2 Chronicles, Part II (cont'd): Of child kings and lepers

Joash begins his reign at age seven and does what is right. At some point, he sets his eyes on restoring the house of the Lord. He asks the priests and Levites to make a special collection of funds. “All the leaders and all the people rejoiced and brought their tax…” There’s a sentence you don’t see often.

And yet, after going to the trouble to restore the house of God, Joash and the people eventually turn away from God. After the priest Jehoiada dies, they abandon God’s house to serve the sacred poles and idols. “And wrath came upon Judah and Jerusalem for this guilt of theirs.” God sends Zechariah, Jehoiada’s son, to condemn the people: “Because you have forsaken the Lord, he has also forsaken you.” What does he get for his trouble? The people conspire against and stone him. As he lies dying, Zechariah calls out, “May the Lord see and avenge!”

Yes, He may. God delivers Judah into the hand of the much smaller army of Aram. When the army withdraws, it leaves Joash severely wounded. Angry over the murder of Zechariah, Joash’s servants kill him in his bed.

Joash’s son Amaziah is the next to step up to the plate. “He did what was right in the sight of the Lord, yet not with a true heart.” After killing the servants who killed his father, Amaziah assembles troops to go against the Edomites, including some troops he hires from Israel. An oracle warns him against this, telling Amaziah that he should go to battle without the troops from Israel, “or God will fling you down before the enemy.” For once, a king heeds a prophet—Amaziah sends those troops home; unfortunately, their dismissal stokes their anger against Judah. I’m not sure why—they were paid their silver and got to avoid the risk of battle.

So Amaziah goes out with his own people and strikes down 10,000 men of Seir, capturing many others who are subsequently thrown down from the top of a rock and “dashed to pieces.” But then Amaziah brings back the gods of the Seir, sets them up as his god, and worships them. When will these people learn? Can retribution be far behind?

Not far at all, it turns out. While Amaziah and his men were in Seir, the troops from Israel attacked several cities in Judah. Amaziah sends the messenger Jehu to Israel, apparently to make peace, but King Joash of Israel (not to be confused with Joash of Judah) scorns him. Joash condemns Amaziah for his arrogance and warns him against a military confrontation. “Amaziah would not listen—it was God’s doing, in order to hand them over, because they had sought the gods of Edom.” Amaziah and Joash do battle, with Joash capturing Amaziah. He survives Joash by 15 years, but it’s not clear if he spends that time imprisoned.

The people of Judah enthrone Amaziah’s son Uzziah (aka in 2 Kings as Azariah). Like his father, he starts off following the right path but eventually goes wrong. Early on, he battles the Philistines and others, builds cities, and commands an impressive army. “His fame spread far, for he was marvelously helped until he became strong.” As so often happens, pride follows his success, and his fall isn’t far behind. After attempting to make an offering on the altar in the temple (only priests were allowed to make such sacrifices), disease breaks out on his forehead. Uzziah remains leprous until his death, living in a separate house and buried away from the other kings.

Next: More ups and downs