Amasias reigneth in Juda: he overcometh the Edomites: but is overcome by Joas king of Israel. Jereboam the second reigneth in Israel.
Amasias king of Iudakilleth those that had slaine his father; 7. and striketh Edom. 8. Prouoking Ioas king of Israel to warre, receiueth a contemtible answer: 11. prouoking againe is beaten in battle, and Ierusalem is ransact. 15. Ioas dieth and his sonne Ieroboam foloweth the bad steppes of the first Ieroboam; yet recouereth manie places lost before and dying his sonne Zacharias reigneth.
1In the second year of Joas son of Joachaz, king of Israel, reigned Amasias son of Joas, king of Juda.L'anno secondo di Gioas figliuolo di Joachaz re d'Israele, cominciò a regnare Amasia figliuolo di Gioas re di Giuda.IN the second yeare of Ioas the sonne of Ioachaz the king of Israel reigned Amasias the sonne of Ioas the king of Iuda.In anno secundo Joas filii Joachaz regis Israël, regnavit Amasias filius Joas regis Juda. 2He was five and twenty years old when he began to reign; and nine and twenty years he reigned in Jerusalem; the name of his mother was Joadan, of Jerusalem.Egli avea venticinque anni quando cominciò a regnare: e regnò ventinove anni in Gerusalemme. La sua madre ebbe nome Joadan, ed era di Gerusalemme.Fiue and twentie yeares old was he when he began to reigne: and nine and twentie yeares he reigned in Ierusalem, the name of his mother was Ioadan of Ierusalem.Viginti quinque annorum erat cum regnare cœpisset: viginti autem et novem annis regnavit in Jerusalem. Nomen matris ejus Joadan de Jerusalem. 3And he did that which was right before the Lord, but yet not like David his father. He did according to all things that Joas his father, did:Ed egli fece quello, che era giusto dinanzi al Signore; ma non come Davidde suo padre. Egli imitò in tutto Gioas suo padre.And he did right before our Lord, but yet not as Dauid his father. He did according to al thinges, which Ioas his father did:Et fecit rectum coram Domino, verumtamen non ut David pater ejus. Juxta omnia quæ fecit Joas pater suus, fecit: 4But this only, that he took not away the high places; for yet the people sacrificed, and burnt incense in the high places:Eccetto solamente, che egli non tolse via i luoghi eccelsi; perocché il popolo immolava tutt'ora, e bruciava incenso ne' luoghi eccelsi.but this onlie that he tooke not away the excelses: for yet the people immolated, and burnt incense in the excelses.nisi hoc tantum, quod excelsa non abstulit: adhuc enim populus immolabat, et adolebat incensum in excelsis. 5And when he had possession of the kingdom, he put his servants to death that had slain the king, his father.Ed entrato ch'ei fu al possesso del regno, uccise que' servi suoi i quali avean data morte al re suo padre:And when he obtayned the kingdom, he smote his seruantes, which had slaine the king his father:Cumque obtinuisset regnum, percussit servos suos, qui interfecerant regem patrem suum: 6But the children of the murderers he did not put to death, according to that which is written in the book of the law of Moses, wherein the Lord commanded, saying: The fathers shall not be put to death for the children, neither shall the children be put to death for the fathers: but every man shall die for his own sin.Ma non fece morire i figliuoli degli uccisori conforme a quel, che sta scritto nel libro della legge di Mosè secondo l'ordine del Signore, che dice: Non morranno i padri pe' figliuoli, né i figliuoli morranno pei padri; ma ciascheduno morrà pel suo proprio peccato.but their children that killed him, he did not put to death, according to that which is written in the booke of the law of Moyses, as our Lord commanded, saying: The fathers shal not die for the children, neither shal the children die for the fathers: but euerie one shal die in his owne sinne.filios autem eorum qui occiderant, non occidit, juxta quod scriptum est in libro legis Moysi, sicut præcepit Dominus, dicens: Non morientur patres pro filiis, neque filii morientur pro patribus: sed unusquisque in peccato suo morietur.
7He slew of Edom in the valley of the Saltpits, ten thousand men, and took the rock by war, and called the name thereof Jectehel, unto this day.Egli sconfisse dieci mila Idumei nella valle delle Saline, ed espugnò Petra, a cui diede il nome di Jectenel, come lo ha sino al dì d'oggi.He smote Edom in the Vail of Salt pittes ten thousand, and tooke the rocke in battel, and called the name therof, Iectehel vntil this present daye.Ipse percussit Edom in valle Salinarum decem millia, et apprehendit petram in prælio, vocavitque nomen ejus Jectehel usque in præsentem diem. 8Then Amasias sent messengers to Joas, son of Joachaz, son of Jehu, king of Israel, saying: Come, let us see one another.Allora Amasia mando ambasciadori a Gioas figliuolo di Joachaz, figliuolo di Jehu, re d'Israele, e fece dirgli: Vieni, e vediamoci insieme.Then Amasias sent messengers to Ioas the sonne of Ioachaz, the sonne of Iehu the king of Israel, saying: Come, let vs see one an other.Tunc misit Amasias nuntios ad Joas filium Joachaz filii Jehu regis Israël, dicens: Veni, et videamus nos. 9And Joas, king of Israel, sent again to Amasias, king of Juda, saying: A thistle of Libanus sent to a cedar tree, which is in Libanus, saying: Give thy daughter to my son to wife. And the beasts of the forest, that are in Libanus, passed, and trod down the thistle.E Gioas re d'Israele mandò dal suo canto a dire ad Amasia re di Giuda: Il cardo del Libano mandò a dire al cedro, che sta sul Libano: Dà la tua figlia per moglie al mio figliuolo: ma le fiere selvagge, che fan dimora sul Libano, in passando conculcarono il cardo.And Ioas the king of Israel sent agayne to Amasias the king of Iuda saying: A thistle of Libanus sent to a cedar tree, which is in Libanus, saying: Geue thy daughter to my sonne to wife. And the beastes of the forest, that are in Libanus passed and trode the thistle.Remisitque Joas rex Israël ad Amasiam regem Juda, dicens: Carduus Libani misit ad cedrum quæ est in Libano, dicens: Da filiam tuam filio meo uxorem. Transieruntque bestiæ saltus quæ sunt in Libano, et conculcaverunt carduum. 10Thou hast beaten and prevailed over Edom, and thy heart hath lifted thee up; be content with this glory, and sit at home; why provokest thou evil, that thou shouldst fall, and Juda with thee?Tu hai messi in rotta, e fiaccati gl'Idumei, e il tuo cuore si è invanito: sii contento della tua gloria, e statti a sedere in tua casa: perchè vai tu cercando malanni, per andar in rovina tu, e Giuda con te?Thou striking hast preuayled ouer Edom, and thy hart hath puffed thee vp: be content with the glorie, and sit in thy house: Why prouokest thou euil, that thou mayst fal and Iuda with thee.Percutiens invaluisti super Edom, et sublevavit te cor tuum: contentus esto gloria, et sede in domo tua: quare provocas malum, ut cadas tu et Judas tecum ?
