2 Kings 14:8
New International Version
Then Amaziah sent messengers to Jehoash son of Jehoahaz, the son of Jehu, king of Israel, with the challenge: “Come, let us face each other in battle.”

New Living Translation
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!”

English Standard Version
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.”

Berean Standard Bible
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.

King James Bible
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.

New King James Version
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.

New American Standard Bible
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.

NASB 1995
Then Amaziah sent messengers to Jehoash, the son of Jehoahaz son of Jehu, king of Israel, saying, “Come, let us face each other.”

NASB 1977
Then Amaziah sent messengers to Jehoash, the son of Jehoahaz son of Jehu, king of Israel, saying, “Come, let us face each other.”

Legacy Standard Bible
Then Amaziah sent messengers to Jehoash, the son of Jehoahaz son of Jehu, king of Israel, saying, “Come, let us face each other.”

Amplified Bible
Then Amaziah sent messengers to Jehoash (Joash) the son of Jehoahaz, the son of Jehu, king of Israel, saying, “Come, let us face each other [in combat].”

Christian Standard Bible
Amaziah then sent messengers to Jehoash son of Jehoahaz, son of Jehu, king of Israel, and challenged him: “Come, let’s meet face to face.”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Amaziah then sent messengers to Jehoash son of Jehoahaz, son of Jehu, king of Israel, saying, “Come, let us meet face to face.”

American Standard Version
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.

Contemporary English Version
One day, Amaziah sent a message to King Jehoash of Israel: "Come out and face me in battle!"

English Revised Version
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.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Then Amaziah sent messengers to King Jehoash, son of Jehoahaz and grandson of Jehu of Israel, to declare war on Israel.

Good News Translation
Then Amaziah sent messengers to King Jehoash of Israel, challenging him to fight.

International Standard Version
Later, Amaziah sent couriers to Jehoahaz's son Jehoash, grandson of king Jehu of Israel, challenging him, "Come on! Let's fight face to face!"

Majority Standard Bible
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.

NET Bible
Then Amaziah sent messengers to Jehoash son of Jehoahaz son of Jehu, king of Israel. He said, "Come, let's meet face to face."

New Heart English Bible
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."

Webster's Bible Translation
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.

World English Bible
Then Amaziah sent messengers to Jehoash, the son of Jehoahaz son of Jehu, king of Israel, saying, “Come, let’s look one another in the face.”
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
then Amaziah has sent messengers to Jehoash son of Jehoahaz, son of Jehu, king of Israel, saying, “Come, we look one another in the face.”

Young's Literal Translation
then hath Amaziah sent messengers unto Jehoash son of Jehoahaz, son of Jehu, king of Israel, saying, 'Come, we look one another in the face.'

Smith's Literal Translation
Then Amaziah sent messengers to Jehoash, son of Jehoahaz, son of Jehu king of Israel, saying, Come, we will see faces.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Then Amasias sent messengers to Joas son of Joachaz, son of Jehu king of Israel, saying: Come let us see one another.

Catholic Public Domain Version
Then Amaziah sent messengers to Jehoash, the son of Jehoahaz, the son of Jehu, the king of Israel, saying: “Come, and let us see one another.”

New American Bible
Then Amaziah sent messengers to Joash, son of Jehoahaz, son of Jehu, king of Israel, with this message: “Come, let us meet face to face.”

New Revised Standard Version
Then Amaziah sent messengers to King Jehoash son of Jehoahaz, son of Jehu, of Israel, saying, “Come, let us look one another in the face.”
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Then Amaziah king of Judah sent messengers to Jehoash, the son of Jehoahaz son of Jehu, king of Israel, saying, Come let us look one another in the face.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
Then Amutsia King of Yehuda sent Messengers to Yehoash, son of Yahuakhaz, son of Yahu, King of Israel, and he said: “Come, we will meet face to face!”
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
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.'

Brenton Septuagint Translation
Then Amessias sent messengers to Joas son of Joachaz son of Ju king of Israel, saying, Come, let us look one another in the face.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Amaziah Defeated by Joash
8Then 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. 9But Jehoash king of Israel replied to Amaziah king of Judah: “A thistle in Lebanon sent a message to a cedar in Lebanon, saying, ‘Give your daughter to my son in marriage.’ Then a wild beast in Lebanon came along and trampled the thistle.…

Cross References
2 Chronicles 25:17-24
Then Amaziah king of Judah took counsel and sent word to the king of Israel Jehoash son of Jehoahaz, the son of Jehu. “Come, let us meet face to face,” he said. / But Jehoash king of Israel replied to Amaziah king of Judah: “A thistle in Lebanon sent a message to a cedar in Lebanon, saying, ‘Give your daughter to my son in marriage.’ Then a wild beast in Lebanon came along and trampled the thistle. / You have said, ‘Look, I have defeated Edom,’ and your heart has become proud and boastful. Now stay at home. Why should you stir up trouble so that you fall—you and Judah with you?” ...

