And he did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, but not as his father David had done. He did everything as his father Joash had done.
Parallel translations
- WEB He did that which was right in Yahweh’s eyes, yet not like David his father. He did according to all that Joash his father had done.
- KJV And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, yet not like David his father: he did according to all things as Joash his father did.
- NKJV And he did what was right in the sight of the Lord, yet not like his father David; he did everything as his father Joash had done.
- NASB He did what was right in the sight of the Lord, yet not like his father David; he acted in accordance with everything that his father Joash had done.
- NLT Amaziah did what was pleasing in the Lord’s sight, but not like his ancestor David. Instead, he followed the example of his father, Joash.
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
Amaziah did right in the Lord's eyes, but not like David; he followed the mixed example of his father Joash.
Overview
His commendation is qualified: genuine but incomplete obedience, falling short of David's wholehearted devotion. The comparison with David, the standard of faithful kingship, exposes the spiritual mediocrity of even Judah's better kings. This recurring shortfall builds longing for the perfectly righteous King, Jesus Christ, who alone fully pleases the Father.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 10
- 2 Chr 25:2–3And he did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, but not wholeheartedly.
- 2 Chr 24:17After the death of Jehoiada, however, the officials of Judah came and paid homage to the king, and he listened to them.
- Zech 1:4–6Do not be like your fathers, to whom the former prophets proclaimed that this is what the LORD of Hosts says: ‘Turn now from your evil ways and deeds.’ But they did not listen or pay attention to Me, declares the LORD.
- 1 Kgs 11:4For when Solomon grew old, his wives turned his heart after other gods, and he was not wholeheartedly devoted to the LORD his God, as his father David had been.
- 2 Chr 24:2And Joash did what was right in the eyes of the LORD all the days of Jehoiada the priest.
- Jer 16:19O LORD, my strength and my fortress, my refuge in the day of distress, the nations will come to You from the ends of the earth, and they will say, “Our fathers inherited nothing but lies, worthless idols of no benefit at all.
- 1 Kgs 15:3And Abijam walked in all the sins that his father before him had committed, and his heart was not as fully devoted to the LORD his God as the heart of David his forefather had been.
- 2 Kgs 12:2And Joash did what was right in the eyes of the LORD all the days he was instructed by Jehoiada the priest.
- 1 Pet 1:18For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life you inherited from your forefathers,
- 2 Chr 25:14–16When Amaziah returned from the slaughter of the Edomites, he brought back the gods of the Seirites, set them up as his own gods, bowed before them, and burned sacrifices to them.
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Christ at the center
Amid the long decline toward exile, the promise to David's house refuses to die; the flickering lamp kept burning anticipates the coming King who will not fail or be cut off.
How 2 Kings 14:3 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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