2 Kings 14:8-14

14:8 Then Amaziah sent messengers to Jehoash son of Jehoahaz son of Jehu, king of Israel. He said, “Come, let’s meet face to face.” ¹  14:9 King Jehoash of Israel sent this message back to King Amaziah of Judah, “A thornbush in Lebanon sent this message to a cedar in Lebanon, ‘Give your daughter to my son as a wife.’ Then a wild animal ²  of Lebanon came by and trampled down the thorn. ³  14:10 You thoroughly defeated Edom ⁴  and it has gone to your head! ⁵  Gloat over your success, ⁶  but stay in your palace. Why bring calamity on yourself? Why bring down yourself and Judah along with you?” ⁷  14:11 But Amaziah would not heed the warning, ⁸  so King Jehoash of Israel attacked. ⁹  He and King Amaziah of Judah met face to face ¹⁰  in Beth Shemesh of Judah. 14:12 Judah was defeated by Israel, and each man ran back home. ¹¹  14:13 King Jehoash of Israel captured King Amaziah of Judah, son of Jehoash son of Ahaziah, in Beth Shemesh. He ¹²  attacked ¹³  Jerusalem and broke down the wall of Jerusalem from the Gate of Ephraim to the Corner Gate – a distance of about six hundred feet. ¹⁴  14:14 He took away all the gold and silver, all the items found in the Lord’s temple and in the treasuries of the royal palace, and some hostages. ¹⁵  Then he went back to Samaria. ¹⁶ 

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¹ tn Heb “let us look at each other [in the] face.” The expression refers here to meeting in battle. See v. 11.

² tn Heb “the animal of the field.”

³ sn Judah is the thorn in the allegory. Amaziah’s success has deceived him into thinking he is on the same level as the major powers in the area (symbolized by the cedar). In reality he is not capable of withstanding an attack by a real military power such as Israel (symbolized by the wild animal).

⁴ tn Or “you have indeed defeated Edom.”

⁵ tn Heb “and your heart has lifted you up.”

⁶ tn Heb “be glorified.”

⁷ tn Heb “Why get involved in calamity and fall, you and Judah with you?”

⁸ tn Heb “did not listen.”

⁹ tn Heb “went up.”

¹⁰ tn Heb “looked at each other [in the] face.”

¹¹ tn Heb “and Judah was struck down before Israel and they fled, each to his tent.”

¹² tc The MT has the plural form of the verb, but the final vav (ו) is virtually dittographic. The word that immediately follows in the Hebrew text begins with a yod (י). The form should be emended to the singular, which is consistent in number with the verb (“he broke down”) that follows.

¹³ tn Heb “came to.”

¹⁴ tn Heb “four hundred cubits.” The standard cubit in the OT is assumed by most authorities to be about eighteen inches (45 cm) long.

¹⁵ tn Heb “the sons of the pledges.”

¹⁶ map For location see Map2-B1; Map4-D3; Map5-E2; Map6-A4; Map7-C1.