Difference between revisions of "Amaziah"

<p> [[Amaziah]] ( ''Ăm-A-Z'' ''Î'Ah'' ), ''Whom [[Jehovah]] Strengthens.'' 1. The son and successor of Jehoash, or Joash, king of Judah. He was 25 years old at his accession, and he reigned 29 years, 838-809 b.c. His conduct was, at first, unexceptionable; but he afterwards declined from God's law, and brought misfortune and judgment upon himself and his kingdom. The history does not tell us that he repented; for the consequences of his idolatry still pursued him. His own subjects conspired against him, and, when he fled to Lachish, slew him there. He was succeeded by his son Azariah, or Uzziah. &nbsp;2 Kings 14:1-21; &nbsp;2 Chronicles 25:2. A Simeonite. &nbsp;1 Chronicles 4:34. 3. A Levite. &nbsp;1 Chronicles 6:45. 4. An idolatrous priest of the golden calf at Bethel, in the reign of Jeroboam II. &nbsp;Amos 7:10-17. </p>

<li> The father of Joshah, one of the Simeonite chiefs in the time of [[Hezekiah]] (&nbsp;1 Chronicles 4:34 ). <div> <p> '''Copyright Statement''' These dictionary topics are from M.G. Easton [[M.A., DD]]  Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Third Edition, published by [[Thomas]] Nelson, 1897. Public Domain. </p> <p> '''Bibliography Information''' Easton, Matthew George. Entry for 'Amaziah'. Easton's Bible Dictionary. https://www.studylight.org/dictionaries/eng/ebd/a/amaziah.html. 1897. </p> </div> </li>

<p> ''''' am ''''' - ''''' a ''''' - ''''' zı̄´a ''''' ( אמציה , <i> ''''' 'ămacyāh ''''' </i> , אמציהוּ , <i> ''''' 'ămacyāhū ''''' </i> , "Yahweh is mighty"; 2 Ki 14:1-20; 2 Ch 25). Son of Jehoash, and tenth king of Judah. Amaziah had a peaceable accession at the age of 25. A depleted treasury, a despoiled palace and temple, and a discouraged people were among the consequences of his father's war with Hazael, king of Syria. When settled on the throne, Amaziah brought to justice the men who had assassinated his father. Amaziah verbal citation of &nbsp;Deuteronomy 24:16 in &nbsp; 2 Kings 14:6 , forbidding the punishment of children for a father's offense, shows that the laws of this book were then known, and were recognized as authoritative, and, in theory, as governing the nation. His accession may be dated circa 812 (some put later). </p> 1. The Edomite War <p> The young king's plan for the rehabilitation of his people was the restoration of the kingdom's military prestige, so severely lowered in his father's reign. A militia army, composed of all the young men above 20 years of age, was first organized and placed upon a war footing (&nbsp;2 Chronicles 25:5; the number given, 300,000, is not a reliable one). Even this not being considered a large enough force to effect the project, 100 talents of silver were sent to engage mercenary troops for the expedition from Israel. When these came, a man of God strongly dissuaded the king from relying on them (&nbsp;2 Chronicles 25:7 ). When this was communicated to the soldiers, and they were sent back unemployed, it roused them to "fierce anger" (&nbsp;2 Chronicles 25:10 ). </p> 2. Its [[Occasion]] <p> Amaziah's purpose in making these extensive preparations for war, in a time of profound peace, is clear to the Southeast of Judah lay the Edomite state, with its capital at Petra. For many years Edom had been subject to Jehoshaphat, and a [[Hebrew]] "deputy" had governed it (&nbsp;1 Kings 22:47 ). In the reign of his son and successor, Jehoram, a confederacy of Philistines, [[Arabians]] and Edomites took [[Libnah]] and made a raid on Jerusalem. A band of these penetrated the palace, which they plundered, abducted some women, and murdered all the young princes but the youngest (&nbsp;2 Chronicles 21:17; &nbsp;2 Chronicles 22:1 ). The public commotion and distress caused by such an event may be seen reflected in the short oracle of the prophet Obadiah, uttered against Edom, if, with some, Obadiah's date is put thus early </p> 3. The [[Victory]] in the Valley of Salt <p> From that time "Edom ... made a king over themselves" (&nbsp;2 Chronicles 21:8 ), and for fifty years following were practically independent. It was this blot on Jerusalem and the good name of Judah that Amaziah determined to wipe out. The army of retaliation went forward, and after a battle in the Valley of Salt, south of the Dead Sea, in which