[Ohio-Communities-of-Faith] DONNIE DAILY GEMS FOR SATURDAY MAY 7

[Donnie Parrett]

	DONNIE DAILY GEMS FOR SATURDAY MAY 7

DAILY BIBLE READING

2 Chronicles 25-27 New King James Version
Amaziah Reigns in Judah
25 Amaziah was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned
twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Jehoaddan of
Jerusalem. 2 And he did what was right in the sight of the Lord, but not
with a loyal heart.

3 Now it happened, as soon as the kingdom was established for him, that he
executed his servants who had murdered his father the king. 4 However he did
not execute their children, but did as it is written in the Law in the Book
of Moses, where the Lord commanded, saying, "The fathers shall not be put to
death for their children, nor shall the children be put to death for their
fathers; but a person shall die for his own sin."

The War Against Edom
5 Moreover Amaziah gathered Judah together and set over them captains of
thousands and captains of hundreds, according to their fathers' houses,
throughout all Judah and Benjamin; and he numbered them from twenty years
old and above, and found them to be three hundred thousand choice men, able
to go to war, who could handle spear and shield. 6 He also hired one hundred
thousand mighty men of valor from Israel for one hundred talents of silver.
7 But a man of God came to him, saying, "O king, do not let the army of
Israel go with you, for the Lord is not with Israel-not with any of the
children of Ephraim. 8 But if you go, be gone! Be strong in battle! Even so,
God shall make you fall before the enemy; for God has power to help and to
overthrow."

9 Then Amaziah said to the man of God, "But what shall we do about the
hundred talents which I have given to the troops of Israel?"

And the man of God answered, "The Lord is able to give you much more than
this." 10 So Amaziah discharged the troops that had come to him from
Ephraim, to go back home. Therefore their anger was greatly aroused against
Judah, and they returned home in great anger.

11 Then Amaziah strengthened himself, and leading his people, he went to the
Valley of Salt and killed ten thousand of the people of Seir. 12 Also the
children of Judah took captive ten thousand alive, brought them to the top
of the rock, and cast them down from the top of the rock, so that they all
were dashed in pieces.

13 But as for the soldiers of the army which Amaziah had discharged, so that
they would not go with him to battle, they raided the cities of Judah from
Samaria to Beth Horon, killed three thousand in them, and took much
[a]spoil.

14 Now it was so, after Amaziah came from the slaughter of the Edomites,
that he brought the gods of the people of Seir, set them up to be his gods,
and bowed down before them and burned incense to them. 15 Therefore the
anger of the Lord was aroused against Amaziah, and He sent him a prophet who
said to him, "Why have you sought the gods of the people, which could not
rescue their own people from your hand?"

16 So it was, as he talked with him, that the king said to him, "Have we
made you the king's counselor? Cease! Why should you be killed?"

Then the prophet ceased, and said, "I know that God has determined to
destroy you, because you have done this and have not heeded my advice."

Israel Defeats Judah
17 Now Amaziah king of Judah asked advice and sent to [b]Joash the son of
Jehoahaz, the son of Jehu, king of Israel, saying, "Come, let us face one
another in battle."

18 And Joash king of Israel sent to Amaziah king of Judah, saying, "The
thistle that was in Lebanon sent to the cedar that was in Lebanon, saying,
'Give your daughter to my son as wife'; and a wild beast that was in Lebanon
passed by and trampled the thistle. 19 Indeed you say that you have defeated
the Edomites, and your heart is lifted up to boast. Stay at home now; why
should you meddle with trouble, that you should fall-you and Judah with
you?"

20 But Amaziah would not heed, for it came from God, that He might give them
into the hand of their enemies, because they sought the gods of Edom. 21 So
Joash king of Israel went out; and he and Amaziah king of Judah faced one
another at Beth Shemesh, which belongs to Judah. 22 And Judah was defeated
by Israel, and every man fled to his tent. 23 Then Joash the king of Israel
captured Amaziah king of Judah, the son of Joash, the son of Jehoahaz, at
Beth Shemesh; and he brought him to Jerusalem, and broke down the wall of
Jerusalem from the Gate of Ephraim to the Corner Gate-four hundred cubits.
24 And he took all the gold and silver, all the articles that were found in
the house of God with Obed-Edom, the treasures of the king's house, and
hostages, and returned to Samaria.

Death of Amaziah
25 Amaziah the son of Joash, king of Judah, lived fifteen years after the
death of Joash the son of Jehoahaz, king of Israel. 26 Now the rest of the
acts of Amaziah, from first to last, indeed are they not written in the book
of the kings of Judah and Israel? 27 After the time that Amaziah turned away
from following the Lord, they made a conspiracy against him in Jerusalem,
and he fled to Lachish; but they sent after him to Lachish and killed him
there. 28 Then they brought him on horses and buried him with his fathers in
[c]the City of Judah.

Uzziah Reigns in Judah
26 Now all the people of Judah took [d]Uzziah, who was sixteen years old,
and made him king instead of his father Amaziah. 2 He built [e]Elath and
restored it to Judah, after the king rested with his fathers.

