2 Chronicles 25 Cross References - ISV

¹ Amaziah Succeeds Joash
Amaziah began his reign at the age of 25 years, and he reigned 29 years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jehoaddan. She was from Jerusalem. ² He practiced what the LORD considered to be right, but not with a perfect heart. ³ As soon as he had consolidated his royal authority, he executed the servants who had killed his father, the king, ⁴ but he did not execute their children in obedience to what is written in the Law, the writings of Moses, where the LORD commanded, “Fathers are not to die because of what their children do, nor are children to die because of what their fathers do, but each person is to die for his own sins.”
⁵ The Edomites are Defeated
Amaziah gathered Judah together and organized them according to their ancestral households under commanders of thousands and hundreds throughout Judah and Benjamin. He then mustered an army from those who were 20 years old and older. He discovered that there were 300,000 elite soldiers qualified for war duty and capable of handling spears and shields. ⁶ He also hired 100,000 elite forces from Israel, paying 100 talents of silver for their services.
⁷ A man came from God and warned him, “Your majesty, don’t let the army of Israel accompany you into battle, because the LORD isn’t with any of the descendants of Ephraim. ⁸ But if you do go, strengthen yourself for war. Do you think God will throw you down before the enemy, since God has the power both to help or to overthrow?”
⁹ Amaziah asked the man of God, “What are we to do about the 100 talents that I have paid to the army of Israel?”
The man of God answered, “The LORD has a lot more than that to give you!” ¹⁰ So Amaziah sent the troops home who had arrived from Ephraim. They flew into a rage against Judah but left for home very angry.
¹¹ But Amaziah encouraged himself and led his army out to the Salt Valley to kill 10,000 soldiers from Seir. ¹² The army of Judah captured another 10,000 prisoners and took them to the top of a cliff and threw them down from there where they all were dashed to pieces. ¹³ Meanwhile, the troops that Amaziah had sent home from the battle raided the cities of Judah from Samaria to Beth-horon, killing 3,000 people and taking a large amount of war booty.
¹⁴ Later, Amaziah returned from slaughtering the Edomites, but he brought back the gods that had belonged to the men of Seir, set them up as his own gods, worshipped them, and sacrificed offerings to them. ¹⁵ As a result, the Lord became angry with Amaziah and sent a prophet to him, who asked him, “Why did you seek the gods of a people who were unable to deliver their own nation from you?”
¹⁶ But even while the prophet was speaking, the king asked him, “Did we appoint you to be a royal counselor? Stop! Why should you be struck down?”
So the prophet stopped speaking, but he also said, “I know God has determined to destroy you, because you’ve done all this and ignored my counsel.”
¹⁷ Israel Defeats Judah
After this, King Amaziah of Judah sought some advice and then challenged Jehoahaz’ son King Joash of Israel, the grandson of Jehu, telling him, “Come out and let’s fight each other!”
¹⁸ But King Joash of Israel replied to King Amaziah of Judah, “There once was a thorn bush in Lebanon that sent an invitation to the cedar of Lebanon that read ‘Give your daughter to my son in marriage.’ Right about then, a wild animal in Lebanon passed by and trampled the thorn bush. ¹⁹ You claim you’ve defeated Edom, but you’re really only puffed up with arrogant boasting. So stay home. Why stir up trouble so you die, and the rest of Judah with you?”
²⁰ But Amaziah refused to listen, because the situation was being orchestrated by God in order to turn them over to the control of their enemies because they had pursued those Edomite gods. ²¹ So King Joash of Israel went out to battle against King Amaziah of Judah, and they fought at Beth-shemesh, which is part of Judah’s territory. ²² Judah was defeated by Israel, and every soldier ran home. ²³ King Joash of Israel captured Joash’s son King Amaziah of Judah, the grandson of Ahaziah, at Beth-shemesh and brought him back to Jerusalem, where he broke down 400 cubits of the wall of Jerusalem from the Ephraim Gate to the Corner Gate. ²⁴ He confiscated all the gold, silver, and utensils that he could find in the care of Obed-edom inside of God’s Temple and inside the royal palace. Then he took some hostages and returned to Samaria.
²⁵ The Death of Amaziah
Joash’s son Amaziah, king of Judah, lived for fifteen years after the death of Jehoahaz’ son Joash, king of Israel. ²⁶ The rest of Amaziah’s accomplishments, from first to last, are recorded in the Book of the Kings of Judah and Israel, are they not? ²⁷ From the time that Amaziah abandoned his seeking the LORD, some people conspired against him in Jerusalem, so he ran away to Lachish, but they pursued him to Lachish and killed him there. ²⁸ They brought him back on horses and buried him with his ancestors in the city of Judah.

¹ Amaziah Becomes King of JudahAmaziah, son of Judah’s king Joash, became king during the second year of the reign of Joash, son of king Joahaz of Israel, ² at the age of 25. He reigned 29 years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jehoaddin; she was from Jerusalem.
³ He practiced what the LORD considered to be right, but not like his ancestor David did. He acted as his father Joash had done, ⁴ except that the high places were not abolished. The people continued to offer sacrifices and to burn incense on the high places. ⁵ Later on, as soon as he was in firm control of his kingdom, he executed the servants who had murdered his father the king, ⁶ but he did not execute the children of the murderers, in keeping with what is written in the Book of the Law of Moses, as the LORD had commanded: “Fathers must not be put to death because of their children’s sin; nor are children to die because of their fathers’ sin, for each person is to be put to death for his own sin.”

