Bible Commentaries

And he did [that which was] ^a right in the sight of the LORD, yet not like David his father: he did according to all things as Joash his father did.

(a) In the beginning of his reign he seemed to have an outward show of godliness, but later he became an idolater and worshipped the idols of the Idumeans.

But the children of the murderers he ^b slew not: according unto that which is written in the book of the law of Moses, wherein the LORD commanded, saying, The fathers shall not be put to death for the children, nor the children be put to death for the fathers; but every man shall be put to death for his own sin.

(b) Because they neither consented nor were partakers with their fathers in that act.

He slew of ^c Edom in the valley of salt ten thousand, and took Selah by war, and called the name of it Joktheel unto this day.

(c) For the Idumeans, whom David had brought to subjection, rebelled in the time of Jehoram son of Jehoshaphat.

Then Amaziah sent messengers to Jehoash, the son of Jehoahaz son of Jehu, king of Israel, saying, Come, ^d let us look one another in the face.

(d) Let us fight hand to hand, and try it by battle, and not destroy one another's cities.

And Jehoash the king of Israel sent to Amaziah king of Judah, saying, The thistle that [was] in Lebanon sent to the ^e 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.

(e) By this parable Jehoash compares himself to a cedar tree, because of his great kingdom over ten tribes and Amaziah to the thistle because he ruled over but two tribes and the wild beasts are Jehoash's soldiers, that spoiled the cities of Judah.

Thou hast indeed smitten Edom, and thine heart hath lifted thee up: ^f glory [of this], and tarry at home: for why shouldest thou meddle to [thy] hurt, that thou shouldest fall, [even] thou, and Judah with thee?

(f) Brag of the victory, so that you stay at home and do not provoke me.

And he took all the gold and silver, and all the vessels that were found in the house of the LORD, and in the treasures of the king's house, and ^g hostages, and returned to Samaria.

(g) That is, which the Israelites had given to them from Judah for an assurance of peace.

Now they made a conspiracy against him in Jerusalem: and he fled to ^h Lachish; but they sent after him to Lachish, and slew him there.

(h) Which Rehoboam built in Judah for a fortress, (2 Chronicles 11:9).

And all the people of Judah took ⁱ Azariah, which [was] sixteen years old, and made him king instead of his father Amaziah.

(i) Who is also called Uzziah, (2 Chronicles 26:1).

He built ^k Elath, and restored it to Judah, after that the king slept with his fathers.

(k) Which is also called Elanon or Eloth.

And he did [that which was] evil in the sight of the LORD: he departed not from all the ^l sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin.

(l) Because this idolatry was so vile and almost incredible, that men should forsake the living God, to worship calves, the work of man's hands, therefore the Scripture often repeats it in the reproach of all idolaters.

For the LORD saw the affliction of Israel, [that it was] very bitter: for [there was] not any ^m shut up, nor any left, nor any helper for Israel.

(m) Read (1 Kings 14:10).

Now the rest of the acts of Jeroboam, and all that he did, and his might, how he warred, and how he recovered Damascus, and ⁿ Hamath, [which belonged] to Judah, for Israel, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?

(n) Which was also called Antiochia of Syria or Riblah.