("Yah is strong")
1. A Levite of the family of Merari. He was appointed by King David to "the service of the song" before the tabernacle (I Chr 6:31-32, 45).
2. Father of Joshah of the tribe of Simeon (I Chr 4:24, 34).
3. King of Judah (c. 798-769 B.C.). Amaziah succeeded his father Joash at the age of 25 and reigned for 29 years. His mother was Jehoaddin of Jerusalem, and his wife was Jecholiah (II Kgs 14:2). After consolidating his hold on the throne, he executed the men who had murdered his father but spared their children in accordance with the law of Moses (II Kgs 14:1-6; II Chr 25:1-4).
Amaziah assembled a force of 30,000 men from Judah and Benjamin to re-conquer Edom, which had gained its independence from Judah some 50 years earlier (II Kgs 8:20-22). Amaziah won a major victory in the Valley of Salt, capturing Sela, and killing 10,000 Edomites (II Kgs 14:7; II Chr 25:5, 11). Amaziah had also hired 100,000 men from Israel to participate in the battle, but gave up the idea in view of the opposition it aroused. He dismissed the men, although he had already paid for their recruitment. The discharged soldiers were displeased and on their way home they raided cities in Judah, indulging in plunder and murder (II Chr 25:6-10, 13). When Amaziah declared war on Joash, the king of Israel, Joash warned Amaziah that he would be defeated – comparing Judah to a thistle that confronts a cedar tree and is trampled by a passing wild beast. Amaziah did not heed the warning, and the confrontation took place at Beth Shemesh in Judah, where Amaziah's troops were routed and he himself was taken prisoner. Joash broke the walls of Jerusalem to enter the city and plunder it; a great amount of Temple treasure and hostages were carried off to Samaria (II Kgs 14:8-14; II Chr 25:17-24).
Amaziah worshiped the pagan gods of the edomites. This led to a conspiracy against him and he was forced to flee to Lachish where he was killed (II Chr 25:14-15; II Kgs 14:17-19; 25-27). He was succeeded by his 16-year old son Azariah (Uzziah) (II Kgs 14:21; 15:1; II Chr 26:1).
4. A priest in Bethel during the reign of Jeroboam II. He tried to stop Amos from prophesying and told the king that the prophet was conspiring against him. But Amos refused to be intimidated by Amaziah, predicting that the priest's wife would become a harlot, his children would be slain, and Amaziah himself would die on unclean land (i.e., outside of Israel) (Amos 7:10-17).
Concordance
AMAZIAH 1:
I Chr 6:45
AMAZIAH 2:
I Chr 4:34
AMAZIAH 3:
II Kgs 12:21; 13:12; 14:1, 8-9, 11, 13, 15,17-18, 21, 23; 15:1, 3. I Chr 3:12. II Chr 24:27; 25:1, 5,9-11, 13-15,17-18, 20-21,23, 25-27; 26:1, 4
AMAZIAH 4:
Amos 7:10, 12,14
