2 Chronicles 25
Amaziah becomes Judah’s king
Amaziah was 25 when he began to reign, and he reigned for 29 years from Jerusalem. His mom was Jehoaddan from Jerusalem. He did what was right in the Existing One's sight, but not with his whole heart. As soon as his authority was secured, he executed the people who had murdered his father (the former king). But he followed the Existing One's orders in Moses's Book and didn't execute their children because it says, “Father's shouldn't die because of their children, and children should die because of their fathers. Each one should die for his own sin.”
Judah does right thing, but gets raided by Israel
Then Amaziah assembled all the men from Judah and Benjamin, grouped them by their patriarchs, and assigned them under military commanders. He drafted everyone who was 20 years and older, finding a total of 300,000 who were fit for war, able to handle spear and shield. He also hired 100,000 brave Israelite warriors for 7,500 pounds of silver. But one of God's men came to him and said, “King, don't let Israel's army join us, because the Existing One is not with Israel because of these Ephraimites. But go ahead and get ready for battle. Why should you assume that God will knock you down in front of your enemy? God has both the power to help and the power to knock down.” Amaziah replied to God's man, “But what should we do about the 7,500 pounds that I already gave to Israel's army?” God’s man answered, “The Existing One is able to give you more than that!” Then Amaziah discharged the army that had arrived from Ephraim, and they went home angry with Judah. But Amaziah took courage and led his army to the Salt Valley where they struck down 10,000 men from Seir. Judah captured another 10,000 alive and took them to a cliff where they threw them off, splattering them below. But the soldiers who Amaziah had discharged ended up raiding Judah's cities from Samaria to Beth-horon, killing 3,000 people and taking a lot of loot.
Judah’s king worships Seir’s gods
When Amaziah got back from slaughtering the Edomites, he brought Seir’s gods and set them up as his own, worshiping them and making offerings to them. That made the Existing One angry with Amaziah, so he sent him a prophet who said, “Why do you want the gods who couldn't even save their own people from you?” But the king interrupted him saying, “Did I say you could be my royal counselor? Shut up! Why shouldn't I kill you right now?” So the prophet stopped delivering the message, but said, "All I know is that God has decided to kill you since you did this and didn't listen to my counsel."
Judah retaliates against Israel but loses
Then Judah's King Amaziah took counsel and sent a message to Israel's King Joash (Jehoahaz's son and Jehu's grandson) saying, “Come here so we can settle this face to face.” Israel's King Joash messaged back saying, "A little bush told a great big cedar tree, ‘Let my son marry your daughter,’ and then a wild animal walked by and trampled down the bush. You say, ‘Look, I defeated Edom,’ and now your heart is filled with pride. But you better stay at home; you wouldn't want to pick a fight that might knock down both you and all of Judah.”
But Amaziah wouldn’t listen, because God was handing them over to their enemies for chasing Edom's gods. So Israel's King Joash went and faced Judah's King Amaziah in a battle at Beth-shemesh (which belongs to Judah). And Israel defeated Judah, causing everyone to run home. So Israel's King Joash captured Judah's King Amaziah on his own turf and brought him to Jerusalem where he broke down 600 feet of the city wall from the Ephraim Gate to the Corner Gate. He took all the silver, gold, and vessels that were in God's house under Obed-edom’s care. He also raided the treasuries at the king’s palace and took hostages before returning to Samaria.
Judah’s King Amaziah is killed by his own people
Judah's King Amaziah lived 15 years after the death of his father Joash. The rest of Amaziah's history from beginning to end is recorded in the book of Kings. When he turned away from the Existing One, Jerusalem's people conspired against him, so he fled to Lachish. But they tracked him down and put him to death there, returning his body to David's city on horseback where they buried him with his forefathers.