Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 2 Chronicles 25:17
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.
17 24 (= 2Ki 14:8-14). Amaziah Conquered by Joash
17. took advice ] Took counsel with a view to demanding satisfaction from Joash for the ravages of the Israelite mercenaries (2Ch 25:13). The sequel suggests that Joash refused to give satisfaction.
let us see one another in the face ] R.V. let us look one another in the face. The proposal may be either to fight or (better) to discuss Amaziah’s claims, the two kings meeting as equals. The latter is probably the right alternative, for the answer of Joash draws a scoffing parallel between Amaziah’s proposition and a thorn’s proposal of alliance with a cedar. Had Amaziah’s words been a challenge to fight, Joash’s answer would rather have taken the form in Jdg 9:15, “The thorn said, Fire shall come out of the thorn and devour the cedars of Lebanon,” etc.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Amaziah took advice, i.e. about the injury which the Israelites had done to his people, 2Ch 25:13, and how he should repair it. But of this and the following verses See Poole “2Ki 14:8“, &c.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
17. Then Amaziah . . . sent to Joash. . . Come, let us see one another in the face(See on 2Ki14:8-20).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Ver. 17-19. Then Amaziah king of Judah took advice,…. Not of God, nor of his prophets, but of some of his nobles like himself:
and sent to Joash–king of Israel; of his message to him here, and his answer in the two following verses, see the following notes:
[See comments on 2Ki 14:8].
[See comments on 2Ki 14:9].
[See comments on 2Ki 14:10].
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
The war with Joash, king of Israel. – Instead of following the counsel of the prophet, Amaziah consulted (sc., with his public officials or courtiers), and challenged King Joash of Israel to war. The challenge, and the war which followed, are also narrated in 2Ki 14:8-14 in agreement with our account, and have been already commented upon at that place, where we have also considered the occasion of this war, so fatal to Amaziah and the kingdom of Judah, on account of which has been handed down to us only in the supplementary narrative of the Chronicle. in 2Ch 25:17 for , come, as in Num 23:13 and Jdg 19:13. – In 2Ch 25:20 the chronicler explains Amaziah’s refusal to hear the warning of Joash before the war with him, by a reference to the divine determination: “For it (came) of God (that Amaziah still went to war), that He might deliver them (the men of Judah) into the hand, because they had sought the gods of Edom.” , to give into the power of the enemy. – In 2Ch 25:23, is a manifest error for (2Ki 14:13). Were , the gate that turns itself, faces (in some direction), correct, the direction would have to be given towards which it turned, e.g., Eze 8:3. – , 2Ch 25:24, still depends upon , 2Ch 25:23: and (took away) all the gold, etc. In 2Ki 14:14, is supplied.
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
| The Death of Amaziah. | B. C. 825. |
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 Beth-shemesh, 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 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. 24 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. 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.
We have here this degenerate prince mortified by his neighbour and murdered by his own subjects.
I. Never was proud prince more thoroughly mortified than Amaziah was by Joash king of Israel.
1. This part of the story (which was as fully related 2 Kings xiv. 8, c., as it is here)–embracing the foolish challenge which Amaziah sent to Joash (<i>v. 17), his haughty scornful answer to it (v. 18), with the friendly advice he gave him to sit still and know when he was well off, (v. 19),– his wilfully persisting in his challenge (2Ch 25:20; 2Ch 25:21), the defeat that was given him (v. 22), and the calamity he brought upon himself and his city thereby (2Ch 25:23; 2Ch 25:24),– verifies two of Solomon’s proverbs:– (1.) That a man’s pride will bring him low, Prov. xxix. 23. It goes before his destruction; not only procures it meritoriously, but is often the immediate occasion of it. He that exalteth himself shall be abased. (2.) That he that goes forth hastily to strive will probably not know what to do in the end thereof, when his neighbour has put him to shame, Prov. xxv. 8. He that is fond of contention may have enough of it sooner than he thinks of.
2. But there are two passages in this story which we had not before in the Kings. (1.) That Amaziah took advice before he challenged the king of Israel, v. 17. But of whom? Not of the prophet–he was not made of the king’s counsel; but of his statesmen that would flatter him and bid him go up and prosper. It is good to take advice, but then it must be of those that are fit to advise us. Those that will not take advice from the word of God, which would guide them aright, will justly be left to the bad advice of those that will counsel them to their destruction. Let those be made fools that will not be made wise. (2.) Amaziah’s imprudence is here made the punishment of his impiety (v. 20): It was of the Lord; he left him to himself to act thus foolishly, that he and his people might be delivered into the hands of their enemies, because they had forsaken God and sought after the gods of Edom. Those that will not persuaded to do well for their souls will justly be given up to their own counsels to do ill for themselves even in their outward affairs.
