2 Crônicas 25

2 Crônicas 25

MacArthur - The “heart” commonly refers to the mind as the center of thinking and reason (Pr 3:3; 6:21; 7:3), but also includes the emotions (Pr 15:15, 30), the will (Pr 11:20; 14:14), and thus, the whole inner being (Pr 3:5). The heart is the depository of all wisdom and the source of whatever affects speech (Pr 4:24), sight (Pr 4:25), and conduct (Pr 4:26, 27). (BORROW MacArthur Study Bible) WHOLE HEART - 8X/8V - 2 Ki. 20:3; 1 Chr. 28:9; 1 Chr. 29:9; 2 Chr. 15:15; 2 Chr. 25:2; Isa. 1:5; Isa. 38:3; Jer. 24:7 G. Campbell Morgan -2 Chr 25.2 These words give us the key to all that follows in the story of Amaziah. The general aim of the man was right, but execution was spoiled by imperfection. Nothing is wholly satisfactory to God save the perfect heart, because nothing else can possibly produce the best in man. His punishment of his father's murderers was tempered with justice. The imperfection of his heart was manifested in his alliance with Israel; and then again his right desire, in the readiness with which he obeyed the voice of the prophet, and broke off that alliance, even at cost to himself. Returning from his conquest over the Edomites, he brought back with him the gods of his defeated foes. Again the prophet visited him, and the unutterable folly of such action is revealed in the question asked: "Why hast thou sought after the gods of the people, which have not delivered their own people out of thy hand 1" Punishment for this followed in the defeat of Judah by Israel. What, then we may ask, as we consider this story of Amaziah, is a perfect heart? The root idea of the Hebrew word rendered "perfect" is that of being whole or complete. An imperfect heart is a divided heart. Imperfection of heart consists in incomplete surrender. Some chamber of the temple is closed against the true Indweller. It is retained for self. What it was in the case of Amaziah we are not told, but the fact is patent, that notwithstanding the general rightness of the direction of his life, either through personal indulgence, or ambition, or carelessness, his whole heart was not set upon doing the will of God. Within the fortress, one apartment possessed by the foe is ever the gravest peril. Sooner or later, the dweller in that chamber opens the door for foes without. 2 Chronicles 25:3 Now it came about as soon as the kingdom was firmly in his grasp, that he killed his servants who had slain his father the king. Now it came: 2Ki 14:5-22 he killed: 2Ch 24:25,26 Ge 9:5,6 Ex 21:14 Nu 35:31-33 Parrallel Passage: 2 Kings 14:5+ Now it came about, as soon as the kingdom was firmly in his hand, that he killed his servants who had slain the king his father. Related Passages: 2 Kings 12:19+ Now the rest of the acts of Joash and all that he did, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah? 20 And his servants arose and made a conspiracy, and struck down Joash at the house of Millo as he was going down to Silla. 21 For Jozacar the son of Shimeath, and Jehozabad the son of Shomer, his servants, struck him, and he died; and they buried him with his fathers in the city of David, and Amaziah his son became king in his place. PURGING THE CONSPIRATORS Now it came about as soon as the kingdom was firmly in his grasp - At first, after a king’s father was assassinated (as Amaziah’s father Joash was), the new ruler’s position often was weak — conspirators might still be in positions of power. Once Amaziah had “firmly grasped” the kingdom, he had the strength, stability, and legitimacy to act decisively. In other words, after his succession was no longer uncertain and any political rivals or instability had been dealt with (or would soon be dealt with as in this verse), Amaziah could act freely to carry out justice or implement reforms. NET NOTE Heb “when the kingdom was secure upon him.” TSK has an interesting thought on kingdom was firmly in his hand - No doubt those wicked men, Jozachar and Jehozabad, who murdered his father, had considerable influence; and therefore he found it dangerous to bring them to justice, till he was assured of the loyalty of his other officers: when this was clear, he called them to an account, and justly put them to death for treason and murder; for, if even these