◄ 2 Kings 14:8 ►
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.
Study Bible
Then Amaziah sent messengers to the king of Israel Jehoash son of Jehoahaz, the son of Jehu.
Amaziah was the king of Judah, and his actions here reflect the political tensions between the divided kingdoms of Israel and Judah. The sending of messengers was a common diplomatic practice in the ancient Near East, often used to propose alliances, declare war, or negotiate peace. Jehoash, also known as Joash, was the king of Israel at this time, and his lineage is significant. Jehoahaz and Jehu were his predecessors, with Jehu being notable for his zealous reforms and overthrow of the house of Ahab (2 Kings 9-10). This lineage highlights the ongoing dynastic struggles and the fulfillment of God's judgment against the house of Ahab. The mention of Jehu connects to the broader narrative of God's sovereignty in raising and deposing kings according to His purposes.

“Come, let us meet face to face,” he said.
Amaziah's challenge to Jehoash to meet "face to face" is a direct invitation to battle, reflecting the honor-shame culture of the time where personal and national pride were at stake. This phrase indicates a desire for confrontation, likely stemming from Amaziah's recent victory over Edom (2 Kings 14:7), which may have emboldened him. The meeting "face to face" suggests a personal and direct conflict, contrasting with the indirect nature of sending messengers. This confrontation can be seen as a reflection of human pride and ambition, themes prevalent throughout the biblical narrative. The outcome of this encounter, as detailed in the following verses, serves as a reminder of the dangers of pride and the importance of seeking God's guidance rather than relying on human strength and achievements.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Amaziah
The king of Judah, son of Joash, who sought to challenge the king of Israel. His reign is marked by both faithfulness and folly.

2. Jehoash (Joash) of Israel
The king of Israel, son of Jehoahaz, and grandson of Jehu. He was approached by Amaziah for a confrontation.

3. Judah
The southern kingdom, ruled by Amaziah, often in conflict with the northern kingdom of Israel.

4. Israel
The northern kingdom, ruled by Jehoash, frequently at odds with Judah.

5. The Challenge
Amaziah's proposal to meet "face to face" was a challenge to battle, reflecting political tensions and personal pride.
Teaching Points
The Danger of Pride
Amaziah's challenge to Jehoash was rooted in pride and overconfidence. Believers are reminded to guard against pride, which can lead to unnecessary conflict and downfall.

Seeking God's Guidance
Before making significant decisions, especially those involving conflict, it is crucial to seek God's wisdom and guidance. Amaziah's failure to do so serves as a cautionary tale.

The Consequences of Conflict
The account illustrates how personal and political conflicts can have broader implications, affecting entire nations. Christians are called to be peacemakers and to resolve disputes in a godly manner.

Learning from History
The accounts of the kings of Israel and Judah provide valuable lessons. Reflecting on their successes and failures can guide believers in their own spiritual journeys.
Bible Study Questions
1. What motivated Amaziah to challenge Jehoash, and how can we avoid similar pitfalls of pride in our own lives?

2. How does the account of Amaziah and Jehoash illustrate the importance of seeking God's guidance before making decisions?

3. In what ways can unresolved personal conflicts impact larger communities, and how can we apply biblical principles to resolve them?

4. How does the division between Israel and Judah serve as a backdrop for understanding the tensions in 2 Kings 14:8, and what lessons can we learn about unity?

5. Reflect on a time when pride led to a negative outcome in your life. How can the teachings of Proverbs 16:18 help you approach similar situations differently in the future?
Connections to Other Scriptures
2 Chronicles 25
Provides a parallel account of Amaziah's reign, offering additional insights into his character and actions.

Proverbs 16:18
Highlights the theme of pride leading to downfall, which is evident in Amaziah's challenge to Jehoash.

1 Kings 12
Describes the division of the united kingdom into Israel and Judah, setting the stage for ongoing conflicts like the one between Amaziah and Jehoash.
Sermons
Challenge to Combat Couched in Terms of PeaceJ. Parker, D. D.2 Kings 14:8
Looking in the FaceT. R. Stevenson.2 Kings 14:8
Significant Facts in God's GovernmentD. Thomas 2 Kings 14:1-29
The Boastful Challenge, and its ResultsJ. Orr 2 Kings 14:8-14
People
Ahaziah, Amaziah, Amittai, Azariah, David, Edomites, Hepher, Jehoaddan, Jehoahaz, Jehoash, Jehu, Jeroboam, Joahaz, Joash, Jonah, Nebat, Zachariah, Zechariah
Places
Beth-shemesh, Corner Gate, Damascus, Edom, Elath, Ephraim Gate, Gath-hepher, Hamath, Israel, Jerusalem, Joktheel, Lachish, Lebanon, Lebo-hamath, Samaria, Sea of the Arabah, Sela, Syria, Valley of Salt
Topics
Amaziah, Amazi'ah, Challenge, Face, Jehoahaz, Jeho'ahaz, Jehoash, Jeho'ash, Jehu, Meet, Meeting, Messengers, Representatives, Saying
Dictionary of Bible Themes
2 Kings 14:8