11But Amasias did not rest satisfied. So Joas, king of Israel, went up; and he and Amasias, king of Juda, saw one another in Bethsames, a town in Juda.Ma Amasia non gli diede retta: e Gioas re d'Israele si mosse, e si videro egli, e Amasia re di Giuda presso a Bethsames città di Giuda.And Amasias agreed not. And Ioas the king of Israel went vp, and they saw eche other, he and Amasias the king of Iuda in Bethsames a towne of Iuda.Et non acquievit Amasias. Ascenditque Joas rex Israël, et viderunt se, ipse et Amasias rex Juda, in Bethsames oppido Judæ. 12And Juda was put to the worse before Israel, and they fled every man to their dwellings.E Giuda rimase sconfitto da Israele, e si fuggirono ognuno a casa sua.And Iuda was strooken before Israel, and euerie man fled into their tabernacles.Percussusque est Juda coram Israël, et fugerunt unusquisque in tabernacula sua. 13But Joas, king of Israel, took Amasias, king of Juda, the son of Joas, the son of Ochozias, in Bethsames, and brought him into Jerusalem; and he broke down the wall of Jerusalem, from the gate of Ephraim to the gate of the corner, four hundred cubits.E Gioas re d'Israele fece prigioniero in Bethsames Amasia re di Giuda figliuolo di Gioas, figliuolo di Ochozia, e lo condusse a Gerusalemme: e abbattè parte delle mura di Gerusalemme, dalla porta di Ephraim sino alla porta dell'angolo, la lunghezza di quattro cento cubiti.But Ioas the king of Israel did take Amasias the king of Iuda the sonne of Ioas, the sonne of Ochozias, in Bethsames, and brought him into Ierusalem: and he brake downe the wal of Ierusalem, from the gate of Ephraim vnto the gate of the corner, fowre hundred cubites.Amasiam vero regem Juda, filium Joas filii Ochoziæ, cepit Joas rex Israël in Bethsames, et adduxit eum in Jerusalem: et interrupit murum Jerusalem, a porta Ephraim usque ad portam anguli, quadringentis cubitis. 14And he took all the gold and silver, and all the vessels that were found in the house of the Lord, and in the king’s treasures, and hostages, and returned to Samaria.E prese tutto l'oro, e l'argento, e tutti i vasi, che si trovarono nella casa del Signore, e ne' tesori del re, e gli ostaggi, e se tornò a Samaria.And he tooke al the gold, and siluer, and al the vessel, that were found in the house of our Lord, and in the kinges treasures, and hostages, and returned into Samaria.Tulitque omne aurum et argentum, et universa vasa quæ inventa sunt in domo Domini et in thesauris regis, et obsides, et reversus est in Samariam.
15But the rest of the acts of Joas, which he did, and his valour, wherewith he fought against Amasias, king of Juda, are they not written in the book of the words of the days of the kings of Israel?Ma il rimanente delle azioni di Gioas che fece, e le sue forti imprese nel combattere contro Amasia re di Giuda, non son elleno scritte nel diario de' fatti dei re d'Israele?But the rest of the wordes of Ioas which he did, and his strength, wherwith he fought against Amasias the king of Iuda, are not these thinges writen in the Booke of the wordes of the daies of the kinges of Israel?Reliqua autem verborum Joas quæ fecit, et fortitudo ejus qua pugnavit contra Amasiam regem Juda, nonne hæc scripta sunt in libro sermonum dierum regum Israël ? 16And Joas slept with his fathers, and was buried in Samaria, with the kings of Israel: and Jeroboam, his son, reigned in his stead.E Gioas si addormentò co' padri suoi, e fu sepolto in Samaria cogli altri re d'Israele: e gli succedette nel regno Geroboam suo figliuolo.And Ioas slept with his fathers, and was buried in Samaria with the kinges of Israel: & Ieroboam his sonne reigned for him.Dormivitque Joas cum patribus suis, et sepultus est in Samaria cum regibus Israël, et regnavit Jeroboam filius ejus pro eo. 17And Amasias, the son of Joas, king of Juda, lived after the death of Joas, son of Joachaz, king of Israel, fifteen years.Or Amasia figliuolo di Gioas, re di Giuda, visse, dopo la morte di Gioas figliuolo di Joachaz, re d'Israele, anni quindici.And Amasias the sonne of Ioas the king of Iuda liued, after that Ioas the sonne of Ioachaz the king of Israel was dead, fifetene yeares.Vixit autem Amasias filius Joas rex Juda postquam mortuus est Joas filius Joachaz regis Israël, quindecim annis. 18And the rest of the acts of Amasias, are they not written in the book of the words of the days of the kings of Juda?Il resto poi delle azioni di Amasia non son elleno scritte nel diario de' fatti dei re di Giuda?But the rest of the wordes of Amasias, are not these thinges writen in the Booke of the wordes of the daies of the kinges of Iuda?Reliqua autem sermonum Amasiæ, nonne hæc scripta sunt in libro sermonum dierum regum Juda ? 19Now they made a conspiracy against him in Jerusalem: and he fled to Lachis. And they sent after him to Lachis, and killed him there.E fu ordita contro di lui una congiura in Gerusalemme: ma egli si fuggì a Lachis. E gli mandaron dietro a Lachis, e ivi lo uccisero.And there was a conspiracie made against him in Ierusalem: but he fled into Lachis. And they sent after him into Lachis, and killed him there.Factaque est contra eum conjuratio in Jerusalem: at ille fugit in Lachis. Miseruntque post eum in Lachis, et interfecerunt eum ibi:
