The karmic wheel turned quickly. Ginzberg, in Legends of the Jews, paints a grim picture: Joash didn't just die; he suffered. He fell into the hands of the Syrians, who, the text delicately puts it, "abused him in their barbarous, immoral way." And just when he thought the ordeal was over, his own servants finished the job, assassinating him. Talk about a fall from grace.
Then comes his son, Amaziah. He starts off well enough, seemingly following in his father’s footsteps only in kingship, not in sin. He even wins a major victory against the Edomites, thanks to, as the Second Book of Chronicles tells us, God’s aid. But here’s where things get…complicated. Instead of thanking God properly, Amaziah decides the best way to show his gratitude is to bring the idols of the defeated Edomites back to Jerusalem and start worshipping them!
Why? What was he thinking? Perhaps he thought he could co-opt their power, or maybe he was just arrogant in his victory. Whatever the reason, God, unsurprisingly, wasn’t thrilled.
So, what does God do? According to Legends of the Jews, God inspires Amaziah to pick a fight with Joash, the king of the northern kingdom of Israel (who happened to be of no relation to Amaziah). It’s like God’s setting the stage for a showdown. Amaziah, puffed up with pride, demands that Joash acknowledge him as the superior ruler. Surrender, or face the consequences!
Joash, probably sighing at the absurdity of it all, tries to reason with Amaziah. He sends him a parable, a story meant to warn him. In this parable, reminiscent of the story of Shechem from Genesis 34, Joash reminds Amaziah of the dangers of provoking a stronger power, of the violence that can follow when you overstep your bounds.
But Amaziah, blinded by ego, refuses to listen. He insists on war. And as you might guess, it doesn’t go well for him. Amaziah suffers a crushing defeat. The Second Book of Kings (14:11-12) tells us that Judah was routed, and Amaziah was captured. And it doesn't end there. According to Legends of the Jews, Amaziah is eventually tortured to death by his own people. A tragic end for a king who started with such promise.
What are we to make of these stories? Perhaps it's a reminder that power, victory, and even good intentions can be corrupted. It's a potent reminder of the consequences of hubris, of forgetting the source of your blessings. And maybe, just maybe, it's a cautionary tale for all of us, regardless of our station in life, to stay humble and remember the importance of staying true to our values.