2 Chronicles 25:1 kjv
Amaziah was twenty and five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned twenty and nine years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Jehoaddan of Jerusalem.
2 Chronicles 25:1 nkjv
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 Chronicles 25:1 niv
Amaziah was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem twenty-nine years. His mother's name was Jehoaddan; she was from Jerusalem.
2 Chronicles 25:1 esv
Amaziah was twenty-five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Jehoaddan of Jerusalem.
2 Chronicles 25:1 nlt
Amaziah was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem twenty-nine years. His mother was Jehoaddin from Jerusalem.
2 Chronicles 25 1 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| King's Introduction | ||
| 2 Kgs 14:1-2 | In the second year of Jehoash the son of Jehoahaz king of Israel, Amaziah the son of Joash, king of Judah, began to reign. He was twenty-five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Jehoaddan of Jerusalem. | Parallel account of Amaziah's introduction in Kings. |
| 2 Chr 22:1 | And the inhabitants of Jerusalem made Ahaziah his youngest son king in his place, for the band of men that came with the Arabs to the camp had killed all the older sons. So Ahaziah the son of Jehoram, king of Judah, reigned. | Example of king introduction, emphasizing lineage. |
| 2 Chr 16:13 | So Asa slept with his fathers, dying in the forty-first year of his reign. | Regnal duration information. |
| 1 Kgs 14:21 | Rehoboam the son of Solomon reigned in Judah. Rehoboam was forty-one years old when he began to reign, and he reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem... And his mother's name was Naamah, an Ammonite. | Standard regnal formula including age, duration, mother's name and origin. |
| 1 Kgs 15:2 | He reigned three years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Maacah the daughter of Abishalom. | Introduction for Abijam, similar details. |
| Themes of Leadership & Succession | ||
| Dt 17:15 | you may indeed set a king over you whom the LORD your God chooses. One from among your brothers you shall set as king over you... | Principle of chosen king, applies to legitimate succession. |
| Prov 20:29 | The glory of young men is their strength, but the splendor of old men is their gray hair. | Pertains to age and capability, Amaziah's initial youth. |
| Is 3:4-5 | And I will make boys their princes, and infants shall rule over them... | Leadership can be by those young, with varied consequences. |
| Rom 13:1 | Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God... | God's sovereignty over earthly rulers and their appointment. |
| Ps 75:6-7 | For exaltation comes neither from the east nor from the west nor from the south. But God is the Judge: He puts down one and exalts another. | Divine control over the rise and fall of kings. |
| Parental/Maternal Influence (Indirect Connection) | ||
| 2 Chr 22:3-4 | He also walked in the ways of the house of Ahab, for his mother encouraged him to act wickedly... | Example where a mother's influence was significant and negative. |
| Prov 1:8 | Hear, my son, your father’s instruction, and forsake not your mother’s teaching. | Highlights the importance of parental guidance. |
| Mixed Reigns / Initial Potential & Later Decline | ||
| 2 Chr 25:2 | And he did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, yet not with a whole heart. | Immediate follow-up verse, setting the theme of his mixed reign. |
| 2 Chr 24:1-2, 17-19 | Joash was seven years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years in Jerusalem... Joash did what was right in the eyes of the LORD all the days of Jehoiada the priest... Now after the death of Jehoiada, the officials of Judah came... they abandoned the house of the LORD... | Amaziah’s father, Joash, also had a reign that started well and then declined. |
| 1 Kgs 11:4 | For when Solomon was old, his wives turned away his heart after other gods, and his heart was not wholly true to the LORD his God, as was the heart of David his father. | Solomon's decline after an initially faithful reign. |
| 2 Chr 15:17 | But the high places were not removed in Israel. Nevertheless, the heart of Asa was wholly true all his days. | Example of a king whose righteousness was incomplete (high places). |
| Judg 2:19 | But whenever the judge died, they turned back and were more corrupt than their fathers... | Cycle of falling away after a period of obedience. |
| Gal 5:7-8 | You were running well. Who hindered you from obeying the truth? This persuasion is not from Him who calls you. | A warning against deviating from the path after starting well. |
| Significance of Name | ||
| Matt 1:8-9 | ...Asa the father of Jehoshaphat, and Jehoshaphat the father of Joram, and Joram the father of Uzziah, and Uzziah the father of Jotham... | Amaziah is often replaced by "Uzziah" in NT genealogies, connecting to broader Davidic line. |
2 Chronicles 25 verses
2 Chronicles 25 1 Meaning
2 Chronicles 25:1 provides the foundational biographical details for King Amaziah of Judah. It states his age at accession to the throne, the duration of his reign, and the capital city from which he ruled. Furthermore, it names his mother and specifies her origin, adhering to the typical regnal formula used in the books of Kings and Chronicles to establish the legitimate succession and historical context of the new monarch. This verse sets the stage for the narrative of Amaziah’s reign, which the Chronicler will elaborate upon in the subsequent verses.
