2 Kings 14:17-20·~1 min

The Death of Amaziah

Amaziah outlives Jehoash by fifteen years, and the rest of his acts are left to the chronicles of Judah. The narrative pauses before telling how his reign ends.

A¹⁷maziah son of Joash king of Judah lived for fifteen years after the death of Jehoash son of Jehoahaz king of Israel. ¹⁸As for the rest of the acts of Amaziah, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah?

A conspiracy rises against Amaziah in Jerusalem, and though he flees to Lachish, he is killed there. His body is brought back and buried in Jerusalem with his fathers.

¹⁹And conspirators plotted against Amaziah in Jerusalem, and he fled to Lachish. But men were sent after him to Lachish, and they killed him there. ²⁰They carried him back on horses and buried him in Jerusalem with his fathers in the City of David.

Section summaryAmaziah lives on after Jehoash’s death, but his reign ends in conspiracy rather than stability. He flees to Lachish, is killed there, and is brought back to Jerusalem for burial.

Role in the chapterThis section closes Amaziah’s story in the same atmosphere of violence that marked the beginning of his reign. It shows that his rule, though partly upright, ends under judgment and unrest.