Amaziah

Amaziah was a king of Judah. He succeeded his father Joash, reigning for twenty-nine years. His reign is primarily documented in the Second Book of Kings and the Second Book of Chronicles.

Early in his reign, Amaziah achieved a significant military victory, defeating the Edomites in the Valley of Salt. Following this success, he became overconfident and challenged Jehoash, the king of Israel. This challenge led to a battle between the two kingdoms, which resulted in Judah's defeat and the capture of Amaziah by Jehoash. Jehoash also breached the walls of Jerusalem and took treasures from the Temple and the royal palace.

After his release, Amaziah continued to rule Judah, but his actions became increasingly influenced by religious dissent. He brought idols from Edom into Jerusalem, which was seen as a violation of the covenant with Yahweh. The prophet sent to rebuke him was ignored, and Amaziah's reign ultimately ended with a conspiracy against him. He was forced to flee to Lachish, where he was eventually assassinated.