2 Paralipomenon 25 — Church Fathers

Douay-Rheims

1 Paralipomenon

Chapter 24

Chapter 26

1 Esdras

Chapter 25

2 Paralipomenon 25:1-28

WARS UNDER AMAZIAH

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1 Five and twenty years old was Amasias when he began to reign, and he reigned nine & twenty years in Jerusalem, the name of his mother was Ioadan of Jerusalem. 2 notes

2 And he did good in the sight of our Lord: but yet not in a perfect heart. 2 notes

3 And when he saw his Kingdom strengthened, he put to death the servants, that had slain the king his father, 2 notes

4 but their children he slew not, as it is written in the Book of the law of Moyses, where our Lord commanded, saying: The fathers shall not be slain for the children, nor the children for their fathers, but every one shall die in his own sin. 2 notes

5 Amasias therefore gathered together Juda, and appointed them by families, and tribunes, and centurions, in all Juda, & Benjamin, and he numbered from twenty years upward, & found three hundred thousand of young men that went forth to battle, and held spear and shield. 2 notes

6 He hired also for wages of Israel an hundred thousand strong men, for an hundred talents of silver. 2 notes

7 But a man of God came to him, and said: O king, let not the host of Israel go forth with thee, for our Lord is not with Israel, and all the children of Ephraim: 2 notes

8 and if thou think that battles consist in the force of an army, God will make thee to be overcome of the enemies: for it pertaineth to God both to help, and to put to flight. 2 notes

9 And Amasias said to the man of God: What shall become then of the hundred talents, which I have given the soldiers of Israel? And the man of God answered him: Our Lord hath whereby he is able to give thee much more than this. 2 notes

10 Amasias therefore separated the host, that came to him out of Ephraim, that they should return into their place: but they being wrath exceedingly against Juda, returned into their country. 2 notes

11 Moreover Amasias brought forth his people confidently, and went into the Vale of salt pits, and struck the children of Seir, ten thousand. 2 notes

12 And other ten thousand men did the children of Juda take, and bring to the steep of a certain rock, and cast them down headlong from the top, who burst in sunder every one. 2 notes

13 But that army which Amasias had sent back, from going with him to battle, was spread in the cities of Juda, from Samaria unto Bethhoron, and killing three thousand took away a great prey. 2 notes

14 But Amasias after the slaughter of the Idumeans, set up the gods of the children of Seir, which he had brought thence, for his gods, & adored them, and burnt incense to them. 2 notes

15 For which thing our Lord being angry against Amasias, sent a Prophet unto him, which should say to him: Why hast thou adored gods, that have not delivered their own people out of thy hand? 2 notes

16 And when he spake these things, he answered him: Art thou the king's counseller? Be quiet, lest I kill thee. And the Prophet departing, said: I know that God is minded to kill thee, because thou hast done this evil, & besides hast not agreed to my counsel. 2 notes

17 Therefore Amasias the king of Juda taking very ill counsel, sent to Joas the son of Joachaz the son of Jehu, the king of Israel, saying: Come, let us see one another. 2 notes

18 But he sent back the messengers, saying: A thistle that is in Libanus sent to a cedar of Libanus, saying: Give thy daughter to my son to wife: & behold the beasts that were in the wood of Libanus passed, and trod down the thistle. 2 notes

19 Thou hast said: I have strucken Edom, and therefore thy heart is extolled into pride, sit in thy house, why dost thou provoke evil against thee, that both thou mayest fall, and Juda with thee. 2 notes

20 Amasias would not hear, because it was our Lord's will, that he should be delivered into the hands of the enemies for the gods of Edom. 2 notes

21 Joas therefore the king of Israel went up, and they gave themselves one the sight of the other: and Amasias the king of Juda was in Bethsames of Juda: 2 notes

22 and Juda fell before Israel, and fled into their tabernacles. 2 notes

23 Moreover Joas the king of Israel in Bethsames took Amasias the king of Juda, the son of Joas, the son of Joachaz, and brought him into Jerusalem: and destroyed the wall thereof from the gate of Ephraim, to the gate of the corner, four hundred cubits. 2 notes

24 All the gold also, and silver, and all the vessels, that he found in the house of God, and which Obededom in the treasures also of the king's house, moreover he brought back the sons of the hostages into Samaria. 2 notes

25 And Amasias the son of Joas the king of Juda lived, after that Joas died the son of Joachaz the king of Israel fifteen years. 2 notes

26 But the rest of the words of Amasias the first and the last are written in the Book of the kings of Juda and Israel. 2 notes

27 Who after he revolted from our Lord, they lay in wait against him in Jerusalem. And when he had fled into Lachis, they sent, and slew him there. 2 notes

28 And carrying him back upon horses, buried him with his fathers in the City of David. 2 notes

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2 Paralipomenon 25:1-28 2 entries

WARS UNDER AMAZIAH

AMAZIAH WOULD NOT HEAR THE PRESCRIPTIONS OF GOD.

St. Augustine of Hippo (354–430)

For the Almighty sets in motion even in the innermost hearts of people the movement of their will, so that he does through their agency whatsoever he wishes to perform through them—even he who knows not how to will anything in unrighteousness. What, again, is the purport of that which the man of God said to King Amaziah: Let not the army of Israel go with you; for the Lord is not with Israel, even with all the children of Ephraim: for if you shall think to obtain with these, the Lord shall put you to flight before your enemies: for God has power either to strengthen or to put to flight? Now, how does the power of God help some in war by giving them confidence and put others to flight by injecting fear into them, except it be that he who has made all things according to his own will, in heaven and on earth,^[1] also works in human hearts? We read also what Joash, king of Israel, said when he sent a message to Amaziah, king of Judah, who wanted to fight with him. After certain other words, he added, Now stay at home; why do you challenge me to your hurt, that you should fall, you and Judah with you?^[2] Then the Scripture has added this sequel: But Amaziah would not hear; for it came of God, that he might be delivered into their hands, because they sought after the gods of Edom. Behold, now, how God, wishing to punish the sin of idolatry, wrought this in this man’s heart, with whom he was indeed justly angry, not to listen to sound advice but to despise it and go to the battle in which he with his army was routed.

On Grace and Free Will 42 [21]

FROM A HIDDEN JUDGMENT OF GOD COMES PERVERSITY OF HEART.

St. Augustine of Hippo (354–430)

Is not sin also punishment for sin where Amaziah, king of Judah, did not wish to hear the good advice of Jehoahaz, king of Israel, not to go to war? We read, Amaziah would not listen to him because it was the Lord’s will that he should be delivered into their hands, because they sought the god of Edom. We can recount many other events clearly showing that from a hidden judgment of God comes perversity of heart, with the result that refusal to hear the truth leads to commission of sin, and this sin is also punishment for preceding sin. For to believe a lie and not believe the truth is indeed sin, but it comes from the blindness of heart that by a hidden but just judgment of God is also punishment for sin.

Against Julian 5.3.12