2 דִּבְרֵי הַיָּמִים 25

1 בֶּן־עֶשְׂרִ֨ים וְחָמֵ֤שׁ שָׁנָה֙ מָלַ֣ךְ אֲמַצְיָ֔הוּ וְעֶשְׂרִ֣ים וָתֵ֙שַׁע֙ שָׁנָ֔ה מָלַ֖ךְ בִּירוּשָׁלִָ֑ם וְשֵׁ֣ם אִמּ֔וֹ יְהוֹעַדָּ֖ן מִירוּשָׁלָֽיִם׃

Amaziah was 25 years old when he became the king [of Judah], and he ruled from Jerusalem for 29 years. His mother was Jehoaddin; she was from Jerusalem.

2 וַיַּ֥עַשׂ הַיָּשָׁ֖ר בְּעֵינֵ֣י יְהוָ֑ה רַ֕ק לֹ֖א בְּלֵבָ֥ב שָׁלֵֽם׃

Amaziah did many things that pleased Yahweh, but he did not do them enthusiastically.

3 וַיְהִ֕י כַּאֲשֶׁ֛ר חָזְקָ֥ה הַמַּמְלָכָ֖ה עָלָ֑יו וַֽיַּהֲרֹג֙ אֶת־עֲבָדָ֔יו הַמַּכִּ֖ים אֶת־הַמֶּ֥לֶךְ אָבִֽיו׃

As soon as he was in complete control of his kingdom, he caused to be executed the officials who had murdered his father.

4 וְאֶת־בְּנֵיהֶ֖ם לֹ֣א הֵמִ֑ית כִּ֣י כַכָּת֣וּב בַּתּוֹרָ֡ה בְּסֵ֣פֶר מֹשֶׁה֩ אֲשֶׁר־צִוָּ֨ה יְהוָ֜ה לֵאמֹ֗ר לֹא־יָמ֨וּתוּ אָב֤וֹת עַל־בָּנִים֙ וּבָנִים֙ לֹא־יָמ֣וּתוּ עַל־אָב֔וֹת כִּ֛י אִ֥ישׁ בְּחֶטְא֖וֹ יָמֽוּתוּ׃ פ

But he did not command their sons to be executed; he obeyed what was in the laws that Moses had written. In those laws Yahweh had commanded, “People must not be executed because of [what] their children [have done], and children must not be executed for [what] their parents [have done]. People must be executed only for the sins that they themselves have committed.”

5 וַיִּקְבֹּ֤ץ אֲמַצְיָ֙הוּ֙ אֶת־יְהוּדָ֔ה וַיַּֽעֲמִידֵ֣ם לְבֵית־אָב֗וֹת לְשָׂרֵ֤י הָאֲלָפִים֙ וּלְשָׂרֵ֣י הַמֵּא֔וֹת לְכָל־יְהוּדָ֖ה וּבִנְיָמִ֑ן וַֽיִּפְקְדֵ֗ם לְמִבֶּ֨ן עֶשְׂרִ֤ים שָׁנָה֙ וָמַ֔עְלָה וַיִּמְצָאֵ֗ם שְׁלֹשׁ־מֵא֨וֹת אֶ֤לֶף בָּחוּר֙ יוֹצֵ֣א צָבָ֔א אֹחֵ֖ז רֹ֥מַח וְצִנָּֽה׃

Amaziah summoned the men of [the tribes of] Judah and Benjamin to come to Jerusalem, and there he put them in groups, each clan in a group by themselves. Then he appointed officers to command each group. Some officers commanded 100 men and some commanded 1,000 men. They counted the men who were at least 20 years old; altogether there were 300,000 men. They were all men who were prepared to be in the army, and able to [fight well, ] using spears and shields.

6 וַיִּשְׂכֹּ֣ר מִיִּשְׂרָאֵ֗ל מֵ֥אָה אֶ֛לֶף גִּבּ֥וֹר חָ֖יִל בְּמֵאָ֥ה כִכַּר־כָּֽסֶף׃

Amaziah also hired 100,000 capable soldiers from Israel and paid almost four tons of silver for them.

