Young Joash Influenced by Jehoiada

24 (A)Joash was seven years old when he became king, and he reigned for forty years in Jerusalem; and his mother’s name was Zibiah from Beersheba. (B)Joash did what was right in the sight of the Lord all the days of Jehoiada the priest. Jehoiada took two wives for him, and he fathered sons and daughters.

Faithless Priests

Now it came about after this that Joash [a]decided (C)to restore the house of the Lord. He gathered the priests and Levites and said to them, “Go out to the cities of Judah and collect money from all (D)Israel to [b]repair the house of your God annually, and you shall [c]do the work quickly.” But the Levites did not act quickly. So the king summoned Jehoiada, the chief priest, and said to him, “Why have you not required the Levites to bring in from Judah and from Jerusalem (E)the [d]contribution of Moses, the servant of the Lord, and the congregation of Israel, (F)for the tent of the testimony?” For (G)the sons of the wicked Athaliah had broken into the house of God, and even [e]used the holy things of the house of the Lord for the Baals.

Temple Repaired

So the king commanded, and (H)they made a chest and set it outside by the gate of the house of the Lord. (I)And they made a proclamation in Judah and Jerusalem to bring to the Lord (J)the [f]contribution commanded by Moses the servant of God on Israel in the wilderness. 10 All the officers and all the people rejoiced, and they brought in their contribution and [g]dropped it into the chest until they had finished. 11 It happened that whenever the chest was brought to the king’s officer by the Levites, and (K)they saw that the money was substantial, the king’s scribe and the chief priest’s officer would come and empty the chest, and pick it up and return it to its place. They did this daily and collected a large amount of money. 12 The king and Jehoiada gave it to those who did the work of the service of the house of the Lord; and they hired masons and carpenters to restore the house of the Lord, and also workers in iron and bronze to repair the house of the Lord. 13 So the workmen labored, and the repair work progressed in their hands, and they [h]restored the house of God according to its [i]specifications and strengthened it. 14 When they had finished, they brought the rest of the money before the king and Jehoiada; and it was made into utensils for the house of the Lord, utensils for the service and the burnt offerings, and pans and utensils of gold and silver. And they offered burnt offerings in the house of the Lord continually, all the days of Jehoiada.

15 Now Jehoiada [j]reached a good old age and he died; he was 130 years old at his death. 16 And they buried him (L)in the city of David with the kings, because he had done well in (M)Israel and [k]for God and His house.

17 But after the death of Jehoiada the officials of Judah came and bowed down to the king, and the king listened to them. 18 And they abandoned (N)the house of the Lord, the God of their fathers, and (O)served the [l]Asherim and the idols; so (P)wrath came upon Judah and Jerusalem for this guilt of theirs. 19 Yet (Q)He sent prophets to them to bring them back to the Lord; and they testified against them, but they would not listen.

Joash Murders Son of Jehoiada

20 (R)Then the Spirit of God [m]covered Zechariah, the son of Jehoiada the priest like clothing; and he stood above the people and said to them, “This is what God has said, ‘(S)Why do you break the commandments of the Lord and do not prosper? (T)Because you have abandoned the Lord, He has also abandoned you.’” 21 So (U)they conspired against him, and at the command of the king they stoned him [n]to death in the courtyard of the house of the Lord. 22 So Joash the king did not remember the kindness which Zechariah’s father Jehoiada had shown him, but he murdered his son. And as Zechariah died he said, “May (V)the Lord see and [o]avenge!”

Aram Invades and Defeats Judah

23 Now it happened at the turn of the year that (W)the army of the Arameans came up against Joash; and they came to Judah and Jerusalem, destroyed all the officials of the people from among the people, and sent all their spoils to the king of Damascus. 24 Indeed, the army of the Arameans came with a small number of men; yet (X)the Lord handed a very great army over to them, (Y)because [p]Judah and Joash had abandoned the Lord, the God of their fathers. So they executed judgment on Joash.

25 (Z)When they left him (for they left him very sick), his own servants conspired against him because of the blood of the [q]son of Jehoiada the priest, and they murdered him on his bed. So he died, and they buried him in the city of David, but they did not bury him in the tombs of the kings. 26 Now these are the men who conspired against him: Zabad the son of Shimeath the Ammonitess, and Jehozabad the son of Shimrith the Moabitess. 27 As to his sons and the many pronouncements against him and (AA)the [r]rebuilding of the house of God, behold, they are written in the [s](AB)treatise of the Book of the Kings. Then his son Amaziah became king in his place.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Chronicles 24:4 Lit was with a heart
  2. 2 Chronicles 24:5 Lit strengthen
  3. 2 Chronicles 24:5 Lit hasten to the thing
  4. 2 Chronicles 24:6 Or mandatory offering
  5. 2 Chronicles 24:7 Lit made
  6. 2 Chronicles 24:9 Or mandatory offering
  7. 2 Chronicles 24:10 Lit threw
  8. 2 Chronicles 24:13 Lit set up
  9. 2 Chronicles 24:13 Lit measurement
  10. 2 Chronicles 24:15 Lit became old and satisfied with days
  11. 2 Chronicles 24:16 Lit with
  12. 2 Chronicles 24:18 I.e., wooden symbols of a female deity (Asherah)
  13. 2 Chronicles 24:20 Lit clothed
  14. 2 Chronicles 24:21 Lit with stones
  15. 2 Chronicles 24:22 Lit seek; or require
  16. 2 Chronicles 24:24 Lit they
  17. 2 Chronicles 24:25 As in some ancient versions; MT sons
  18. 2 Chronicles 24:27 Lit founding
  19. 2 Chronicles 24:27 Heb midrash

