24
1 Joash
was seven years
old when he began
to reign, and
he reigned forty
years in Jerusalem.
His mother’s name
was Zibiah,
of Beersheba.
2 Joash
did that which
was right in
the LORD’s eyes
all the days
of Jehoiada the
priest.
3 Jehoiada
took for him
two wives, and he
became the father
of sons and
daughters.
4 After
this, Joash intended
to restore the
LORD’s house.
5 He
gathered together
the priests and
the Levites, and
said to them, “Go
out to the
cities of Judah,
and gather money
to repair the
house of your
God from all
Israel from year
to year. See that
you expedite this
matter.” However the
Levites didn’t do
it right away.
6 The
king called for
Jehoiada the chief,
and said to
him, “Why haven’t
you required of
the Levites to
bring in the
tax of Moses
the servant of
the LORD, and
of the assembly
of Israel, out
of Judah and
out of Jerusalem,
for the Tent of
the Testimony?”
7 For
the sons of
Athaliah, that
wicked woman, had
broken up God’s
house; and they
also gave all
the dedicated
things of the
LORD’s house to
the Baals.
8 So
the king commanded,
and they made
a chest, and set
it outside at
the gate of
the LORD’s house.
9 They
made a
proclamation through
Judah and
Jerusalem, to
bring in for
the LORD the
tax that Moses
the servant of
God laid on
Israel in the
wilderness.
10 All
the princes and
all the people
rejoiced, and
brought in, and
cast into
the chest, until
they had filled it.
11 Whenever
the chest was
brought to the
king’s officers by
the hand of
the Levites, and
when they saw
that there was
much money, the
king’s scribe and
the chief priest’s
officer came and
emptied the chest,
and took it,
and carried it
to its place
again. Thus they
did day by
day, and gathered
money in abundance.
12 The
king and Jehoiada
gave it to
those who did
the work of
the service of
the LORD’s house.
They hired masons
and carpenters to
restore the LORD’s
house, and also
those who worked
iron and bronze
to repair the
LORD’s house.
13 So
the workmen worked,
and the work
of repairing went forward
in their hands.
They set up
God’s house as
it was designed,
and strengthened it.
14 When
they had finished,
they brought the
rest of the
money before the
king and Jehoiada,
from which were
made vessels for
the LORD’s house,
even vessels with
which to minister
and to offer,
including spoons
and vessels of
gold and silver.
They offered burnt
offerings in the
LORD’s house
continually all
the days of
Jehoiada.
15 But
Jehoiada grew old
and was full
of days, and
he died. He
was one hundred
thirty years old
when he died.
16 They
buried him in
David’s city among
the kings, because
he had done
good in Israel,
and toward God and
his house.
17 Now after
the death of
Jehoiada, the
princes of Judah
came and bowed
down to the
king. Then the
king listened to
them.
18 They
abandoned the
house of the
LORD, the God
of their fathers,
and served
the Asherah poles and
the idols, so
wrath came on
Judah and
Jerusalem for this
their guiltiness.
19 Yet
he sent prophets
to them to
bring them again
to the LORD,
and they testified
against them; but
they would
not listen.
20 The
Spirit of God
came on Zechariah
the son of
Jehoiada the
priest; and he
stood above the
people, and said
to them, “God
says, ‘Why do
you disobey the
LORD’s commandments,
so that you
can’t prosper?
Because you have
forsaken the LORD,
he has also
forsaken you.’ ”
21 They
conspired against
him, and stoned
him with stones at
the commandment of
the king in
the court of
the LORD’s house.
22 Thus
Joash the
king didn’t remember
the kindness which
Jehoiada his
father had done
to him, but
killed his son.
When he died,
he said, “May the
LORD look at
it, and repay it.”
23 At
the end of
the year, the
army of the Syrians
came up against
him. They came
to Judah and
Jerusalem, and
destroyed all the
princes of the
people from among
the people, and
sent all their
plunder to the
king of Damascus.
24 For
the army of
the Syrians came
with a small
company of men;
and the LORD
delivered a very
great army into
their hand,
because they had
forsaken the LORD,
the God of
their fathers. So
they executed
judgment on Joash.
25 When
they had departed
from him (for
they left
him seriously wounded), his
own servants
conspired against
him for the
blood of the
sons of Jehoiada
the priest, and
killed him on
his bed, and
he died. They
buried him in
David’s city, but
they didn’t bury
him in the
tombs of the
kings.
26 These are
those who
conspired against
him: Zabad the
son of Shimeath
the Ammonitess and
Jehozabad the son
of Shimrith the
Moabitess.
27 Now
concerning his
sons, the
greatness of the
burdens laid on
him, and
the rebuilding of God’s
house, behold,
they are written
in the commentary
of the book
of the kings.
Amaziah his son
reigned in his
place.