The big picture
2 Chronicles 25 opens in verse 1 with “Amaziah was twenty and five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned twenty and…”, reaches its middle movement near verse 14 with “Now it came to pass, after that Amaziah was come from the slaughter of the Edomites…”, and closes in verse 28 with “And they brought him upon horses, and buried him with his fathers in the city of Judah.” Repeated or prominent terms include Amaziah, Judah, king, Israel, children. Together, those details trace this chapter’s own movement from its opening to its conclusion.
Scripture beside the summary
2 Chronicles · King James Version · 282 Chronicles 25:1-7
1–7: Amaziah was twenty and five years old when he began to reign, and he…
2 Chronicles 25:1–7 opens with “Amaziah was twenty and five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned twenty and nine…” and reaches “But there came a man of God to him, saying, O king, let not the army of Israel go with thee; for…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on 2 Chronicles 25 develops its own movement around Amaziah, Judah, king, Israel, children, with particular weight carried by children, fathers, Israel.
Context that brings the passage to life
“Amaziah was twenty and five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned twenty and nine years in Jerusalem. And…” The number twenty makes the report concrete. Ask whether it measures time, people, distance, repetition, or completeness before deciding what weight it carries.
“And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD , but not with a perfect heart.” The line’s distinctive content terms include heart, LORD, perfect. Its relationship to verses 1 and 3 shows what work it does in this passage.
“Now it came to pass, when the kingdom was established to him, that he slew his servants that had killed the king his…” The line’s distinctive content terms include established, father, killed. Its relationship to verses 2 and 4 shows what work it does in this passage.
2 Chronicles 25:1-7
King James Version1Amaziah 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.
3Now it came to pass, when the kingdom was established to him, that he slew his servants that had killed the king his father.
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.
5Moreover 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.
2 Chronicles 25:8-14
8–14: If thou wilt go, do it, be strong for the battle: God shall make thee…
2 Chronicles 25:8–14 opens with “But if thou wilt go, do it, be strong for the battle: God shall make thee fall before the enemy…” and reaches “Now it came to pass, after that Amaziah was come from the slaughter of the Edomites, that he…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on 2 Chronicles 25 develops its own movement around Amaziah, Judah, king, Israel, children, with particular weight carried by Amaziah, army, children.
Context that brings the passage to life
This block contains 1 explicit questions. They are more than punctuation: they reveal where a voice is searching, challenging, afraid, or trying to understand.
“But if thou wilt go, do it, be strong for the battle: God shall make thee fall before the enemy: for God hath power to…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
“And Amaziah said to the man of God, But what shall we do for the hundred talents which I have given to the army of…” The question slows the passage down. Notice who is being pressed to answer, what the question assumes, and whether the next lines provide a response.
“Then Amaziah separated them, to wit, the army that was come to him out of Ephraim, to go home again: wherefore their…” Naming Amaziah and Ephraim keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
2 Chronicles 25:8-14
King James Version8But 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.
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.
11And 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.
13But 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.
14Now 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.
2 Chronicles 25:15-21
15–21: Wherefore the anger of the LORD was kindled against Amaziah, and he sent…
2 Chronicles 25:15–21 opens with “Wherefore the anger of the LORD was kindled against Amaziah, and he sent unto him a prophet…” and reaches “So Joash the king of Israel went up; and they saw one another in the face, both he and Amaziah…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on 2 Chronicles 25 develops its own movement around Amaziah, Judah, king, Israel, children, with particular weight carried by king, Amaziah, Judah.
Context that brings the passage to life
This block contains 3 explicit questions. They are more than punctuation: they reveal where a voice is searching, challenging, afraid, or trying to understand.
“Wherefore the anger of the LORD was kindled against Amaziah, and he sent unto him a prophet, which said unto him, Why…” The question slows the passage down. Notice who is being pressed to answer, what the question assumes, and whether the next lines provide a response.
“And it came to pass, as he talked with him, that the king said unto him, Art thou made of the king’s counsel? forbear…” This familiar narrative signal moves the clock forward. What follows is a new scene, consequence, or answer to an earlier tension.
“Then Amaziah king of Judah took advice, and sent to Joash, the son of Jehoahaz, the son of Jehu, king of Israel…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
2 Chronicles 25:15-21
King James Version15Wherefore 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.
17Then 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.
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.
2 Chronicles 25:22-28
22–28: Judah was put to the worse before Israel, and they fled every man to his…
2 Chronicles 25:22–28 opens with “And Judah was put to the worse before Israel, and they fled every man to his tent.” and reaches “And they brought him upon horses, and buried him with his fathers in the city of Judah.” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on 2 Chronicles 25 develops its own movement around Amaziah, Judah, king, Israel, children, with particular weight carried by Judah, Amaziah, Israel.
Context that brings the passage to life
This block contains 1 explicit questions. They are more than punctuation: they reveal where a voice is searching, challenging, afraid, or trying to understand.
“And Judah was put to the worse before Israel, and they fled every man to his tent.” Naming Israel and Judah keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
“And Joash the king of Israel took Amaziah king of Judah, the son of Joash, the son of Jehoahaz, at Beth-shemesh, and…” The number four makes the report concrete. Ask whether it measures time, people, distance, repetition, or completeness before deciding what weight it carries.
2 Chronicles 25:22-28
King James Version22And Judah was put to the worse before Israel, and they fled every man to his tent.
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.
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.
25And 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?
27Now 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.
28And they brought him upon horses, and buried him with his fathers in the city of Judah.
Details worth noticing
The opening image
2 Chronicles 25:1 begins with “Amaziah 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…”
Where the chapter turns
2 Chronicles 25:14 forms a natural hinge: “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…”
The final note
2 Chronicles 25:28 leaves the reader with “And they brought him upon horses, and buried him with his fathers in the city of Judah.”
A word trail through the chapter
The words Amaziah, Judah, king, Israel, children, Joash help reveal the chapter’s repeated concerns.
What fulfills the earlier promise concerning Ishmael?
The named twelve princes and the account of his descendants.
What family pattern increases the twins' conflict?
Isaac favors Esau and Rebekah favors Jacob.
KJV words made clear
- behold
- look, or pay close attention
- unto
- to
- thee
- you
- thou
- you
- thy
- your
Text first
Where readers differ
The chapter summary begins with what the passage says and how its parts fit together. It does not assume one denomination has already settled every question. Where a conclusion depends on a tradition, literary theory, or historical reconstruction, that dependence is named openly.
The KJV text is presented first. Interpretive conclusions are labeled, and differences are introduced only when they help a reader understand why serious communities do not always reach the same answer.
Comparative interpretive notes for this chapter are in preparation. Until reviewed notes are ready, this page separates the KJV text from summary and application without claiming that serious readers agree on every question.