- AMASHAI the son of Azareel, appointed by Nehemiah to reside at
Jerusalem and do the work of the temple (Nehemiah 11:13). - AMASIAH burden of (i.e., “sustained by”) Jehovah, the “son of Zichri,
who willingly offered himself unto the Lord,” a captain over thousands
under Jehoshaphat (2 Chronicles 17:16; comp. Judges 5:9). - AMAZIAH strengthened by Jehovah. (1.) A Levite, son of Hilkiah, of the
descendants of Ethan the Merarite (1 Chronicles 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 Chronicles 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 Chronicles
25:5, 6). He was commanded by a prophet of the Lord to send back the
mercenaries, which he did (2 Chronicles 25:7-10, 13), much to their
annoyance. His obedience to this command was followed by a decisive
victory over the Edomites (2 Chronicles 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 Chronicles
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 Chronicles 4:34).