Amaziah
9th King of Judah
796–767 BC
Father
Joash of Judah
Children
Uzziah
Biography
Amaziah became king after his father Joash was assassinated and began his reign by executing the conspirators — but not their children, citing the law of Moses. He hired 100,000 Israelite mercenaries to fight Edom, but a man of God warned him to send them home, which he did. He then defeated Edom in the Valley of Salt and brought back Edomite idols to worship, a baffling act of spiritual blindness. Emboldened by his Edomite victory, he sent a challenge to King Jehoash of Israel, who responded with a parable about a thistle and a cedar, warning him not to press his luck. Amaziah refused to listen, was defeated at Beth-shemesh, had the Jerusalem wall broken down, and the Temple treasury plundered. He outlived Jehoash by fifteen years but was eventually killed by conspirators who had been plotting since Jerusalem.
Key Events
Killed the conspirators who murdered his father but spared their children per Mosaic law
Obeyed the prophet and sent home 100,000 hired Israelite soldiers, losing the payment but gaining God's favor
Defeated 10,000 Edomites in the Valley of Salt and threw another 10,000 off a cliff
Brought back Edomite idols and worshipped them; refused to listen to the prophet's rebuke
Challenged Jehoash of Israel, ignored his parable-warning, was defeated, Jerusalem walls broken down, Temple plundered
Conspirators from Jerusalem pursued him to Lachish and killed him there
Spiritual Significance
Amaziah is a portrait of half-hearted faith. He obeyed God when it counted financially (sending home the mercenaries) but then imported the very gods of the nation he just defeated. His story warns against pride after partial victories and the danger of not seeking God wholeheartedly.
Strengths & Weaknesses
Strengths
Initial legal integrity, military success against Edom, obeying the prophet about mercenaries
Weaknesses
Half-hearted devotion, pride, spiritual blindness in adopting Edomite gods, reckless overconfidence
Lessons
Partial obedience and selective devotion are spiritually dangerous. Amaziah's half-heartedness toward God led him from a great military victory straight into absurd idolatry and ultimately to assassination.