having killed three thousand took away much
spoil.
25:14. But Amasias after he had slain the Edomites, set up the gods of
the children of Seir, which he had brought thence, to be his gods, and
adored them, and burnt incense to them.
25:15. Wherefore the Lord being angry against Amasias, sent a prophet to
him, to say to him: Why hast thou adored gods that have not delivered
their own people out of thy hand?
25:16. And when he spoke these things, he answered him: Art thou the
king's counsellor? be quiet, lest I kill thee. And the prophet
departing, said: I know that God is minded to kill thee, because thou
hast done this evil, and moreover hast not hearkened to my counsel.
25:17. Then Amasias king of Juda taking very bad counsel, sent to Joas
the son of Joachaz the son of Jehu, king of Israel, saying: Come, let us
see one another.
25:18. But he sent back the messengers, saying: The thistle that is in
Libanus, sent to the cedar in Libanus, saying: Give thy daughter to my
son to wife: and behold the beasts that were in the wood of Libanus
passed by and trod down the thistle.
25:19. Thou hast said: I have overthrown Edom, and therefore thy heart
is lifted up with pride: stay at home, why dost thou provoke evil
against thee, that both thou shouldst fall and Juda with thee.
25:20. Amasias would not hearken to him, because it was the Lord's will
that he should be delivered into the hands of enemies, because of the
gods of Edom.
25:21. So Joas king of Israel went up, and they presented themselves to
be seen by one another: and Amasias king of Juda was in Bethsames of
Juda:
25:22. And Juda fell before Israel, and they fled to their dwellings.
25:23. And Joas king of Israel took Amasias king of Juda, the son of
Joas, the son of Joachaz, in Bethsames, and brought him to Jerusalem:
and broke down the walls thereof from the gate of Ephraim, to the gate
of the corner, four hundred cubits.
25:24. And he took all the gold, and silver, and all the vessels, that
he found in the house of God, and with Obededom, and in the treasures of
the king's house, moreover also the sons of the hostages, he brought
back to Samaria.
25:25. And Amasias the son of Joas king of Juda lived, after the death
of Joas the son of Joachaz king of Israel, fifteen years.
25:26. Now the rest of the acts of Amasias, the first and last, are
written in the book of the kings of Juda and Israel.
25:27. And after he revolted from the Lord, they made a conspiracy
against him in Jerusalem. And he fled into Lachis, and they sent, and
killed him there.
25:28. And they brought him back upon horses, and buried him with his
fathers in the city of David.