He hired also one hundred thousand mighty men of valour out of Israel ,.... The ten tribes, judging his own army not sufficient for his expedition against the Edomites he was meditating: for one hundred talents of silver ; which amounted to 35,300 pounds sterling, and according to Beckius F5 Not. in Targum in loc. were about five florins and a half to each soldier. read more
Another type of uncertain character. We are at once advised, in refer-once to Amaziah, that he "did right in the sight of the Lord, but not with a perfect heart." The expression might be supposed to cover the description of a man whose life was in the main right, but who was betrayed by temptation into some serious sins, of which, like David, he bitterly repented, but genuinely repented, and was restored to peace -rod favour. No such interpretation, however, is here possible. And as... read more
Gold, and the favour of God. There is something which approaches, if it does not amount to, the ludicrous in the question so solemnly proposed by Amaziah, "But what shall we do for the hundred talents which I have given to the army of Israel?" Could it be the right thing and the wise thing to sacrifice all that money? Were a hundred talents to be thrown away? Supposing he defeated the enemy without the help of these mercenaries, would it not be a mortifying thing that he had spent such a... read more
A campaign against the Edomites. I. WARLIKE PREPARATIONS . ( 2 Chronicles 25:5 , 2 Chronicles 25:6 .) 1 . The army mustered. "Amaziah gathered Judah together;" i.e. collected for review, probably in Jerusalem, all in the southern kingdom who were capable of bearing arms. 2 . The army organized. "He made them captains over thousands, and captains over hundreds, according to the houses of their fathers, throughout all Judah and Benjamin." Compare Samuel's prediction ( ... read more
Out of Israel . The next verse tells us that "all the children of Ephraim" (which was strictly the northern Israel's chief tribe) are hereby designated. It is not quite clear that this Israel is exactly conterminous with the Israel of 2 Chronicles 13:3 , the identity of which, however, with Joab's Israel ( 2 Samuel 24:9 ) is very probable. The boundaries of the strict tribe of Ephraim, whose ancestor was Joseph's younger son, are described in Joshua 16:5 . The tribe were located as... read more
2 Chronicles 25:6. He hired a hundred thousand men out of Israel Out of the kingdom of the ten tribes. If he had advised with any of his prophets before he did this, or had but considered how little any of his ancestors had got by their alliances with Israel, he would not have thus done what he had soon to undo again. But rashness makes work for repentance. read more
Prosperity followed by disaster (25:1-28:27)Succeeding kings of Israel are passed over in silence (2 Kings 13:1-25). Judah was to have nothing to do with the northern kingdom, not even to the hiring of Israelite soldiers. Amaziah took the advice, and was rewarded with victory in a battle against Edom. But the victory, instead of increasing his dependence on God, gave him a feeling of independence. He turned from God and worshipped idols. The ungodly northern kingdom then became God’s instrument... read more
6. He hired also an hundred thousand mighty men of valour . . . for an hundred talents of silver—This sum was paid into the treasury of Jehoahaz—not given as bounty to the mercenaries who were obliged to serve at the sovereign's call; their remuneration consisting only in the booty they might obtain. It was about £50,000 sterling, being 10s. per man, including officers—a very paltry pay, compared with the bounty given for a soldier in this country. But it must be remembered that in ancient... read more
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Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 2 Chronicles 25:1-13
Here is, I. The general character of Amaziah: He did that which was right in the eyes of the Lord, worshipped the true God, kept the temple service a going, and countenanced religion in his kingdom; but he did not do it with a perfect heart (2 Chron. 25:2), that is, he was not a man of serious piety or devotion himself, nor had he any zeal for the exercises of religion. He was no enemy to it, but a cool and indifferent friend. Such is the character of too many in this Laodicean age: they do... read more