they were the victors, moved on to Petra. This city lies in a hollow, shut in by mountains, and approached only by a narrow ravine, through which a stream of water flows. Amaziah took it "by storm" (such is Ewald's rendering of "by war," in &nbsp;2 Kings 14:7 ). Great execution was done, many of the captives being thrown from the rock, the face of which is now covered with rock-cut tombs of the Greek-Roman age. </p> 4. [[Apostasy]] and Its [[Punishment]] <p> The campaign was thus entirely successful, but had evil results. Flushed with victory, Amaziah brought back the gods of Edom, and paid them worship. For this act of apostasy, he was warned of approaching destruction (&nbsp;2 Chronicles 25:14-17 ). Disquieting news soon came relating to the conduct of the troops sent back to Samaria. From Beth-horon in the south to the border of the northern state they had looted the villages and killed some of the country people who had attempted to defend their property (&nbsp;2 Chronicles 25:13 ). To Amaziah's demand for reparation, Jehoash's answer was the contemptuous one of the well-known parable of the [[Thistle]] and the Cedar. </p> 5. [[Battle]] of [[Beth-Shemesh]] <p> War was now inevitable. The kings "looked one another in the face," in the valley of Beth-shemesh, where there is a level space, suitable to the movements of infantry. Judah was utterly routed, and the king himself taken prisoner. There being no treasures in the lately despoiled capital, Jehoash contented himself with taking hostages for future good behavior, and with breaking down 400 cubits of the wall of Jerusalem at the Northwest corner of the defense (&nbsp;2 Kings 14:13 , &nbsp;2 Kings 14:14; &nbsp;2 Chronicles 25:22-24 ). </p> 6. Closing Years and Tragical End <p> Amaziah's career as a soldier was now closed. He outlived Jehoash of Israel "fifteen years" (&nbsp;2 Kings 14:17 ). His later years were spent in seclusion and dread, and had a tragical ending. The reason for his unpopularity is not far to seek. The responsibility for the war with Jehoash is by the inspired writer placed upon the shoulders of Amaziah (&nbsp;2 Kings 14:9-11 ). It was he who "would not hear." The quarrel between the kings was one which it was not beyond the power of diplomacy to remedy, but no brotherly attempt to heal the breach was made by either king. When the results of the war appeared, it could not be but that the author of the war should be called upon to answer for them. So deep was his disgrace and so profound the sense of national humiliation, that a party in the state determined on Amaziah's removal, so soon as there was another to take his place. The age of majority among the Hebrew kings was 16, and when Amaziah's son was of this age, the conspiracy against his life grew so strong and open that he fled to Lachish. Here he was followed and killed; his body being insultingly carried to Jerusalem on horses, and not conveyed in a litter or coffin (&nbsp;2 Kings 14:19 , &nbsp;2 Kings 14:20; &nbsp;2 Chronicles 25:27 , &nbsp;2 Chronicles 25:28 ). He was 54 years old and had reigned for 29 years. The Chronicler (&nbsp;2 Chronicles 26:1 ) hardly conceals the popular rejoicings at the exchange of sovereigns, when Uzziah became king. </p> <p> In &nbsp;2 Chronicles 25:28 is a copyist's error by which we read "in the city of Judah," instead of "in the city of David," as in the corresponding passage in Kings. The singular postscript to the record of Amaziah in &nbsp; 2 Kings 14:22 is intended to mark the fact that while the port of [[Elath]] on the Red Sea fell before the arms, in turn, of Amaziah and of his son Uzziah, it was the latter who restored it to Judah, as a part of its territory. Amaziah is mentioned in the royal genealogy of &nbsp; 1 Chronicles 3:12 , but not in that of Mt 1. There is a leap here from [[Jehoram]] to Uzziah, Ahaziah, Jehoash and Amaziah being omitted. </p>

