2 Kings 14:3

And he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord,..... At least externally, and at the beginning of his reign: yet not like David his father; not with a perfect heart, with that sincerity and uprightness as he did, see 2 Chronicles 25:2, he did according to all things as Joash his father did; who at first reigned well, and then fell into idolatry, as this his son did.

2 Kings 14:3-4 . He did right in the sight of the Lord — In many respects, attending on God’s altars, and attending to his word: yet not like David his father — Or progenitor: not obeying in the same spirit of faith and devotion, and with the same sincerity, resolution, and perseverance. As Joash his father did — Who , for a time, served God aright; but afterward fell away to idolatry. Thus did Amaziah, 2 Chronicles 25:14 . Howbeit, the high places, &c. — Though he did what was right, yet the high places were not taken away — For it is difficult to get clear of those corruptions which by long usage have gained prescription.

And he did that which was {a} right in the sight of the LORD, yet not like David his father: he did according to all things as Joash his father did. (a) In the beginning of his reign he seemed to have an outward show of godliness, but later he became an idolater and worshipped the idols of the Idumeans.

Right in the sight of the Lord; that which was in some sort agreeable to God’s will. Not like David his father; not sincerely, 2 Chronicles 25:2 . He did according to all things as Joash his father did, i.e. for a time served God aright, but afterwards fell to idolatry, 2 Chronicles 25:14 , as Joash had done, 2 Kings 12:3 .

He did ... as Joash - There is a curious parity between the lives of Joash and Amaziah. Both were zealous for Yahweh in the earlier portion of their reigns, but in the latter part fell away; both disregarded the rebukes of prophets; and both, having forsaken God, were in the end conspired against and slain (compare 2 Chronicles 24:25 ; 2 Chronicles 25:27 ).

3-6. He did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, yet not like David his father—The beginning of his reign was excellent, for he acted the part of a constitutional king, according to the law of God, yet not with perfect sincerity of heart (compare 2Ch 25:2). As in the case of his father Joash, the early promise was belied by the devious course he personally followed in later life (see 2Ch 20:14), as well as by the public irregularities he tolerated in the kingdom.

3 . yet not like David his father ] The Chronicler merely gives ‘but not with a perfect heart’, making no mention of Amaziah’s resemblance to Joash, nor of his falling short of David. according to all things as Joash his father did ] R.V. had done . Of course this can only refer to the general resemblance not to the various parts of Amaziah’s conduct. The next verse, which is almost word for word the same as is said in 2 Kings 12:3 concerning Joash, shews how Amaziah walked in his father’s footsteps.

Verse 3. - And he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, yet not like David his father. Only one King of Judah hitherto, viz. Asa, had obtained the praise that he "did that which was right in the eyes of the Lord, as did David his father" ( 1 Kings 15:11 ). All the others had fallen short more or less; and Amaziah fell short in many respects. He was wanting in "a perfect heart" ( 2 Chronicles 25:2 ), i.e. a fixed intention to do God's will; he was proud and boastful (ver. 10); he gave way to idolatry in his later years ( 2 Chronicles 25:14 ), and he despised the reproof of the prophet who was sent to rebuke his sin ( 2 Chronicles 25:16 ). Though placed among the "good kings' by the authors of both Kings and Chronicles, it is, as it were, under protest, with a distinct intimation that, although better than most of his predecessors, he did not reach a high standard. He did according to all things as Joash his father did. There is something of Oriental hyperbole in this statement, which must be understood in the spirit, not in the letter. The two kings were differently circumstanced, and history did not "repeat itself" in their reigns. The position of Joash with respect to Jehoiada finds no parallel in the circumstances of the life of Amaziah. Still, the lives are parallel to some extent. Both kings began better than they ended. Both were zealous for Jehovah at first, but turned to idolatry at last.

Both opposed themselves to prophets, and treated their rebukes with scorn. Both reused conspiracy against them by their misconduct, and were murdered by the malcontents. Further, both were unsuccessful in war, had to withstand a siege of their capital, and bought off their enemy by the surrender of the greater part of its wealth, including the treasures of the temple (comp. 2 Kings 12:18 with 2 Kings 14:14 ). 2 Kings 14:3

Amaziah reigned twenty-nine years in the same theocratical spirit as his father Joash, only not like his ancestor David, i.e., according to the correct explanation in 2 Chronicles 25:2 , not with שׁלם לבב (see at 1 Kings 11:4 ), since Amaziah, like his father Joash (see at 2 Kings 12:3 ), fell into idolatry in the closing years of his reign (cf. 2 Chronicles 25:14 .). - Only the high places were not taken away, etc.