2 Chronicles 25 1 Context
2 Chronicles 25:1 opens the account of Amaziah, the ninth king of Judah in the Southern Kingdom, following the assassination of his father, Joash (or Jehoash), as recorded in the previous chapter (2 Chr 24:25). This introductory verse serves as the customary prelude to a king's reign in the Chronicler’s narrative, providing essential biographical data for the reader. Historically, Judah had a complex lineage of kings, some following the Lord wholeheartedly, others partially, and some completely abandoning Him. This standard introduction sets the tone for understanding Amaziah within this pattern. The Chronicler’s perspective typically emphasizes the spiritual condition of the king and its direct impact on the nation's welfare, particularly in relation to the Davidic covenant and the temple in Jerusalem. Thus, while seemingly factual, this verse provides the foundational information that the subsequent narrative will interpret through a theological lens.
2 Chronicles 25 1 Word analysis
Amaziah (אֲמַצְיָה - ʼAmatzyah): This Hebrew name means "Yahweh is strong" or "strengthened by Yahweh." This etymology holds significant meaning when considered alongside Amaziah's subsequent actions. He initially demonstrates strength and achieves military victories with divine help, fulfilling the meaning of his name. However, his later turn to idolatry indicates a failure to maintain reliance on the very source of his initial strength – Yahweh, ultimately leading to his downfall. This ironic contrast between his name's meaning and his later spiritual failing is often highlighted by scholars, emphasizing that true strength comes from consistent reliance on God.
was twenty-five years old: This indicates Amaziah's relative youth when he ascended to the throne. Twenty-five was a common age for kings to begin their rule in ancient Judah. While young, it suggests an age of maturity and physical capability, fitting for a monarch.
when he became king: This signifies the commencement of his official reign and legitimate succession from his father Joash, despite his father's unfortunate end. This phrase underscores his divine appointment and his entrance into the responsibilities of the Davidic line.
and he reigned twenty-nine years: This detail provides the total length of his rule, indicating a relatively long and stable period compared to some other kings of Judah. This duration, combined with his age at accession, helps in chronologically placing his reign within the broader historical narrative.
in Jerusalem: This specifies the capital city and center of the Southern Kingdom of Judah, from which Amaziah ruled. Jerusalem was not merely a political capital but also the spiritual heart, home to the Temple and the seat of the Davidic covenant, thus reinforcing its religious significance and the king's role in relation to the city of God.
His mother's name was Jehoaddan: (יְהוֹעַדָּן - Yĕhoʽaddan): Her name means "Yahweh is delight" or "Yahweh is adorned." The mention of the king's mother's name is a standard part of the royal formula in both Kings and Chronicles, lending legitimacy to the king’s rule. While Chronicles sometimes highlights the mother’s influence, particularly if it was negative (like Athaliah), Jehoaddan's influence is not elaborated upon directly in the text beyond her name and origin.
she was from Jerusalem: Her origin in the capital city suggests continuity and potentially a lack of significant foreign influence on the young king, especially compared to queens who were foreign-born or who promoted foreign deities (e.g., Naamah, the Ammonite mother of Rehoboam).
Amaziah was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem: This initial segment presents the standard regnal formula, succinctly providing the temporal and geographical boundaries of Amaziah’s rule. It establishes the duration of his administration and solidifies his place in the historical lineage of Judah's kings, grounding the ensuing narrative in concrete historical fact.
His mother's name was Jehoaddan; she was from Jerusalem: This second segment completes the customary introduction, establishing Amaziah’s legitimate lineage through his mother. It also subtly conveys details about the queen mother's status, implying her noble background rooted in the royal city itself, which traditionally lent stability and prestige to the king's claim.
2 Chronicles 25 1 Bonus section
The Chronicler, writing after the Babylonian exile, frequently structures the narratives of Judah's kings to convey a crucial theological lesson: the prosperity and security of the king and the nation are directly contingent upon their faithfulness to the Mosaic covenant and their devotion to the Temple and the Lord. Thus, even a verse as seemingly mundane as 2 Chronicles 25:1, with its standard regnal formula, functions as the opening 'statement of fact' upon which the subsequent 'theological interpretation' of Amaziah's reign will be built. The inclusion of the mother's name and origin is not merely for genealogical completeness but serves a broader purpose in biblical narrative. It reinforces legitimacy and stability, implicitly linking the king to Jerusalem, the city where God chose to place His name. It also, by its mere presence, subtly highlights potential areas of influence (positive or negative) on the king, although in Jehoaddan's case, no further specific influence is mentioned. This formal opening sets the tone, informing the audience of who the king is and where he stands within the divine historical narrative of Judah, ultimately leading to lessons on obedience and its consequences.
2 Chronicles 25 1 Commentary
2 Chronicles 25:1 is the formulaic introduction to King Amaziah of Judah, laying out his essential biographical and regnal details. It records his age at accession (twenty-five), the length of his reign (twenty-nine years), and the seat of his kingdom (Jerusalem). Additionally, it names his mother, Jehoaddan, and her place of origin, Jerusalem. While seemingly a straightforward historical record, this verse acts as the critical entry point to the Chronicler's theological assessment of Amaziah's reign. The Hebrew meaning of "Amaziah"—"strengthened by Yahweh"—foreshadows the initial success he enjoys under God’s favor, which contrasts starkly with his later abandonment of God for idolatry. This tension between initial potential and subsequent failure is a recurring theme in Chronicles. The verse serves as a quiet reminder of divine appointment and the human responsibility to respond to it.