seekeroftruth
Well-Known Member
2 Chronicles 25:1 Amaziah was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem twenty-nine years. His mother’s name was Jehoaddan; she was from Jerusalem. 2 He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, but not wholeheartedly. 3 After the kingdom was firmly in his control, he executed the officials who had murdered his father the king. 4 Yet he did not put their children to death, but acted in accordance with what is written in the Law, in the Book of Moses, where the Lord commanded: “Parents shall not be put to death for their children, nor children be put to death for their parents; each will die for their own sin.”[a]
5 Amaziah called the people of Judah together and assigned them according to their families to commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds for all Judah and Benjamin. He then mustered those twenty years old or more and found that there were three hundred thousand men fit for military service, able to handle the spear and shield. 6 He also hired a hundred thousand fighting men from Israel for a hundred talents(b) of silver.
7 But a man of God came to him and said, “Your Majesty, these troops from Israelmust not march with you, for the Lord is not with Israel—not with any of the people of Ephraim. 8 Even if you go and fight courageously in battle, God will overthrow you before the enemy, for God has the power to help or to overthrow.”
9 Amaziah asked the man of God, “But what about the hundred talents I paid for these Israelite troops?”
The man of God replied, “The Lord can give you much more than that.”
10 So Amaziah dismissed the troops who had come to him from Ephraim and sent them home. They were furious with Judah and left for home in a great rage.
a. 2 Chronicles 25:4 Deut. 24:16
b. 2 Chronicles 25:6 That is, about 3 3/4 tons or about 3.4 metric tons; also in verse 9
He paid out 3 3/4 tons of silver and then sent them home. He lives in a Theocracy.... not a kingdom.... didn't anyone remind him of that?
This is from enduringword.com.
He executed his servants who had murdered his father the king: This was both just and in the best interest of Amaziah. It was good for him to eliminate those who found the assassination of the king a reasonable way to change the kingdom.
He did not execute their children, but did as it is written in the Law of the Book of Moses: It was the standard practice of the ancient world to execute not only the guilty party in such a murder, but also their family. Amaziah went against the conventional practice of his day and obeyed the word of God instead (Deuteronomy 24:16).
He also hired one hundred thousand mighty men of valor from Israel: In assembling an army (that would eventually fight against Edom), Amaziah hired mercenary troops from the northern tribes of Israel. This was a common practice in the ancient world.
O king, do not let the army of Israel go with you, for the LORD is not with Israel: This anonymous prophet warned King Amaziah to not use the Israelite troops that he had hired. Going further, he warned him that if he should go to battle using these Israelite troops, God shall make you fall before the enemy.
But what shall we do about the hundred talents which I have given to the troops of Israel? Amaziah heard and understood the word of God from His messenger. Yet his question was familiar: “How much will it cost me to be obedient?” This is not necessarily a bad question to ask, if we are willing to be persuaded by the LORD’s answer.
The LORD is able to give you much more than this: The prophet wisely answered Amaziah. Whatever obedience costs, it is always ultimately cheaper than disobedience.
I don't understand why Amaziah went with Deuteronomy concerning the murder of his father.... but then went out and hired mercenaries without consulting a priest. He's in a Theocracy....not a kingdom. Every meeting starts with prayer.... that's how you call the meeting to order... the way everyone knows the one in charge is present.
So the easy English site makes it a little clearer for me.
Amaziah counted all the men over the age of 20 years who were able to fight. He organised them with officers who were over units of 1000 men and over units of 100 men. He had 300 000 soldiers. This was a much smaller army than that of King Asa (14:8). This reduction was probably the effect of several wars. And the number of people in Judah may have been less than before.
During his rule, Jehoram lost control over Edom (21:8-10). Amaziah decided to fight against Edom and to establish his control over them. But he thought that his army was too small. He needed more men for the war that he wanted to fight. So, he hired a further 100 000 soldiers from Israel. He paid 100 talents of silver to hire these men. That was about three and three quarter tons of silver.
Silver today is going for $15.34 an ounce..... let's round that to $15 X 16=$240 X 2000=$480,000 x 3.75=$1,800,000. Those mercenaries saw all the gold on the wall of the temple. They knew they had struck it rich.... "this money was only a down payment.... wait... what.... fired???? Oh are you kidding me???? We'll see about that!!!!" And still Amaziah was better off sending them home.... the moral to these verses is he should have counted on God to begin with... that would have been a lot less expensive... to say nothing of less dangerous. I knew when Amaziah started counting people... there was going to be war.
