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.
Parallel translations
- 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.
- BSB 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.
- 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 25:2–3He did that which was right in Yahweh’s eyes, but not with a perfect heart.
- 2 Chr 24:17Now after the death of Jehoiada, the princes of Judah came, and bowed down to the king. Then the king listened to them.
- Zech 1:4–6Don’t you be like your fathers, to whom the former prophets proclaimed, saying: Yahweh of Armies says, ‘Return now from your evil ways, and from your evil doings;’ but they did not hear, nor listen to me, says Yahweh.
- 1 Kgs 11:4When Solomon was old, his wives turned away his heart after other gods; and his heart was not perfect with Yahweh his God, as the heart of David his father was.
- 2 Chr 24:2Joash did that which was right in Yahweh’s eyes all the days of Jehoiada the priest.
- Jer 16:19Yahweh, my strength, and my stronghold, and my refuge in the day of affliction, to you shall the nations come from the ends of the earth, and shall say, “Our fathers have inherited nothing but lies, vanity and things in which there is no profit.
- 1 Kgs 15:3He walked in all the sins of his father, which he had done before him; and his heart was not perfect with Yahweh his God, as the heart of David his father.
- 2 Kgs 12:2Jehoash did that which was right in Yahweh’s eyes all his days in which Jehoiada the priest instructed him.
- 1 Pet 1:18knowing that you were redeemed, not with corruptible things, with silver or gold, from the useless way of life handed down from your fathers,
- 2 Chr 25:14–16Now after Amaziah had come from the slaughter of the Edomites, he brought the gods of the children of Seir, and set them up to be his gods, and bowed down himself before them, and burned incense 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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