⁷ The LORD told Samuel, “Don’t look at his appearance or his height, for I’ve rejected him. Truly, God does not see what man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD sees the heart.”

⁴ except that the high places were not abolished. The people continued to offer sacrifices and to burn incense on the high places.

² Joash practiced what the LORD considered to be right during the lifetime of Jehoiada the priest,

¹⁴ Later, Amaziah returned from slaughtering the Edomites, but he brought back the gods that had belonged to the men of Seir, set them up as his own gods, worshipped them, and sacrificed offerings to them.

⁴ He practiced what the LORD considered to be right, following the example set by his father Amaziah’s accomplishments.

³⁷ For their hearts weren’t committed to him, and they weren’t faithful to his covenant.

¹³ A Rebuke of Hypocritical WorshipThen the Lord said: “Because these people draw near with their mouths and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me, worship of me has become merely like rules taught by human beings.

² Their hearts are divided; from now on they are to be found guilty. God will tear down their altars, he will destroy their stone idols.

²¹ You have no part or share in what we’re saying, because your heart isn’t right with God.

⁸ He is a double-minded man, unstable in all he undertakes.

⁸ Come close to God, and he will come close to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.

⁵ Also, I will certainly demand an accounting regarding bloodshed, from every animal and from every human being. I’ll demand an accounting from every human being for the life of another human being. ⁶ “Whoever sheds human blood, by a human his own blood is to be shed; because God made human beings in his own image.

¹⁴ If a man acts deliberately against his neighbor, to kill him by treachery, you are to take him to die even if he’s at my altar.

³¹ You are to receive no ransom for the life of a killer who is guilty of murder; instead, he is to die. ³² You are not to receive payment of a ransom for someone who had fled to a town of refuge but then left to live in his homeland before the death of the high priest. ³³ You are not to pollute the land where you live, because blood defiles the land, and the land cannot atone for blood that has been spilled on it, except through the blood of the one who spilled it.

⁵ Later on, as soon as he was in firm control of his kingdom, he executed the servants who had murdered his father the king, ⁶ but he did not execute the children of the murderers, in keeping with what is written in the Book of the Law of Moses, as the LORD had commanded: “Fathers must not be put to death because of their children’s sin; nor are children to die because of their fathers’ sin, for each person is to be put to death for his own sin.”
⁷ The Edomites are Defeated
Joash executed 10,000 Edomites in the Salt Valley and captured Sela in battle, renaming it Joktheel, which remains its name to this day. ⁸ Later, Amaziah sent couriers to Jehoahaz’s son Jehoash, grandson of king Jehu of Israel, challenging him, “Come on! Let’s fight face to face!”
⁹ But king Jehoash of Israel sent this message to king Amaziah of Judah: “The thorn bush in Lebanon sent this message to the cedar of Lebanon: ‘Give your daughter to my son in marriage.’ But just then a wild beast from Lebanon wandered by and trampled down the thorn bush. ¹⁰ You just defeated Edom and you’re arrogant. Bask in your victory and stay home. Why incite trouble so that you—yes, you!—fall, along with Judah with you?”
¹¹ But Amaziah refused to listen. So Israel’s king Jehoash and Judah’s king Amaziah faced each other at Beth-shemesh, which is part of Judah. ¹² Judah was defeated by Israel, and everybody fled to their own tents. ¹³ Then king Jehoash of Israel captured Judah’s king Amaziah, the son of Jehoash and grandson of Ahaziah, at Beth-shemesh. He went to Jerusalem and demolished 400 cubits of the wall of Jerusalem from the Ephraim Gate to the Corner Gate. ¹⁴ He confiscated all the gold and silver, all the instruments he could find in the LORD’s Temple and in the palace treasuries. He also captured some hostages and then returned to Samaria.
¹⁵ Jeroboam Succeeds Israel’s King JehoashThe rest of Jehoash’s activities that he undertook, including his valor in fighting king Amaziah of Judah, are recorded in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel, are they not? ¹⁶ Jehoash died, as had his ancestors, and he was buried in Samaria alongside the kings of Israel. His son Jeroboam reigned in his place.
¹⁷ The Death of Judah’s King Amaziah
Joash’s son, king Amaziah of Judah, lived for fifteen years after Jehoahaz’ son, king Jehoash of Israel, died. ¹⁸ The rest of Amaziah’s activities are recorded in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah, are they not? ¹⁹ A conspiracy arose against him in Jerusalem, and he ran off to Lachish, but he was pursued to Lachish and killed there. ²⁰ His body was brought back on horses and he was buried at Jerusalem alongside his ancestors in the City of David.
²¹ Azariah’s Reign over JudahAll the people of Judah took Azariah, who was sixteen years old, and installed him as king to take the place of his father Amaziah. ²² He rebuilt Elath and restored it to Judah. Later on the king died, as did his ancestors.

²⁵ After the Arameans left him very sick, Joash’s own servants conspired against him because Joash had murdered Jehoiada the priest’s son, and they killed him on his sick bed. ²⁶ The conspirators included Shimeath the Ammonite’s son Zabad and Shimrith the Moabite’s son Jehozabad.

¹⁶ Practicing Justice“Fathers must not be put to death on account of their children’s sin; nor shall children die on account of their fathers’ sin. Each person is to be put to death for his own sin.

