2 Chronicles 25:20

But Amaziah would not hear; for it came of God, that he might deliver them into the hand of their enemies, because they sought after the gods of Edom.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(20) But Amaziah would not hear.—And Amaziah hearkened not.

For it came of God . . . gods of Edom.—This remark is added by the chronicler, accounting for the infatuation of Joash by reference to the divine predetermination of events. (Comp. 2Chronicles 25:16; and 2Chronicles 24:24; 2Chronicles 10:15; the Syr. and Arab. omit.)

That he might deliver them into the hand.—Heb., into hand; LXX., “into hands;” Vulg., “into the hands of the enemy.” Perhaps the original reading was, into his hand, i.e., the hand of Joash.

Because they sought.—For they had sought.

Benson Commentary

2 Chronicles 25:20. For it came of God — Who gave him up to his own error and passion, in order to his ruin.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

25:17-28 Never was a proud prince more thoroughly mortified than Amaziah by Joash king of Israel. A man's pride will bring him low, Pr 29:23; it goes before his destruction, and deservedly brings it on. He that exalteth himself shall be abased. He that goes forth hastily to strive, will not know what he shall do in the end thereof, when his neighbour has put him to shame, Pr 25:8. And what are we when we offer to establish our own righteousness, or presume to justify ourselves before the Most High God, but despicable thistles, that fancy themselves stately cedars? And are not various temptations, is not every corruption, a wild beast of the desert, which will trample on the wretched boaster, and tread his haughty pretensions to the dust? A man's pride shall bring him low; his ruin may be dated from his turning from the Lord.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Art thou made of the king's counsel? - A subtle irony: "Have I made thee one of my council? If not what entitles thee to offer thy advice?"

For the fulfillment of the prophecy, see 2 Chronicles 25:22-24, 2 Chronicles 25:27.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

2Ch 25:17. He Provokes Joash to His Overthrow.

17. Then Amaziah … sent to Joash … Come, let us see one another in the face—(See on [452]2Ki 14:8-20).

Matthew Poole's Commentary

It came of God, who gave him up to his own error and passion, in order to his ruin.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

But Amaziah would not hear,.... What the king of Israel advised him to, not to meddle to his hurt:

for it came of God, that he might deliver them into the hand of their enemies; Amaziah and his army into the hands of Joash and his; this was the will of God, and was brought about by his providence; and that it might be, Amaziah was given up to blindness and hardness of heart, as a punishment of his idolatry:

because they sought after the gods of Edom; he and his nobles, and many of the people following his example; from hence to the end of the chapter the same things are recorded as in 2 Kings 14:11, see the notes there; see Gill on 2 Kings 14:11, 2 Kings 14:12, 2 Kings 14:13, 2 Kings 14:14, 2 Kings 14:15, 2 Kings 14:16, 2 Kings 14:17, 2 Kings 14:18, 2 Kings 14:19, 2 Kings 14:20

Geneva Study Bible

But Amaziah would not hear; for {q} it came of God, that he might deliver them into the hand of their enemies, because they sought after the gods of Edom.

(q) Thus God often plagues by those means on which men must rely, to teach them to seek help only from him, and to show his judgments, he moves their hearts to follow that which will lead to their destruction.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

20. for it was of God] Not in Kings. This turn is characteristic of the Chronicler; cp. 2 Chronicles 10:15; 2 Chronicles 22:7.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 20. - The whole of the religious reflection, with its special post-Captivity significance of this verse, is wanting in the parallel, and finds no suggestion either thence or from common authorities. The parallel shows the statement, But Amaziah would not hear, followed up immediately by "Therefore Jehoash... went up." Our own verse, in the use of the plural pronoun them, and again they, takes some slight amount of the weight of guilt in the matter of the idolatry from the shoulders of the king, that it may be shared by the people, and no doubt chiefly again by the "princes" (2 Chronicles 24:17). 2 Chronicles 25:20

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

The war with Joash, king of Israel. - Instead of following the counsel of the prophet, Amaziah consulted (sc., with his public officials or courtiers), and challenged King Joash of Israel to war. The challenge, and the war which followed, are also narrated in 2 Kings 14:8-14 in agreement with our account, and have been already commented upon at that place, where we have also considered the occasion of this war, so fatal to Amaziah and the kingdom of Judah, on account of which has been handed down to us only in the supplementary narrative of the Chronicle. לך in 2 Chronicles 25:17 for לכה, come, as in Numbers 23:13 and Judges 19:13. - In 2 Chronicles 25:20 the chronicler explains Amaziah's refusal to hear the warning of Joash before the war with him, by a reference to the divine determination: "For it (came) of God (that Amaziah still went to war), that He might deliver them (the men of Judah) into the hand, because they had sought the gods of Edom." בּיד נתן, to give into the power of the enemy. - In 2 Chronicles 25:23, הפּונה שׁער is a manifest error for הפּנּה (2 Kings 14:13). Were הפּונה, the gate that turns itself, faces (in some direction), correct, the direction would have to be given towards which it turned, e.g., Ezekiel 8:3. - וגו וכל־הזּהב, 2 Chronicles 25:24, still depends upon תּפשׂ, 2 Chronicles 25:23 : and (took away) all the gold, etc. In 2 Kings 14:14, ולקח is supplied.