AMASIAH, king of Judah, succeeded his father Joash in tne 25th year of his age ; and in the year behave Christ 839. At the commencement of his reign, he showed sonic reverence to divine authority ; and when he punished the murderers of his father, he spared their families from a regard to the law of Moses, and with a clemency not very common in those times. (Deur. xxiv. 16.) Ile soon became intoxicated by his great potter and brilliant successes against the Idumxans, and was so very infatuated, that he attached himself to the idols of that conquered people. Before his expedition into Edom, he had dismissed, by the advice of a prophet, 100,000 troops, whom he had hired front the king of Israel ; and they considering their discharge as an in sult, ravaged his territories in a cruel manner, on their return home. Returning victorious, and elated by his conquests, lie sought reparation for this offence, by sending a haughty defiance to Joash, king of Israel. This prince, equally proud of his power, and convinced of his invincibility, and haying just concluded a very successful war against the Syrians, held the king of Judah in the utmost contempt ; and answered his chal lenge by a very sarcastic fable. (2 Kings, xiv. 9.) Ama
ziah, swelling 11.1111 indignation, hastened to the contest, and met his enemy at 13ethshernesh. His troops were struck with a panic at the first onset ; fled without making any resistance, and left him a prisoner in the hands of Joash. This conqueror, pursuing his victory, marched straight to Jerusalem uith his royal captive ; plundered the palace and temple ; broke clown a con siderable portion of the walls of the city- ; and then left the humbled Amasiah at liberty in his ruined capital. About 15 years subsequent to this defeat, lie was cut off by a conspiracy in the 29th year of his reign.-2 chap. xiv. 2 Chron. xxiv. and xxv. Joseph. vintiv, I. ix. c. Un. Mist. vol. iv. I. I. c. 7. (y)