2 Chronicles 25 4

2 Chronicles 25:4 kjv

But he slew not 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 die for the children, neither shall the children die for the fathers, but every man shall die for his own sin.

2 Chronicles 25:4 nkjv

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."

2 Chronicles 25:4 niv

Yet he did not put their children to death, but acted in accordance with what is written in the Law, in the Book of Moses, where the LORD commanded: "Parents shall not be put to death for their children, nor children be put to death for their parents; each will die for their own sin."

2 Chronicles 25:4 esv

But he did not put their children to death, according to what is written in the Law, in the Book of Moses, where the LORD commanded, "Fathers shall not die because of their children, nor children die because of their fathers, but each one shall die for his own sin."

2 Chronicles 25:4 nlt

However, he did not kill the children of the assassins, for he obeyed the command of the LORD as written by Moses in the Book of the Law: "Parents must not be put to death for the sins of their children, nor children for the sins of their parents. Those deserving to die must be put to death for their own crimes."

2 Chronicles 25 verses

2 Chronicles 25 4 Meaning

2 Chronicles 25:4 describes King Amaziah's adherence to a specific divine command regarding justice. After executing the conspirators who murdered his father, King Joash, Amaziah chose not to extend punishment to their children. This decision directly followed the instruction found in the Law of Moses, as recorded in Deuteronomy, which unequivocally states that parents should not be put to death for the sins of their children, nor children for the sins of their parents; instead, each individual is to bear the consequence for their own transgression. It highlights the principle of individual accountability before God's law.

2 Chronicles 25 4 Context

2 Chronicles chapter 25 opens with King Amaziah ascending the throne of Judah after the assassination of his father, Joash (2 Chron 24:25). The immediate historical context of verse 4 is Amaziah's act of avenging his father's death. Verse 3 states that once Amaziah's rule was firmly established, he executed the servants who had murdered King Joash. Verse 4 then provides a critical qualification to this act of justice, showcasing Amaziah's adherence to the unique divine law of Israel concerning individual culpability. This law, found explicitly in Deuteronomy 24:16, sharply contrasted with common ancient Near Eastern practices, where collective punishment of an offender's family (including wives, children, and even extended kin) was a standard and accepted norm for severe crimes. Amaziah's specific obedience in this instance distinguishes him and underscores the distinctiveness of God's righteous legal framework for His people. While Amaziah's overall reign was mixed (he later departed from the Lord), this particular act of justice is commended for its compliance with the Mosaic Law.

2 Chronicles 25 4 Word analysis

• But he did not put their children to death (וְאֶת־בְּנֵיהֶ֖ם לֹא־הֵמִֽית – ve'et-b'ne'ihem lo'-hemith):
  • "did not put...to death" (לֹא־הֵמִֽית – lo'-hemith): The negative particle לֹא (lo') is strong, indicating a deliberate and decisive abstention. הֵמִֽית (hemith) is the Hiphil imperfect form of the verb מות (mut), meaning "to die," but in Hiphil, it means "to cause to die," or "to kill." This emphasizes Amaziah's conscious decision not to commit an act that would have been common but contrary to God's law. This was a critical ethical choice in a cultural context where blood feuds and collective responsibility were prevalent.
  • "their children" (בְּנֵיהֶ֖ם – b'ne'ihem): Refers specifically to the offspring of the murderers, not merely innocent people in general. The focus is on the direct lineage, where ancient custom would often target them for retaliation or retribution.
• but acted according to what is written in the Law (כַּכָּת֣וּב בַּתּוֹרָ֗ה – kakkathuv batTorah):
  • "acted according to" (כַּכָּת֣וּב – kakkathuv): "As it is written," emphasizing adherence to a fixed, authoritative text. This shows Amaziah’s deference to divine authority rather than personal impulse or societal norms.
  • "the Law" (בַּתּוֹרָ֗ה – batTorah): From תּוֹרָה (Torah), meaning "instruction" or "law." It refers specifically to God's divine revelation and commands given through Moses. This word signifies the covenant foundation for Israel's ethical and legal system, which superseded human traditions.
• in the Book of Moses (בְּסֵפֶ֣ר מֹשֶׁ֔ה – b'Sepher Mosheh):
  • "Book of Moses": Directly identifies the authoritative source of the law as the Pentateuch, affirming its divine inspiration and Mosaical authorship. This lends absolute authority to the command, emphasizing its ancient and sacred origin.
• where the Lord commanded, saying, (כַּאֲשֶׁ֖ר צִוָּ֣ה יְהוָ֑ה לֵאמֹֽר׃ – ka'asher tzivah YHVH lemor):
  • "the Lord commanded" (צִוָּ֣ה יְהוָ֑ה – tzivah YHVH): יְהוָה (YHVH - the LORD) is the personal, covenantal name of God. "Commanded" (צִוָּה – tzivah, Piel of צוה - tzavah) highlights the direct, authoritative instruction from God Himself, reinforcing the absolute binding nature of the law. It removes any ambiguity about its origin or authority.
• "Fathers shall not die because of their children, nor shall children die because of their fathers; but each one shall die for his own sin." (לֹא־יֽוּמְת֖וּ אָב֥וֹת עַל־בָּנִ֑ים וּבָנִים֙ לֹא־יֽוּמְת֣וּ עַל־אֲבוֹתָ֔ם כִּ֥י אִם־אִ֖ישׁ בְּחֶטְא֣וֹ יָמֽוּת׃ – lo'-yumtu avot al-banim uv’banim lo'-yumtu al-avotam ki im-ish b’chet'o yamut)
  • This is a direct quote from Deuteronomy 24:16.
  • "Fathers shall not die because of their children" (לֹא־יֽוּמְת֖וּ אָב֥וֹת עַל־בָּנִ֑ים – lo'-yumtu avot al-banim): Prohibition against judicial capital punishment on the basis of a family member's sin.
  • "nor shall children die because of their fathers" (וּבָנִים֙ לֹא־יֽוּמְת֣וּ עַל־אֲבוֹתָ֔ם – uv'banim lo'-yumtu al-avotam): Reiterates the principle, explicitly covering the other direction, the situation relevant to Amaziah's decision. The verb form יֽוּמְת֣וּ (yumtu) is Hophal (passive) imperfect of mut, meaning "they shall not be caused to die."
  • "but each one shall die for his own sin." (כִּ֥י אִם־אִ֖ישׁ בְּחֶטְא֣וֹ יָמֽוּת׃ – ki im-ish b'chet'o yamut): This clause provides the positive statement of the principle.
    • "each one" (אִ֖ישׁ – ish): Emphasizes the individual nature of culpability. Every person is singularly accountable.
    • "his own sin" (בְּחֶטְא֣וֹ – b'chet'o): Highlights personal transgression as the sole basis for judgment. חֶטְא (chet'): "sin," implies specific acts of rebellion against God's law. This is the cornerstone of biblical justice concerning human judicial actions.