²⁹ “In those days people will no longer say, ‘The fathers have eaten sour grapes, but the children’s teeth have been set on edge.’ ³⁰ Instead, each person will die for his own iniquity. Everyone who eats sour grapes will have his own teeth set on edge.”

⁴ Look! Every living soul belongs to me—the father’s as well as the son’s. So pay attention! The person who keeps on sinning is going to die.”

²⁰ The soul who sins dies. The son won’t bear the punishment of his father’s sin and the father won’t bear the punishment of his son’s sin. The righteous deeds of that righteous person will be attributed to him, while the wicked deeds of the wicked person will be charged against him.

²⁵ Moses chose capable men from all Israel and appointed them as heads over the people, as officials over thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens.

³ from 20 years and upward. You and Aaron are to register everyone in Israel who is able to go to war, company by company.

¹² He will appoint his officers over thousands and officers over fifties—some will plow his fields, reap his harvest, and craft his war implements and equipment for his chariots.

¹ The Ark is Moved from Kiriath-jearim
Later, David conferred with every officer in charge of groups of thousands and groups of hundreds.

¹ Military DivisionsThe Israelis, according to the number of the leaders of their families, the officers of groups of thousands and groups of hundreds, and their leaders who served the king on behalf of the army divisions of 24,000 soldiers on duty month by month throughout the year, consisted of the following.

¹ Rehoboam Reigns over Judah Only
When Rehoboam returned to Jerusalem, he gathered together 180,000 specially chosen soldiers from the households of Judah and Benjamin to fight against Israel and restore the kingdom to Rehoboam.

⁸ Asa kept a standing army of 300,000 soldiers from Judah equipped with large shields and spears, as well as 280,000 soldiers from Benjamin, also bearing shields and wielding bows. All of them were valiant soldiers.

¹⁴ Here’s how they were mustered, listed according to their ancestral houses and listed by commanders of thousands: Adnah commanded 300,000 elite forces. ¹⁵ Near him was Johanan, commander of 280,000 ¹⁶ and next to him was Zichri’s son Amasiah, who had volunteered to serve the LORD. He commanded 200,000 elite forces. ¹⁷ There was also Eliada from Benjamin, himself a valiant soldier. He was accompanied by 200,000 expert archers bearing shields. ¹⁸ Near him was Jehozabad, who was accompanied by 180,000 soldiers equipped for warfare.

¹³ Uzziah commanded an army of 307,500 who could fight formidably on behalf of the king against any enemy.

¹ so the LORD sent Nathan to David.
Nathan’s RebukeNathan approached David and said, “There are two men in the city. One is rich and one is poor.

²⁸ So the king sought some advice and then built two golden calves and announced, “It’s too difficult for you to travel to Jerusalem. So here are your gods, Israel, who brought you up from the land of Egypt!”

¹ Josiah’s Desecration Predicted by a Man of GodRight when Jeroboam was standing by the altar to burn some incense, a man of God arrived in Bethel from Judah in obedience to a command from the LORD.

¹² Now listen! God is with us to lead us, and his priests are about to sound their battle trumpets against you. Descendants of Israel, don’t fight against the LORD God of your ancestors, because you won’t succeed!”

² where Hanani’s son Jehu, the seer, went out to meet him. He asked king Jehoshaphat, “Should you be helping those who are wicked, yes or no? Should you love those who hate the LORD? Wrath is headed your way directly from the LORD because of this.

¹ The Captivity of Ephraim How terrible it will be for that arrogant garland— the drunks of Ephraim! How terrible it will be for that fading flower of his glorious beauty, which sits on the heads of people bloated with food, of people overcome with wine! ² Look! The LORD has one who is mighty and strong, like a hailstorm and destructive tempest, like a storm of mighty, overflowing water— and he will give rest to the land. ³ With hands and feet, that proud garland— those drunks of Ephraim—will be trampled.

¹³ When Ephraim examined his illness and Judah his injury, then Ephraim went to Assyria, and inquired of the great king; but he could not cure you nor heal your injury. ¹⁴ Therefore I will be like a lion to Ephraim, and like a young lion to the house of Judah. I—even I—will tear them to pieces, and then I will leave. I will take them away, and there will be no rescue. ¹⁵ “I will leave and go back to my place until they admit their offense and seek my face. When affliction comes to them, they will eagerly seek me.”

¹³ Ephraim, as I see it, is like Tyre, planted in a comfortable place; Ephraim will bear children but they will be executed.”

¹¹ Advice for TimothyBut you, man of God, must flee from all these things. Instead, you must pursue righteousness, godliness, faithfulness, love, endurance, and gentleness.

¹⁷ so that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good action.

¹⁸ But remember the LORD your God, because he is the one who gives you the ability to produce wealth, in order to confirm his covenant that he promised by an oath to your ancestors, as is the case today.

⁷ Then the LORD told Gideon, “I’m going to deliver you with the 300 soldiers who lapped by giving the Midianites into your control. Send everyone else back to their own homes.”

⁶ Jonathan told his armor bearer, “Come, let’s go over to the garrison of these uncircumcised ones. Perhaps the LORD will work for us, since nothing prevents the LORD from delivering, whether by many or by a few.”

¹² wisdom and knowledge have been granted to you. Furthermore, I will give you riches, wealth, and honor—such as none of the kings owned who lived before you and none after you are to ever attain their equal.”

