When Amaziah was well established as king, he executed the officials who had assassinated his father.
Parallel translations
- WEB Now when the kingdom was established to him, he killed his servants who had killed his father the king.
- KJV Now it came to pass, when the kingdom was established to him, that he slew his servants that had killed the king his father.
- 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.
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 24:25–26When they had departed from him (for they left him very sick), his own servants conspired against him for the blood of the sons of Jehoiada the priest, and killed him on his bed, and he died. They buried him in David’s city, but they didn’t bury him in the tombs of the kings.
- 2 Kgs 14:5–22As soon as the kingdom was established in his hand, he killed his servants who had slain the king his father,
- Exod 21:14If a man schemes and comes presumptuously on his neighbor to kill him, you shall take him from my altar, that he may die.
- Num 35:31–33“‘Moreover you shall take no ransom for the life of a murderer who is guilty of death; but he shall surely be put to death.
- Gen 9:5–6I will surely require your blood of your lives; at the hand of every animal I will require it. At the hand of man, even at the hand of every man’s brother, I will 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
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