This is a simplified version of the Bible story found in 2 Kings 14:1-16, written for children to understand. For the original version, please refer to the Bible passage.
Once upon a time, there was a man named Amaziah. He became the king of Judah when he was 25 years old, and he ruled for 29 years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jehoaddin, and he did many good things that pleased the Lord. However, he did not completely follow the example of his ancestor King David.
Although Amaziah did many good things, there was one thing he did not do that God wanted him to do. He did not remove the high places where the people offered sacrifices to other gods. Even though he did not follow God in everything, he still did what his father, King Joash, had done.
When Amaziah became powerful, he punished the servants who had killed his father, but he did not harm their children. He knew that God’s law said that children should not be punished for their parents’ sins.
One day, Amaziah went to fight against the Edomites and he won a great victory. He defeated 10,000 Edomites in the Valley of Salt and took the city of Sela. He even changed its name to Joktheel. This name is still used today.
Feeling very proud of himself, Amaziah sent a message to Jehoash, the king of Israel, challenging him to battle. However, Jehoash warned Amaziah not to start a fight because he might lose and cause trouble for himself and the people of Judah. But Amaziah did not listen, so the two kings met in a battle at Beth-shemesh. Sadly, Judah was defeated and everyone ran away to their homes.
Jehoash then went to Jerusalem and broke down the city’s walls. He took all the gold, silver, and other treasures from the house of the Lord and the king’s house. He also took hostages and returned to Samaria with all of his loot.
Later, Jehoash died and was buried with the kings of Israel in Samaria. His son Jeroboam became the next king of Israel.
Biblical Lessons
- We should follow God’s commands and do what pleases Him.
- We should not be proud or seek fights with others, even if we win battles.
- Punishing innocent people is not fair, and we should take responsibility for our own actions.
- We should listen to wise advice, even if we do not like what we hear.
- Even powerful people can be defeated if they are not careful.