Pride Goes Before a Fall

Amaziah son of Joash did right in the Lord's eyes, yet not like David his father. The high places remained. He put to death the servants who killed his father. But he spared their children. He obeyed the law of Moses that each person dies for his own sin. He struck ten thousand Edomites in the Valley of Salt and took Sela.

Then Amaziah challenged Jehoash of Israel to meet face to face in battle. Jehoash replied with a parable: a thistle in Lebanon asked a cedar to give its daughter to his son, but a wild animal trampled the thistle. He said Amaziah's heart had lifted him up after beating Edom. He told him to glory in that and stay home. Otherwise he would fall, and Judah with him.

Amaziah would not listen. At Beth Shemesh Judah was defeated. Jehoash captured Amaziah. He broke down four hundred cubits of Jerusalem's wall. He took the gold, silver, temple treasures, and hostages. Later a conspiracy rose against Amaziah, and he was killed at Lachish. Azariah, age sixteen, became king and built Elath. In Israel, Jeroboam the second restored Israel's border, as the Lord had spoken through Jonah son of Amittai. The Lord saw Israel's bitter affliction and saved them by Jeroboam.