Amaziah
    strengthened by Jehovah. (1.) A Levite, son of Hilkiah, of the
    descendants of Ethan the Merarite (1 Chr. 6:45).

      (2.) The son and successor of Joash, and eighth king of the
    separate kingdom of Judah (2 Kings 14:1-4). He began his reign
    by punishing the murderers of his father (5-7; 2 Chr. 25:3-5).
    He was the first to employ a mercenary army of 100,000 Israelite
    soldiers, which he did in his attempt to bring the Edomites
    again under the yoke of Judah (2 Chr. 25:5, 6). He was commanded
    by a prophet of the Lord to send back the mercenaries, which he
    did (2 Chr. 25:7-10, 13), much to their annoyance. His obedience
    to this command was followed by a decisive victory over the
    Edomites (2 Chr. 25:14-16). Amaziah began to worship some of the
    idols he took from the Edomites, and this was his ruin, for he
    was vanquished by Joash, king of Israel, whom he challenged to
    battle. The disaster he thus brought upon Judah by his
    infatuation in proclaiming war against Israel probably
    occasioned the conspiracy by which he lost his life (2 Kings
    14:8-14, 19). He was slain at Lachish, whither he had fled, and
    his body was brought upon horses to Jerusalem, where it was
    buried in the royal sepulchre (2 Kings 14:19, 20; 2 Chr. 25:27,
    28).

      (3.) A priest of the golden calves at Bethel (Amos 7:10-17).

      (4.) The father of Joshah, one of the Simeonite chiefs in the
    time of Hezekiah (1 Chr. 4:34).



 Amaziah, the strength of the Lord