Take it Easy on the Kids
- In the second year of Jehoash's reign in Israel, Joash's son Amaziah starts to reign in Judah. He begins when he's twenty-five and keeps on for twenty-nine years.
- Like his father, he's a good king. Still, he's not like David since he still permits sacrifices at the high places.
- He has the conspirators who murdered his father killed, but he mercifully doesn't kill their children. He follows Moses, who said children shouldn't die for what their parents do (and vice versa).
- He kills ten thousand Edomites and takes over Sela.
An Ancient Rap Battle of Sorts
- Amaziah sends messengers to Jehoash and challenges him to meet him face to face.
- Jehoash responds saying that Amaziah is like a thornbush asking a cedar to give his daughter in marriage to his son—before the thornbush gets trampled by a wild animal from Lebanon (which is a country full of cedars).
- Jehoash continues saying Amaziah is proud because he's defeated Edom. But he risks getting out of his depth by challenging Jehoash.
- But Amaziah won't listen. They meet to face each other in battle at Beth-shemesh.
- Israel crushes Judah, just like Jehoash said would happen.
- Jehoash captures Amaziah, destroys a huge wall in Jerusalem, and steals tons of treasure from the Temple. Then he takes hostages and brings them back to Samaria.
- Eventually, Jehoash dies and Jeroboam II succeeds him (psst: as was said earlier—the narrator is repeating this).
Another Jeroboam
- Amaziah ends up living fifteen years longer than Jehoash (apparently Amaziah was released from captivity at some point).
- But conspirators kill Amaziah after chasing him from Jerusalem to Lachish.
- Nonetheless, Amaziah's son Azariah becomes the new king. He helps to rebuild the city of Elath, which is apparently important or something.
- In Israel, after Jehoash dies his son Jeroboam II takes over. He reigns forty-one years, but keeps on sinnin' like the first Jeroboam did—much to God's displeasure.
- He helps restore Israel's border, thanks to a little prophecy from a prophet named Jonah.
- Even though he's not perfect, Jeroboam II is an instrument used by God to take care of Israel and defend it at a time when it would've been weakened.
- Jeroboam II restores Damascus and Hamath, which had been taken over by Judah.
- Then he dies and his son Zechariah succeeds him.