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The Second
Book of Paralipomenon 25
Amasias was five and twenty years old when he began
to reign, and he reigned nine and twenty years in Jerusalem,
the name of his mother was Joadan of Jerusalem.
And he did what was good in the sight of the Lord: but
yet not with a perfect heart.
And when he saw himself strengthened in his kingdom,
he put to death the servants that had slain the king
his father.
But he slew not their children, as it is written in
the book of the law of Moses, where the Lord commanded,
saying: The fathers shall not be slain for the children,
nor the children for their fathers, but every man shall
die for his own sin.
Amasias therefore gathered Juda together, and appointed
them by families, and captains of thousands and of hundreds
in all Juda, and Benjamin: and he numbered them from
twenty years old and upwards, and found three hundred
thousand young men that could go out to battle, and
could hold the spear and shield.
He hired also of Israel a hundred thousand valiant men,
for a hundred talents of silver.
But a man of God came to him, and said: O king, let
not the army of Israel go out with thee, for the Lord
is not with Israel, and all the children of Ephraim:
And if thou think that battles consist in the strength
of the army, God will make thee to be overcome by the
enemies: for it belongeth to God both to help, and to
put to flight.
And Amasias said to the man of God: What will then become
of the hundred talents which I have given to the soldiers
of Israeli and the man of God answered him: The Lord
is rich enough to be able to give thee much more than
this.
Then Amasias separated the army, that came to him out
of Ephraim, to go home again: but they being much enraged
against Juda, returned to their own country.
And Amasias taking courage led forth his people, and
went to the vale of saltpits, and slew of the children
of Seir ten thousand.
And other ten thousand men the sons of Juda took, and
brought to the steep of a certain rock, and cast them
down headlong from the top, and they all were broken
to pieces.
But that army which Amasias had sent back, that they
should not go with him to battle, spread themselves
among the cities of Juda, from Samaria to Beth-horon,
and having killed three thousand took away much spoil.
But Amasias after he had slain the Edomites, set up
the gods of the children of Seir, which he had brought
thence, to be his gods, and adored them, and burnt incense
to them.
Wherefore the Lord being angry against Amasias, sent
a prophet to him, to say to him: Why hast thou adored
gods that have not delivered their own people out of
thy hand?
And when he spoke these things, he answered him: Art
thou the king's counsellor? be quiet, lest I kill thee.
And the prophet departing, said: I know that God is
minded to kill thee, because thou hast done this evil,
and moreover hast not hearkened to my counsel.
Then Amasias king of Juda taking very bad counsel, sent
to Joas the son of Joachaz the son of Jehu, king of
Israel, saying: Come, let us see one another.
But he sent back the messengers, saying: The thistle
that is in Libanus, sent to the cedar in Libanus, saying:
Give thy daughter to my son to wife: and behold the
beasts that were in the wood of Libanus passed by, and
trod down the thistle.
Thou hast said: I have overthrown Edom, and therefore
thy heart is lifted up with pride : stay at home, why
dost thou provoke evil against thee, that both thou
shouldst fall and Juda with thee.
Amasias would not hearken to him, because it was the
Lord's will that he should be delivered into the hands
of enemies, because of the gods of Edom.
So Joas king of Israel went up, and they presented themselves
to be seen by one another: and Amasias king of Juda
was in Bethsames of Juda:
And Juda fell before Israel and they fled to their dwellings.
And Joas king of Israel took Amasias king of Juda, the
son of Joas, the son Joachaz, in Bethsames, and brought
him to Jerusalem: and broke down the walls thereof from
the gate of Ephraim, to the gate of the corner, four
hundred cubits.
And he took all the gold, and silver, and all the vessels,
that he found in the house of God, and with Obededom,
and in the treasures of the king's house, moreover also
the sons of the hostages, he brought back to Samaria.
And Amasias the son of Joas king of Juda lived, after
the death of Joas the son of Joachaz king of Israel,
fifteen years.
Now the rest of the acts of Amasias, the first and last,
are written in the book of the kings of Juda and Israel.
And after he revolted from the Lord, they made a conspiracy
against him in Jerusalem. And he fled into Lachis, and
they sent, and killed him there.
And they brought him back upon horses, and buried him
with his fathers in the city of David. |
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