猶大王亞瑪謝
1亞瑪謝二十五歲登基，在耶路撒冷執政二十九年。他母親叫約耶但，是耶路撒冷人。 2他做耶和華視為正的事，只是沒有全心去做。 3他鞏固了王位後，立即處死了殺他父王的臣僕， 4但沒有處死他們的孩子，遵行了耶和華在摩西律法書中的吩咐：「不可因孩子犯罪而處死父親，也不可因父親犯罪而處死孩子。各人要自負罪責。」
與西珥人交戰
5亞瑪謝召集猶大人，按著猶大和便雅憫宗族設立千夫長和百夫長，並數點二十歲以上、能使用盾牌矛槍且有作戰能力的精兵，共有三十萬人。 6他又用三點四噸銀子從以色列雇來十萬精兵。 7一位上帝的僕人來對他說：「王啊，不要讓以色列的軍隊與你同去，因為耶和華不與以色列人——以法蓮的子孫同在。 8你若一定要去，即使你奮勇爭戰，上帝也必使你敗在敵人面前，因為上帝有能力幫助，也有能力傾覆。」 9亞瑪謝問上帝的僕人：「我付給以色列軍隊的三點四噸銀子怎麼辦？」上帝的僕人回答說：「耶和華能賜給你更多的銀子。」 10於是，亞瑪謝解散從以法蓮雇來的軍隊，讓他們回家去。他們非常惱怒猶大人，怒氣沖沖地回家去了。
11亞瑪謝鼓起勇氣，率領本國軍隊去鹽谷，殺了一萬西珥人， 12又把生擒的一萬人推下山崖摔得粉身碎骨。 13可是，那些被亞瑪謝遣返、未能出征的以色列軍隊侵入從撒瑪利亞到伯·和崙一帶的猶大各城，殺了三千人，搶了大批財物。
14亞瑪謝殺敗以東人25·14 以東人又稱西珥人。後，帶回了他們的神像，立為自己的神明，向它們祭拜燒香。 15因此，耶和華向亞瑪謝發怒，祂派一個先知去見他，說：「這些神明既然不能從你手中救自己的人民，你為什麼還要祭拜它們呢？」 16先知的話還沒有說完，王就打斷他，說：「住口！誰立你做王的謀士了？你要自取滅亡嗎？」先知停了一下，又說：「我知道上帝已定意要毀滅你，因為你做了這事，不聽我的忠告。」
與以色列交戰
17猶大王亞瑪謝與群臣商議後，就派人對耶戶的孫子、約哈斯的兒子、以色列王約阿施說：「來，我們戰場上見。」 18以色列王約阿施派人回覆猶大王亞瑪謝說：「黎巴嫩的蒺藜派使者去對黎巴嫩的香柏樹說，『將你的女兒嫁給我兒子吧。』後來黎巴嫩的一隻野獸經過，把那蒺藜踐踏在腳下。 19你打敗了以東人就趾高氣揚。你還是待在家裡吧，何必惹禍上身，使你和猶大一同滅亡呢？」
20但亞瑪謝不理會他的勸告。原來這事出於上帝，要把他們交在約阿施手中，因為他們求告以東的神明。 21於是，以色列王約阿施起兵攻打猶大王亞瑪謝，兩王會戰於猶大的伯·示麥。 22猶大人被以色列人打敗，兵將都各自逃回家去了。 23以色列王約阿施在伯·示麥擒獲約哈斯的孫子、約阿施的兒子、猶大王亞瑪謝，把他帶到耶路撒冷，又拆毀從以法蓮門到角門約一百八十米長的耶路撒冷城牆， 24搶走俄別·以東在上帝殿中看守的所有金銀和器皿以及王宮裡的財寶，並帶著人質返回撒瑪利亞。
25約哈斯的兒子以色列王約阿施死後，約阿施的兒子猶大王亞瑪謝又活了十五年。 26亞瑪謝其他的事自始至終都記在猶大與以色列的列王史上。 27亞瑪謝背棄耶和華後，耶路撒冷有人謀反，他就逃到拉吉，但叛黨派人追到那裡殺了他。 28有人用馬將他的屍體馱回耶路撒冷，葬在猶大城他的祖墳裡。
1Amaziah 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. 2And 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.25.3 established…: Heb. confirmed upon him 4But 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. 6He hired also an hundred thousand mighty men of valour out of Israel for an hundred talents of silver. 7But 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. 8But 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. 9And 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.25.9 army: Heb. band 10Then 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.25.10 home again: Heb. to their place25.10 in great…: Heb. in heat of 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. 12And 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 Beth-horon, and smote three thousand of them, and took much spoil.25.13 the soldiers…: Heb. the sons of the band
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. 15Wherefore 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? 16And 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.25.16 determined: Heb. counselled
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. 18And 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.25.18 thistle: or, furze bush, or, thorn25.18 a wild…: Heb. a beast of the field 19Thou 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? 20But 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. 21So Joash the king of Israel went up; and they saw one another in the face, both he and Amaziah king of Judah, at Beth-shemesh, which belongeth to Judah. 22And Judah was put to the worse before Israel, and they fled every man to his tent.25.22 put…: Heb. smitten 23And Joash the king of Israel took Amaziah king of Judah, the son of Joash, the son of Jehoahaz, at Beth-shemesh, and brought him to Jerusalem, and brake down the wall of Jerusalem from the gate of Ephraim to the corner gate, four hundred cubits.25.23 the corner…: Heb. the gate of it that looketh 24And 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.
25¶ And Amaziah the son of Joash king of Judah lived after the death of Joash son of Jehoahaz king of Israel fifteen years. 26Now 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.25.27 from…: Heb. from after25.27 made…: Heb. conspired a conspiracy 28And they brought him upon horses, and buried him with his fathers in the city of Judah.25.28 Judah: that is, the city of David
