He slew also of [a]Edom in the valley of salt, ten thousand, and took [b]the city of Sela by war, and called the name thereof Joktheel unto this day.

¶ Then Amaziah sent messengers to Jehoash the son of Jehoahaz, son of Jehu king of Israel, saying, Come, [c]let us see one another in the face.

Then Jehoash the king of Israel sent to Amaziah king of Judah, saying, The thistle that is in Lebanon, sent to the [d]Cedar that is in Lebanon, saying, Give thy daughter to my son to wife: and the wild beast that was in Lebanon, went and trode down the thistle.

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Kings 14:7 For the Idumeans, whom David had brought to subjection, did rebel in the time of Jehoram son of Jehoshaphat.
  2. 2 Kings 14:7 Or, the tower, or rock, 2 Chron. 25:32.
  3. 2 Kings 14:8 Let us fight hand to hand, and try it by battle, and not destroy one another’s cities.
  4. 2 Kings 14:9 By this parable Jehoash compareth himself to a cedar tree, because of his great kingdom over ten tribes, and Amaziah to a thistle, because he ruled but over two tribes, and the wild beasts are Jehoash’s soldiers, that spoiled the cities of Judah.

He was the one who defeated ten thousand Edomites in the Valley of Salt(A) and captured Sela(B) in battle, calling it Joktheel, the name it has to this day.

Then Amaziah sent messengers to Jehoash son of Jehoahaz, the son of Jehu, king of Israel, with the challenge: “Come, let us face each other in battle.”

But Jehoash king of Israel replied to Amaziah king of Judah: “A thistle(C) in Lebanon sent a message to a cedar in Lebanon, ‘Give your daughter to my son in marriage.’ Then a wild beast in Lebanon came along and trampled the thistle underfoot.

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