בֶּן־עֶשְׂרִ֨ים וְחָמֵ֤שׁ שָׁנָה֙ מָלַ֣ךְ אֲמַצְיָ֔הוּ וְעֶשְׂרִ֤ים וָתֵ֙שַׁע֙ שָׁנָ֔ה מָלַ֖ךְ בִּירוּשָׁלָ֑͏ִם וְשֵׁ֣ם אִמּ֔וֹ יְהוֹעַדָּ֖ן מִירוּשָׁלָֽיִם׃ aCf. 2 Kings 14.Amaziah was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem; his mother’s name was Jehoaddan of Jerusalem.
וַיַּ֥עַשׂ הַיָּשָׁ֖ר בְּעֵינֵ֣י יְהֹוָ֑ה רַ֕ק לֹ֖א בְּלֵבָ֥ב שָׁלֵֽם׃ He did what was pleasing to the LORD, but not with a whole heart.
וַיְהִ֕י כַּאֲשֶׁ֛ר חָזְקָ֥ה הַמַּמְלָכָ֖ה עָלָ֑יו וַֽיַּהֲרֹג֙ אֶת־עֲבָדָ֔יו הַמַּכִּ֖ים אֶת־הַמֶּ֥לֶךְ אָבִֽיו׃ Once he had the kingdom firmly under control, he executed the courtiers who had assassinated his father the king.
וְאֶת־בְּנֵיהֶ֖ם לֹ֣א הֵמִ֑ית כִּ֣י כַכָּת֣וּב בַּתּוֹרָ֡ה בְּסֵ֣פֶר מֹשֶׁה֩ אֲשֶׁר־צִוָּ֨ה יְהֹוָ֜ה לֵאמֹ֗ר לֹא־יָמ֨וּתוּ אָב֤וֹת עַל־בָּנִים֙ וּבָנִים֙ לֹא־יָמ֣וּתוּ עַל־אָב֔וֹת כִּ֛י אִ֥ישׁ בְּחֶטְא֖וֹ יָמֽוּתוּ׃ But he did not put their children to death for [he acted] in accordance with what is written in the Teaching, in the Book of Moses, where the LORD commanded, bCf. Deut. 24.16.“Parents shall not die for children, nor shall children die for parents, but every person shall die only for his own crime.”-b
וַיִּקְבֹּ֤ץ אֲמַצְיָ֙הוּ֙ אֶת־יְהוּדָ֔ה וַיַּעֲמִידֵ֣ם לְבֵית־אָב֗וֹת לְשָׂרֵ֤י הָאֲלָפִים֙ וּלְשָׂרֵ֣י הַמֵּא֔וֹת לְכׇל־יְהוּדָ֖ה וּבִנְיָמִ֑ן וַֽיִּפְקְדֵ֗ם לְמִבֶּ֨ן עֶשְׂרִ֤ים שָׁנָה֙ וָמַ֔עְלָה וַיִּמְצָאֵ֗ם שְׁלֹשׁ־מֵא֨וֹת אֶ֤לֶף בָּחוּר֙ יוֹצֵ֣א צָבָ֔א אֹחֵ֖ז רֹ֥מַח וְצִנָּֽה׃ Amaziah assembled the men of Judah, and he put all the men of Judah and Benjamin under officers of thousands and officers of hundreds, by clans. He mustered them from the age of twenty upward, and found them to be 300,000 picked men fit for service, able to bear spear and shield.
וַיִּשְׂכֹּ֣ר מִיִּשְׂרָאֵ֗ל מֵ֥אָה אֶ֛לֶף גִּבּ֥וֹר חָ֖יִל בְּמֵאָ֥ה כִכַּר־כָּֽסֶף׃ He hired 100,000 warriors from Israel for 100 talents of silver.
וְאִ֣ישׁ הָאֱלֹהִ֗ים בָּ֤א אֵלָיו֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר הַמֶּ֕לֶךְ אַל־יָב֥וֹא עִמְּךָ֖ צְבָ֣א יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל כִּ֣י אֵ֤ין יְהֹוָה֙ עִם־יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל כֹּ֖ל בְּנֵ֥י אֶפְרָֽיִם׃ Then a man of God came to him and said, “O king! Do not let the army of Israel go with you, for the LORD is not with Israel—all these Ephraimites.
