Amaziah of Judah

Amaziah
King of Judah
Reign796–792 BCE (over Judah)
796–767 BCE (entire reign)
PredecessorJoash
SuccessorUzziah
Bornc. 822 BCE
Diedc. 767 BCE
SpouseJecoliah
IssueUzziah
HouseHouse of David
FatherJoash
MotherJehoaddan of Jerusalem

Amaziah of Judah (pronounced /æməˈz.ə/, Hebrew: אֲמַצְיָהוּ, ʼĂmaṣyāhū, meaning "the strength of the Lord", "strengthened by Yahweh", or "Yahweh is mighty"; Greek: Αμασίας; Latin: Amasias),[1] was the ninth king of Judah and the son and successor of Joash. His mother was Jehoaddan (2 Kings 14:1–4) and his son was Uzziah (2 Chronicles 26:1). He took the throne at the age of 25, after the assassination of his father, and reigned for 29 years (2 Kings 14:2 2 Chronicles 25:1), 24 years of which were with the co-regency of his son. The second Book of Kings and the second Book of Chronicles in the Hebrew Bible consider him a righteous king, but with some hesitation.[2] He is praised for killing the assassins of his father only and sparing their children, as dictated by the Mosaic Law.

Edwin R. Thiele dates Amaziah's reign from 797/796 to 768/767 BCE.[3] Thiele's chronology has his son Uzziah becoming co-regent with him in the fifth year of his reign, in 792/791 BCE, when Uzziah was 16 years old.

  1. ^ "1 Chronicles 3:1 Amaziah his son, Azariah his son, Jotham his son". Mlbible.com. Retrieved 2012-10-01.
  2. ^ 2 Kings 14:3;2 Chronicles 25:2
  3. ^ Edwin R. Thiele, The Mysterious Numbers of the Hebrew Kings (3rd ed.; Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan/Kregel, 1983) 217.