     5150   face
     8401   challenges

2 Kings 14:1-22

     5366   king

2 Kings 14:7-14

     7245   Judah, kingdom of

Library
The Prophet Amos.
GENERAL PRELIMINARY REMARKS. It will not be necessary to extend our preliminary remarks on the prophet Amos, since on the main point--viz., the circumstances under which he appeared as a prophet--the introduction to the prophecies of Hosea may be regarded as having been written for those of Amos also. For, according to the inscription, they belong to the same period at which Hosea's prophetic ministry began, viz., the latter part of the reign of Jeroboam II., and after Uzziah had ascended the …
Ernst Wilhelm Hengstenberg—Christology of the Old Testament

The Prophet Jonah.
It has been asserted without any sufficient reason, that Jonah is older than Hosea, Joel, Amos, and Obadiah,--that he is the oldest among the prophets whose written monuments have been preserved to us. The passage in 2 Kings xiv. 25, where it is said, that Jonah, the son of Amittai the prophet, prophesied to Jeroboam the happy success of his arms, and the restoration of the ancient boundaries of Israel, and that this prophecy was confirmed by the event, cannot decide in favour of this assertion, …
Ernst Wilhelm Hengstenberg—Christology of the Old Testament

The Twelve Minor Prophets.
1. By the Jewish arrangement, which places together the twelve minor prophets in a single volume, the chronological order of the prophets as a whole is broken up. The three greater prophets, Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel, stand in the true order of time. Daniel began to prophesy before Ezekiel, but continued, many years after him. The Jewish arrangement of the twelve minor prophets is in a sense chronological; that is, they put the earlier prophets at the beginning, and the later at the end of the …
E. P. Barrows—Companion to the Bible

The Prophet Hosea.
GENERAL PRELIMINARY REMARKS. That the kingdom of Israel was the object of the prophet's ministry is so evident, that upon this point all are, and cannot but be, agreed. But there is a difference of opinion as to whether the prophet was a fellow-countryman of those to whom he preached, or was called by God out of the kingdom of Judah. The latter has been asserted with great confidence by Maurer, among others, in his Observ. in Hos., in the Commentat. Theol. ii. i. p. 293. But the arguments …
Ernst Wilhelm Hengstenberg—Christology of the Old Testament

Tiglath-Pileser iii. And the Organisation of the Assyrian Empire from 745 to 722 B. C.
TIGLATH-PILESER III. AND THE ORGANISATION OF THE ASSYRIAN EMPIRE FROM 745 to 722 B.C. FAILURE OF URARTU AND RE-CONQUEST Of SYRIA--EGYPT AGAIN UNITED UNDER ETHIOPIAN AUSPICES--PIONKHI--THE DOWNFALL OF DAMASCUS, OF BABYLON, AND OF ISRAEL. Assyria and its neighbours at the accession of Tiglath-pileser III.: progress of the Aramaeans in the basin of the Middle Tigris--Urartu and its expansion into the north of Syria--Damascus and Israel--Vengeance of Israel on Damascus--Jeroboam II.--Civilisation …
G. Maspero—History Of Egypt, Chaldaea, Syria, Babylonia, and Assyria, V 7

The Girdle of the City. Nehemiah 3
The beginning of the circumference was from 'the sheep-gate.' That, we suppose, was seated on the south part, yet but little removed from that corner, which looks south-east. Within was the pool of Bethesda, famous for healings. Going forward, on the south part, was the tower Meah: and beyond that, "the tower of Hananeel": in the Chaldee paraphrast it is, 'The tower Piccus,' Zechariah 14:10; Piccus, Jeremiah 31:38.--I should suspect that to be, the Hippic tower, were not that placed on the north …
John Lightfoot—From the Talmud and Hebraica

The Figurative Language of Scripture.
1. When the psalmist says: "The Lord God is a sun and shield" (Psa. 84:11), he means that God is to all his creatures the source of life and blessedness, and their almighty protector; but this meaning he conveys under the figure of a sun and a shield. When, again, the apostle James says that Moses is read in the synagogues every Sabbath-day (Acts 15:21), he signifies the writings of Moses under the figure of his name. In these examples the figure lies in particular words. But it may be embodied …
E. P. Barrows—Companion to the Bible

Kings
The book[1] of Kings is strikingly unlike any modern historical narrative. Its comparative brevity, its curious perspective, and-with some brilliant exceptions--its relative monotony, are obvious to the most cursory perusal, and to understand these things is, in large measure, to understand the book. It covers a period of no less than four centuries. Beginning with the death of David and the accession of Solomon (1 Kings i., ii.) it traverses his reign with considerable fulness (1 Kings iii.-xi.), …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

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