¹¹ Asa cried out to the LORD his God, telling him, “LORD, there is no one except for you to help between the powerful and the weak. So help us, LORD God, because we’re depending on you and have come against this vast group in your name. LORD, you are our God. Let no mere mortal man defeat you!”

¹⁴ When Micaiah approached the king, the king asked him, “Micaiah, should we go to war against Ramoth-gilead, or should I not?”
“Go to war,” Micaiah replied, “and you will be successful, because the LORD will hand it over to the king!”

⁶ and said: “LORD God of our ancestors, you are the God who lives in heaven, are you not? You rule over all the kingdoms of the nations, don’t you? In your own hands you grasp both strength and power, don’t you? As a result, no one can oppose you, can they?

¹⁸ because though he wounds, but then applies bandages; though he strikes, his hands still heal.

¹³ “God doesn’t restrain his anger. Rahab’s assistants are humiliated under him.

⁷ Some boast in chariots, others in horses; but we will boast in the name of the LORD our God.

¹ A Davidic Psalm.
A Song for the King of Glory The earth and everything in it exists for the LORD— the world and those who live in it.

¹⁰ The LORD makes void the counsel of nations; he frustrates the plans of peoples.

¹⁶ A king is not saved by a large army; a mighty soldier is not delivered by his great strength.

¹¹ God spoke once, but I heard it twice, “Power belongs to God.”

²² The blessing of the LORD establishes wealth, and difficulty does not accompany it.

¹¹ I considered and observed on earth the following: The race doesn’t go to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor food to the wise, nor wealth to the smart, nor recognition to the skilled. Instead, timing and circumstances meet them all.

⁹ So enjoy yourself in your youth, young man, and be encouraged during your younger days. Live as you like, consistent with your world view, but keep in mind that God will bring you to account for everything.

⁹ “Band together, you peoples, but be shattered! Listen, all you distant countries! Strap on your armor, but be shattered. ¹⁰ Take counsel together, but it will all be for nothing; go ahead and talk, but it will all be for nothing, for God is with us.”

⁹ The LORD’s Call to Judgment“Declare this among the nations: ‘Prepare for war! Wake up your elite forces! Let all the soldiers draw near! Call them up! ¹⁰ Beat your plow blades into swords, and your pruning knives into spears! Let the frail say, “I am strong!” ¹¹ Hurry and come, all you gentiles! Gather yourselves together!’” “LORD, cause your mighty army to come down. ¹² “Let the nations be awakened and come to the Valley of Jehoshaphat; because I will sit to judge all the surrounding nations. ¹³ Put in the sickle, because the harvest is ripe. Come and go down, because the winepress is full. The wine vats are overflowing, because their evil is great! ¹⁴ “Multitudes, multitudes in the Valley of Judgment! For the Day of the LORD is near in the Valley of Judgment!

⁸ “The silver belongs to me, as does the gold,” declares the LORD of the Heavenly Armies.

⁴⁵ Then he came back to the disciples and told them, “You might as well keep on sleeping and resting. Look! The time is near for the Son of Man to be betrayed into the hands of sinners.

²⁹ Jesus told them, “I tell all of you with certainty, there is no one who has left his home, wife, brothers, parents, or children because of the kingdom of God ³⁰ who will not receive many times as much in this world, as well as eternal life in the age to come.”

¹⁹ And my God will fully supply your every need according to his glorious riches in the Messiah Jesus.

⁴³ But the men from Israel answered the men from Judah: “We represent ten of the tribes of Israel! So we have more right to David than you do! Why haven’t you taken us seriously? Weren’t we the first to talk about bringing back our king?” But what the people of Judah had to say was harsher than what the people of Israel were saying.

²⁴ ‘This is what the LORD says: “You are not to fight or even approach your fellow Israelis in battle. Every soldier is to return to his own home, because this development comes from me.”’” So they listened to what the LORD had to say and returned home, just as the LORD had directed.

²² An angry man stirs up arguments, and a hot-tempered man causes many transgressions.

¹³ David made a name for himself when he returned from killing 18,000 Edomites in the Salt Valley.

⁷ The Edomites are Defeated
Joash executed 10,000 Edomites in the Salt Valley and captured Sela in battle, renaming it Joktheel, which remains its name to this day.

¹ To the Director: A special Davidic psalm to the tune of “Lily of The Covenant,” for teaching about his battle with Aram-naharaim and Aram-zobah, when Joab returned and attacked 12,000 Edomites in the Salt Valley.
A Prayer for God’s Help against Adversaries God, you have cast us off; you have breached our defenses and you have become enraged. Return to us!

³¹ brought back the people who had lived in it, placing them under conscripted labor with saws, iron picks, and axes. He did this to every Ammonite city, and then David and his entire army returned to Jerusalem.

³ brought back the people who had lived in it, and put them to conscripted labor with saws, iron picks, and axes. David did this to every Ammonite city, and then David and his entire army returned to Jerusalem.

¹⁰ Now therefore look! The Ammonites, the Moabites, and the inhabitants of Mount Seir, whom you would not permit Israel to attack when they arrived from the land of Egypt—since they turned away from them and did not eliminate them—

⁸ Edom Revolts
Nevertheless, Edom revolted against Judah’s rule and set up their own king to rule them during Jehoram’s reign. ⁹ So Jehoram invaded Edom with his commanders and his chariots by night and killed the Edomites who had surrounded him and his chariot commanders. ¹⁰ Edom remains in revolt against Judah to this day. Libnah revolted against Jehoram’s rule, too, because he had abandoned the LORD God of his ancestors.