2 Chronicles 25 4 Bonus section

The implementation of Deuteronomy 24:16, as seen in Amaziah's act, stands as a clear polemic against contemporary ancient Near Eastern legal codes (e.g., portions of the Code of Hammurabi which sometimes included collective responsibility for certain offenses) that practiced corporate punishment. It affirmed Israel's unique covenant relationship with YHWH, whose justice transcended human vengefulness or expedient cruelty. The Chronicler's emphasis on "the Book of Moses" underscores the unwavering divine authority for such a revolutionary ethical standard. This commitment to individual accountability became a foundational truth, eventually blossoming into the New Testament's understanding that each person stands before God for their own deeds (Rom 14:12) and that personal faith is the pathway to righteousness, not lineage or inherited merit. Amaziah, while imperfect in his reign overall, is credited with acting rightly in this specific and critical moment, setting a positive example of limited, biblical justice.

2 Chronicles 25 4 Commentary

2 Chronicles 25:4 portrays King Amaziah's commendable act of adherence to a crucial tenet of the Mosaic Law: the principle of individual accountability in legal judgment. In contrast to prevailing ancient Near Eastern customs that frequently mandated collective punishment, where entire families could be put to death for the crimes of a single member, God's law in Israel strictly limited judicial consequences to the individual perpetrator. By explicitly refusing to execute the children of his father's murderers, Amaziah demonstrated a significant commitment to this divine precept from Deuteronomy 24:16.

This command is profound for several reasons. Firstly, it showcases God's unique standard of justice and mercy, elevating His covenant people above pagan societies where fear and retributive collective justice often reigned. It prevented endless blood feuds and upheld a fairer legal system. Secondly, it prefigures and lays the theological groundwork for later prophetic emphasis (notably in Jeremiah 31 and Ezekiel 18) on personal spiritual responsibility, dispelling the proverb of children suffering for their parents' "sour grapes." It firmly establishes that divine justice is ultimately personal, demanding individual righteousness or confronting individual sin. While the Bible does acknowledge that sin can have generational consequences (e.g., Exod 20:5 regarding idolatry, impacting descendants through shared practices), it distinguishes this from direct judicial punishment where an individual is executed for an ancestor's crime. Amaziah's action here reflects not merely human justice, but God's character.

Examples:

• Preventing endless cycles: A family member kills a neighbor; the law prevents the neighbor's family from retaliating by killing the murderer's children, breaking a potential cycle of violence.
• Just leadership: A king refusing to collectively punish a town for a single rebel leader's actions, upholding individual responsibility.