And Judah was put to the worse before Israel ,.... Could not face them; but, as Josephus F4 Antiqu. l. 9. c. 9. sect. 3. says, a sudden fear and consternation seized them, and before they joined battle with the Israelites, turned their backs: and they fled every man to their tents ; to their cities, as the Targum, and left their king alone. read more
THE REIGN OF AMAZIAH OVER JUDAH . This chapter takes up the history of the kingdom of Judah from the each of 2 Kings 12:1-21 ; with which it is closely connected. The writer, after a few such general remarks as those with which he commonly opens the history of each reign ( 2 Kings 12:1-4 ), proceeds to relate read more
REIGNS OF AMAZIAH , SON OF JOASH KING OF JUDAH , OVER JUDAH , AND OF JEROBOAM , SON OF JOASH KING OF ISRAEL , OVER ISRAEL . read more
Significant facts in God's government. "In the second year of Joash," etc. In this chapter we have a sketch of a succession of kings both of Judah and Israel. Here are two kings of Judah—Amaziah and Azariah; and Joash, Jeroboam, and his son Zachariah, kings of Israel. The whole chapter suggests certain significant facts in God's government of mankind. I. THE ENORMOUS FREEDOM OF ACTION WHICH HE ALLOWS WICKED MEN . Here we learn: 1. That God allows wicked men to... read more
Pride goes before a fall. Amaziah's challenge and its result furnish a remarkable illustration of this maxim. The following points should be dwelt upon. I. THE WEAK GROUND OF THE PRIDE . This was military success, which is just as often the result of good fortune, or one's enemies' mistakes, as of any merits of one's own. Amaziah's after-life showed that he did not possess any great military capacity, and so had nothing on which he ought to have prided himself. Men constantly... read more
The boastful challenge, and its results. It is in the light of the facts narrated in the Book of Chronicles, but not alluded to here, that we are to read the story of Amaziah's folly in his boastful challenge to Joash of Israel (cf. 2 Chronicles 25:20 ). I. THE BOASTFUL CHALLENGE . 1. Its motives . It is not difficult to conceive the kind of influences which led Amaziah to give this challenge to Joash. 2. Its nature . The challenge took the form of a message to... read more
And Judah was put to the worse before Israel; and they fled every man to their tents ; i.e. "to their homes" (see the comment on 2 Kings 13:5 ). This was the first trial of strength between the two nations of which we have any distinct account. It resulted in the complete discomfiture of Israel. There was another great struggle in the time of Pekah and Ahaz, wherein Judah suffered even more severely (see 2 Chronicles 28:6-8 ). read more
The author of Chronicles notes that Amaziah’s obstinacy, and his consequent defeat and captivity, were judgments upon him for an idolatry into which he had fallen after his conquest of Edom 2Ch 25:14, 2 Chronicles 25:20. read more
2 Kings 14:11-12. Amaziah would not hear Being blinded and hardened by God to his destruction, as a punishment of his abominable and ridiculous idolatry, 2 Chronicles 25:10. Therefore Jehoash went up Namely, into the kingdom of Judah, carrying the war into his enemies’ country. At Beth-shemesh, which belongeth to Judah Which is added to distinguish it from Beth-shemesh in Issachar, and another in Naphtali. And Judah was put to the worse Their army being routed and dispersed. Josephus... read more
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Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 2 Kings 14:8-14
For several successions after the division of the kingdoms that of Judah suffered much by the enmity of Israel. After Asa's time, for several successions, it suffered more by the friendship of Israel, and by the alliance and affinity made with them. But now we meet with hostility between them again, which had not been for some ages before. I. Amaziah, upon no provocation, and without showing any cause of quarrel, challenged Joash into the field (2 Kgs. 14:8): ?Come, let us look one another in... read more