Chapter 25 Amosiah was twenty and five years old when he began to reign,
and he reigned twenty and nine years in Jerusalem.
And his mother's name was Jehoadun of Jerusalem.
And he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, but not with a perfect
heart.
Now it came to pass when the kingdom was established to him that he slew his
servants that had killed the king his father.
But he slew not their children, but did as it is written in the law in the
book of Moses, where the Lord commanded, saying, The fathers shall not die for the
children, neither shall the children die for the fathers, but every man shall die
for his own sin.
Moreover Amosiah gathered Judah together and made them captains over thousands and
captains over hundreds, according to the houses of their fathers throughout all
Judah and Benjamin.
And he numbered them from twenty years old and above and found them three hundred
thousand choice men able to go forth to war that could handle spear and shield.
He hired also a hundred thousand mighty men of valor out of Israel for a hundred
talents of silver.
But there came a man of God to him, saying, O king, let not the army of Israel
go with thee, for the Lord is not with Israel.
Do it with all the children of Ephraim.
But if thou wilt go, do it.
Be strong for the battle.
God shall make thee fall before the enemy, for God hath power to help and to cast
down.
And Amosiah said to the man of God, But what shall we do for the hundred
talents which I have given to the army of Israel?
And the man of God answered, The Lord is able to give thee much more than this.
Then Amosiah separated them to wit the army that was come to him out of Ephraim
to go home again.
Wherefore their anger was greatly kindled against Judah, and they returned home in
great anger.
And Amosiah strengthened himself and led forth his people and went to the valley of
Saul and smote of the children of Seir ten thousand.
And of the ten thousand left alive did the children of Judah carry away captive and
brought them unto the top of the rock and cast them down from the top of the rock
that they all were broken in pieces.
But the soldiers of the army which Amosiah sent back that they should not go with him
to battle fell upon the cities of Judah from Samaria even unto Bethhoran and smote
three thousand of them and took much spoil.
Now it came to pass, after that Amosiah was come from the slaughter of the
Edomites that he brought the gods of the children of Seir and set them up to be his
gods and bowed down himself before them and burned incense unto them.
Wherefore the anger of the Lord was kindled against Amosiah and he sent unto
him a prophet which said unto him, Why hast thou sought after the gods of the
people which could not deliver their own people out of thine hand?
And it came to pass, as he talked with him, that the king said unto him,
Art thou made of the king's council?
Forbear, why shouldst thou be smitten?
Then the prophet forbear and said, I know that God hath determined to destroy
thee because thou hast done this and hast not hearkened unto my counsel.
Then Amosiah king of Judah took advice and sent to Joash the son of Jehoahaz,
the son of Jehu king of Israel, saying, Come, let us see one another in
the face.
And Joash king of Israel sent to Amosiah king of Judah, saying, The thistle that
was in Lebanon sent to the cedar that was in Lebanon, saying, Give thy daughter to
my son to wife.
And there passed by a wild beast that was in Lebanon and trod down the thistle.
Thou sayest, Lo, thou hast smitten the Edomites, and thine heart lifteth thee up
to boast.
Abide now at home.
Why shouldst thou meddle to thine hurt?
That thou shouldst fall, even thou and Judah with thee?
But Amosiah would not hear.
For it came of God that he might deliver them into the hand of their enemies,
because they sought after the gods of Edom.
So Joash the king of Israel went up, and they saw one another in the face,
both he and Amosiah king of Judah, at Beth Shemesh, which belongeth to Judah.
And Judah was put to the worst before Israel, and they fled every man to his
tent.
And Joash the king of Israel took Amosiah king of Judah, the son of Joash,
the son of Jehoahaz, at Beth Shemesh, and brought him to Jerusalem, and break
down the wall of Jerusalem from the gate of Ephraim to the corner gate,
four hundred cubits.
And he took all the gold and the silver, and all the vessels that were found in the
house of God with Obed-Edom, and the treasures of the king's house,
the hostages also, and returned to Samaria.
And Amosiah the son of Joash, king of Judah, lived after the death of Joash son
of Jehoahaz, king of Israel, fifteen years.
Now the rest of the act of Amosiah, first and last, behold, are they not
written in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel?
Now after the time that Amosiah did turn away from following the Lord, they made a
conspiracy against him in Jerusalem, and he fled to Lachish.
But they sent to Lachish after him, and slew him there.
And they brought him upon horses, and buried him with his fathers in the
city of Judah.