20241013

small victory

2 Kings 14:1-22 (JDV).

2 Kings 14:1 In the second year of Israel’s King Jehoash son of Jehoahaz, Amaziah son of Joash became king of Judah.
2 Kings 14:2 He was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jehoaddan; she was from Jerusalem.
2 Kings 14:3 He did what was right in Yahveh’s sight, but not like his ancestor David. He did everything his father Joash had done.
2 Kings 14:4 Yet the high places were not taken away, and the people continued sacrificing and burning incense on the high places.
2 Kings 14:5 As soon as the kingdom was firmly in his grasp, Amaziah killed his servants who had killed his father the king.
2 Kings 14:6 However, he did not put the children of the killers to death, as it is written in the book of the law of Moses where Yahveh commanded, “Fathers are not be put to death because of children, and children are not put to death because of fathers; instead, each one will be put to death for his own sin.”
2 Kings 14:7 Amaziah killed ten thousand Edomites in Salt Valley. He took Sela in battle and called it Joktheel, which is still its name today.
2 Kings 14:8 Amaziah then sent messengers to Jehoash son of Jehoahaz, son of Jehu, king of Israel, and challenged him: “Come, let’s meet face to face.”
2 Kings 14:9 King Jehoash of Israel sent word to King Amaziah of Judah, saying, “The thistle in Lebanon once sent a message to the cedar in Lebanon, saying, ‘Give your daughter to my son as a wife.’ Then a wild animal in Lebanon passed by and trampled the thistle.
2 Kings 14:10 You have indeed defeated Edom, and you have become overconfident. Enjoy your glory and stay at home. Why should you stir up such trouble that you fall– you and Judah with you?”
2 Kings 14:11 But Amaziah would not listen, so King Jehoash of Israel advanced. He and King Amaziah of Judah met face to face at Beth-shemesh that belonged to Judah.
2 Kings 14:12 Judah was routed before Israel, and each man fled to his own tent.
2 Kings 14:13 King Jehoash of Israel captured Judah’s King Amaziah son of Joash, son of Ahaziah, at Beth-shemesh. Then Jehoash went to Jerusalem and broke down two hundred yards of Jerusalem’s wall from the Ephraim Gate to the Corner Gate.
2 Kings 14:14 He took all the gold and silver, all the articles found in Yahveh ‘s temple and in the treasuries of the king’s palace, and some hostages. Then he returned to Samaria.
2 Kings 14:15 The rest of the events of Jehoash’s reign, along with his accomplishments, his might, and how he waged war against King Amaziah of Judah, are written in the Historical Record of Israel’s Kings.
2 Kings 14:16 Jehoash lied down with his fathers, and he was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel. His son Jeroboam became king in his place.
2 Kings 14:17 Judah’s King Amaziah son of Joash lived fifteen years after the death of Israel’s King Jehoash son of Jehoahaz.
2 Kings 14:18 The rest of the events of Amaziah’s reign are written in the Historical Record of Judah’s Kings.
2 Kings 14:19 A conspiracy was formed against him in Jerusalem, and he fled to Lachish. However, men were sent after him to Lachish, and they put him to death there.
2 Kings 14:20 They carried him back on horses, and he was buried in Jerusalem with his fathers in the city of David.
2 Kings 14:21 Then all the people of Judah took Azariah, who was sixteen years old, and made him king in place of his father Amaziah.
2 Kings 14:22 After Amaziah the king lied down with his fathers, Azariah rebuilt Elath and restored it to Judah.

small victory

Jehoash did not want to do battle with Amaziah, not because he thought he might lose, but because he knew that Judah could not afford the damage he would do. Nevertheless, Amaziah insisted on picking a fight. His defeat was humiliation for Judah, and a setback for hopes of reunification. Sometimes a small victory can embolden us too much.

LORD, give us wisdom not to bite off more than we can chew.