1 Kings 20:18
“If they have marched out in peace,” he said, “take them alive. Even if they have marched out for war, take them alive.”

1 Samuel 17:8-10
And Goliath stood and shouted to the ranks of Israel, “Why do you come out and array yourselves for battle? Am I not a Philistine, and are you not servants of Saul? Choose one of your men and have him come down against me. / If he is able to fight me and kill me, then we will be your servants. But if I prevail against him and kill him, then you shall be our servants and work for us.” / Then the Philistine said, “I defy the ranks of Israel this day! Give me a man to fight!”

1 Kings 12:24
that this is what the LORD says: ‘You are not to go up and fight against your brothers, the Israelites. Each of you must return home, for this is My doing.’” So they listened to the word of the LORD and turned back according to the word of the LORD.

2 Samuel 2:14-17
Then Abner said to Joab, “Let us have the young men get up and compete before us.” “Let them get up,” Joab replied. / So they got up and were counted off—twelve for Benjamin and Ish-bosheth son of Saul, and twelve for David. / Then each man grabbed his opponent by the head and thrust his sword into his opponent’s side, and they all fell together. So this place, which is in Gibeon, is called Helkath-hazzurim. ...

2 Samuel 10:4-5
So Hanun took David’s servants, shaved off half of each man’s beard, cut off their garments at the hips, and sent them away. / When this was reported to David, he sent messengers to meet the men, since they had been thoroughly humiliated. The king told them, “Stay in Jericho until your beards have grown back, and then return.”

2 Samuel 12:29-31
So David assembled all the troops and went to Rabbah; and he fought against it and captured it. / Then he took the crown from the head of their king. It weighed a talent of gold and was set with precious stones, and it was placed on David’s head. And David took a great amount of plunder from the city. / David brought out the people who were there and put them to work with saws, iron picks, and axes, and he made them work at the brick kilns. He did the same to all the Ammonite cities. Then David and all his troops returned to Jerusalem.

2 Kings 13:12
As for the rest of the acts of Jehoash, along with all his accomplishments and his might, including his war against Amaziah king of Judah, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel?

2 Kings 18:23
Now, therefore, make a bargain with my master, the king of Assyria. I will give you two thousand horses—if you can put riders on them!

2 Kings 10:32-33
In those days the LORD began to reduce the size of Israel. Hazael defeated the Israelites throughout their territory / from the Jordan eastward through all the land of Gilead (the region of Gad, Reuben, and Manasseh), and from Aroer by the Arnon Valley through Gilead to Bashan.

2 Chronicles 18:3
Ahab king of Israel asked Jehoshaphat king of Judah, “Will you go with me against Ramoth-gilead?” And Jehoshaphat replied, “I am as you are, and my people are your people; we will join you in the war.”

2 Chronicles 13:12
Now behold, God Himself is with us as our head, and His priests with their trumpets sound the battle call against you. O children of Israel, do not fight against the LORD, the God of your fathers, for you will not succeed.”

2 Chronicles 13:17
Then Abijah and his people struck them with a mighty blow, and 500,000 chosen men of Israel fell slain.

2 Chronicles 18:29
And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “I will disguise myself and go into battle, but you wear your royal robes.” So the king of Israel disguised himself and went into battle.

Matthew 5:25
Reconcile quickly with your adversary, while you are still on the way to court. Otherwise, he may hand you over to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and you may be thrown into prison.


Treasury of Scripture

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.

A.

2 Chronicles 25:17-24
Then Amaziah king of Judah took advice, and sent to Joash, the son of Jehoahaz, the son of Jehu, king of Israel, saying, Come, let us see one another in the face…

Come

2 Kings 14:11
But Amaziah would not hear. Therefore Jehoash king of Israel went up; and he and Amaziah king of Judah looked one another in the face at Bethshemesh, which belongeth to Judah.

2 Samuel 2:14-17
And Abner said to Joab, Let the young men now arise, and play before us. And Joab said, Let them arise…

Proverbs 13:10
Only by pride cometh contention: but with the well advised is wisdom.

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2 Kings 14
1. Amaziah's good reign
5. His justice on the murderers of his father
7. His victory over Edom
8. Amaziah, provoking Jehoash, is overcome
15. Jeroboam succeeds Jehoash
17. Amaziah slain by a conspiracy
21. Azariah succeeds him
23. Jeroboam's wicked reign
28. Zachariah succeeds him














Then Amaziah sent messengers
Amaziah, the king of Judah, is taking a bold step by initiating contact with the northern kingdom of Israel. The Hebrew root for "sent" (שָׁלַח, shalach) implies a deliberate action, often used in the context of sending ambassadors or envoys. This reflects Amaziah's intention to engage diplomatically, though the underlying motives are more confrontational. Historically, sending messengers was a common practice for kings to communicate intentions, whether for peace or war.

to the king of Israel Jehoash
Jehoash, also known as Joash, was the king of Israel at this time. His lineage is significant, as he is the son of Jehoahaz and the grandson of Jehu, who was anointed by the prophet Elisha to eradicate the house of Ahab. This background sets the stage for the tension between the two kingdoms, as Jehu's reforms and military actions had lasting impacts on Israel's relationship with Judah.

son of Jehoahaz, the son of Jehu
This genealogical detail emphasizes the dynastic continuity and the divine mandate that Jehu's line received. Jehu's zeal for the Lord in purging Baal worship from Israel (2 Kings 10) is a backdrop to the current political climate. The mention of Jehoahaz and Jehu serves as a reminder of the covenantal promises and the expectations of faithfulness to God, which were often neglected by the kings of Israel.

