One day Amaziah sent messengers with this challenge to Israel’s king Jehoash, the son of Jehoahaz and grandson of Jehu: “Come and meet me in battle!”
Parallel translations
- WEB Then Amaziah sent messengers to Jehoash, the son of Jehoahaz son of Jehu, king of Israel, saying, “Come, let us look one another in the face.”
- KJV Then Amaziah sent messengers to Jehoash, the son of Jehoahaz son of Jehu, king of Israel, saying, Come, let us look one another in the face.
- BSB Then Amaziah sent messengers to the king of Israel Jehoash son of Jehoahaz, the son of Jehu. “Come, let us meet face to face,” he said.
- NKJV Then Amaziah sent messengers to Jehoash the son of Jehoahaz, the son of Jehu, king of Israel, saying, “Come, let us face one another in battle.”
- NASB Then Amaziah sent messengers to Jehoash, the son of Jehoahaz son of Jehu, king of Israel, saying, “Come, let’s face each other in combat.”
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
Emboldened, Amaziah challenges Jehoash king of Israel to meet him face to face in battle.
Overview
Flush with victory over Edom, Amaziah recklessly provokes the stronger northern kingdom. His challenge springs from the pride that his recent success had stirred, ignoring wisdom and his own limits. The verse begins a cautionary account of how unchecked self-confidence leads to humiliation.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 8
- 2 Chr 25:17–24Then Amaziah king of Judah consulted his advisers, and sent to Joash, the son of Jehoahaz the son of Jehu, king of Israel, saying, “Come, let us look one another in the face.”
- 2 Kgs 14:11But Amaziah would not listen. So Jehoash king of Israel went up; and he and Amaziah king of Judah looked one another in the face at Beth Shemesh, which belongs to Judah.
- 2 Sam 2:14–17Abner said to Joab, “Please let the young men arise and play before us!” Joab said, “Let them arise!”
- Prov 20:18Plans are established by advice; by wise guidance you wage war!
- Prov 13:10Pride only breeds quarrels, but with ones who take advice is wisdom.
- Prov 25:8Don’t be hasty in bringing charges to court. What will you do in the end when your neighbor shames you?
- Prov 18:6A fool’s lips come into strife, and his mouth invites beatings.
- Prov 17:14The beginning of strife is like breaching a dam, therefore stop contention before quarreling breaks out.
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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 14:8 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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