4. The places where false gods were worshiped were not removed. The people still sacrificed and burned incense there.
5. Amaziah took strong control of the kingdom. Then he put the officers to death who had killed his father the king.
6. But he did not put to death the children of the murderers. This is because of the rule written in the Book of the Teachings of Moses. The Lord had commanded: “Fathers must not be put to death when their children do wrong. And children must not be put to death when their fathers do wrong. Each person must die for his own sins.”
7. Amaziah killed 10,000 Edomites in the Valley of Salt. In a battle Amaziah took the city of Sela. He called it Joktheel, and it is still called that today.
8. Amaziah sent messengers to Jehoash son of Jehoahaz. (Jehoahaz was the son of Jehu, king of Israel.) The message read, “Come, let’s meet face to face in battle.”
9. Then Jehoash king of Israel answered Amaziah king of Judah. Jehoash said, “A little thornbush in Lebanon sent a message to a big cedar tree in Lebanon. It said, ‘Let your daughter marry my son.’ But then a wild animal from Lebanon came by. It walked on and crushed the thornbush.
10. Yes, you have defeated Edom. But you have become proud because of your victory over Edom. Stay at home and brag! Don’t ask for trouble by fighting me. If you do, you and Judah will be defeated.”
11. But Amaziah would not listen. So Jehoash king of Israel went to attack. He and Amaziah king of Judah faced each other in battle at Beth Shemesh in Judah.
12. Israel defeated Judah. Every man of Judah ran away to his home.
13. At Beth Shemesh Jehoash king of Israel captured Amaziah king of Judah. Amaziah was the son of Joash, who was the son of Ahaziah. Then Jehoash went to Jerusalem. He broke down the wall of Jerusalem from the Gate of Ephraim to the Corner Gate. This part of the wall was about 600 feet long.
14. Then he took all the gold and silver and everything in the Temple of the Lord. And he took the treasuries of the palace. He also took some hostages and returned to Samaria.