20And they brought him away upon horses, and he was buried in Jerusalem with his fathers, in the city of David.E lo trasportarono sopra un cocchio, e fu sepolto in Gerusalemme co' padri suoi nella città di David.And they caried him away vpon horses, and he was buried in Ierusalem with his fathers in the Citie of Dauid.et asportaverunt in equis, sepultusque est in Jerusalem cum patribus suis in civitate David. 21And all the people of Juda took Azarias, who was sixteen years old, and made him king instead of his father, Amasias.E tutto il popolo di Giuda prese Azaria, che era in età di sedici anni, e lo dichiararono re in luogo di Amasia suo padre.And al the people of Iuda tooke Azarias sixtene yeares old, and made him king for his father Amasias.Tulit autem universus populus Judæ Azariam annos natum sedecim, et constituerunt eum regem pro patre ejus Amasia. 22He built Elath, and restored it to Juda, after that the king slept with his fathers.Egli riedificò Elath, avendola restituita a Giuda, dopoché il re fu andato a riposar co' suoi padri.He built Aelath, and restored it to Iuda, after that the king slept with his fathers.Ipse ædificavit Ælath, et restituit eam Judæ, postquam dormivit rex cum patribus suis. 23In the fifteenth year of Amasias, son of Joas, king of Juda, reigned Jeroboam, the son of Joas, king of Israel, in Samaria, one and forty years:L'anno decimo quinto di Amasia figliuolo di Gioas re di Giuda, prese a regnare in Samaria Geroboam figliuolo di Gioas re d'Israele per quarantun anno.In the fiftenth yeare of Amasias the sonne of Ioas the king of Iuda, reigned Ieroboam the sonne of Ioas the king of Israel in Samaria, one and fourtie yeares:Anno quintodecimo Amasiæ filii Joas regis Juda, regnavit Jeroboam filius Joas regis Israël in Samaria, quadraginta et uno anno. 24And he did that which is evil before the Lord. He departed not from all the sins of Jeroboam, the son of Nabat, who made Israel to sin.Egli fece il male nel cospetto del Signore. Non lasciò indietro verun de' peccati di Geroboam figliuolo di Nabath, il quale indusse Israele a peccare.and he did that which is euil before our Lord. He departed not from al the sinnes of Ieroboam the sonne of Nabat, who made Israel to sinne.Et fecit quod malum est coram Domino: non recessit ab omnibus peccatis Jeroboam filii Nabat, qui peccare fecit Israël. 25He restored the borders of Israel from the entrance of Emath, unto the sea of the wilderness, according to the word of the Lord, the God of Israel, which he spoke by his servant, Jonas, the son of Amathi, the prophet, who was of Geth, which is in Opher.Egli ritornò nel pristino stato i confini d'Israele dall'ingresso di Emath fino al mare del deserto, secondo la parola del Signore Dio d'Israele pronunziata per bocca del suo servo Giona profeta figliuolo di Amathi, il quale era di Geth, che è in Opher.He restored the borders of Israel from the entrance of Emath, vnto the Sea of the wildernesse, according to the word of our Lord the God of Israel, which he spake by his seruāt Ionas the sonne of Amathi, the prophete who was of Geth, which is in Opher.Ipse restituit terminos Israël ab introitu Emath usque ad mare solitudinis, juxta sermonem Domini Dei Israël quem locutus est per servum suum Jonam filium Amathi prophetam, qui erat de Geth, quæ est in Opher.
26For the Lord saw the affliction of Israel, that it was exceedingly bitter, and that they were consumed even to them that were shut up in prison, and the lowest persons, and that there was no one to help Israel.Imperocché il Signore vide l'afflizione d'Israele acerba al sommo, e come eran consunti fin quei, che eran custoditi nella prigione, e i più abbietti, e come non era chi sovvenisse Israele.For our Lord saw the afliction of Israel exceding bitter, and that they were consumed vnto the imprisoned & meanest persons, and that there was none to helpe Israel.Vidit enim Dominus afflictionem Israël amaram nimis, et quod consumpti essent usque ad clausos carcere et extremos, et non esset qui auxiliaretur Israëli. 27And the Lord did not say that he would blot out the name of Israel from under heaven; but he saved them by the hand of Jeroboam, the son of Joas.E il Signore non avea decretato, che perisse il nome d'Israele sotto del cielo; ma li salvò per mano di Geroboam figliuolo di Gioas.Neither did our Lord determine that he would destroy the name of Israel from vnder heauen, but he saued them in the hand of Ieroboam the sonne of Ioas.Nec locutus est Dominus ut deleret nomen Israël de sub cælo, sed salvavit eos in manu Jeroboam filii Joas. 28But the rest of the acts of Jeroboam, and all that he did, and his valour, wherewith he fought, and how he restored Damascus and Emath to Juda, in Israel, are they not written in the book of the words of the days of the kings of Israel?Il resto poi delle azioni di Geroboam, e tutto quello, che ei fece, e il suo valore nelle battaglie, e com' egli restituì ad Israele Damasco, ed Emath di Giuda, non è egli scritto nel diario de' fatti dei re d'Israele?But the rest of the wordes of Ieroboam, and al that he did, and his strength, wherwith he fought, and how he restored Damascus, and Emath to Iuda in Israel, are not these thinges writen in the Booke of the wordes of the daies of the kinges of Israel?Reliqua autem sermonum Jeroboam, et universa quæ fecit, et fortitudo ejus qua præliatus est, et quomodo restituit Damascum et Emath Judæ in Israël, nonne hæc scripta sunt in libro sermonum dierum regum Israël ? 29And Jeroboam slept with his fathers, the kings of Israel; and Zacharias, his son, reigned in his stead.E Geroboam si addormentò co' padri suoi regi d'Israele, e gli succedette nel regno Zacharia suo figliuolo.And Ieroboam slept with his fathers the kinges of Israel, and Zacharias his sonne, reigned for him.Dormivitque Jeroboam cum patribus suis regibus Israël, et regnavit Zacharias filius ejus pro eo.
