Chapter 14
Amaziah begins his reign in Judah after the death of Joash. He did right, but not like David. More like Joash his father. He left the high places alone. Once his power was consolidated, he also killed those who had murdered his father, but he left their children alive, according to God's command.
2025 - This long verse: 6 But he did not put to death the children of the murderers, according to what is written in the Book of the Law of Moses, where the LORD commanded, "Fathers shall not be put to death because of their children, nor shall children be put to death because of their fathers. But each one shall die for his own sin." [2Ki 14:6 ESV]. We interpret - or at least I have always interpreted - this verse to mean that God does not send children to hell because they had bad fathers. But here, the King of Israel takes this as a command to him and a restriction on his own behavior. Are both right?
He killed 10,000 Edomites in the Valley of Salt, and took Sela and renamed it Joktheel.
Amaziah invites Joash King of Israel to see him. Joash sends a convoluted message but basically says "Mind your own business, lest you get more trouble than you bargained for."
Amaziah wouldn't listen, so Israel and Judah went to battle. Israel wins, they capture Amaziah, they proceed to Jerusalem and break down 600' of the wall, take all the gold and silver from the Temple, take the King's treasury, and some hostages, and head home. Joash, King of Israel dies, and his son Jeroboam reigns in his place.
As for Amaziah, there is a conspiracy to kill him (Does not seem related to the loss of this battle because it is 15 years later when it happens), and he flees to Lachish. But they find him and kill him there. Then they make his 16 year old son Azariah King.
Jeroboam II is an evil King, and they continue to worship the two calves. However, God remembers his promise to Israel, and restores her borders through Jeroboam, despite the fact that he isn't much good. God remembers his promises, and uses even men like this to keep His Word, which is a far more important thing than the human lifetime of evil that one man can inflict. Also this verse, second para below:
2021 - Here is another reason that evil men are sometimes successful and stay in office a very long time. It is because God has bigger things to preserve. His promises must stand, even if He raises up evil men to preserve them. So there is rain on evil and good, and there are promises to be kept.
25 He restored the border of Israel from Lebo-hamath as far as the Sea of the Arabah, according to the word of the LORD, the God of Israel, which he spoke by his servant Jonah the son of Amittai, the prophet, who was from Gath-hepher. [2Ki 14:25 ESV]
Jonah is very active during this reign, and is in the northern kingdom. Hard to say if this was before or after Jonah went to Nineveh. But I note that the book of Jonah is tomorrow's reading in the chronological Bible, so this is the same Jonah.
Also this verse:
27 But the LORD had not said that he would blot out the name of Israel from under heaven, so he saved them by the hand of Jeroboam the son of Joash. [2Ki 14:27 ESV]
Not blot out Israel? I thought he did say that, and directly to Jeroboam for his sins in that first reign...God said this, though:
34 And this thing became sin to the house of Jeroboam, so as to cut it off and to destroy it from the face of the earth. [1Ki 13:34 ESV] So Jeroboam's lineage would be wiped out completely.
In the next chapter, this:
10 therefore behold, I will bring harm upon the house of Jeroboam and will cut off from Jeroboam every male, both bond and free in Israel, and will burn up the house of Jeroboam, as a man burns up dung until it is all gone. [1Ki 14:10 ESV]
Jeroboam, not the northern kingdom, will be extinguished.
It is because of God's promise to Israel that Jeroboam II is allowed to regain and restore Israeli territory. Since God had not said he would wipe Israel from the face of the earth, Israel had to be preserved, even if that meant using someone like Jeroboam II to accomplish it.
Jeroboam dies and Zechariah his son reigns in his place. Seems like this will be the fourth down from Jehu.