But the children of the murderers he slew not: according unto that which is written in the book of the law of Moses, wherein the LORD commanded, saying, The fathers shall not be put to death for the children, nor the children be put to death for the fathers; but every man shall be put to death for his own sin.
But he did not kill the children of the murderers. He followed what was written in the law of Moses, where the LORD commanded: 'Fathers must not be put to death because of their children's sins, and children must not be put to death because of their fathers' sins. Each person should be put to death only for their own sin.'
This verse shows that God's law requires people to be held responsible only for their own actions, not punished for what their family members have done.
📚 Historical Context
In the biblical narrative of 2 Kings, King Amaziah of Judah chose not to execute the children of the assassins who killed his father, following the explicit command in the Law of Moses from Deuteronomy. This law was given to prevent collective punishment, a common practice in ancient Near Eastern cultures where entire families might suffer for one member's crime, emphasizing instead that justice should be individual. By adhering to this principle, Amaziah demonstrated obedience to God's instructions as recorded in Scripture.
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