כִּ֚י אִם־בֹּ֣א אַתָּ֔ה עֲשֵׂ֖ה חֲזַ֣ק לַמִּלְחָמָ֑ה יַכְשִֽׁילְךָ֤ הָאֱלֹהִים֙ לִפְנֵ֣י אוֹיֵ֔ב כִּ֥י יֶשׁ־כֹּ֛חַ בֵּאלֹהִ֖ים לַעְז֥וֹר וּלְהַכְשִֽׁיל׃ But go by yourself and do it; take courage for battle, [else] God will make you fall before the enemy. For in God there is power to help one or make one fall!”
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֲמַצְיָ֙הוּ֙ לְאִ֣ישׁ הָאֱלֹהִ֔ים וּמַֽה־לַּעֲשׂוֹת֙ לִמְאַ֣ת הַכִּכָּ֔ר אֲשֶׁ֥ר נָתַ֖תִּי לִגְד֣וּד יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ אִ֣ישׁ הָאֱלֹהִ֔ים יֵ֚שׁ לַֽיהֹוָ֔ה לָ֥תֶת לְךָ֖ הַרְבֵּ֥ה מִזֶּֽה׃ Amaziah said to the man of God, “And what am I to do about the 100 talents I gave for the Israelite force?” The man of God replied, “The LORD has the means to give you much more than that.”
וַיַּבְדִּילֵ֣ם אֲמַצְיָ֗הוּ לְהַגְּדוּד֙ אֲשֶׁר־בָּ֤א אֵלָיו֙ מֵאֶפְרַ֔יִם לָלֶ֖כֶת לִמְקוֹמָ֑ם וַיִּ֨חַר אַפָּ֤ם מְאֹד֙ בִּֽיהוּדָ֔ה וַיָּשׁ֥וּבוּ לִמְקוֹמָ֖ם בׇּחֳרִי־אָֽף׃ {ס} So Amaziah detached the force that came to him from Ephraim, [ordering them] to go back to their place. They were greatly enraged against Judah and returned to their place in a rage.
וַאֲמַצְיָ֙הוּ֙ הִתְחַזַּ֔ק וַיִּנְהַג֙ אֶת־עַמּ֔וֹ וַיֵּ֖לֶךְ גֵּ֣יא הַמֶּ֑לַח וַיַּ֥ךְ אֶת־בְּנֵֽי־שֵׂעִ֖יר עֲשֶׂ֥רֶת אֲלָפִֽים׃ Amaziah took courage and, leading his army, he marched to the Valley of Salt. He slew 10,000 men of Seir;
וַעֲשֶׂ֨רֶת אֲלָפִ֜ים חַיִּ֗ים שָׁבוּ֙ בְּנֵ֣י יְהוּדָ֔ה וַיְבִיא֖וּם לְרֹ֣אשׁ הַסָּ֑לַע וַיַּשְׁלִיכ֥וּם מֵֽרֹאשׁ־הַסֶּ֖לַע וְכֻלָּ֥ם נִבְקָֽעוּ׃ another 10,000 the men of Judah captured alive and brought to the top of Sela. They threw them down from the top of Sela and every one of them was burst open.
וּבְנֵ֣י הַגְּד֗וּד אֲשֶׁ֨ר הֵשִׁ֤יב אֲמַצְיָ֙הוּ֙ מִלֶּ֤כֶת עִמּוֹ֙ לַמִּלְחָמָ֔ה וַֽיִּפְשְׁטוּ֙ בְּעָרֵ֣י יְהוּדָ֔ה מִשֹּׁמְר֖וֹן וְעַד־בֵּ֣ית חוֹר֑וֹן וַיַּכּ֤וּ מֵהֶם֙ שְׁלֹ֣שֶׁת אֲלָפִ֔ים וַיָּבֹ֖זּוּ בִּזָּ֥ה רַבָּֽה׃ {פ}
The men of the force that Amaziah had sent back so they would not go with him into battle made forays against the towns of Judah from Samaria to Beth-horon. They slew 3,000 of them, and took much booty.
וַיְהִ֗י אַחֲרֵ֨י ב֤וֹא אֲמַצְיָ֙הוּ֙ מֵהַכּ֣וֹת אֶת־אֲדוֹמִ֔ים וַיָּבֵ֗א אֶת־אֱלֹהֵי֙ בְּנֵ֣י שֵׂעִ֔יר וַיַּעֲמִידֵ֥ם ל֖וֹ לֵאלֹהִ֑ים וְלִפְנֵיהֶ֥ם יִֽשְׁתַּחֲוֶ֖ה וְלָהֶ֥ם יְקַטֵּֽר׃ After Amaziah returned from defeating the Edomites, he had the gods of the men of Seir brought, and installed them as his gods; he prostrated himself before them, and to them he made sacrifice.