'Come, let us meet face to face,'
The phrase "face to face" (פָּנִים אֶל־פָּנִים, panim el-panim) suggests a direct confrontation. In the ancient Near Eastern context, such meetings were rare and often fraught with tension, as they could lead to either reconciliation or conflict. Amaziah's challenge is not merely a request for dialogue but a provocation, likely driven by pride or a desire to assert dominance after his victory over Edom (2 Kings 14:7).

he said
The simplicity of "he said" belies the gravity of the situation. Amaziah's words are a declaration of intent, setting the stage for the ensuing conflict. In the biblical narrative, speech acts often carry significant weight, as they reveal the heart and intentions of the speaker. Here, Amaziah's challenge reflects a moment of hubris, a common theme in the histories of the kings, where reliance on military might or personal ambition leads to downfall.

(8) Then.--After the reduction of Edom. The more extended narrative which follows is plainly taken from a different source than that of the brief extract preceding it.

Come, let us look one another in the face.--A challenge to battle, the ground of which might be found in the outrages committed by the Israelite mercenaries on their homeward march. It appears likely, however, that Amaziah, intoxicated by his recent success, aimed at nothing less than the recovery of the Ten Tribes for the house of David. So Josephus (Antt. ix. 9, ? 2), who gives what purport to be the letters which passed between the two kings on this occasion.

Verse 8. - Then Amaziah sent messengers to Jehoash, the son of Jehoahaz son of Jehu, King of Israel, saying. Amaziah had a cause of complaint against Jehoash, or at any rate against his subjects, which does not appear in the narrative of Kings. The author of Chronicles tells us that, when Amaziah dismissed his Israelite mercenaries, they were offended, and vented their anger by an inroad into his territories (2 Chronicles 25:13), where they killed three thousand men and "took much spoil." This was a clear casus belli, if Amaziah chose to consider it such. Come, let us look one another in the face. A rude message, if it was actually couched in these terms. But perhaps the writer substitutes the gist of the message for the language in which it was wrapped up. Josephus says that Amaziah wrote a letter to Joash, and required him to submit himself and people to the authority of the Jewish state, and thus restore the state of things which had existed under David and Solomon. Otherwise the sword must decide between them ('Ant. Jud.,' 9:9. § 2). Whatever its terms, pride and self-confidence, the result of his success against Edom, were at the root of the challenge.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Then
אָ֣ז (’āz)
Adverb
Strong's 227: At that time, place, therefore

Amaziah
אֲמַצְיָה֙ (’ă·maṣ·yāh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 558: Amaziah -- 'Yah is mighty', the name of several Israelites

sent
שָׁלַ֤ח (šā·laḥ)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 7971: To send away, for, out

messengers
מַלְאָכִ֔ים (mal·’ā·ḵîm)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 4397: A messenger, of God, an angel

to
אֶל־ (’el-)
Preposition
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

the king
מֶ֥לֶךְ (me·leḵ)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 4428: A king

of Israel,
יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל (yiś·rā·’êl)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3478: Israel -- 'God strives', another name of Jacob and his desc

Jehoash
יְהוֹאָ֨שׁ (yə·hō·w·’āš)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3060: Joash -- 'Yah is strong', the name of several Israelites

son
בֶּן־ (ben-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 1121: A son

of Jehoahaz,
יְהוֹאָחָ֧ז (yə·hō·w·’ā·ḥāz)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3059: Jehoahaz -- 'Yah has grasped', the name of several Israelites

the son
בֶּן־ (ben-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 1121: A son

of Jehu.
יֵה֛וּא (yê·hū)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3058: Jehu -- 'the LORD is He', the name of several Israelites

“Come,
לְכָ֖ה (lə·ḵāh)
Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular | third person feminine singular
Strong's 1980: To go, come, walk

let us meet
נִתְרָאֶ֥ה (niṯ·rā·’eh)
Verb - Hitpael - Imperfect Cohortative if contextual - first person common plural
Strong's 7200: To see

face to face,”
פָנִֽים׃ (p̄ā·nîm)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 6440: The face

he said.
לֵאמֹ֑ר (lê·mōr)
Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Strong's 559: To utter, say


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OT History: 2 Kings 14:8 Then Amaziah sent messengers to Jehoash (2Ki iiKi ii ki 2 kg 2kg)
2 Kings 14:7
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