conspirators against Joash intended to avenge upon him the death of Zechariah, they acted without a commission from that God "to whom vengeance belongeth." that he killed his servants who had slain his father the king - Amaziah took avenged his father Joash's murder, putting to death Jozacar the son of Shimeath and Jehozabad the son of Shomer. Raymond Dillard: Amaziah may have been motivated to avenge the death of his father when he executed the assassins; however, his own consolidation of power and elimination of potential rivals may also have been a factor. (Borrow 2 Chronicles) Easton has a good summary of Amaziah - He began his reign by punishing the murderers of his father (2 Chr. 25:3-5). He was the first to employ a mercenary army of 100,000 Israelite soldiers, which he did in his attempt to bring the Edomites again under the yoke of Judah (2 Chr. 25:5, 6). He was commanded by a prophet of the Lord to send back the mercenaries, which he did (2 Chr. 25:7-10, 13), much to their annoyance. His obedience to this command was followed by a decisive victory over the Edomites (2 Chr. 25:14-16). Amaziah began to worship some of the idols he took from the Edomites, and this was his ruin, for he was vanquished by Joash, king of Israel, whom he challenged to battle. The disaster he thus brought upon Judah by his infatuation in proclaiming war against Israel probably occasioned the conspiracy by which he lost his life (2 Kings 14:8-14, 19). He was slain at Lachish, whither he had fled, and his body was brought upon horses to Jerusalem, where it was buried in the royal sepulchre (2 Kings 14:19, 20; 2 Chr. 25:27, 28). 2 Chronicles 25:4 However, he did not put their children to death, but did as it is written in the law in the book of Moses, which the LORD commanded, saying, “Fathers shall not be put to death for sons, nor sons be put to death for fathers, but each shall be put to death for his own sin.” as it is written: De 24:16 2Ki 14:5,6 Jer 31:29,30 Eze 18:4,20 Parallel Passage: 2 Kings 14:6+ But the sons of the slayers he did not put to death, according to what is written in the book of the Law of Moses, as the LORD commanded, saying, “The fathers shall not be put to death for the sons, nor the sons be put to death for the fathers; but each shall be put to death for his own sin.” Related Passages: Deuteronomy 24:16+ “Fathers shall not be put to death for their sons, nor shall sons be put to death for their fathers; everyone shall be put to death for his own sin. Ezekiel 18:4; 20 “Behold, all souls are Mine; the soul of the father as well as the soul of the son is Mine. The soul who sins will die....18:20 “The person who sins will die. The son will not bear the punishment for the father’s iniquity, nor will the father bear the punishment for the son’s iniquity; the righteousness of the righteous will be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked will be upon himself. OBEDIENCE TO THE TORAH However, he did not put their children to death, but did as it is written in the law in the book of Moses, which the LORD commanded, saying, “Fathers shall not be put to death for sons, nor sons be put to death for fathers, but each shall be put to death for his own sin.” Amaziah began well by distinguishing his rule with reverence for the Word of God. He intentionally obeyed the Law’s limits on retribution.” Here see Amaziah making a good start in obeying the Torah, but as time went on (and pride may have set it), he overtly disobeyed Ex 20:3-4+. NET NOTE Heb “on account of sons.” Heb “on account of fathers.” Believer's Study Bible - "The Book of Moses" is another name used to identify the Torah (cf. 2Ki 23:18). The text relates how every individual is personally responsible for his own sin and dispels any notion whatever of the so-called feud or vendetta, even in a society in which the enlarged family was an important social unit (cf. Deut. 24:16; 2 Kin. 14:5, 6; Jer. 31:30). Andrew Hill: Amaziah obeys the law of Moses selectively, bringing just punishment against the conspirators responsible for his father’s murder (and solidifying his own rule in the process) but ignoring the injunctions against false worship in the Canaanite high places (cf. Deut. 7:5; 12:2). (First and Second Chronicles) Bob