Amaziah | |
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![]() Amaziah from Guillaume Rouillé's Promptuarii Iconum Insigniorum, 1553 | |
King of Judah | |
Reign | 796–792 BCE (over Judah) 796–767 BCE (entire reign) |
Predecessor | Joash |
Successor | Uzziah |
Born | c. 822 BCE |
Died | c. 767 BCE |
Spouse | Jecoliah |
Issue | Uzziah |
House | House of David |
Father | Joash |
Mother | Jehoaddan of Jerusalem |
Amaziah of Judah (pronounced /æməˈzaɪ.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.