Day 127: 2 Chronicles 25-27

(The previous post covered the reigns of Ahaziah, Athaliah, and Joash.)

2 Chronicles 25

(This chapter covered Amaziah's reign.)

¹ 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 Jerusalem.
² And he did that which was right in the eyes of Jehovah, but not with a perfect heart.

(Amaziah reigned over Judah. He did right before God but not with a perfect heart. He could have been more profitable.)

³ Now it came to pass, when the kingdom was established unto him, that he slew his servants that had killed the king his father.

(Amaziah killed the servants who killed his father: 2 Chronicles 24:25.)

⁴ But he put not their children to death, but did according to that which is written in the law in the book of Moses, as Jehovah 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.

(Amaziah did not kill their children: see Deuteronomy 24:16.)

⁵ Moreover Amaziah gathered Judah together, and ordered them according to their fathers' houses, under captains of thousands and captains of hundreds, even all Judah and Benjamin: and he numbered them from twenty years old and upward, and found them three hundred thousand chosen men, able to go forth to war, that could handle spear and shield.
⁶ He hired also a hundred thousand mighty men of valor out of Israel for a hundred talents of silver.
⁷ But there came a man of God to him, saying, O king, let not the army of Israel go with thee; for Jehovah is not with Israel, to wit, with all the children of Ephraim.

(Amaziah hired men from Israel. However, a man of God came to Amaziah and told him to not bring men of Israel with him because the Lord was not with Israel.)

⁸ But if thou wilt go, do valiantly, be strong for the battle: God will cast thee down before the enemy; for God hath power to help, and to cast down.
⁹ 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 Israel? And the man of God answered, Jehovah is able to give thee much more than this.

(The prophet understood Justice.)

¹⁰ Then 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 fierce anger.

(Amaziah had faith in the Word of God through the prophet God brought to him and sent the men of Ephraim home.)

¹¹ And Amaziah took courage, and led forth his people, and went to the Valley of Salt, and smote of the children of Seir ten thousand.

(Amaziah went to war with the children of Seir and won.)

¹² And other ten thousand did the children of Judah carry away alive, and brought them unto the top of the rock, and cast them down from the top of the rock, so that they all were broken in pieces.
¹³ But the men of the army whom 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 of them three thousand, and took much spoil.

(While Amaziah was gone at war, the Israelites that Amaziah sent back fell upon cities of Judah and took spoil.)

¹⁴ 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 be his gods, and bowed down himself before them, and burned incense unto them.
¹⁵ Wherefore the anger of Jehovah was kindled against Amaziah, and he sent unto him a prophet, who said unto him, Why hast thou sought after the gods of the people, which have not delivered their own people out of thy hand?

(Amaziah brought the gods of the children of Seir (Esau) and set them up to be his gods. God's anger was kindled against Amaziah.)

¹⁶ And it came to pass, as he talked with him, that the king said unto him, Have we made thee 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.
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 look one another in the face.

(Remember, this was during that confusing time when Judah and Israel had kings with similar names. We have been calling the king of Israel after Joram: Jehoash. Amaziah's dad was named Joash and was the king of Judah. Amaziah sent for Jehoash, king of Israel, and wanted to see him face to 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 trod down the thistle.
¹⁹ 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?

(Jehoash told him to stay home so him and Judah would not fall.)

²⁰ But Amaziah would not hear; for it was of God, that he might deliver them into the hand of their enemies, because they had sought after the gods of Edom.

(Amaziah did not listen, "for it was of God" that this would be used to give Amaziah to his enemies. This was Justice for Amaziah seeking after the gods of Edom (Esau). This was why Amaziah did not have a perfect heart towards God.)

²¹ So Joash king of Israel went up; and he and Amaziah king of Judah looked one another in the face at Beth-shemesh, which belongeth to Judah.

(Jehoash and Amaziah met face to face.)

²² And Judah was put to the worse before Israel; and they fled every man to his tent.
²³ And Joash 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 unto the corner gate, four hundred cubits.

(Judah fled from Israel to their tents and Jehoash, king of Israel, broke down 600 feet of the wall of Jerusalem. That was equivalent to two football fields length of wall.)

²⁴ And he took all the gold and 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.

(Jehoash took spoil from the temple, from the king’s house, and even people, and went back to Samaria...Israel’s "capital.")

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 from the time that Amaziah did turn away from following Jehovah they made a conspiracy against him in Jerusalem; and he fled to Lachish: but they sent after him to Lachish, and slew him there.

(Amaziah was killed.)

²⁸ And they brought him upon horses, and buried him with his fathers in the city of Judah.




2 Chronicles 26

(This chapter covered Uzziah's reign.)

¹ And all the people of Judah took Uzziah, who was sixteen years old, and made him king in the room of his father Amaziah.

(Uzziah reigned over Judah. In 2 Kings 15:1-7, Uzziah was also referred to as Azariah.)

² He built Eloth, and restored it to Judah, after that the king slept with his fathers.
³ Sixteen years old was Uzziah when he began to reign; and he reigned fifty and two years in Jerusalem: and his mother's name was Jechiliah, of Jerusalem.
⁴ And he did that which was right in the eyes of Jehovah, according to all that his father Amaziah had done.

(Uzziah was the sixth king, including David, that did right before God.)

⁵ And he set himself to seek God in the days of Zechariah, who had understanding in the vision of God: and as long as he sought Jehovah, God made him to prosper.

(Uzziah sought God in the days of Zechariah (who had understanding in visions of God). As long as Uzziah sought after God, He made Uzziah prosper.)