14:1
Year of the World 3165.
Second, from his being associated in the empire. It was the first of his reigning alone.
14:3
David. Yet not with a perfect heart, 2 Paralipomenon 25:2.
Calmet
Father. He imitated his early piety, as well as his miserable end. (Calmet)
14:4
Haydock
But, etc. All that Amasias did, at first, was right, (ver. 3.) but this only. See 3 Kings 22:24. (Haydock)
Joas had also left such high places, 4 Kings 12:3.
14:6
Menochius
Sin. This is the rule for human tribunals, to which God is not restrained. (Salien) (Ezechiel 18:20.) (Menochius)
Calmet
The action of Amasias is commended as something unusual (Calmet) among princes, who are but too apt to exceed the bounds of moderation (Haydock) to revenge their murdered parents. (Calmet)
14:7
Year of the World 3177, Year before Christ 827.
Edom, who had rebelled under Joram, 4 Kings 8:20. The particulars of this war are given, 2 Paralipomenon 25:5. Josephus ([Antiquities?] 9:9.) says, Amasias designed also to attack Amalec and Gebal in the same country.
Pits. Called the woody vale, Genesis 14:8., (Menochius) south-west of the Dead Sea, (Adrichomius) or rather to the south of Palmyra, towards Bosra, 3 Kings 9:18.
Rock. Petra, the capital of the country, formerly called Rekem Arke, or Hagor. Most of the houses are hewn out of the rock. Hebrew Selá signifies "a rock;" and many think that this was some other place, whence the Idumeans were hurled down, after the victory. Amasias gave it the name of Jectehel, "obedience of God," in memory of his having obtained this success, in consequence of his having obeyed the prophet, and sent away 100,000, for whom he had paid 100 talents to the king of Israel.
14:8
Worthington
Let us see one another. This was a challenge to fight. (Challoner) (Worthington)
Haydock
The interviews of ambitious kings are often baneful. (Haydock)
Haydock
Abner said in the same sense, "Let the young men rise and play," 2 Kings 2:14; and Virgil, (Aeneid xii.) Inter se coiisse viros et cernere ferro. Amasias had many reasons to be displeased with the king of Israel. He might justly redemand part of the money, (Calmet) as he had not employed the soldiers. (Haydock)
Calmet
They had also committed depredations in Juda. (Paralipomenon) Jehu had slain Ochozias, and many of his relations. (Calmet)
Sanctius
Josephus also observes that he now required Israel to return to his obedience, and acknowledge the power of the lawful descendants of David. (Sanctius)
14:9
Haydock
Thistle. Hebrew choach, something prickly; (Haydock) "a thorn." Syriac and Arabic, "a plum-tree." Nothing could be more cutting (Calmet) than this answer of Joas, to shew the king of Juda how much he despised his power. (Haydock)
The ancients were much pleased with such ingenious similes. See Judges 9:7.
14:10
Calmet
Home, to boast of thy victory, (Haydock) but do not offer to molest others. (Calmet)
God permitted that Amasias should pay no attention to this advice, nor to the prophet who reproached him for adoring the idols which he had brought from Edom, 2 Paralipomenon 25:14.
14:11
Saw, or fought, ver. 8., and 4 Kings 23:29. Bethsames was in the tribe of Dan, (Calmet) but belonging to the king of Juda.
14:13
Menochius
Cubits. Josephus says 300, and that he led Amasias in triumph through the ruins, (Antiquities 9:10.) on the west side, (Calmet) or on the north. (Villalpand) (Menochius)
14:14
Haydock
Hostages, as he left Amasias, on condition he should pay tribute, (Menochius) and took "the children of the nobles" (Chaldean) to secure his fidelity. (Haydock)
14:15
Valour. Hence it appears that Juda made a stout resistance, though Josephus would insinuate the contrary.
14:19
Year of the World 3194, Year before Christ 810.
Malvenda
Lachis, in the tribe of Dan. Some say that the king resided there twelve years, in a kind of exile. (Malvenda)
Usher
But the conspiracy only took place in the last year of his reign. (Usher, the year of the world 3194.)
Menochius
Some powerful men rose up against him, and the people were displeased with his conduct. (Menochius)
Calmet
But the majority did not approve of his death, so that they granted him the funeral honours, and appointed his son to succeed. (Calmet)
14:21
Kennicott
Azarias. Hebrew Hazarya. Sometimes printed more correctly Azieu, at others Azrien, (Haydock) by the blundering of transcribers, who have confounded the name of the king Ozihu (Azieu or Ozias) with that of the priest Ozrichu. (Azrien.) Carpzovius maintains that Azarias and Usias are two names of the same person. (Crit. p. 789.) But if he should find Carpzovius, Carpzorvius, and Carpzoviu, in the same book, would he not think them the same name erroneously printed? Kennicott, (Dis. 1:p. 478.) who observes that the Syriac and Arabic versions have here, as in the sequel, Uzia, and St. Matthew (1:8.) calls the king Ozias, conformably to 2 Paralipomenon 26:1., etc. The manuscripts also vary. (Kennicott)
14:22
14:23
Year of the World 3179, Year before Christ 825.