¹⁷ So Solomon rebuilt Gezer, lower Beth-horon,

²⁴ He bought the hill of Samaria from Shemer for two talents of silver, fortified the hill, and named the city Samaria after Shemer, the former owner of the hill.

²⁹ Ahab Reigns over Israel and Marries JezebelOmri’s son Ahab became king over Israel in the thirty-eighth year of King Asa of Judah. He reigned over Israel in Samaria for 22 years.

⁵ He also built upper and lower Beth-horon as fortified cities, installing walls, gates, and bars,

³ You are to have no other gods besides me.ב ⁴ “You are not to make for yourselves an idol, or any likeness of what is in heaven above, or on earth below, or in the water under the earth. ⁵ You are not to bow down to them in worship or serve them, because I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the iniquity of the parents to the third and fourth generations of those who hate me,

⁵ This is what you are to do to them: tear down their altars, break their pillars, cut down their ritual pillars, and burn their carved idols in fire,

²⁵ Burn the images of their gods in the fire. Desire neither the silver nor the gold that adorns them, nor take them for yourselves, so you won’t be ensnared by them, because the gold and silver is detestable to the LORD your God.

²¹ The Philistines abandoned their idols there, and David and his army carried them off.

²³ He sacrificed to the gods of Damascus that had defeated him, reasoning, “The gods of the kings of Aram helped them, so I’ll sacrifice to them so they will help me!” But those gods brought about his downfall, and the downfall of all of Israel, too.

¹⁹ No one stops to think. No one has the knowledge or understanding to think—yes to think!—“Half of it I burned in the fire. I even baked bread on its coals, and I roasted meat and ate it. And am I about to make detestable things from what is left? Am I about to bow down to blocks of wood?”

² As for you, you must not make any treaties with the inhabitants of this land. Instead, tear down their altars.’ But you haven’t obeyed me. What have you done?

¹ so the LORD sent Nathan to David.
Nathan’s RebukeNathan approached David and said, “There are two men in the city. One is rich and one is poor. ² The rich man has many flocks and herds, ³ but the poor man had nothing except for one little ewe lamb that he had bought. He raised it, and it grew up with him and his children. It used to share his food and drink from his own cup. It even slept in his arms. It was like a daughter to him. ⁴ A traveler arrived to visit the rich man. Because he was unwilling to take an animal from one of his own flocks or herds to prepare for the guest who had come to visit him, he took the poor man’s lamb and prepared it for the man who had come to visit him.”
⁵ David flew into a rage at the man and told Nathan, “As the LORD lives, the man who did this deserves to die! ⁶ He will restore the lamb four times its value, because he did this thing, and because he did it without compassion.”

⁷ Asa is Rebuked by Hanani the Seer
Right about then, Hanani the seer came to King Asa of Judah and rebuked him. “Because you have put your trust in the king of Aram and have not relied on the LORD your God, the army of the king of Aram has escaped from your control. ⁸ Weren’t the Ethiopians and the Libyans a vast army with many chariots and cavalry? Yet because you relied on the LORD, he gave them into your control! ⁹ The LORD’s eyes keep on roaming throughout the earth, looking for those whose hearts completely belong to him, so that he may strongly support them. But because you have acted foolishly in this, from now on you will have wars.”

³⁷ But Dodavahu’s son Eliezer from Mareshah prophesied in opposition to Jehoshaphat, “Because you have entered into an alliance with Ahaziah, the LORD has destroyed your efforts.” So the ships were destroyed and were never able to sail for Tarshish.

²⁰ Then Jehoiada the priest’s son Zechariah was clothed by the Spirit of God, and he stood above the people and told them, “This is what God has to say: ‘Why are you breaking the LORD’s commandments. You’ll never be successful! Because you have abandoned the LORD, he has abandoned you.’”

⁷ A man came from God and warned him, “Your majesty, don’t let the army of Israel accompany you into battle, because the LORD isn’t with any of the descendants of Ephraim.

¹¹ But Amaziah encouraged himself and led his army out to the Salt Valley to kill 10,000 soldiers from Seir. ¹² The army of Judah captured another 10,000 prisoners and took them to the top of a cliff and threw them down from there where they all were dashed to pieces.

⁵ For all the gods of the peoples are worthless idols, but the LORD made the heavens.

⁴ Their idols are silver and gold, crafted by human hands. ⁵ They have mouths, but cannot speak; they have eyes, but cannot see. ⁶ They have ears, but cannot hear; they have noses, but cannot smell. ⁷ They have hands, but cannot touch; feet, but cannot walk; they cannot even groan with their throats. ⁸ Those who craft them will become like them, as will all those who trust in them.

⁹ A Rebuke to Idol WorshipNow, all the forming of images means nothing, and the things they treasure are worthless. Their own witnesses cannot see, and they know nothing. So they will be put to shame.
¹⁰ Who would shape a god or cast an image that profits nothing?

¹ God is Unique and Eternal “Bel bows down, Nebo stoops low. Their idols are on beasts, on livestock. Your loads are more burdensome than their reports. ² They stoop, they bow down together, and they are not able to rescue the burden, but they themselves go off into captivity.

⁵ This is what the LORD says: “What did your ancestors find wrong with me that they left me, and pursued worthless things, and so they became worthless?