⁶ And he went forth and warred against the Philistines, and brake down the wall of Gath, and the wall of Jabneh, and the wall of Ashdod; and he built cities in the country of Ashdod, and among the Philistines.
⁷ And God helped him against the Philistines, and against the Arabians that dwelt in Gur-baal, and the Meunim.
⁸ And the Ammonites gave tribute to Uzziah: and his name spread abroad even to the entrance of Egypt; for he waxed exceeding strong.

(Uzziah became very famous. Remember, the Ammonites (Lot) gave tribute to Uzziah.)

⁹ Moreover Uzziah built towers in Jerusalem at the corner gate, and at the valley gate, and at the turning of the wall, and fortified them.
¹⁰ And he built towers in the wilderness, and hewed out many cisterns, for he had much cattle; in the lowland also, and in the plain: and he had husbandmen and vinedressers in the mountains and in the fruitful fields; for he loved husbandry.

(Uzziah loved husbandry: farming; working the land.)

¹¹ Moreover Uzziah had an army of fighting men, that went out to war by bands, according to the number of their reckoning made by Jeiel the scribe and Maaseiah the officer, under the hand of Hananiah, one of the king's captains.
¹² The whole number of the heads of fathers' houses, even the mighty men of valor, was two thousand and six hundred.
¹³ And under their hand was an army, three hundred thousand and seven thousand and five hundred, that made war with mighty power, to help the king against the enemy.
¹⁴ And Uzziah prepared for them, even for all the host, shields, and spears, and helmets, and coats of mail, and bows, and stones for slinging.
¹⁵ And he made in Jerusalem engines, invented by skilful men, to be on the towers and upon the battlements, wherewith to shoot arrows and great stones. And his name spread far abroad; for he was marvellously helped, till he was strong.

(Uzziah put up engines made by cunning men. Cunning meant "to think, plan, esteem, calculate, invent, make a judgment, imagine, count." These "engines" were machines that shot arrows and great stones.)

¹⁶ But when he was strong, his heart was lifted up, so that he did corruptly, and he trespassed against Jehovah his God; for he went into the temple of Jehovah to burn incense upon the altar of incense.

(When Uzziah was strong, he became prideful which lead to his destruction and sinning against God.)

¹⁷ And Azariah the priest went in after him, and with him fourscore priests of Jehovah, that were valiant men:
¹⁸ and they withstood Uzziah the king, and said unto him, It pertaineth not unto thee, Uzziah, to burn incense unto Jehovah, but to the priests the sons of Aaron, that are consecrated to burn incense: go out of the sanctuary; for thou hast trespassed; neither shall it be for thine honor from Jehovah God.
¹⁹ Then Uzziah was wroth; and he had a censer in his hand to burn incense; and while he was wroth with the priests, the leprosy brake forth in his forehead before the priests in the house of Jehovah, beside the altar of incense.

(Uzziah was struck with leprosy: 2 Kings 15:5.)

²⁰ And Azariah the chief priest, and all the priests, looked upon him, and, behold, he was leprous in his forehead, and they thrust him out quickly from thence; yea, himself hasted also to go out, because Jehovah had smitten him.
²¹ And Uzziah the king was a leper unto the day of his death, and dwelt in a separate house, being a leper; for he was cut off from the house of Jehovah: and Jotham his son was over the king's house, judging the people of the land.

(Uzziah was a leper until his death and lived in a separate house because he was cut off from the temple.)

²² Now the rest of the acts of Uzziah, first and last, did Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, write.
²³ So Uzziah slept with his fathers; and they buried him with his fathers in the field of burial which belonged to the kings; for they said, He is a leper: and Jotham his son reigned in his stead.

(Isaiah lived during this time.)




2 Chronicles 27

(This chapter covered Jotham's reign.)

¹ Jotham was twenty and five years old when he began to reign; and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem: and his mother's name was Jerushah the daughter of Zadok.

(Jotham, Uzziah’s son, reigned over Judah.)

² And he did that which was right in the eyes of Jehovah, according to all that his father Uzziah had done: howbeit he entered not into the temple of Jehovah. And the people did yet corruptly.

(Jotham was the seventh king (including David) that did right before God although he did not enter the temple and the people did corruptly. Corruptly meant "to destroy, corrupt, go to ruin, decay.")

³ He built the upper gate of the house of Jehovah, and on the wall of Ophel he built much.
⁴ Moreover he built cities in the hill-country of Judah, and in the forests he built castles and towers.
⁵ He fought also with the king of the children of Ammon, and prevailed against them. And the children of Ammon gave him the same year a hundred talents of silver, and ten thousand measures of wheat, and ten thousand of barley. So much did the children of Ammon render unto him, in the second year also, and in the third.

(The Ammonites (Lot) gave tribute during Uzziah's reign: 2 Chronicles 26:8. It appeared that sometime between then and this point, (because of Uzziah getting leprosy?) the Ammonites rebelled. Jotham reconquered them.)

⁶ So Jotham became mighty, because he ordered his ways before Jehovah his God.

(Jotham became mighty because he ordered his ways before God. Ordered, which was also translated as prepared, meant "to be firm, be stable, be established.")

⁷ Now the rest of the acts of Jotham, and all his wars, and his ways, behold, they are written in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah.
⁸ He was five and twenty years old when he began to reign, and reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem.
⁹ And Jotham slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city of David: and Ahaz his son reigned in his stead.

(Jotham died and Ahaz ruled over Judah.)

(This post covered the reigns of Amaziah, Uzziah, and Jotham.)

Day 128