14:25
Calmet
Wilderness, or the Dead Sea, to which place the dominion of Israel originally extended, under Jeroboam 1:(Calmet)
Challoner
Opher, in the tribe of Zabulon. (Challoner)
Haydock
Protestants, "which was of Gath-hepher." (Haydock)
Calmet
We have not all the works of the prophets, nor did they write all their predictions. (Calmet)
Menochius
Here we learn at what time Jonas lived. (Menochius)
14:26
Haydock
In prison is not expressed in the original, (Calmet) which has, "not any shut up, nor last." Neither those who had strong castles, nor the poorest people, were exempt from suffering. (Haydock)
Menochius
None durst appear, 3 Kings 14:10. (Menochius)
14:27
Menochius
Israel, like Amalec, 1 Kings 15:3. (Menochius)
14:28
Tirinus
To Juda, or "of Juda;" Judae; (Haydock) as those strong cities had been conquered by David. The Syriac and Arabic omit this word entirely, and suppose, with many others, that Jeroboam kept possession of these cities. (Calmet) (Tirinus)
Haydock
In Israel, or "to Israel," over which he reigned. (Haydock)
14:29
14:8
Let us see one another.... This was a challenge to fight.
14:25
Opher.... The tribe of Zabulon.
14:6
Deut. 〈◊〉.
14:8
Amongst kinges being at variance, Seing one an other importeth, as much as to fight a battle.
14:25
Concordance ••••. 1.
14:6
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on the Gospel of St. John 56
… “As I live saith the Lord, this proverb shall not be, that is used, The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge.” ( Ezek. xviii. 3, 2 .) And Moses saith, “The father shall not die for the child, neither shall the child die for the father.” ( Deut. xxiv. 16 .) And of a certain king
14:10
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 A Treatise on Grace and Free Will 42
… We read also what Joash, king of Israel, said when he sent a message to Amaziah, king of Judah, who wanted to fight with him. After certain other words, he added, “Now tarry at home; why dost thou challenge me to thine hurt, that thou shouldest fall, even thou, and Judah with thee?”
14:1
1. In the second year of Joas son of Joachaz king of Israel, Amaziah reigned. — You will say: This seems to contradict the preceding chapter, verse 10, where it is said that Joas king of Israel began to reign in the 37th year of Joas king of Judah, who reigned 40 years, and upon his death his son Amaziah succeeded him; therefore Amaziah began to reign not in the second, but in the fourth year of Joas king of Israel. I answer: Joas king of Israel began to reign in the 37th year of Joas king of Judah, but together with his father Joachaz; and after two years, when his father died, he began to reign alone in the 39th year of Joas king of Judah, and from that year his years are numbered. Wherefore, when Joas king of Judah died in the following year, namely the 40th of his reign, which was the second year of Joas king of Israel, in which he reigned alone after his father Joachaz, Amaziah succeeding his father Joas in Judah began to reign there alone in the second year of Joas king of Israel.
14:2
2. The name of his mother was Joadan. — Abulensis here gathers many reasons why in the book of Kings the names of mothers are always added to the kings of Judah, but never to the kings of Israel; the principal one is that the kingdom of Judah was rather the more legitimate and more celebrated by the temple and the true worship of God, and the Messiah was to be born from it. Add that the kingdom of Israel was schismatic and idolatrous, whereas Judah was legitimate and divine.
14:3
3. And he did right before the Lord, — namely because Amaziah at the beginning of his reign worshipped the true God alone. Nevertheless not as David his father, — who not only did not worship idols, but did not permit his subjects to worship them; which however Amaziah did, permitting the people to sacrifice on the high places, which in the second book of Paralipomenon, cap. xxv, verse 2, is said: "And he did good in the sight of the Lord, nevertheless not with a perfect heart." According to all that Joas his father did, he did, — because just as Joas, while Joiada the High Priest lived, worshipped God alone, but when he died turned aside to idols; so also did his son Amaziah, who toward the end declined to the Gods of the Edomites, as is evident from II Paralip. xxv, 14.
14:4
4. Except only that he did not remove the high places, — these words are not to be referred to the immediately preceding words: "According to all that Joas his father did," because Joas also did not remove the high places; but to the earlier words: "And he did right before the Lord," as if to say: Amaziah rightly worshipped God, but did not rightly permit the people to sacrifice on the high places. Wherefore those words ("according to all that Joas his father did, he did") contain a parenthesis, as Sanchez notes, and as if enclosed in a parenthesis are to be separated from what follows.
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7. He himself smote Edom in the valley of salt. — For the Idumæans had rebelled against the Jews sixty years before, namely from the sixth year of Joram king of Juda, until the twelfth year of Amasias (as the Hebrews say in the Seder Olam), who subdued them again and forced Juda to serve. See II Paral. xxi, 8 and cap. xxv, 11. Moreover after this victory Amasias fell into idolatry, and worshipped the gods of the Idumæans, and therefore was smitten and taken captive by Joas king of Israel, as is said II Paral. xxv, 20. And he took a rock in battle, — that is, he took the lofty and fortified rock of the enemy, from which he cast down ten thousand other Idumæans, as is said II Paral. xxv, 12. Thus Cajetan. So the Gabaitæs being smitten fled to the rock of Remmon, Judg. cap. xx, vers. 4. Others by "rock" understand "Petra," a city of Arabia, which was afterwards restored by Ptolemy Philadelphia and called "Philadelphia." And he called the name thereof Jetheel, — that is "obedience" or "expectation of God," as Our [translator] renders it, Gen. xlix, 10, so that all might know that Amasias by the command of God and equally by His aid had conquered and punished the rebellious Idumæans. Thus Cajetan. Otherwise Vatablus. He called it Jetheel, he says, because thus was called he who conquered it. Pagninus translates Jetheel as "congregation of God."