7 וְאִ֣ישׁ הָאֱלֹהִ֗ים בָּ֤א אֵלָיו֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר הַמֶּ֕לֶךְ אַל־יָבֹ֥א עִמְּךָ֖ צְבָ֣א יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל כִּ֣י אֵ֤ין יְהוָה֙ עִם־יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל כֹּ֖ל בְּנֵ֥י אֶפְרָֽיִם׃

But a prophet came to him and said, “Your majesty, you must not allow those soldiers from Israel to march with your soldiers, because Yahweh does not help the people of the tribe of Ephraim or from [anywhere else in] Israel.

8 כִּ֚י אִם־בֹּ֣א אַתָּ֔ה עֲשֵׂ֖ה חֲזַ֣ק לַמִּלְחָמָ֑ה יַכְשִֽׁילְךָ֤ הָֽאֱלֹהִים֙ לִפְנֵ֣י אוֹיֵ֔ב כִּ֥י יֶשׁ־כֹּ֛חַ בֵּאלֹהִ֖ים לַעְז֥וֹר וּלְהַכְשִֽׁיל׃

Even if your soldiers go and fight courageously in battles, God will cause your enemies to defeat you; do not forget that God has the power to help armies or to cause them to be defeated.”

9 וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֲמַצְיָ֙הוּ֙ לְאִ֣ישׁ הָאֱלֹהִ֔ים וּמַֽה־לַּעֲשׂוֹת֙ לִמְאַ֣ת הַכִּכָּ֔ר אֲשֶׁ֥ר נָתַ֖תִּי לִגְד֣וּד יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ אִ֣ישׁ הָֽאֱלֹהִ֔ים יֵ֚שׁ לַֽיהוָ֔ה לָ֥תֶת לְךָ֖ הַרְבֵּ֥ה מִזֶּֽה׃

Amaziah asked that prophet, “If I do that, what about the huge amount of silver that I paid to hire those soldiers from Israel?” The prophet replied, “Yahweh is able to pay you back more money than you paid [to hire those soldiers].”

10 וַיַּבְדִּילֵ֣ם אֲמַצְיָ֗הוּ לְהַגְּדוּד֙ אֲשֶׁר־בָּ֤א אֵלָיו֙ מֵֽאֶפְרַ֔יִם לָלֶ֖כֶת לִמְקוֹמָ֑ם וַיִּ֨חַר אַפָּ֤ם מְאֹד֙ בִּֽיהוּדָ֔ה וַיָּשׁ֥וּבוּ לִמְקוֹמָ֖ם בָּחֳרִי־אָֽף׃ פ

So Amaziah told those soldiers from Israel to return home. They left to go home, but they were very angry with the king of Judah [for not allowing them to stay and fight].

11 וַאֲמַצְיָ֙הוּ֙ הִתְחַזַּ֔ק וַיִּנְהַג֙ אֶת־עַמּ֔וֹ וַיֵּ֖לֶךְ גֵּ֣יא הַמֶּ֑לַח וַיַּ֥ךְ אֶת־בְּנֵי־שֵׂעִ֖יר עֲשֶׂ֥רֶת אֲלָפִֽים׃

Then Amaziah became brave, and he led his army to the Salt Valley. There they killed 10,000 men from the Edom people-group.

12 וַעֲשֶׂ֨רֶת אֲלָפִ֜ים חַיִּ֗ים שָׁבוּ֙ בְּנֵ֣י יְהוּדָ֔ה וַיְבִיא֖וּם לְרֹ֣אשׁ הַסָּ֑לַע וַיַּשְׁלִיכ֛וּם מֵֽרֹאשׁ־הַסֶּ֖לַע וְכֻלָּ֥ם נִבְקָֽעוּ׃ ס

The army of Judah also captured 10,000 others, and took them to the top of a cliff and threw them all down over the cliff, with the result that their corpses were all smashed to pieces.

