Dual Panel1Amaziah son of Joash began to rule over Judah in the second year of the reign of King Jehoash of Israel.
2Amaziah was twenty–five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem twenty–nine years. His mother was Jehoaddin, from Jerusalem.
3Amaziah did what was pleasing in the LORD’s sight, but not like his ancestor David. Instead, he followed the example of his father, Joash.
4Amaziah did not destroy the pagan shrines, where the people offered sacrifices and burned incense.
5When Amaziah was well established as king, he executed the men who had assassinated his father.
6However, he did not kill the children of the assassins, for he obeyed the command of the LORD written in the Book of the Law of Moses: "Parents must not be put to death for the sins of their children, nor the children for the sins of their parents. Those worthy of death must be executed for their own crimes."
7It was Amaziah who killed ten thousand Edomites in the Valley of Salt. He also conquered Sela and changed its name to Joktheel, as it is called to this day.
8One day Amaziah sent this challenge to Israel’s king Jehoash, the son of Jehoahaz and grandson of Jehu: "Come and meet me in battle!"
9But King Jehoash of Israel replied to King Amaziah of Judah with this story: "Out in the Lebanon mountains a thistle sent a message to a mighty cedar tree: ‘Give your daughter in marriage to my son.’ But just then a wild animal came by and stepped on the thistle, crushing it!
10You have indeed destroyed Edom and are very proud about it. Be content with your victory and stay at home! Why stir up trouble that will bring disaster on you and the people of Judah?"
11But Amaziah refused to listen, so King Jehoash of Israel mobilized his army against King Amaziah of Judah. The two armies drew up their battle lines at Beth–shemesh in Judah.
12Judah was routed by the army of Israel, and its army scattered and fled for home.
13King Jehoash of Israel captured King Amaziah of Judah at Beth–shemesh and marched on to Jerusalem. Then Jehoash ordered his army to demolish six hundred feet of Jerusalem’s wall, from the Ephraim Gate to the Corner Gate.
14He carried off all the gold and silver and all the utensils from the Temple of the LORD, as well as from the palace treasury. He also took hostages and returned to Samaria.
15The rest of the events in Jehoash’s reign, including the extent of his power and his war with King Amaziah of Judah, are recorded in The Book of the History of the Kings of Israel.
16When Jehoash died, he was buried with his ancestors in Samaria. Then his son Jeroboam II became the next king.
17King Amaziah of Judah lived on for fifteen years after the death of King Jehoash of Israel.
18The rest of the events in Amaziah’s reign are recorded in The Book of the History of the Kings of Judah.
19There was a conspiracy against Amaziah’s life in Jerusalem, and he fled to Lachish. But his enemies sent assassins after him, and they killed him there.
20They brought him back to Jerusalem on a horse, and he was buried with his ancestors in the City of David.
21The people of Judah then crowned Amaziah’s sixteen–year–old son, Uzziah, as their next king.
22After his father’s death, Uzziah rebuilt the town of Elath and restored it to Judah.
23Jeroboam II, the son of Jehoash, began to rule over Israel in the fifteenth year of King Amaziah’s reign in Judah. Jeroboam reigned in Samaria forty–one years.
24He did what was evil in the LORD’s sight. He refused to turn from the sins of idolatry that Jeroboam son of Nebat had led Israel to commit.
25Jeroboam II recovered the territories of Israel between Lebo–hamath and the Dead Sea, just as the LORD, the God of Israel, had promised through Jonah son of Amittai, the prophet from Gath–hepher.
26For the LORD saw the bitter suffering of everyone in Israel, and how they had absolutely no one to help them.
27And because the LORD had not said he would blot out the name of Israel completely, he used Jeroboam II, the son of Jehoash, to save them.
28The rest of the events in the reign of Jeroboam II and all his deeds, including the extent of his power, his wars, and how he recovered for Israel both Damascus and Hamath, which had belonged to Judah, are recorded in The Book of the History of the Kings of Israel.
29When Jeroboam II died, he was buried with his ancestors, the kings of Israel. Then his son Zechariah became the next king.