14:8
8. Then (when exulting and rejoicing, nay exalting himself over the victory of the Idumæans, he thought he would in like manner subdue the Israelites) Amasias sent messengers to Joas (king of Israel) saying: Come and let us see one another, — in battle, that is let us fight and do battle so that we may see which is the stronger: thus the Chaldee, Come, he says, let us meet one another face to face in war, that is come and on an appointed day let us engage. Vatablus, come, let us look upon one another mutually. The Hebrews, according to Vatablus, think the cause of war was that, as is narrated II Paralip. xxv, Amasias having hired soldiers from Israel against the Idumæans at the command of a prophet, dismissed them; they being dismissed, indignant at being despoiled, plundered the kingdom of Juda; Amasias therefore wished to recover these spoils by war from Joas and the Israelites. But Scripture indicates nothing of the sort; rather Joas objects to Amasias that, elated by victory over the Idumæans, he provokes himself to battle out of pride. Hear Josephus, lib. IX, cap. x: "Amasias, not understanding his good fortune, whose author he did not acknowledge to be God, but inflated with pride, wrote to Joas king of the Israelites, that he should do his bidding with his people, just as the same people had formerly obeyed his ancestors David and Solomon; and if he would not willingly do this duty, it was to be decided by war concerning the rights of the Empire." Thus also Abulensis, Histor. Scholast., Salianus and others. Amasias hoped he would be the victor, because a prophet had told him, II Paral. xxv, that God was not with Israel: but he ought to have thought the same of himself, as one already an apostate and worshipping the gods of the Idumæans, especially because God had willed the kingdom of Israel to be divided from the kingdom of Juda, as we have heard lib. III, cap. xii and seq. Wherefore Amasias, wishing again to unite and subject it to himself, acted against the will of God, and therefore was overcome in battle.
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9. The thistle of Libanus sent to the cedar that is in Libanus, saying: Give thy daughter to my son for a wife. And the beasts of the forest that are in Libanus passed by, and trod down the thistle. — By this apologue Joas repels the pride of Amasias provoking himself to battle. For he calls Amasias contemptuously a "thistle," humble, vile and prickly. "Of Libanus" however, because he himself was descended from Juda and of royal seed; but he calls himself a "cedar" lofty, noble and precious, which a humble "thistle," that is Amasias, can scarcely behold, much less dare to say he can equal it in strength: "Give thy daughter to my son for a wife," as if to say, Join and subject the kingdom of Israel to the kingdom of Juda, as it was once joined to it under David and as if bound by marriage. And the beasts of the forest that are in Libanus (Thus he calls his soldiers the Israelites; by "Libanus" he understands the whole of Palestine, namely both Israel and Juda, strong and fierce like lions), passed by, and trod down the thistle, — namely they will tread thee down, O Amasias, will take and despoil thee. Thus it came to pass, as Joas here threatened and foretold; because God through him wished to punish the pride, equally as the idolatry of Amasias, as is said II Paral. xxv, 12. Whence to this apologue Josephus adds this epimythium, lib. IX, cap. x: "This example," he says, "te
14:13
13. And Amasias the king of Juda, etc., Joas king of Israel took. — Behold here the apologue of Joas is fulfilled: for thus do they deserve to be punished who provoke others to battle. Thus we see not rarely that those who provoke others to duel succumb and are slain in it, God punishing their audacity and pride.
14:17
17. And Amasias, etc., lived after Joas was dead twenty five years. — Correct with the Romans, the Chaldee and the Septuagint 15 years, as is found II Paral. xxv, 25.
14:19
19. And they slew him. — This was a just judgment of God, that as Joas the father, turning aside to idols, was slain by his own people, so also Amasias his son, inclining to the same idols, was put to death by his own conspirators, as is evident from II Paralipomenon, chapter xxv, verse 27. However, Salianus and others probably hold the opinion that he repented before death and died piously in the worship of the one true God.
14:25
25. He restored the borders of Israel from the entrance of Emath unto the sea of the wilderness, according to the word of the Lord God of Israel, which he spoke by his servant Jonas the son of Amathi. — Hence it is evident that Jonas foretold to king Jeroboam that he himself would restore to Israel those cities which the Syrians had taken from him from Emath unto the Dead Sea, although this oracle does not exist in the prophecy of Jonas. Now Emath was in the tribe of Nephtali, bordering on the Syrians, not far from Damascus, which was the capital of Syria. Emath was the entrance and as it were the gate into the holy land. The same was afterwards called Epiphania by Antiochus Epiphanes when he reigned there; see the remarks on Amos vi, 2. Hear now Josephus, book IX, chapter xi: "To Jeroboam the prophet Jonas foretold that, having conquered the Syrians, he would enlarge his dominion, extending his borders to the north as far as the city of Amath: and to the south as far as the Asphaltic lake; for by these borders the land of Chanaan was formerly bounded, according to the definition of the commander Josue. Aroused by this oracle, Jeroboam added all those tracts taken from the Syrians to his own kingdom, with Jonas's prophecy failing in nothing." Hence it is evident that Jonas the prophet prophesied under Jeroboam king of Israel, and Azarias, or Ozias king of Juda, and therefore was a contemporary of Isaias (whom the Hebrews relate to have been the brother, or the son of the brother, of king Amasias, according to the testimony of St. Jerome), Osee, Joel, Amos and Nahum. Wherefore Abulensis does not rightly hold that this Jonas is different from Jonas who is the fourth among the minor Prophets.
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28. How he restored Damascus and Emath to Juda in Israel. — How were these cities of Juda in Israel? for the kingdom of Juda was one thing, and Israel another. Omitting the opinions of Abulensis and others, I say briefly that David took these cities and assigned them to his own tribe of Juda; because he himself was descended from it, and therefore these cities, although situated outside the lot of Juda, were nevertheless called Juda's. But when the kingdom of Israel was divided from the kingdom of Juda, these cities, as being neighboring, fell to Israel; the sense therefore is, as if to say, Jeroboam caused that Damascus and Emath, subdued by David and assigned to the tribe of Juda, but afterwards occupied by the Syrians, should be restored to Israel, of which he himself was king, and should again be numbered among the other cities of Juda which were in the dominion of Israel, as they had been numbered by David, as if to say, Jeroboam caused that Damascus and Emath, once subdued and tributary to David, should now be tributary to himself and to Israel. Thus Salianus and Sanchez.
