e to Joash, the king of Israel, and commanded that he and all his
people should be obedient to him, as they had formerly been obedient
to his progenitors, David and Solomon; and he let him know, that if he
would not be so wise as to do what he commanded him, he must fight for
his dominion. To which message Joash returned this answer in writing:
"King Joash to king Amaziah. There was a vastly tall cypress tree in
Mount Lebanon, as also a thistle; this thistle sent to the cypress tree
to give the cypress tree's daughter in marriage to the thistle's son;
but as the thistle was saying this, there came a wild beast, and
trod down the thistle: and this may be a lesson to thee, not to be so
ambitious, and to have a care, lest upon thy good success in the fight
against the Amalekites thou growest so proud, as to bring dangers upon
thyself and upon thy kingdom."

3. When Amaziah had read this letter, he was more eager upon this
expedition, which, I suppose, was by the impulse of God, that he might
be punished for his offense against him. But as soon as he led out his
army against Joash, and they were going to join battle with him, there
came such a fear and consternation upon the army of Amaziah, as God,
when he is displeased, sends upon men, and discomfited them, even before
they came to a close fight. Now it happened, that as they were scattered
about by the terror that was upon them, Amaziah was left alone, and was
taken prisoner by the enemy; whereupon Joash threatened to kill him,
unless he would persuade the people of Jerusalem to open their gates to
him, and receive him and his army into the city. Accordingly Amaziah was
so distressed, and in such fear of his life, that he made his enemy to
be received into the city. So Joash over threw a part of the wall, of
the length of four hundred cubits, and drove his chariot through the
breach into Jerusalem, and led Amaziah captive along with him; by which
means he became master of Jerusalem, and took away the treasures of God,
and carried off all the gold and silver that was in the king's palace,
and then freed the king from captivity, and returned to Samaria. Now
these things happened to the people of Jerusalem in the fourteenth year
of the reign of Amaziah, who after this had a conspiracy made against
him by his friends, and fled to the city Lachish, and was there slain by
the conspirators, who sent men thither to kill him. So they took up his
dead body, and carried it to Jerusa