3 Uzziah was sixteen years old when he became king, and he reigned fifty-two
years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Jecholiah of Jerusalem. 4 And he
did what was right in the sight of the Lord, according to all that his
father Amaziah had done. 5 He sought God in the days of Zechariah, who had
understanding in the [f]visions of God; and as long as he sought the Lord,
God made him prosper.

6 Now he went out and made war against the Philistines, and broke down the
wall of Gath, the wall of Jabneh, and the wall of Ashdod; and he built
cities around Ashdod and among the Philistines. 7 God helped him against the
Philistines, against the Arabians who lived in Gur Baal, and against the
Meunites. 8 Also the Ammonites brought tribute to Uzziah. His fame spread as
far as the entrance of Egypt, for he became exceedingly strong.

9 And Uzziah built towers in Jerusalem at the Corner Gate, at the Valley
Gate, and at the corner buttress of the wall; then he fortified them. 10
Also he built towers in the desert. He dug many wells, for he had much
livestock, both in the lowlands and in the plains; he also had farmers and
vinedressers in the mountains and in [g]Carmel, for he loved the soil.

11 Moreover Uzziah had an army of fighting men who went out to war by
companies, according to the number on their roll as prepared by Jeiel the
scribe and Maaseiah the officer, under the hand of Hananiah, one of the
king's captains. 12 The total number of [h]chief officers of the mighty men
of valor was two thousand six hundred. 13 And under their authority was an
army of three hundred and seven thousand five hundred, that made war with
mighty power, to help the king against the enemy. 14 Then Uzziah prepared
for them, for the entire army, shields, spears, helmets, body armor, bows,
and slings to cast stones. 15 And he made devices in Jerusalem, invented by
skillful men, to be on the towers and the corners, to shoot arrows and large
stones. So his fame spread far and wide, for he was marvelously helped till
he became strong.

The Penalty for Uzziah's Pride
16 But when he was strong his heart was lifted up, to his destruction, for
he transgressed against the Lord his God by entering the temple of the Lord
to burn incense on the altar of incense. 17 So Azariah the priest went in
after him, and with him were eighty priests of the Lord-valiant men. 18 And
they withstood King Uzziah, and said to him, "It is not for you, Uzziah, to
burn incense to the Lord, but for the priests, the sons of Aaron, who are
consecrated to burn incense. Get out of the sanctuary, for you have
trespassed! You shall have no honor from the Lord God."

19 Then Uzziah became furious; and he had a censer in his hand to burn
incense. And while he was angry with the priests, leprosy broke out on his
forehead, before the priests in the house of the Lord, beside the incense
altar. 20 And Azariah the chief priest and all the priests looked at him,
and there, on his forehead, he was leprous; so they thrust him out of that
place. Indeed he also hurried to get out, because the Lord had struck him.

21 King Uzziah was a leper until the day of his death. He dwelt in an
isolated house, because he was a leper; for he was cut off from the house of
the Lord. Then Jotham his son was over the king's house, judging the people
of the land.

22 Now the rest of the acts of Uzziah, from first to last, the prophet
Isaiah the son of Amoz wrote. 23 So Uzziah [i]rested with his fathers, and
they buried him with his fathers in the field of burial which belonged to
the kings, for they said, "He is a leper." Then Jotham his son reigned in
his place.

Jotham Reigns in Judah
27 Jotham was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned
sixteen years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was [j]Jerushah the daughter
of Zadok. 2 And he did what was right in the sight of the Lord, according to
all that his father Uzziah had done (although he did not enter the temple of
the Lord). But still the people acted corruptly.

3 He built the Upper Gate of the house of the Lord, and he built extensively
on the wall of Ophel. 4 Moreover he built cities in the mountains of Judah,
and in the forests he built fortresses and towers. 5 He also fought with the
king of the Ammonites and defeated them. And the people of Ammon gave him in
that year one hundred talents of silver, ten thousand kors of wheat, and ten
thousand of barley. The people of Ammon paid this to him in the second and
third years also. 6 So Jotham became mighty, because he prepared his ways
before the Lord his God.

7 Now the rest of the acts of Jotham, and all his wars and his ways, indeed
they are written in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah. 8 He was
twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned sixteen years in
Jerusalem. 9 So Jotham [k]rested with his fathers, and they buried him in
the City of David. Then Ahaz his son reigned in his place.

Footnotes
2 Chronicles 25:13 plunder
2 Chronicles 25:17 Jehoash, 2 Kin. 14:8ff.
2 Chronicles 25:28 The City of David
2 Chronicles 26:1 Azariah, 2 Kin. 14:21ff.
2 Chronicles 26:2 Heb. Eloth
2 Chronicles 26:5 Heb. mss., LXX, Syr., Tg., Arab. fear
2 Chronicles 26:10 Or the fertile fields
2 Chronicles 26:12 Lit. chief fathers
2 Chronicles 26:23 Died and joined his ancestors
2 Chronicles 27:1 Jerusha, 2 Kin. 15:33
2 Chronicles 27:9 Died and joined his ancestors