⁷ Who wouldn’t fear you, king of the nations? This is what you deserve! Indeed, among all the wise men of the nations, and throughout all their kingdoms, there is no one like you!

⁴ Now concerning eating food offered to idols: We know that no idol is real in this world and that there is only one God.

²⁰ Hardly! What they offer, they offer to demons and not to God, and I do not want you to become partners with demons.

¹⁶ However, I’ve kept you standing in order to show you my power and to declare my name in all the earth.

³⁰ But King Sihon of Heshbon did not allow us to pass through, because the LORD your God had hardened his spirit and made him arrogant, in order to deliver him into your control today.

²⁵ If a person sins against another, God will mediate for him, but if a person sins against the LORD, who can intercede for him?”
But they would not follow the advice of their father; for the LORD wanted to put them to death.

¹⁰ In response, Asa flew into a rage and locked up the seer in stocks in the palace prison because of what Hanani had told him. Asa also tortured some of the people of Israel at that time.

²⁰ “But then a spirit approached, stood in front of the LORD, and said, ‘I will entice him.’
“And the LORD asked him, ‘How?’
²¹ “‘I will go,’ he announced, ‘and I will be a deceiving spirit in the mouth of all of his prophets!’
“So the LORD said, ‘You’re just the one to deceive him. You will be successful. Go and do it.’

²⁵ Then the king of Israel ordered, “Take Micaiah and place him in the custody of Amon, the city governor. Hand him over to Joash, the king’s son.

²¹ But the people conspired against him, and at the direct orders of the king they stoned him to death in the courtyard of the LORD’s Temple.

⁷ Wisdom Extends LifeWhoever corrects a mocker invites only insult, and whoever rebukes the wicked will himself become stained. ⁸ Don’t rebuke a mocker or he will hate you. Rebuke a wise person, and he will love you.

¹⁰ They say to the seers, ‘Don’t see visions,’ and to the prophets, ‘Don’t give us visions of what is right! Instead, tell us welcome things, prophesy illusions, ¹¹ get out of the way, turn aside from the path, and stop confronting us with the Holy One of Israel.”

¹⁰ I declare from the beginning things to follow, and from ancient times things that have not yet been done; saying, ‘My purpose will stand, and he will accomplish everything that I please.’

²⁶ The LORD made you a priest instead of Jehoiada the priest to serve in the LORD’s Temple as an official against every crazy prophet, and to put him in stocks and restraints.

¹⁰ A Rebuke for AmaziahSo Amaziah priest of Bethel sent a message to Jeroboam king of Israel. It said, “Amos has been conspiring against you in the very heart of the house of Israel! The land cannot bear everything he has to say, ¹¹ because Amos is saying this: ‘By the sword will Jeroboam die, and Israel will surely go into exile far from her homeland.’”
¹² So Amaziah kept saying to Amos, “Get out of here, you seer! Go back to the land of Judah. Live there and prophesy there. ¹³ Don’t prophesy anymore at Bethel, because it’s the king’s sanctuary and a temple of the kingdom.”

²³ Jesus’ Authority is Challenged
Then Jesus went into the Temple. While he was teaching, the high priests and the elders of the people came to him and asked, “By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?”

²⁸ to carry out everything that your hand and will had predetermined to take place.

²² Now if God wants to demonstrate his wrath and reveal his power, can’t he be extremely patient with the objects of his wrath that are made for destruction?

¹¹ In the Messiah we were also chosen when we were predestined according to the purpose of the one who does everything that he wills to do,

³ For the time will come when people will not tolerate healthy doctrine, but with itching ears will surround themselves with teachers who cater to their people’s own desires.

¹⁰ Those living on earth will gloat over them, celebrate, and send gifts to each other, because these two prophets had tormented those living on earth.

¹⁴ Abner told Joab, “Let’s have the young men get up and fight in our presence.”
Joab replied, “Let them come.”

⁸ Later, Amaziah sent couriers to Jehoahaz’s son Jehoash, grandson of king Jehu of Israel, challenging him, “Come on! Let’s fight face to face!”
⁹ But king Jehoash of Israel sent this message to king Amaziah of Judah: “The thorn bush in Lebanon sent this message to the cedar of Lebanon: ‘Give your daughter to my son in marriage.’ But just then a wild beast from Lebanon wandered by and trampled down the thorn bush. ¹⁰ You just defeated Edom and you’re arrogant. Bask in your victory and stay home. Why incite trouble so that you—yes, you!—fall, along with Judah with you?”
¹¹ But Amaziah refused to listen. So Israel’s king Jehoash and Judah’s king Amaziah faced each other at Beth-shemesh, which is part of Judah. ¹² Judah was defeated by Israel, and everybody fled to their own tents. ¹³ Then king Jehoash of Israel captured Judah’s king Amaziah, the son of Jehoash and grandson of Ahaziah, at Beth-shemesh. He went to Jerusalem and demolished 400 cubits of the wall of Jerusalem from the Ephraim Gate to the Corner Gate. ¹⁴ He confiscated all the gold and silver, all the instruments he could find in the LORD’s Temple and in the palace treasuries. He also captured some hostages and then returned to Samaria.

¹³ Meanwhile, the troops that Amaziah had sent home from the battle raided the cities of Judah from Samaria to Beth-horon, killing 3,000 people and taking a large amount of war booty.

³ Avoiding strife brings a man honor, but every fool is quarrelsome.