<p> (Hebrew Amatsyah', '''''אֲמִצְיָה''''' '', Strengthened'' by ''Jehovah,'' &nbsp;2 Kings 12:21; &nbsp;2 Kings 13:12; &nbsp;2 Kings 14:8; &nbsp;2 Kings 15:1; &nbsp;1 Chronicles 4:34; &nbsp;1 Chronicles 6:45; &nbsp;Amos 7:10; &nbsp;Amos 7:12; &nbsp;Amos 7:14; elsewhere in the prolonged form ''Amatsya'Hu, '''''אֲמִצְיָהוּ''''' ;'' Sept. '''''Ἀμασίας''''' '','' but '''''Μαεσσίας''''' in &nbsp;1 Chronicles 6:45), the name of four men. </p> <p> '''1.''' A Levite, son of [[Hilkiah]] and father of Hashabiah, of the ancestry of [[Ethan]] the Merarite (&nbsp;1 Chronicles 6:45), B.C. considerably ante 1014. </p> <p> '''2.''' The son and successor of Joash (by Jehoaddan, a female of Jerusalem), and the ninth king on the separate throne of Judah; he was twenty-five years old at his accession, and reigned twenty-nine years, B.C. 837-808 (&nbsp;2 Kings 14:1-2; &nbsp;2 Chronicles 25:1). His reign was marked, in general, by piety as well as energy, but was not without its faults (&nbsp;2 Kings 14:3-4; &nbsp;2 Chronicles 25:2). He commenced his sovereignty by punishing the murderers of his father; and it is mentioned that he respected the law of Moses by not including the children in the doom of their parents, which seems to show that a contrary practice had previously existed (&nbsp;2 Kings 14:5-7; &nbsp;2 Chronicles 25:3-5). The principal event of Amaziah's reign was his attempt to reimpose upon the Edomites the yoke of Judah, which they had cast off in the time of Jehoram (&nbsp;2 Kings 8:20; comp. &nbsp;1 Kings 22:48). The strength of Edom is evinced by the fact that Amaziah considered the unaided power of his own kingdom, although stated to have consisted of 300,000 troops, unequal to this: undertaking, and therefore hired an auxiliary force of 100,000 men from the king of Israel for 100 talents of silver (&nbsp;2 Chronicles 25:5-6). This is the first example of a mercenary army that occurs in the history of the Jews. It did not, however, render any other service than that of giving Amaziah an opportunity of manifesting that he knew his true place in the Hebrew Constitution, as the viceroy and vassal of the King [[Jehovah. A]]  prophet commanded him, in the name of the Lord, to send back the auxiliaries. on the ground that the state of alienation from God in which the kingdom of Israel lay rendered such assistance not only useless, but dangerous. The king obeyed this seemingly hard command, and sent the men home, although by doing so he not only lost their services, but the 100 talents, which had been already paid, and incurred the resentment of the Israelites, who were naturally exasperated at the indignity shown to them (&nbsp;2 Chronicles 25:7-10; &nbsp;2 Chronicles 25:13). This exasperation they indicated by plundering the towns and destroying the people on their homeward march (Kitto's [[Daily]] Bible Illustr. in loc.). The obedience of Amaziah was rewarded by a great victory over the Edomites (&nbsp;2 Chronicles 25:14-16), ten thousand of whom were slain in battle, and ten thousand more savagely destroyed by being hurled down from the high cliffs of their native mountains (&nbsp;2 Chronicles 25:11-12). He even took the city of Petra (q.v.) by assault, and changed its name from Selah to [[Joktheel]] (&nbsp;2 Kings 14:7). But the Edomites afterward were avenged; for among the goods which fell to the conqueror were some of their idols, which, although impotent to deliver their own worshippers, Amaziah betook himself to worship (Withof, ''De A Masia Deos Edom. Secum Abducente,'' Ling. 1768). This proved his ruin (&nbsp;2 Chronicles 25:14-16). [[Puffed]] up by his late victories, he thought also of reducing the ten tribes under his dominion, and sent a challenge to the rival kingdom to meet him in a pitched battle. After a scornful reply, he was defeated by King Joash of Israel, who carried him a prisoner to Jerusalem, which, according to [[Josephus]] (Ant. 9, 9, 3), opened its gates to the conqueror under a threat that otherwise he would put Amaziah to death '''''—''''' a statement evidently made conjecturally to explain the fact that the city was taken apparently without resistance (&nbsp;2 Kings 14:13). Joash broke down a great part of the city wall on the side toward the [[Israelitish]] frontier, plundered the city, and even laid his hands upon the sacred things of the temple. He, however, left Amaziah on the throne, but not without taking hostages for his good behavior (&nbsp;2 Kings 14:8-14; &nbsp;2 Chronicles 25:17-24), B.C. cir. 824. The disasters which Amaziah's infatuation had brought upon Judah probably occasioned the conspiracy in which he lost his life, although a space of fifteen years intervened (&nbsp;2 Kings 14:17). On receiving