Now it came to pass, when the kingdom was established to him, that he slew his servants that had killed the king his father.
Parallel translations
- WEB Now when the kingdom was established to him, he killed his servants who had killed his father the king.
- BSB As soon as the kingdom was firmly in his grasp, Amaziah executed the servants who had murdered his father the king.
- NKJV Now it happened, as soon as the kingdom was established for him, that he executed his servants who had murdered his father the king.
- NASB Now it came about, as soon as the kingdom was firmly in his grasp, that he killed his servants who had killed his father the king.
- NLT When Amaziah was well established as king, he executed the officials who had assassinated his father.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Once secure on the throne, Amaziah executed the officials who had murdered his father Joash. He brought the assassins to justice while establishing his rule.
Overview
Amaziah acted to punish his father's killers, a fitting exercise of royal justice against treason. His restraint, shown in the next verse, distinguished him from typical ancient rulers. The episode sets up his commendable obedience to the law of Moses regarding individual responsibility for sin.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 5
- 2 Chr 24:25–26And when they were departed from him, (for they left him in great diseases,) his own servants conspired against him for the blood of the sons of Jehoiada the priest, and slew him on his bed, and he died: and they buried him in the city of David, but they buried him not in the sepulchres of the kings.
- 2 Kgs 14:5–22And it came to pass, as soon as the kingdom was confirmed in his hand, that he slew his servants which had slain the king his father.
- Exod 21:14But if a man come presumptuously upon his neighbour, to slay him with guile; thou shalt take him from mine altar, that he may die.
- Num 35:31–33Moreover ye shall take no satisfaction for the life of a murderer, which is guilty of death: but he shall be surely put to death.
- Gen 9:5–6And surely your blood of your lives will I require; at the hand of every beast will I require it, and at the hand of man; at the hand of every man’s brother will I require the life of man.
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Christ at the center
Temple, priesthood, and the repeated need for a faithful king who seeks the LORD all point past every imperfect reign to the King and Temple who finally and fully dwell with God's people.
How 2 Chronicles 25:3 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.