⁸ “Once upon a time the trees went out to consecrate a king for themselves. “So they told the olive tree, ‘Reign over us!’ ⁹ But the olive tree asked them, ‘Should I stop producing my rich oils by which both God and men are honored and go take dominion over trees?’ ¹⁰ “So the trees told the fig tree, ‘Hey you! Come and reign over us!’ ¹¹ But the fig tree asked them, ‘Should I leave my sweet, good fruit and go take dominion over trees?’ ¹² “So the trees told the grape vine, ‘Hey you! Come and reign over us!’ ¹³ But the grape vine asked them, ‘Should I leave my new wine, which cheers God and man, and go take dominion over trees?’ ¹⁴ “So all the trees told the bramble bush, ‘Hey you! Come and reign over us!’ ¹⁵ Then the bramble bush replied to the trees, ‘If you really are consecrating me to rule you, come and put your confidence in my shade; but if not, may fire spring out from the bramble bush and burn up the cedars of Lebanon…’

³³ He described trees—everything from cedars that grow in Lebanon to hyssop that grows on a garden wall. He described animals, birds, reptiles, and fish.

¹³ Wild boars of the forest gnaw at it, and creatures of the field feed on it.

¹⁴ then you will become arrogant. You’ll neglect the LORD your God,

¹⁶ Uzziah’s Arrogance and Apostasy
But after he had become strong, in his arrogance he acted corruptly and became unfaithful to the LORD his God, and he dared to enter the LORD’s Temple to burn incense on the incense altar.

²⁵ But Hezekiah’s response wasn’t commensurate with what had been done for him because he was arrogant in heart, so wrath came upon him, upon Judah, and upon Jerusalem.

²¹ But he sent messengers to him, who asked him, “What do we have in common, King of Judah? I am not here today opposing you. I am fighting the dynasty that is fighting me, and God has ordered me to hurry. For your own good, stop interfering with God, who is with me, and he won’t destroy you!”

¹⁰ Arrogance only brings quarreling, but those receiving advice are wise.

¹⁸ Pride precedes destruction; an arrogant spirit appears before a fall.

⁶ A fool’s words bring strife, and his mouth invites fighting.

¹⁷ Picking up a dog by the ears— that’s what someone is like who meddles in another’s fight.

²⁵ An arrogant man stirs up dissension, but anyone who trusts in the LORD prospers.

²³ True Wisdom and the Coming JudgmentThis is what the LORD says: “The wise man is not to boast in his wisdom; the strong man is not to boast in his strength; and the rich man is not to boast in his riches.

²⁰ But when he became arrogant and his spirit hardened, he was removed from his royal throne and his glory was taken away from him. ²¹ He was driven away from human society and given the mind of an animal. He lived with wild donkeys, ate grass like cattle, and his body was soaked with dew from the sky until he realized that the Most High God is sovereign over human kingdoms and places over them whomever he desires.
²² “But you, Belshazzar, his grandson, haven’t humbled yourself, even though you knew all of this.
²³ “You’ve exalted yourself against the Lord of heaven.
“You’ve had the vessels from his Temple brought into your presence.
“And you, your officials, and your wives and mistresses drank wine from them.
“You praised gods of silver, gold, bronze, iron, wood, and stone, which can’t see, hear, or demonstrate knowledge.
“But you didn’t honor God, who holds in his power your very life and all your ways.

⁴ “Notice their arrogance— they have no inward uprightness— but the righteous will live by their faith.

³¹ “Or suppose a king is going to war against another king. He will first sit down and consider whether with 10,000 men he can fight the one coming against him with 20,000 men, won’t he?

²⁹ so that no one may boast in God’s presence.

⁶ But he gives all the more grace. And so he says, “God opposes the arrogant but gives grace to the humble.”

⁵ Be Humble and AlertIn a similar way, you young people must submit to the elders. All of you must clothe yourselves with humility for the sake of each other, because: “God opposes the arrogant, but gives grace to the humble.”

¹⁵ The king would not listen to the people, because the turn of events was from the LORD, to fulfill his prediction that the LORD spoke by means of Ahijah the Shilonite to Nebat’s son Jeroboam

⁷ Ahaziah is Executed
God used Ahaziah’s visit to Joram to destroy Ahaziah. As soon as he arrived, Ahaziah went out with Joram to attack Nimshi’s son Jehu, whom the LORD had appointed to eliminate Ahab’s dynasty.

¹⁶ But even while the prophet was speaking, the king asked him, “Did we appoint you to be a royal counselor? Stop! Why should you be struck down?”
So the prophet stopped speaking, but he also said, “I know God has determined to destroy you, because you’ve done all this and ignored my counsel.”

¹¹ Yet my people didn’t obey my voice; Israel didn’t submit to me. ¹² So I allowed them to continue in their stubbornness, living by their own advice.

²⁵ They disagreed with one another as they were leaving, so Paul added this statement: “The Holy Spirit was so right when he spoke to your ancestors through the prophet Isaiah! ²⁶ He said, ‘Go to this people and say, “You will listen and listen but never understand, and you will look and look but never see! ²⁷ For this people’s minds have become stupid, and their ears can barely hear, and they have shut their eyes so that they may never see with their eyes, and listen with their ears, and understand with their heart and turn and let me heal them.”’

⁹ The coming of the lawless one will be accompanied by the power of Satan. He will use every kind of power, including miraculous signs, lying wonders, ¹⁰ and every type of evil to deceive those who are dying, those who refused to love the truth that would save them. ¹¹ For this reason, God will send them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie.