intelligence of this conspiracy he hastened to throw himself into the fortress of Lachish; but he was pursued and slain by the conspirators, who brought back his body "upon horses" to Jerusalem for interment in the royal sepulcher (&nbsp;2 Kings 14:19-20; &nbsp;2 Chronicles 25:27-28). His name, for some reason, is omitted in our Savior's genealogy (&nbsp;Matthew 1:8; comp. &nbsp;1 Chronicles 3:12). (See [[Kingdom Of Judah]]). </p> <p> '''3.''' The priest of the golden calves at Bethel, who, in the time of Jeroboam II, complained to the king of Amos's prophecies of coming evil, and urged the prophet himself to withdraw into the kingdom of Judah and prophesy there; for which he was threatened with severe family degradation in the approaching captivity of the northern kingdom (&nbsp;Amos 7:10-17), B.C. cir. 790. </p> <p> '''4.''' The father of Joshah, which latter was one of the Simeonite chiefs who expelled the [[Amalekites]] from the valley of [[Gedor]] in the time of Hezekiah (&nbsp;1 Chronicles 4:34). B.C. cir. 712. </p>

<p> Amaziah, 1 </p> <p> Amazi´ah (whom Jehovah, strengthens, i.e. God-strengthened), son of Joash, and eighth king of Judah. He was 25 years old when he began to reign, and he reigned 29 years—from B.C. 838 to B.C. 809. He commenced his sovereignty by punishing the murderers of his father; and it is mentioned that he respected the law of Moses, by not including the children in the doom of their parents, which seems to show that a contrary practice had previously existed. In the twelfth year of his reign Amaziah attempted to re-impose upon the Edomites the yoke of Judah, which they had cast off in the time of Jehoram. The strength of Edom is evinced by the fact that Amaziah considered the unaided strength of his own kingdom unequal to this undertaking, and therefore hired an auxiliary force of 100,000 men from the king of Israel for 100,000 talents of silver. This is the first example of a mercenary army that occurs in the history of the Jews. It did not, however, render any other service than that of giving Amaziah an opportunity of manifesting that he knew his true place in the Hebrew constitution, as the viceroy and vassal of the king Jehovah [[[King]. A]]  prophet commanded him, in the name of the Lord, to send back the auxiliaries, on the ground that the state of alienation from God in which the kingdom of Israel lay, rendered such assistance not only useless but dangerous. The king obeyed this seemingly hard command, and sent the men home, although by doing so he lost not only their services and the 100,000 talents, which had been already paid, but incurred the resentment of the Israelites, who were naturally exasperated at the indignity shown to them. </p> <p> But the obedience of Amaziah was rewarded by a great victory over the Edomites, ten thousand of whom were slain in battle, and ten thousand more were savagely destroyed by being hurled down from the high cliffs of their native mountains. But the Edomites afterwards were avenged; for among the goods which fell to the conqueror were some of their idols, which, although impotent to deliver their own worshippers, Amaziah betook himself to worship. This proved his ruin. Puffed up by his late victories, he thought also of reducing the ten tribes under his dominion. In this attempt he was defeated by king Joash of Israel, who carried him a prisoner to Jerusalem. Joash broke down great part of the city wall, plundered the city, and even laid his hands upon the sacred things of the temple. He, however, left Amaziah on the throne, but not without taking hostages for his good behavior. The disasters which Amaziah's infatuation had brought upon Judah probably occasioned the conspiracy in which he lost his life. On receiving intelligence of this conspiracy he hastened to throw himself into the fortress of Lachish; but he was pursued and slain by the conspirators, who brought back his body 'upon horses' to Jerusalem for interment in the royal sepulchre (2 Kings 14; 2 Chronicles 25). </p> <p> Amaziah, 2 </p> <p> Amaziah, the priest of the golden calves at Bethel, in the time of Jeroboam II. He complained to the king of Amos's prophecies of coming evil, and urged the prophet himself to withdraw into the kingdom of Judah and prophesy there (&nbsp;Amos 7:10-17). </p>