וַיִּֽחַר־אַ֥ף יְהֹוָ֖ה בַּאֲמַצְיָ֑הוּ וַיִּשְׁלַ֤ח אֵלָיו֙ נָבִ֔יא וַיֹּ֣אמֶר ל֗וֹ לָ֤מָּה דָרַ֙שְׁתָּ֙ אֶת־אֱלֹהֵ֣י הָעָ֔ם אֲשֶׁ֛ר לֹא־הִצִּ֥ילוּ אֶת־עַמָּ֖ם מִיָּדֶֽךָ׃ The LORD was enraged at Amaziah, and sent a prophet to him who said to him, “Why are you worshiping the gods of a people who could not save their people from you?”
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}
As he spoke to him, [Amaziah] said to him, “Have we appointed you a counselor to the king? Stop, else you will be killed!” The prophet stopped, saying, “I see God has counseled that you be destroyed, since you act this way and disregard my counsel.”
וַיִּוָּעַ֗ץ אֲמַצְיָ֙הוּ֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ יְהוּדָ֔ה וַ֠יִּשְׁלַ֠ח אֶל־יוֹאָ֨שׁ בֶּן־יְהוֹאָחָ֧ז בֶּן־יֵה֛וּא מֶ֥לֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל לֵאמֹ֑ר (לך) [לְכָ֖ה] נִתְרָאֶ֥ה פָנִֽים׃ Then King Amaziah of Judah took counsel and sent this message to Joash son of Jehoahaz son of Jehu, king of Israel, “Come, let us confront each other!”
וַיִּשְׁלַ֞ח יוֹאָ֣שׁ מֶֽלֶךְ־יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל אֶל־אֲמַצְיָ֣הוּ מֶלֶךְ־יְהוּדָה֮ לֵאמֹר֒ הַח֜וֹחַ אֲשֶׁ֣ר בַּלְּבָנ֗וֹן שָׁ֠לַ֠ח אֶל־הָאֶ֜רֶז אֲשֶׁ֤ר בַּלְּבָנוֹן֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר תְּנָֽה־אֶת־בִּתְּךָ֥ לִבְנִ֖י לְאִשָּׁ֑ה וַֽתַּעֲבֹ֞ר חַיַּ֤ת הַשָּׂדֶה֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר בַּלְּבָנ֔וֹן וַתִּרְמֹ֖ס אֶת־הַחֽוֹחַ׃ King Joash of Israel sent back this message to King Amaziah of Judah, “The thistle in Lebanon sent this message to the cedar in Lebanon, ‘Give your daughter to my son in marriage.’ But a wild beast in Lebanon passed by and trampled the thistle.
אָמַ֗רְתָּ הִנֵּ֤ה הִכִּ֙יתָ֙ אֶת־אֱד֔וֹם וּנְשָׂאֲךָ֥ לִבְּךָ֖ לְהַכְבִּ֑יד עַתָּה֙ שְׁבָ֣ה בְּבֵיתֶ֔ךָ לָ֤מָּה תִתְגָּרֶה֙ בְּרָעָ֔ה וְנָ֣פַלְתָּ֔ אַתָּ֖ה וִיהוּדָ֥ה עִמָּֽךְ׃ You boast that you have defeated the Edomites and you are ambitious to get more glory. Now stay at home, lest, provoking disaster you fall, dragging Judah down with you.”
וְלֹא־שָׁמַ֣ע אֲמַצְיָ֔הוּ כִּ֤י מֵהָֽאֱלֹהִים֙ הִ֔יא לְמַ֖עַן תִּתָּ֣ם בְּיָ֑ד כִּ֣י דָֽרְשׁ֔וּ אֵ֖ת אֱלֹהֵ֥י אֱדֽוֹם׃ But Amaziah paid no heed—it was God’s doing, in order to deliver them up because they worshiped the gods of Edom.
וַיַּ֨עַל יוֹאָ֤שׁ מֶֽלֶךְ־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ וַיִּתְרָא֣וּ פָנִ֔ים ה֖וּא וַאֲמַצְיָ֣הוּ מֶלֶךְ־יְהוּדָ֑ה בְּבֵ֥ית שֶׁ֖מֶשׁ אֲשֶׁ֥ר לִיהוּדָֽה׃ King Joash of Israel marched up, and he and King Amaziah of Judah confronted each other at Beth-shemesh in Judah.
