King Amaziah

How He Became King: After his father Joash was murdered
When He Began Reigning: 25 years old
Reign Length: 29 years
Ruled Over: Judah
Type of King: Started good, but went bad
Prophet: Simply called “a prophet”
Death: Murdered by conspirators
Burial: Buried in Jerusalem

After Joash was murdered by his servants, Amaziah became king. He executed the servants who murdered his father:

2 Kings 14:5: “And it came to pass, as soon as the kingdom was confirmed in his hand, that he slew his servants which had slain the king his father.”

Amaziah began reigning when he was 25 years old and he reigned over Judah for 29 years. At first he did that which was right:

2 Kings 14:2: “He was twenty and five years old when he began to reign, and reigned twenty and nine years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Jehoaddan of Jerusalem.
3 And he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, yet not like David his father: he did according to all things as Joash his father did.”

When Amaziah was faced with war, his first instinct was to hire an army to fight for him. However, when an unnamed man of God came and rebuked him for it, Amaziah obeyed the Lord. The result was a military victory:

2 Chronicles 25:6: “He hired also an hundred thousand mighty men of valour out of Israel for an 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 the Lord is not with Israel, to wit, with all the children of Ephraim.
8 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 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, The Lord is able to give thee much more than this.
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 great anger.
11 And Amaziah strengthened himself, and led forth his people, and went to the valley of salt, and smote of the children of Seir ten thousand.”

Sadly, this was the beginning of his downfall. When Amaziah returned home from those victories he brought back the Edomites’ false gods and worshiped them:

2 Chronicles 25:14: “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.”

The Lord sent a prophet to rebuke him, but the king refused to listen to him and threatened to kill the prophet:

2 Chronicles 25:15: “Wherefore 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?
16 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; 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.”

After this Amaziah decided to attack Israel. Joash (the king of Israel) warned him that he was being very foolish, but Amaziah refused to listen:

2 Chronicles 25:19: “Thou 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?
20 But 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.”

The result was an utter catastrophe. Not only did Amaziah lose the battle, but Israel broke down the walls of Jerusalem and looted the Temple:

2 Chronicles 25:23: “And Joash the king of Israel took Amaziah king of Judah, the son of Joash, the son of Jehoahaz, at Bethshemesh, and brought him to Jerusalem, and brake down the wall of Jerusalem from the gate of Ephraim to the corner gate, four hundred cubits.
24 And he took all the gold and the silver, and all the vessels that were found in the house of God with Obededom, and the treasures of the king’s house, the hostages also, and returned to Samaria.”

Some time after this a conspiracy rose up against the king, and he was murdered:

2 Kings 14:19: “Now they made a conspiracy against him in Jerusalem: and he fled to Lachish; but they sent after him to Lachish, and slew him there.”

After the king was murdered, his body was brought back to Jerusalem and buried:

2 Kings 14:20: “And they brought him on horses: and he was buried at Jerusalem with his fathers in the city of David.”

Azariah his son (also known as Uzziah) then ruled in his stead.