2 Chronicles 25:17-23

25:17 After King Amaziah of Judah consulted with his advisers, ¹  he sent this message to the king of Israel, Joash son of Jehoahaz, the son of Jehu, “Come, face me on the battlefield.” ²  25:18 King Joash of Israel sent this message back to King Amaziah of Judah, “A thorn bush in Lebanon sent this message to a cedar in Lebanon, ‘Give your daughter to my son as a wife.’ Then a wild animal of Lebanon came by and trampled down the thorn bush. ³  25:19 You defeated Edom ⁴  and it has gone to your head. ⁵  Gloat over your success, ⁶  but stay in your palace. Why bring calamity on yourself? Why bring down yourself and Judah along with you?” ⁷ 

25:20 But Amaziah did not heed the warning, ⁸  for God wanted to hand them over to Joash because they followed the gods of Edom. ⁹  25:21 So King Joash of Israel attacked. He and King Amaziah of Judah faced each other on the battlefield ¹⁰  in Beth Shemesh of Judah. 25:22 Judah was defeated by Israel, and each man ran back home. ¹¹  25:23 King Joash of Israel captured King Amaziah of Judah, son of Joash son of Jehoahaz, in Beth Shemesh and brought him to Jerusalem. He broke down the wall of Jerusalem from the Gate of Ephraim to the Corner Gate – a distance of about six hundred feet. ¹² 

[25:17]  ¹ tn The words “with his advisers” are supplied in the translation for clarification.

[25:17]  ² tn Heb “let us look at each other [in the] face.” The expression refers here not to a visit but to meeting in battle. See v. 21.

[25:18]  ³ sn The thorn bush in the allegory is Judah. Amaziah’s success had deceived him into thinking he was on the same level as the major powers in the area (symbolized by the cedar). In reality he was not capable of withstanding an attack by a real military power such as Israel (symbolized by the wild animal).

[25:19]  ⁴ tn Heb “you say [to yourself], ‘look, you have defeated Edom.’”

[25:19]  ⁵ tn Heb “and your heart is lifted up.”

[25:19]  ⁶ tn Heb “to glorify.”

[25:19]  ⁷ tn Heb “Why get involved in calamity and fall, you and Judah with you?”

[25:20]  ⁸ tn Heb “did not listen.”

[25:20]  ⁹ tn Heb “because it was from God in order to give them into the hand because they sought the gods of Edom.”

[25:21]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “looked at each other [in the] face.” See the note on the expression “Come on, face me on the battlefield” in v. 17.

[25:22]  ¹¹ tn Heb “and Judah was struck down before Israel and they fled, each to his tent.”

[25:23]  ¹² tn Heb “400 cubits.” Assuming a cubit of 18 inches (45 cm), the distance would have been about 600 feet (180 m).