DAWN
Daily Arts Web Nucleus
Discover the Arts! Each day a different image from the Literary, Performing, or Visual Arts representing a portion of Scripture plus an explanation with links 2014 November 7
Citadel of Jerusalem Without the Walls (1839)
Art by David Roberts (1796-1864), and Lithography by Louis Haghe (1806-1885)
Orientalism Style of Academic Art
Contained in the Books The Holy Land, Syria, Idumea, Arabia, Egypt and Nubia (1842-1846), and Egypt and Nubia (1846-1849)
Image Source: Old Book Art
Explanation: 2 Chronicles 25 describes two major wars fought by Amaziah, followed by his death by conspirators. The illustration above depicts a fortified part of Jerusalem such as Joash/Jehoash might have broken down after he defeated Amaziah. [Traditional Patriarchal Timeline. Judges Period Chronology. Kings of Judah and Israel #1. Kings of Judah and Israel #2]. [Chronologically and Thematically Related Scriptures: 2 Kings 12:21; 2 Kings 14:1-20, 23-27; 2 Chronicles 24:27; 2 Kings 13:20-21; 2 Kings 13:23-25; 2 Kings 13:12-13; 2 Kings 13:5-6].
Amaziah (796-767 B.C.) took the throne of Judah when he was 29; "And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, but not with a perfect heart." He killed those who had killed his father (see the previous chapter); but he obeyed the law of Moses which said that neither fathers nor children shall die for the sins of the other; but everyone shall die for their own sins (1-4). Amaziah gathered a large army out of Judah; and he also hired a large force from Israel. But a prophet persuaded him to dismiss the mercenaries from Israel, even though he lost the money with which he hired them. He did so; and then he went against the Edomites. He killed ten thousand of them in battle; and he took another ten thousand and threw them off a cliff. But the army of Israel, which Amaziah dismissed, attacked many cities in Judah, killing three thousand, and taking much spoil (5-13). When Amaziah returned from the slaughter of the Edomites, he brought back their gods, set them up, bowed down to them, and burned incense to them. This stirred the LORD to anger; and he sent a prophet to Amaziah who chided him for seeking after gods which could not deliver their own people. But Amaziah told him to hold his peace, since he was not a counselor to the king. And the prophet ceased to speak, except to say that he knew that God had determined to destroy Amaziah, since he would not listen (14-16). Amaziah then sent a message to Joash/Jehoash (798-782 B.C.), the King of Israel, telling him to come face to face with him. (His name was identical to Joash/Jehoash (835-796) of Judah, who lived a bit before him). But Joash/Jehoash of Israel told Amaziah of Judah a parable about a thistle with great ambitions which was trodden down by a wild beast. And he warned him to be content with his victory over the Edomites and stay home (17-19). But Amaziah would not listen; so he went against Joash/Jehoash. But Joash/Jehoash prevailed; and he captured Amaziah and took him to Jerusalem, where he broke down a large portion of the city wall, took great amounts of plunder, and took hostages (20-24). Amaziah outlived Joash/Jehoash by 15 years; but conspirators arose against him, causing him to flee to Lachish, where he was slain. And they buried him in Jerusalem, in the city of David (25-28).
In Israel, Jeroboam II (782-753 B.C.) took the throne and began to reclaim territory for Israel. For further information see the following DAWN page: 2 Kings 14.
2 Chronicles 25
1 Amaziah 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 Jehoaddan of Jerusalem.
2 And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, but not with a perfect heart.
3 Now it came to pass, when the kingdom was established to him, that he slew his servants that had killed the king his father.
4 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.
5 Moreover Amaziah 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.
6 He hired also an hundred thousand mighty men of valour out of Israel for an hundred talents of silver.
7 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, to wit, with all the children of Ephraim.
8 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.
9 And Amaziah 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.
10 Then Amaziah 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.
11 And Amaziah strengthened himself, and led forth his people, and went to the valley of salt, and smote of the children of Seir ten thousand.
12 And other 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.
13 But the soldiers of the army which Amaziah sent back, that they should not go with him to battle, fell upon the cities of Judah, from Samaria even unto Bethhoron, and smote three thousand of them, and took much spoil.
14 Now it came to pass, after that Amaziah 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.
15 Wherefore the anger of the LORD was kindled against Amaziah, 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?
16 And it came to pass, as he talked with him, that the king said unto him, Art thou made of the king's counsel? forbear; why shouldest thou be smitten? Then the prophet forbare, and said, I know that God hath determined to destroy thee, because thou hast done this, and hast not hearkened unto my counsel.
17 Then Amaziah 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.
18 And Joash king of Israel sent to Amaziah 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 trode down the thistle.
19 Thou sayest, Lo, thou hast smitten the Edomites; and thine heart lifteth thee up to boast: abide now at home; why shouldest thou meddle to thine hurt, that thou shouldest fall, even thou, and Judah with thee?
20 But Amaziah 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.
21 So Joash the king of Israel went up; and they saw one another in the face, both he and Amaziah king of Judah, at Bethshemesh, which belongeth to Judah.
22 And Judah was put to the worse before Israel, and they fled every man to his tent.
23 And Joash the king of Israel took Amaziah king of Judah, the son of Joash, the son of Jehoahaz, at Bethshemesh, and brought him to Jerusalem, and brake down the wall of Jerusalem from the gate of Ephraim to the corner gate, four hundred cubits.
24 And he took all the gold and the silver, and all the vessels that were found in the house of God with Obededom, and the treasures of the king's house, the hostages also, and returned to Samaria.
25 And Amaziah the son of Joash king of Judah lived after the death of Joash son of Jehoahaz king of Israel fifteen years.
26 Now the rest of the acts of Amaziah, first and last, behold, are they not written in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel?
27 Now after the time that Amaziah 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.
28 And they brought him upon horses, and buried him with his fathers in the city of Judah.
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