1 A2 Kin 11:21; 12:1-15Joash was seven years old when he became king, and he reigned forty years in Jerusalem; and his mother’s name was Zibiah from Beersheba. 2 A2 Chr 26:4, 5Joash did what was right in the sight of the Loʀᴅ all the days of Jehoiada the priest. 3 Jehoiada took two wives for him, and he became the father of sons and daughters.

4 Now it came about after this that Joash 1Lit was with a heartdecided A2 Chr 24:7to restore the house of the Loʀᴅ. 5 He gathered the priests and Levites and said to them, “Go out to the cities of Judah and collect money from all A2 Chr 21:2Israel to 1Lit to strengthenrepair the house of your God 2Lit from year to yearannually, and you shall do the matter quickly.” But the Levites did not act quickly. 6 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 AEx 30:12-16the levy fixed by Moses the servant of the Loʀᴅ on the congregation of Israel BNum 1:50for the tent of the testimony?” 7 For A2 Chr 21:17the sons of the wicked Athaliah had broken into the house of God and even 1Lit madeused the holy things of the house of the Loʀᴅ for the Baals.

8 So the king commanded, and A2 Kin 12:9they made a chest and set it outside by the gate of the house of the Loʀᴅ. 9 A2 Chr 36:22They made a proclamation in Judah and Jerusalem to bring to the Loʀᴅ B2 Chr 24:6the levy fixed by Moses the servant of God on Israel in the wilderness. 10 All the officers and all the people rejoiced and brought in their levies and 1Lit threwdropped them into the chest until they had finished. 11 It came about whenever the chest was brought in to the king’s officer by the Levites, and when A2 Kin 12:10they saw that there was much money, then the king’s scribe and the chief priest’s officer would come, empty the chest, take it, and return it to its place. Thus they did daily and collected much money. 12 The king and Jehoiada gave it to those who did the work of the service of the house of the Loʀᴅ; and they hired masons and carpenters to restore the house of the Loʀᴅ, and also workers in iron and bronze to 1Lit to strengthenrepair the house of the Loʀᴅ. 13 So the workmen labored, and the repair work progressed in their hands, and they 1Lit set uprestored the house of God 2Lit upon its proportionaccording to its 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 Loʀᴅ, utensils for the service and the burnt offering, and pans and utensils of gold and silver. And they offered burnt offerings in the house of the Loʀᴅ continually all the days of Jehoiada.

15 Now when Jehoiada 1Lit became old and satisfied with daysreached a ripe old age he died; he was one hundred and thirty years old at his death. 16 They buried him A2 Chr 21:20in the city of David among the kings, because he had done well in B2 Chr 21:2Israel and 1Lit withto 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 They abandoned A2 Chr 24:4the house of the Loʀᴅ, the God of their fathers, and BEx 34:12-14served the 1I.e. wooden symbols of a female deityAsherim and the idols; so CJosh 22:20wrath came upon Judah and Jerusalem for this their guilt. 19 Yet AJer 7:25He sent prophets to them to bring them back to the Loʀᴅ; though they testified against them, they would not listen.

20 A2 Chr 20:14Then the Spirit of God 1Lit clothedcame on Zechariah the son of Jehoiada the priest; and he stood above the people and said to them, “Thus God has said, ‘BNum 14:41Why do you transgress the commandments of the Loʀᴅ and do not prosper? C2 Chr 15:2Because you have forsaken the Loʀᴅ, He has also forsaken you.’ ” 21 So ANeh 9:26; Matt 23:34, 35they conspired against him and at the command of the king they stoned him 1Lit with stonesto death in the court of the house of the Loʀᴅ. 22 Thus Joash the king did not remember the kindness which his father Jehoiada had shown him, but he murdered his son. And as he died he said, “May AGen 9:5the Loʀᴅ see and 1Lit seek, or requireavenge!”

23 Now it happened at the turn of the year that A2 Kin 12:17the army of the Arameans came up against him; and they came to Judah and Jerusalem, destroyed all the officials of the people from among the people, and sent all their spoil to the king of Damascus. 24 Indeed the army of the Arameans came with a small number of men; yet A2 Chr 16:7, 8the Loʀᴅ delivered a very great army into their hands, B2 Chr 24:20because they had forsaken the Loʀᴅ, the God of their fathers. Thus they executed judgment on Joash.

25 A2 Kin 12:20, 21When they had departed from him (for they left him very sick), his own servants conspired against him because of the blood of the 1So some ancient versions; Heb sonsson of Jehoiada the priest, and 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 those 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 1Or burdens uponoracles against him and A2 Chr 24:12the 2Lit foundingrebuilding of the house of God, behold, they are written in the 3Heb midrashB2 Chr 13:22treatise of the Book of the Kings. Then Amaziah his son became king in his place.