13 וּבְנֵ֣י הַגְּד֗וּד אֲשֶׁ֨ר הֵשִׁ֤יב אֲמַצְיָ֙הוּ֙ מִלֶּ֤כֶת עִמּוֹ֙ לַמִּלְחָמָ֔ה וַֽיִּפְשְׁטוּ֙ בְּעָרֵ֣י יְהוּדָ֔ה מִשֹּׁמְר֖וֹן וְעַד־בֵּ֣ית חוֹר֑וֹן וַיַּכּ֤וּ מֵהֶם֙ שְׁלֹ֣שֶׁת אֲלָפִ֔ים וַיָּבֹ֖זּוּ בִּזָּ֥ה רַבָּֽה׃ ס

While that was happening, the soldiers from Israel whom Amaziah had sent home after not allowing them to fight along with his soldiers, raided cities and towns in Judea, from Samaria [city] to Beth-Horon [town]. They killed 3,000 people and took away a great amount of valuable things.

14 וַיְהִ֗י אַחֲרֵ֨י ב֤וֹא אֲמַצְיָ֙הוּ֙ מֵֽהַכּ֣וֹת אֶת־אֲדוֹמִ֔ים וַיָּבֵ֗א אֶת־אֱלֹהֵי֙ בְּנֵ֣י שֵׂעִ֔יר וַיַּֽעֲמִידֵ֥ם ל֖וֹ לֵאלֹהִ֑ים וְלִפְנֵיהֶ֥ם יִֽשְׁתַּחֲוֶ֖ה וְלָהֶ֥ם יְקַטֵּֽר׃

When Amaziah returned [to Jerusalem] after his army had slaughtered the soldiers from Edom, he brought the idols that were worshiped by the people of Edom. He set them up to be his own gods. Then he bowed down to [worship] them and offered sacrifices to them.

15 וַיִּֽחַר־אַ֥ף יְהוָ֖ה בַּאֲמַצְיָ֑הוּ וַיִּשְׁלַ֤ח אֵלָיו֙ נָבִ֔יא וַיֹּ֣אמֶר ל֗וֹ לָ֤מָּה דָרַ֙שְׁתָּ֙ אֶת־אֱלֹהֵ֣י הָעָ֔ם אֲשֶׁ֛ר לֹא־הִצִּ֥ילוּ אֶת־עַמָּ֖ם מִיָּדֶֽךָ׃

Because of that, Yahweh was very angry with Amaziah. He sent a prophet to him, who said, “Why do you worship these foreign gods that were not even able to save their own people when your army attacked them?”

16 וַיְהִ֣י ׀ בְּדַבְּר֣וֹ אֵלָ֗יו וַיֹּ֤אמֶר לוֹ֙ הַלְיוֹעֵ֤ץ לַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ נְתַנּ֔וּךָ חֲדַל־לְךָ֖ לָ֣מָּה יַכּ֑וּךָ וַיֶּחְדַּ֣ל הַנָּבִ֗יא וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ יָדַ֗עְתִּי כִּֽי־יָעַ֤ץ אֱלֹהִים֙ לְהַשְׁחִיתֶ֔ךָ כִּֽי־עָשִׂ֣יתָ זֹּ֔את וְלֹ֥א שָׁמַ֖עְתָּ לַעֲצָתִֽי׃ פ

While he was still speaking, the king said to him, “We certainly did not appoint you to be one of my advisors. So stop [talking]! If you say anything more, [I will tell my soldiers to] kill you!” So the prophet said, “I know that God has determined to get rid of you, because you have [begun to] worship idols, and have not heeded my advice.” Then the prophet said nothing more.

