One of the kings of the Southern kingdom of Yehudah and a far off successor of king David, was AmatsYah, son of Yahuásh, who became king when he was only 25 years old. While the kings in those days were always evaluated by comparing them with one of their predecessors, AmatsYah received a testimonial that simply read: "He did what was right in the eyes of Yahweh, but not like his father Dawid. He did according to all his father Yahuásh did" (2 Melachim / 2 Kings 14:3). The writer of Chronicles gave an evaluation, even more to the point than this one: "He did what was right in the eyes of Yahweh, but not with a perfect heart."

What did AmatsYah do to earn himself a reputation of this nature? Let us take a brief look at the legacy of AmatsYah, the eighth king of the Southern kingdom of Yehudah, who occupied the throne in Jerusalem close to the year 800 before Messiah. In order to restore his kingdom to its former greatness he made war on the Edomites, defeated them in the Valley of Salt, south of the Dead Sea, and took their capital, Selah or Petra and renamed this remarkable city Yokteél. Why did he rename the city and give it the name Yokteél, which means something like "obedience to Elohim"? Because, in his preparation for this war, AmatsYah listened to the word of a prophet of Yahweh who had advised him not to make use of a great number of mercenary soldiers from the Northern kingdom to help him in the war against the Edomites. So, in this sense, he did what was right in the eyes of Yahweh and was rewarded for his obedience.

The question is, however, why was there a "but" in his testimonial? Why will people always remember the more gloomy addition to AmatsYah’s life story: "… But not like his father David … But not with a perfect heart …"? Because, after his victory over the Edomites, according to 2 Chronicles 25:14, "he brought the mighty ones of the people of Seír, and set them up to be his mighty ones, and bowed down before them and burned incense to them." Seír was the mountain area in which the city of Petra was situated. Once again AmatsYah is visited by a prophet of Yahweh. Whether it was the same prophet as the one that had visited him before, we do not know. But the words of the prophet are extremely significant: "Why have you sought the mighty ones of the people, which did not deliver their own people from your hand?" Why would you rely on so called "mighty ones" that turn out to be nothing and worthless compared to the Mighty One who has just illustrated his great strength before the eyes of all the people? As a result of this act of mistrust and disloyalty to Yahweh, AmatsYah’s kingdom starts to weaken and the king’s life turns into a battle to survive.

There are many lessons to be learned from the historical picture of king AmatsYah, but perhaps the aspect that is highlighted more than anything else, is the perspective of strength – where to look for it and how to deal with it. In the entire description of the history of king AmatsYah, especially the version found in 2 Chronicles 25, there is a noticeable wordplay and emphasis on the aspect of "strength". It all starts with the name "AmatsYah" which quite literally means: "strength of Yahweh" or "Yahweh is strength". Without a doubt, this was a king with all the potential, a young man destined to experience and to reflect the fact that there is great strength for those who trust in Yahweh and remain loyal to Yahweh. But alas, he did not live up to this expectation. Even when the prophet who came to him the first time said to him that Yahweh had much more to give him than the 100 talents he had lost by trying to hire foreign soldiers – even then AmatsYah did not fully realise that only Yahweh was his strength – not a multitude of soldiers, not more military muscle or any kind of impressive human effort.

And then the episode when AmatsYah brought home some of the images or idols of the people he had just before conquered in the Name and the power of Yahweh. Even this episode is an obvious reference to the aspect of strength, although this may not be reflected in many translations of the scriptures. This may clearly be seen in a literal translation of 2 Chronicles 25:14 and 15: "And it came to be, after AmatsYah came from smiting the Edomites, that he brought the mighty ones of the people of Seír, and set them up to be his mighty ones, and bowed down before them and burned incense to them. Therefore the displeasure of Yahweh burned against AmatsYah, and He sent him a prophet who said to him, ‘Why have you sought the mighty ones of the people, which did not deliver their own people from your hand?’" Although Yahweh is the (only) Mighty One of his people, and had just before demonstrated his might and his power to both AmatsYah and everyone who took part in that war, it seems that AmatsYah loses all perspective and common sense, abandons his trust in Elohim, the Mighty One of Yisrael, and seeks the comfort and counsel of other so called mighty ones. In one moment of folly he forgets that only Yahweh is his source of strength and that only Yahweh deserves his complete loyalty and admiration.

Later, when AmatsYah tries to meet with Yahuásh, the king of Yisrael (the Northern kingdom), Yahuásh uses a parable to describe the life of AmatsYah. He said AmatsYah was full of pride and confidence in his own strength because of his victory over the Edomites but in reality, compared to the king of Yisrael, he was like a thistle (a thorn bush) compared to a seder of the Livanon. He thought he was strong and invincible, but he forgot the meaning and significance of his own name, "Yahweh is strength". Those who forget this, are bound to be bitterly disappointed.

Today we know that the Edomite city that AmatsYah took in the prime of his reign is the same place that subsequently became known as Petra, one of the most amazing archaeological wonders of the world. The word "petra" means "rock" and even a short visit to the modern-day Petra or a quick glance at any picture of this place, will make abundantly clear why its name is "rock" – it is a city carved out of rock. What can be more secure and solid and invincible than a city carved out of stone and embedded in rock? In the time of AmatsYah Yahweh showed that even a rock-city was no match for his strength and his power. Yes, his strength is often compared to a rock and those who trust in Him, enjoys a life founded on rock, but extreme care should be taken not to confuse this Rock of all ages, with any kind of rock originating from a different source.