⁸ a stone they stumble over and a rock they trip on.”They keep on stumbling because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do.

¹⁶ Ain with its pasture lands, Juttah with its pasture lands, and Beth-shemesh with its pasture lands, for a total of nine cities from these two tribes.

⁹ Keep watching it. If it goes up along the road to its own territory to Beth-shemesh, it’s the LORD who has done this great evil to us. But if it does not, then we will know that he wasn’t pressuring us. It happened to us as a natural event.”

¹⁹ God struck down the men of Beth-shemesh because they had looked into the Ark of the LORD. He struck down 50,070 men among the people, and the people mourned because the LORD struck down the people with a great slaughter. ²⁰ The men of Beth-shemesh asked themselves, “Who can stand in the presence of the LORD, this holy God? And to whom will the Ark go from here?”

¹⁰ The Philistines fought and Israel was defeated; each of them fled to his own tent. It was a very great slaughter, and 30,000 soldiers of Israel died.

³⁶ As the day drew to a close, this order was circulated throughout the army telling the soldiers, “Everybody go back to his city and to his own land.”

⁵ Aram and Israel Defeat Judah
As a result, the LORD his God handed Ahaz over to the king of Aram, who defeated him and took a large number of captives away to Damascus. Ahaz was also delivered over to the control of the King of Israel, who defeated him with many heavy casualties. ⁶ Remaliah’s son Pekah killed 120,000 soldiers in a single day, all of them elite forces, because they had forsaken the LORD God of their ancestors.

¹⁷ and they attacked Judah, invading it and carried off everything he owned in his royal palace, along with all of his sons and wives except for his youngest son Jehoahaz.

¹ Ahaziah Succeeds Jehoram
The residents of Jerusalem made Jehoram’s son Ahaziah king in his place after the raiding party that had invaded the city with the Arabs had killed all of the older sons. That’s how Jehoram’s son Ahaziah became king of Judah.

⁶ so he returned to Jezreel to recover from the wounds that he had received at Ramah in the battle against King Hazael of Aram. King Ahaziah of Judah, Jehoram’s son, went to visit Ahab’s son Joram, because he was wounded.

⁹ Uzziah also built towers in Jerusalem, at the Corner Gate, at the Valley Gate, and at the Angle and fortified them.

¹¹ so the LORD brought in the army commanders who worked for the king of Assyria, who captured Manasseh with hooks, bound him in bronze chains, and took him off to Babylon.

⁶ As a result, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon attacked him, bound him in bronze shackles, and took him to Babylon.

¹⁰ At the beginning of the next year, King Nebuchadnezzar sent for him and brought him to Babylon, along with valuable articles from the LORD’s Temple, and he installed Jehoiachin’s relative Zedekiah as king over Judah and Jerusalem.

¹⁶ Then the people went out and found branches to make tents for themselves on the roofs of their houses, in their courtyards, and in the courts of God’s Temple, in the plaza near the Water Gate, and in the plaza near the Gate of Ephraim.

³⁹ and from above the Ephraim Gate, above the Fish Gate, the Tower of Hananel and the Tower of the Hundred, as far as the Sheep Gate. They stopped at the Guard Gate.

²³ A person’s pride will bring about his downfall, but the humble in spirit will gain honor.

³⁸ “Look, days are coming,” declares the LORD, “when the city of the LORD will be rebuilt from the Tower of Hananel to the Corner Gate.

³⁷ In conclusion, I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise, exalt, and give glory to the King of heaven: For everything he does is true, his ways are just, and he is able to humble those who walk in pride.”

³ The arrogance in your heart has deceived you, who inhabit hidden places on rocky cliffs, whose dwelling is in the heights, who say continuously to yourself, ‘Who will bring me down to the ground?’

¹¹ Because everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the person who humbles himself will be exalted.”

¹⁴ He confiscated all the gold and silver, all the instruments he could find in the LORD’s Temple and in the palace treasuries. He also captured some hostages and then returned to Samaria.

¹⁵ Obed-edom’s lot indicated the south gate, and his sons were also allotted responsibility for the storehouse.

⁹ So King Shishak of Egypt invaded Jerusalem and looted the treasure stores in the LORD’s Temple and in the royal palace. He took everything, including the golden shields that Solomon had made.

¹⁵ Jeroboam Succeeds Israel’s King JehoashThe rest of Jehoash’s activities that he undertook, including his valor in fighting king Amaziah of Judah, are recorded in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel, are they not?

³⁴ The rest of Jehoshaphat’s accomplishments, from first to last, are recorded in the annals of Hanani’s son Jehu, which appears in the Book of the Kings of Israel.

³¹ Then Joshua and all of Israel passed from Libnah to Lachish, camped near it, and attacked it.

¹⁹ A conspiracy arose against him in Jerusalem, and he ran off to Lachish, but he was pursued to Lachish and killed there.

² so he went out to meet Asa and rebuked him: “Listen to me, Asa, Judah, and Benjamin! The LORD is with you when you are with him. If you seek him, he will allow you to find him, but if you abandon him, he will abandon you.

²⁵ After the Arameans left him very sick, Joash’s own servants conspired against him because Joash had murdered Jehoiada the priest’s son, and they killed him on his sick bed.

²⁰ His body was brought back on horses and he was buried at Jerusalem alongside his ancestors in the City of David.