Bibelkommentare

Amaziah [was] twenty and five years old [when] he began to reign, and he reigned twenty and nine years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name [was] Jehoaddan of Jerusalem.

Amaziah was twenty and five years old. See on 2 Kings 14:1-2 .

And he reigned twenty and nine years. — But above half that time he lived in very great contempt among his own people, basely and idly.

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And he did [that which was] right in the sight of the LORD, but not with a perfect heart.

And he did that which was right. — A hypocrite may do such works as are materially good, which yet may never prove so formally and eventually.

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Now it came to pass, when the kingdom was established to him, that he slew his servants that had killed the king his father. 2 Chronicles 25:4 But he slew not their children, but [did] as [it is] written in the law in the book of Moses, where the LORD commanded, saying, The fathers shall not die for the children, neither shall the children die for the fathers, but every man shall die for his own sin.

Ver. 3,4. See Trapp on " 2 Kings 14:5 " See Trapp on " 2 Kings 14:6 "

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Moreover Amaziah gathered Judah together, and made them captains over thousands, and captains over hundreds, according to the houses of [their] fathers, throughout all Judah and Benjamin: and he numbered them from twenty years old and above, and found them three hundred thousand choice [men, able] to go forth to war, that could handle spear and shield.

Three hundred thousand choice men. — His great-grandfather Jehoshaphat had eleven hundred thousand. Their idolatry and evil practices had wasted and weakened them.

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He hired also an hundred thousand mighty men of valour out of Israel for an hundred talents of silver.

For a hundred talents of silver. — This was no great hire, but the hope of spoil put them on; as it did likewise those thirteen thousand soldiers of Germany, almost all Lutherans, led by George Fransperg - a general in the imperial army under conduct of Charles Burbon, that sacked Rome in the time of Pope Clement VII - with no other pay but of one crown apiece of his own goods, and promise to lead them to Rome, where they should meet with good booty. Hist. of Counc. of Trent, 43.

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But there came a man of God to him, saying, O king, let not the army of Israel go with thee; for the LORD [is] not with Israel, [to wit, with] all the children of Ephraim.

But there came a man of God to him. — This was, say the Hebrews, Sedar Olam. Amos, the father of the prophet Isaiah, being brother to Amaziah; but that is but a conjecture.

Let not the army. — What marvel that Christians prevail so little against the Turks, considering what soldiers they make use of!

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But if thou wilt go, do [it], be strong for the battle: God shall make thee fall before the enemy: for God hath power to help, and to cast down.

But if thou wilt go. — If thou hast a mind to wrestle a fall with the Almighty, at thy own peril be it.

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And Amaziah said to the man of God, But what shall we do for the hundred talents which I have given to the army of Israel? And the man of God answered, The LORD is able to give thee much more than this.

The Lord is able. — Before he had said, 2 Chronicles 25:8 ,

God hath power to help and to cast down. — God’s power is a main prop to faith, and men never doubt of God’s will to do them good, but they do at the same time doubt of his power.

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