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2 Chronicles 25:16
And it came to pass, as he talked with him, thatthe king said unto him, Art thou made of the king's counsel? forbear; why shouldest thou be smitten? Then the prophet forbare, and said, I know that God hath determined to destroy thee, because thou hast done this, and hast not hearkened unto my counsel.

2 Chronicles 22:7
And the destruction of Ahaziah was of God by coming to Joram: for when he was come, he went out with Jehoram against Jehu the son of Nimshi, whom the LORD had anointed to cut off the house of Ahab.

1 Kings 12:15
Wherefore the king hearkened not unto the people; for the cause was from the LORD, that he might perform his saying, which the LORD spake by Ahijah the Shilonite unto Jeroboam the son of Nebat.

sought

2 Chronicles 25:14
Now it came to pass, after that Amaziah was come from the slaughter of the Edomites, that he brought the gods of the children of Seir, and set them upto be his gods, and bowed down himself before them, and burned incense unto them.

for this had come from God
This phrase underscores the sovereignty of God in the affairs of nations and individuals. It reflects the biblical principle that God can use even the disobedience of His people to fulfill His purposes, as seen inRomans 8:28. Theologically, it suggests that God's plans are ultimately beyond human understanding, aligning withIsaiah 55:8-9, where God's thoughts and ways are higher than ours.

in order to deliver them into the hand of Jehoash
Jehoash, the king of Israel, becomes an instrument of God's judgment against Judah. This reflects the biblical theme of God using foreign powers to discipline His people, similar to how He used Babylon to judge Judah later in history (Jeremiah 25:9). The historical context here is the divided kingdom, where Israel and Judah were often at odds, and God used these conflicts to bring about His purposes.

because they had sought the gods of Edom
Amaziah's idolatry is the root cause of his downfall. The gods of Edom represent the temptation of syncretism, where the worship of Yahweh is mixed with pagan practices, a recurring issue in Israel's history (Exodus 20:3-5). This idolatry is a direct violation of the first commandment and serves as a reminder of the spiritual adultery that leads to divine judgment, as seen inHosea 4:12. The Edomites, descendants of Esau, were long-standing enemies of Israel, and their gods symbolized a rejection of the covenant relationship with Yahweh.

2 Chronicles 25 records that after defeating Edom, Amaziah was warned by a prophet not to provoke Israel (vv. 15–16), yet “Amaziah would not listen” (v. 20).

• He had already ignored the earlier rebuke for bringing Edomite idols home (v. 14).

• Pride followed a military win;Proverbs 16:18 reminds us, “Pride goes before destruction.”

• His stubbornness mirrors Saul’s refusal to heed Samuel (1 Samuel 15:22-23) and the king-to-king caution Jehoash himself offered: “Why provoke trouble so that you fall?” (2 Kings 14:10).

•Proverbs 29:1 warns, “A man who remains stiff-necked after much reproof will suddenly be shattered.”

The chronicler immediately anchors Amaziah’s deafness in divine sovereignty: “for this had come from God” (v. 20).

• God sometimes gives people over to the path they insist on (Romans 1:24).

• Similar language appears when Rehoboam ignored counsel “for this turn of events was from the LORD” (1 Kings 12:15).

•Judges 14:4 shows God working even through human folly;Genesis 50:20 shows His ability to overrule evil for His purposes.

•2 Thessalonians 2:11 echoes the principle: “God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie.”

God’s purpose was disciplinary defeat: Israel’s king Jehoash would humiliate Judah.

• The outcome is recorded in2 Kings 14:12-14—Judah’s army was routed, Jerusalem’s wall broken, temple treasures seized.

•Deuteronomy 32:30 asks, “How could one man chase a thousand… unless their Rock had sold them?” acknowledging that military loss signals divine withdrawal.

•2 Chronicles 24:24 had earlier noted a small Aramean force defeating a larger Judean army “because the LORD had delivered Judah into their hand.”

The root issue is idolatry: “because they had sought the gods of Edom” (v. 20).

• After victory over Edom, Amaziah brought home their idols and “bowed down before them and burned sacrifices to them” (2 Chronicles 25:14).

• This violated the first commandment (Exodus 20:3) and the repeated warning against adopting conquered nations’ gods (Exodus 23:24).

•Jeremiah 2:11‐13 laments exchanging “their Glory for useless idols,” a charge that fits Amaziah.

•1 John 5:21 closes with “keep yourselves from idols,” underscoring the timeless relevance.

Amaziah’s refusal to listen was more than personal stubbornness; it was the outworking of God’s righteous judgment. Because the king turned to Edomite idols, God withdrew protection and orchestrated circumstances so that pride-filled Judah fell into Jehoash’s hands. The verse is a sober reminder that idolatry and hardened hearts invite divine discipline, while humble obedience keeps us under the Lord’s protective care.

For it came of God. . .gods of Edom.--This remark is added by the chronicler, accounting for the infatuation of Joash by reference to the divine predetermination of events. (Comp.2Chronicles 25:16; and2Chronicles 24:24;2Chronicles 10:15; the Syr. and Arab. omit.)

That he might deliver them into the hand.--Heb.,into hand; LXX., "into hands;" Vulg., "into the hands of the enemy." Perhaps the original reading was,into his hand, i.e., the hand of Joash.

Because they sought.--For they had sought.