וַיִּנָּ֥גֶף יְהוּדָ֖ה לִפְנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וַיָּנֻ֖סוּ אִ֥ישׁ לְאֹהָלָֽיו׃ The men of Judah were routed by Israel, and they all fled to their homes.
וְאֵת֩ אֲמַצְיָ֨הוּ מֶלֶךְ־יְהוּדָ֜ה בֶּן־יוֹאָ֣שׁ בֶּן־יְהוֹאָחָ֗ז תָּפַ֛שׂ יוֹאָ֥שׁ מֶלֶךְ־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל בְּבֵ֣ית שָׁ֑מֶשׁ וַיְבִיאֵ֙הוּ֙ יְר֣וּשָׁלַ֔͏ִם וַיִּפְרֹ֞ץ בְּחוֹמַ֣ת יְרוּשָׁלַ֗͏ִם מִשַּׁ֤עַר אֶפְרַ֙יִם֙ עַד־שַׁ֣עַר הַפּוֹנֶ֔ה אַרְבַּ֥ע מֵא֖וֹת אַמָּֽה׃ King Joash of Israel captured Amaziah son of Joash son of Jehoahaz, king of Judah, in Beth-shemesh. He brought him to Jerusalem and made a breach of 400 cubits in the wall of Jerusalem, from the Ephraim Gate to the Corner Gate.
וְכׇֽל־הַזָּהָ֣ב וְהַכֶּ֡סֶף וְאֵ֣ת כׇּל־הַ֠כֵּלִ֠ים הַנִּמְצְאִ֨ים בְּבֵית־הָאֱלֹהִ֜ים עִם־עֹבֵ֣ד אֱד֗וֹם וְאֶת־אֽוֹצְרוֹת֙ בֵּ֣ית הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ וְאֵ֖ת בְּנֵ֣י הַתַּעֲרֻב֑וֹת וַיָּ֖שׇׁב שֹׁמְרֽוֹן׃ {פ}
Then, with all the gold and silver and all the utensils that were to be found in the House of God in the custody of Obed-edom, and with the treasuries of the royal palace, and with the hostages, he returned to Samaria.
וַיְחִ֨י אֲמַצְיָ֤הוּ בֶן־יוֹאָשׁ֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ יְהוּדָ֔ה אַחֲרֵ֣י מ֔וֹת יוֹאָ֥שׁ בֶּן־יְהוֹאָחָ֖ז מֶ֣לֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל חֲמֵ֥שׁ עֶשְׂרֵ֖ה שָׁנָֽה׃ King Amaziah son of Joash of Judah lived fifteen years after the death of King Joash son of Jehoahaz of Israel.
וְיֶ֙תֶר֙ דִּבְרֵ֣י אֲמַצְיָ֔הוּ הָרִאשֹׁנִ֖ים וְהָאַחֲרוֹנִ֑ים הֲלֹא֙ הִנָּ֣ם כְּתוּבִ֔ים עַל־סֵ֥פֶר מַלְכֵֽי־יְהוּדָ֖ה וְיִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ The other events of Amaziah’s reign, early and late, are recorded in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel.
וּמֵעֵ֗ת אֲשֶׁר־סָ֤ר אֲמַצְיָ֙הוּ֙ מֵאַחֲרֵ֣י יְהֹוָ֔ה וַיִּקְשְׁר֨וּ עָלָ֥יו קֶ֛שֶׁר בִּירוּשָׁלַ֖͏ִם וַיָּ֣נׇס לָכִ֑ישָׁה וַיִּשְׁלְח֤וּ אַחֲרָיו֙ לָכִ֔ישָׁה וַיְמִיתֻ֖הוּ שָֽׁם׃ From the time that Amaziah turned from following the LORD, a conspiracy was formed against him in Jerusalem, and he fled to Lachish; but they sent men after him to Lachish and they put him to death there.
וַיִּשָּׂאֻ֖הוּ עַל־הַסּוּסִ֑ים וַֽיִּקְבְּר֥וּ אֹת֛וֹ עִם־אֲבֹתָ֖יו בְּעִ֥יר יְהוּדָֽה׃ They brought his body back on horses and buried him with his fathers in the city of Judah.