17 וַיִּוָּעַ֗ץ אֲמַצְיָ֙הוּ֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ יְהוּדָ֔ה וַ֠יִּשְׁלַח אֶל־יוֹאָ֨שׁ בֶּן־יְהוֹאָחָ֧ז בֶּן־יֵה֛וּא מֶ֥לֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל לֵאמֹ֑ר לְכָ֖ה נִתְרָאֶ֥ה פָנִֽים׃

Some time later Amaziah, the king of Judah, consulted his advisors. Then he sent a message to Jehoash, the king of Israel. He wrote, “Come here and let’s talk together.”

18 וַיִּשְׁלַ֞ח יוֹאָ֣שׁ מֶֽלֶךְ־יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל אֶל־אֲמַצְיָ֣הוּ מֶֽלֶךְ־יְהוּדָה֮ לֵאמֹר֒ הַח֜וֹחַ אֲשֶׁ֣ר בַּלְּבָנ֗וֹן שָׁ֠לַח אֶל־הָאֶ֜רֶז אֲשֶׁ֤ר בַּלְּבָנוֹן֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר תְּנָֽה־אֶת־בִּתְּךָ֥ לִבְנִ֖י לְאִשָּׁ֑ה וַֽתַּעֲבֹ֞ר חַיַּ֤ת הַשָּׂדֶה֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר בַּלְּבָנ֔וֹן וַתִּרְמֹ֖ס אֶת־הַחֽוֹחַ׃

But Jehoash replied to King Amaziah, “One time a thistle growing [in the mountains] in Lebanon sent a message to a cedar tree saying, ‘Let your daughter marry my son.’ But a wild animal in Lebanon came along and trampled the thistle under its feet.

19 אָמַ֗רְתָּ הִנֵּ֤ה הִכִּ֙יתָ֙ אֶת־אֱד֔וֹם וּנְשָׂאֲךָ֥ לִבְּךָ֖ לְהַכְבִּ֑יד עַתָּה֙ שְׁבָ֣ה בְּבֵיתֶ֔ךָ לָ֤מָּה תִתְגָּרֶה֙ בְּרָעָ֔ה וְנָ֣פַלְתָּ֔ אַתָּ֖ה וִיהוּדָ֥ה עִמָּֽךְ׃

[The meaning of what I am saying is that] you are saying to yourself that your army has defeated the army of Edom, so you have become very proud. But you should stay at your home. It would not be good for you to cause trouble, which would result in you and your kingdom of Judah being destroyed.”

20 וְלֹא־שָׁמַ֣ע אֲמַצְיָ֔הוּ כִּ֤י מֵהָֽאֱלֹהִים֙ הִ֔יא לְמַ֖עַן תִּתָּ֣ם בְּיָ֑ד כִּ֣י דָֽרְשׁ֔וּ אֵ֖ת אֱלֹהֵ֥י אֱדֽוֹם׃

But Amaziah refused to heed Jehoash’s message. That happened because God wanted Jehoash’s army to defeat them, because they were worshiping the gods of Edom.

21 וַיַּ֨עַל יוֹאָ֤שׁ מֶֽלֶךְ־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ וַיִּתְרָא֣וּ פָנִ֔ים ה֖וּא וַאֲמַצְיָ֣הוּ מֶֽלֶךְ־יְהוּדָ֑ה בְּבֵ֥ית שֶׁ֖מֶשׁ אֲשֶׁ֥ר לִיהוּדָֽה׃

So Jehoash’s army attacked. Their two armies faced each other at Beth-Shemesh [city] in Judah.

22 וַיִּנָּ֥גֶף יְהוּדָ֖ה לִפְנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וַיָּנֻ֖סוּ אִ֥ישׁ לְאֹהָלָֽיו׃

The army of Judah was badly defeated by the army of Israel, and all the soldiers of Judah fled to their homes.

