When word came to the house of David that Aram had allied itself with Ephraim, the heart of the king and heart of the people trembled, as the trees of the forest tremble in the wind.
When all Israel saw that the king did not listen to them, the people answered the king: “What share have we in David? We have no heritage in the son of Jesse. To your tents, Israel! Now look to your own house, David.” So Israel went off to their tents.
He cried out against the altar by the word of the Lord: “Altar, altar, thus says the Lord: A child shall be born to the house of David, Josiah by name, who shall slaughter upon you the priests of the high places who burn incense upon you, and they shall burn human bones upon you.”
Amaziah then disbanded the troops that had come to him from Ephraim, and sent them home. But they became furiously angry with Judah, and returned home blazing with anger.
At this, some of the Ephraimite leaders, Azariah, son of Johanan, Berechiah, son of Meshillemoth, Jehizkiah, son of Shallum, and Amasa, son of Hadlai, themselves stood up in opposition to those who had returned from the war.
The envy of Ephraim shall pass away, and those hostile to Judah shall be cut off; Ephraim shall not envy Judah, and Judah shall not be hostile to Ephraim;
If there remain a tenth part in it, then this in turn shall be laid waste; As with a terebinth or an oak whose trunk remains when its leaves have fallen. Holy offspring is the trunk.
The Lord shall bring upon you and your people and your father’s house such days as have not come since Ephraim seceded from Judah (the king of Assyria).
house of David! Thus says the Lord: Each morning dispense justice, rescue the oppressed from the hand of the oppressor, Or my fury will break out like fire and burn with no one to quench it because of your evil deeds.