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29. And Jeroboam slept (died a natural death) with his fathers. — You will say: In Amos chapter vii, verse 11, it is said: "Jeroboam shall die by the sword." I answer that these words are not from Amos, but from Amasias the false prophet who, in order to discredit the prophet Amos before Jeroboam, lies and feigns that Amos said this. For Amos did not say: "Jeroboam shall die by the sword," but, "I will rise up against the house of Jeroboam with the sword," namely by slaying not Jeroboam himself, but his son Zacharias.
Machine translation from the Latin, not reviewed.
14:1
Amasias (Heb. ʿAṭṭāṣa «Yahweh Fortifies»; Septuagint: ʿAṭṭāṣa)
With regard to religion, A. at first was zealous for the purest Yahwism (IV Kings 14:3-6). But, after the success over Edom, he apostatized (II Chron. 25:14-16), establishing the Edomite deities in Jerusalem, deaf to the appeals of a prophet; he was punished for this with a tragic death (IV Kings 14:1-22; II Chron. 25:1-28).
14:3
Amasias (Heb. ʿAṭṭāṣa «Yahweh Fortifies»; Septuagint: ʿAṭṭāṣa)
With regard to religion, A. at first was zealous for the purest Yahwism (IV Kings 14:3-6). But, after the success over Edom, he apostatized (II Chron. 25:14-16), establishing the Edomite deities in Jerusalem, deaf to the appeals of a prophet; he was punished for this …
14:4
… place of worship and prescribes for Israel the absolute centralization of the place of worship for the time when it will be in Palestine (vv. 8-12). Thus the text has been interpreted by later sacred authors: cf. I Kings 15:14; 22:24; II Kings 12:4; 14:4; 15:4-34. Particular prescriptions grant (Deut. 12:13-19), for the time prior to the complete occupation of Palestine, the private slaughter of animals, not having a sacrificial character, …
14:6
… basing themselves on data from the book itself (4:13 ff.; 31:9, 24; for 31:9 the Mosaic authenticity of our book must be held by divine faith: thus A. Bea), on the singular importance of Moses' personal work and on the ancient national tradition (cf. II Kings 14:6 = Deut. 24:16; Bar. 2:2 ff. = Deut. 28:53; Mt. 19:8 = Deut. 24:1; Acts 3:22 = Deut. 18:15, 19; Rom. 10:19 = Deut. 32:21, etc.). …
the work of Moses, varied in several forms, belongs to the whole biblical tradition: "Book of the Law of Moses" (Josh. 8:31; 23:6; 2 Kings 14:6); "Book of Moses" (2 Kings 2:3; 2 Chron. 35:12; Ezra 6:18; Neh. 13:1); practically equivalent to it are those of "Book of the Law of the Lord given through Moses" (2 Chron. 34:14), …
14:7
Ozias (Azarias; Heb. 'Uzzijjah)
He reconquered and rebuilt the port of Elath, an important commercial center on the Gulf of Elan (II Kings 14:22; II Chron. 26:2), after having brought back under subjection the Edomites, who had rebelled under the reign of Amaziah (v.) (II Kings 14:7). He conducted other successful campaigns against the Moabites, Philistines, Arabs and Ammonites (II Chron. 26:6-8). A contemporary of King Jeroboam II (v.), he maintained friendly …
14:8
Joas (Heb. Jō'āf and Jēhō'āf; Greek: 'Iōzōz)
… perhaps over a question of family prestige, he defeated him at Beth-shemesh and took him prisoner; he entered Jerusalem, dismantled ca. 200 m. of the northern walls; he took treasures and hostages, released Amaziah and returned victorious to Samaria (2 Kings 14:8-16; 2 Chron. 25:17-24).
14:11
Bethsames (Hebrew Bēth-Ēmef = "House of the Sun")
… At B. the Ark rested after being returned by the Philistines to the Israelites (1 Sam. 6), and Amaziah, king of Judah, was defeated there by Joash king of Israel (2 Kings 14:11-13; 2 Chron. 25:21-23). Occupied again by the Philistines under Ahaz, it remained abandoned from the time of the exile.
14:13
nal "between the gate of Ephraim and the corner gate" and transfers to Samaria the gold, the silver and the precious vessels of the Temple (II Kings 14, 13-14). King Azariah (782) attends to the restoration of the walls, furnishing with towers "the corner gate and the valley gate" (II Chron. 26, 9), but an earthquake once again devastates …
14:16
… and, having demolished the temple, turned it into an unclean and impure place; perhaps for this reason no trace of it has been found (1 Kings 16:23; 2 Kings 3:2; 10:18-27). Nor has the site of the royal necropolis (1 Kings 16:28; 22:37; 2 Kings 13:9; 14:16) been traced so far; however, the excavations were carried out mainly at the citadel.
14:19
… other cities of Judea around 920 B.C. (2 Chron. 11:9). L. saw the death of King Amaziah (789 B.C.) at the hands of his assassins (2 Kings 18:19; 2 Chron. 25:27). In the time of Isaiah, under Hezekiah, in 702, the Assyrian king Sennacherib besieged it (2 Kings 14:19; 2 Chron. 32:9; cf. Mic. 1:13) and from there sent messengers to Jerusalem to demand its surrender (2 Kings 18:17; 19:18; Isa. 36:2; 37:8). A century later Nebuchadnezzar besieged …
14:21
Ozias (Azarias; Heb. 'Uzzijjah)
… In II Kings 14:21; 15:1-7 he is also called Azariah; but the name U. is more frequent (ibid. 15:13, 30-34; II Chron. 26; Is. 6:1 and other prophets; Mt. 1:8).