Joash Repairs the Temple(A)(B)

24 Joash was seven years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem forty years. His mother’s name was Zibiah; she was from Beersheba. Joash did what was right in the eyes of the Lord(C) all the years of Jehoiada the priest. Jehoiada chose two wives for him, and he had sons and daughters.

Some time later Joash decided to restore the temple of the Lord. He called together the priests and Levites and said to them, “Go to the towns of Judah and collect the money(D) due annually from all Israel,(E) to repair the temple of your God. Do it now.” But the Levites(F) did not act at once.

Therefore the king summoned Jehoiada the chief priest and said to him, “Why haven’t you required the Levites to bring in from Judah and Jerusalem the tax imposed by Moses the servant of the Lord and by the assembly of Israel for the tent of the covenant law?”(G)

Now the sons of that wicked woman Athaliah had broken into the temple of God and had used even its sacred objects for the Baals.

At the king’s command, a chest was made and placed outside, at the gate of the temple of the Lord. A proclamation was then issued in Judah and Jerusalem that they should bring to the Lord the tax that Moses the servant of God had required of Israel in the wilderness. 10 All the officials and all the people brought their contributions gladly,(H) dropping them into the chest until it was full. 11 Whenever the chest was brought in by the Levites to the king’s officials and they saw that there was a large amount of money, the royal secretary and the officer of the chief priest would come and empty the chest and carry it back to its place. They did this regularly and collected a great amount of money. 12 The king and Jehoiada gave it to those who carried out the work required for the temple of the Lord. They hired(I) masons and carpenters to restore the Lord’s temple, and also workers in iron and bronze to repair the temple.

13 The men in charge of the work were diligent, and the repairs progressed under them. They rebuilt the temple of God according to its original design and reinforced it. 14 When they had finished, they brought the rest of the money to the king and Jehoiada, and with it were made articles for the Lord’s temple: articles for the service and for the burnt offerings, and also dishes and other objects of gold and silver. As long as Jehoiada lived, burnt offerings were presented continually in the temple of the Lord.

15 Now Jehoiada was old and full of years, and he died at the age of a hundred and thirty. 16 He was buried with the kings in the City of David, because of the good he had done in Israel for God and his temple.

The Wickedness of Joash

17 After the death of Jehoiada, the officials of Judah came and paid homage to the king, and he listened to them. 18 They abandoned(J) the temple of the Lord, the God of their ancestors, and worshiped Asherah poles and idols.(K) Because of their guilt, God’s anger(L) came on Judah and Jerusalem. 19 Although the Lord sent prophets to the people to bring them back to him, and though they testified against them, they would not listen.(M)

20 Then the Spirit(N) of God came on Zechariah(O) son of Jehoiada the priest. He stood before the people and said, “This is what God says: ‘Why do you disobey the Lord’s commands? You will not prosper.(P) Because you have forsaken the Lord, he has forsaken(Q) you.’”

21 But they plotted against him, and by order of the king they stoned(R) him to death(S) in the courtyard of the Lord’s temple.(T) 22 King Joash did not remember the kindness Zechariah’s father Jehoiada had shown him but killed his son, who said as he lay dying, “May the Lord see this and call you to account.”(U)

23 At the turn of the year,[a] the army of Aram marched against Joash; it invaded Judah and Jerusalem and killed all the leaders of the people.(V) They sent all the plunder to their king in Damascus. 24 Although the Aramean army had come with only a few men,(W) the Lord delivered into their hands a much larger army.(X) Because Judah had forsaken the Lord, the God of their ancestors, judgment was executed on Joash. 25 When the Arameans withdrew, they left Joash severely wounded. His officials conspired against him for murdering the son of Jehoiada the priest, and they killed him in his bed. So he died and was buried(Y) in the City of David, but not in the tombs of the kings.

26 Those who conspired against him were Zabad,[b] son of Shimeath an Ammonite woman, and Jehozabad, son of Shimrith[c](Z) a Moabite woman.(AA) 27 The account of his sons, the many prophecies about him, and the record of the restoration of the temple of God are written in the annotations on the book of the kings. And Amaziah his son succeeded him as king.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Chronicles 24:23 Probably in the spring
  2. 2 Chronicles 24:26 A variant of Jozabad
  3. 2 Chronicles 24:26 A variant of Shomer