23 וְאֵת֩ אֲמַצְיָ֨הוּ מֶֽלֶךְ־יְהוּדָ֜ה בֶּן־יוֹאָ֣שׁ בֶּן־יְהוֹאָחָ֗ז תָּפַ֛שׂ יוֹאָ֥שׁ מֶֽלֶךְ־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל בְּבֵ֣ית שָׁ֑מֶשׁ וַיְבִיאֵ֙הוּ֙ יְר֣וּשָׁלִַ֔ם וַיִּפְרֹ֞ץ בְּחוֹמַ֣ת יְרוּשָׁלִַ֗ם מִשַּׁ֤עַר אֶפְרַ֙יִם֙ עַד־שַׁ֣עַר הַפּוֹנֶ֔ה אַרְבַּ֥ע מֵא֖וֹת אַמָּֽה׃

King Jehoash’s army also captured King Amaziah there. Then he brought Amaziah to Jerusalem, and his soldiers tore down the wall [that was around the city], from the Ephraim Gate to the Corner Gate. That was a section that was about 600 feet long.

24 וְכָֽל־הַזָּהָ֣ב וְהַכֶּ֡סֶף וְאֵ֣ת כָּל־הַ֠כֵּלִים הַנִּמְצְאִ֨ים בְּבֵית־הָאֱלֹהִ֜ים עִם־עֹבֵ֣ד אֱד֗וֹם וְאֶת־אֹצְרוֹת֙ בֵּ֣ית הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ וְאֵ֖ת בְּנֵ֣י הַתַּֽעֲרֻב֑וֹת וַיָּ֖שָׁב שֹׁמְרֽוֹן׃ פ

His soldiers also carried away the gold and silver and other valuable furnishings from the temple which the descendants of Obed-Edom had previously been guarding. They also took away the valuable things in the palace, and they took to Samaria some prisoners whom they had captured.

25 וַיְחִ֨י אֲמַצְיָ֤הוּ בֶן־יוֹאָשׁ֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ יְהוּדָ֔ה אַחֲרֵ֣י מ֔וֹת יוֹאָ֥שׁ בֶּן־יְהוֹאָחָ֖ז מֶ֣לֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל חֲמֵ֥שׁ עֶשְׂרֵ֖ה שָׁנָֽה׃

King Jehoash of Israel died, and King Amaziah of Judah lived for 15 years after that.

26 וְיֶ֙תֶר֙ דִּבְרֵ֣י אֲמַצְיָ֔הוּ הָרִאשֹׁנִ֖ים וְהָאַחֲרוֹנִ֑ים הֲלֹא֙ הִנָּ֣ם כְּתוּבִ֔ים עַל־סֵ֥פֶר מַלְכֵי־יְהוּדָ֖ה וְיִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃

An account of all the other things that Amaziah did while he was the king [of Judah] is written in the scroll called ‘The History of the Kings of Judah and Israel’.

27 וּמֵעֵ֗ת אֲשֶׁר־סָ֤ר אֲמַצְיָ֙הוּ֙ מֵאַחֲרֵ֣י יְהוָ֔ה וַיִּקְשְׁר֨וּ עָלָ֥יו קֶ֛שֶׁר בִּירוּשָׁלִַ֖ם וַיָּ֣נָס לָכִ֑ישָׁה וַיִּשְׁלְח֤וּ אַחֲרָיו֙ לָכִ֔ישָׁה וַיְמִיתֻ֖הוּ שָֽׁם׃

From the time that Amaziah started to disobey Yahweh, some men in Jerusalem planned to kill him. He was able to escape to Lachish [city], but those who wanted to kill him sent another group of people to Lachish and killed him there.

28 וַיִּשָּׂאֻ֖הוּ עַל־הַסּוּסִ֑ים וַֽיִּקְבְּר֥וּ אֹת֛וֹ עִם־אֲבֹתָ֖יו בְּעִ֥יר יְהוּדָֽה׃

They put his corpse on a horse and brought it back to Jerusalem and buried it where his ancestors [had been buried] in the part of Jerusalem called ‘The City of David’.