14:22
Only in the time of King Azariah (769-738) was the base reconquered and reactivated (II Kings 14:22).
Ozias (Azarias; Heb. 'Uzzijjah)
He reconquered and rebuilt the port of Elath, an important commercial center on the Gulf of Elan (II Kings 14:22; II Chron. 26:2), after having brought back under subjection the Edomites, who had rebelled under the reign of Amaziah (v.) (II Kings 14:7). He conducted other successful campaigns …
14:23
1 and 2 (3 and 4) Book of Kings
… Non-constant elements are the indication of the age the sovereign was at the beginning of his reign (I Kings 22, 42; II Kings 14, 23); the name of the mother for the kings of Judah (II Kings 8, 26); the place of burial (I Kings 16, 28; 22, 51).
… His political and military activity is described soberly in II Kings 14:23-29, but the few data are important.
14:24
Amos (Hebrew 'Āmōs «Who Bears a Burden», distinct from the name of Isaiah’s father 'Āmōs «Robust»)
… That the Israelites glory in the consolidation of their kingdom (6:14; allusions 4:14 ff.; 5:2; cf. II Kings 14:24-28; 6:15) seems to presuppose that the kingdom extended as far as the entrance of Hamath (as in II Kings 14:25). From the great political and economic prosperity there derived a soft …
Later, Jeroboam II of Israel (785-745) took other lands from D. (II Kings 14, 24-28). Rezin (Hebr. …
14:25
The parts of the A. named in the Old Testament are: the Dead Sea (v.) jām ha-'arābhāh, "sea of the A." (Deut. 3:17; 4:49; Josh. 3:16; 12:3; 2 Kings 14:25; Vulgate: "mare solitudinis"), 'arbhāth Jērīhā (Vulgate: "campestria urbis Iericho"; Josh. 4:13; 5:10) and 'arbhāth Mō'āh (Vulg.: "campestria Moab"; Num. 22:1; 26:3, 63; 31:12; 33:48 f.).
Amos (Hebrew 'Āmōs «Who Bears a Burden», distinct from the name of Isaiah’s father 'Āmōs «Robust»)
… That the Israelites glory in the consolidation of their kingdom (6:14; allusions 4:14 ff.; 5:2; cf. II Kings 14:24-28; 6:15) seems to presuppose that the kingdom extended as far as the entrance of Hamath (as in II Kings 14:25). From the great political and economic prosperity there derived a soft and luxurious life, often reproved by A. (2:6 f.; 3:9-15; 4:1; 5:11; 6:1-6). All this seems to refer to the …
deep depression of the Gör (Deut. 3:17; Josh. 3:16; 12:3; 2 Kings 14:25); Jâm haq-Qadhmânî ("eastern sea"), as opposed to the Mediterranean Sea (Ezek. 47:18); or "front sea" (Joel 2:20; Zech. 14:18), in antithesis to the "rear sea" or Mediterranean, according …
Geth (Hebrew Gath, Akkadian Gimtu, "Winepress")
G.-Opher, in 2 Kings 14:25; Josh. 19:13 is the homeland of the prophet Jonah (v.); a city of the tribe of Zebulun, a few km. from Sepphoris, probably the present-day village of Hirbet ez-Zurra'.
He waged victorious battles against Damascus, reconquered Hamath (on the northern border of Palestine) and "restored the border of Israel from the pass of Hamath as far as the sea of the Arabah (Dead Sea)" (II Kings 14:25), as the prophet Jonah son of Amittai had already foretold.
JONAS. - Prophet, son of Amittai (Heb. Amitta) of Gath-hepher (Gath of Hepher) in Galilee; he foretold to Jeroboam II (787-746) his victories (II Kings 14:25). A Jewish legend calls him the son of the widow of Zarephath, raised by Elijah (I Kings 17:17-24). Little reliable traditions place his tomb at Gath-hepher, or in Assyria near the …
… Under Jeroboam II (783-743) it again became tributary to Israel (II Kings 14:25).
… under Jeroboam; Jehu under Baasa (ibid. 12:22; 13; 16:1); Hanani under Asa; Jehu, Jahaziel, Eliezer under Jehoshaphat (II Par. 16:7-10; 19:2; 20:14, 37); Elijah (v.); Micaiah, son of Imlah (I Reg. 22:8-28); Elisha (v.); Jonah, under Jeroboam II (II Reg. 14:25). There follow the prophets whose writings are preserved ("writing prophets"): Amos, Hosea, Isaiah, Micah, Nahum, Zephaniah, Habakkuk, Jeremiah, Baruch; during the exile: Ezekiel, …
14:26
J. found Israel in a condition of extreme decline and misery, and the Lord made use of him precisely to raise up his people again (II Kings 14:26-27). The internal prosperity of Israel under J. is attested by Amos 4-6, where there is also mention (1:1) of an earthquake that occurred in the times of
14:28
… enemy (2 Sam. 8:9-11). It seems that in Solomon's time it was tributary to the Israelites, but at the king's death and the division of the kingdom it regained its independence, only to return again to the kings of Israel under Jeroboam II (2 Chron. 8:4; 2 Kings 14:28).
14:29
Zacharias (Heb. Zēhharjâh « Yahweh has remembered »)
… In II Kings 14:29; 15:8-12 only his idolatrous conduct is recalled, and it is stated that in Z. the prophecy made to Jehu was fulfilled, to whom a dynasty lasting four generations had been promised …
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · Vulgata Clementina · original Douay-Rheims (Douay 1609-10), transcription by EEBO-TCP (CC0) · La Sacra Bibbia, tradotta dalla Volgata da Antonio Martini (1769-1781) (LaParola (laparola.net), Martini OSIS text, Public domain (LaParola's electronic edition marks it 'Dominio pubblico')). Public domain.