II. Never was poor prince more violently pursued by his own subjects. From the time that he departed from the Lord (so it may be read, v. 27) the hearts of his subjects departed from him, and they began to form a design against him in Jerusalem. It is probable they were exasperated against him more for his rashly engaging in a war against Israel than for his worshipping the gods of Edom. But at length the ferment grew so high, and he perceived the plot to be laid so deeply, that he thought fit to quit his royal city and flee to Lachish, either as a private place where he might be hid or as a strong place where he might be guarded; but they sent after him thither, and slew him there. By this the putting of him to death seems to have been done deliberately, and to have been the act, not of a disgusted servant or two, but of a considerable body that durst avow it. How unrighteous soever they were herein, God was righteous.
Fuente: Matthew Henry’s Whole Bible Commentary
See note on 2Ki 14:8
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
AMAZIAH CHALLENGES JOASH OF ISRAEL TO BATTLE, AND SUFFERS DISASTROUS DEFEAT (2Ch. 25:17-24). (Comp. 2Ki. 14:8-14.)
(17) Then Amaziah . . . took advice.And Amaziah took counsel (2Ch. 10:6). Different from the counsel which the prophet would have tendered him (2Ch. 25:16).
And sent to Joash.See 2Ki. 14:8 : Sent messengers. The rest of the verse is the same in both passages.
Let us see.Let us look one another in the face; as combatants do.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
What advice could this be? Not of God, nor his prophets, for he had despised both.
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
2Ch 25:17 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.
Ver. 17. Then Amaziah took advice.] But wanted good counsellors, or else he was too much wedded to his own will: as was Xerxes about his expedition against Greece, to his own ruin.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
advice = counsel, as in 2Ch 25:16. He took man’s counsel, but not God’s.
see = look. Idiom for desire to fight.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
2Ch 25:17-19
2Ch 25:17-19
AMAZIAH DECIDES TO DECLARE WAR AGAINST NORTHERN ISRAEL
“Then Amaziah king of Judah took advice, and sent to Joash, the son of Jehoahaz, king of Israel, saying, Come, let us look one another in the face. 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 trod down the thistle. Thou sayest, Lo, thou hast smitten Edom; and thy heart lifteth thee up to boast: abide now at home; why shouldest thou meddle to thy hurt, that thou shouldest fall, even thou, and Judah with thee?”
“And Amaziah … took advice” (2Ch 25:17). Moffatt renders this, “Let himself be counseled.” The previous paragraph reveals that Amaziah rejected the Word of God’s prophet; and therefore the counsel which he received here was not of God but of Satan.
“Let us look one another in the face” (2Ch 25:17). This was both intended and understood to be a declaration of war. Joash properly understood the arrogant and egotistical intentions of Amaziah and warned him of the fate that would overtake him; but Amaziah would not hearken to any sound advice.
E.M. Zerr:
2Ch 25:17. Took advice. The first word is not in the original as a sepa rate term. The second is from YAATS and Strong defines it, “a primitive root; to advise; reflexively, to deliberate or resolve.” Among the words by which it has been rendered in the A. V. are determine, devise, purpose. That makes the matter clear. Amaziah felt above taking any advice from another, but made up his own mind, urged on by the success of his encounter with the Edomites. With that fact to puff him up in pride, he resolved to make another try at battle to win more glory. See one another in. the face when said by one military man to another was the same as challenging him to close contact in battle.
2Ch 25:18. The king of Israel (the 10 tribes) understood what was prompting Amaziah’s challenge, and tried to get him to drop the case, by telling him a fable. In order to appreciate the force of it we must understand that the cedars of Lebanon were always considered among the loftiest and most elegant of trees. A thistle would be about as much of a contrast as one could imagine. Next, transfer the thought to people whose social ranks were as different from each other as were the artistic qualities of the cedar and the thistle. To ask a cedar for his daughter in marriage to the son of the thistle would be the height of insult. Even the beasts of the field would be shocked at the impudence of such a proposal upon hearing it, and put an end to the affair by trampling down the thistle. This fable was a figurative hint to Amaziah of the fate that would come to him for his inappropriate challenge.
2Ch 25:19. The king of Israel then spoke seriously and correctly. He explained to him that his success over the Edomites had puffed him up, and advised him to stay at home.
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
am 3178, bc 826
Amaziah: 2Ch 25:13, 2Ki 14:8-14
let us see: 2Sa 2:14, Pro 20:3
Reciprocal: 2Ki 13:12 – his might 2Ch 25:21 – they saw one another Pro 17:14 – beginning Pro 20:18 – and Luk 2:43 – General
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
2Ch 25:17. Then Amaziah took advice About the injury which the Israelites had done to his people, and how he should repair it. He took advice But with whom? Not with the prophet, but with his flattering statesmen. It is good to take advice: but it should be of them who are fit to advise us. But of this and the following verses, see notes on 2Ki 14:8-20.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
25:17 Then Amaziah king of Judah took advice, and sent to Joash, the son of Jehoahaz, the son of Jehu, king of Israel, saying, Come, {p} let us see one another in the face.
(p) That is, let us try the matter hand to hand: for he was offended, that the army of the Israelites whom he had in wages and dismissed by the counsel of the prophet, had destroyed certain of the cities of Judah.