UNROLL
Early morning in the swept, empty court of the newly restored temple: the long, plain stone house with fresh plaster, new cedar doors and its two bronze pillars, the great bronze altar before it with thin smoke rising straight up into a calm, clear sky.

The Book of

2 Chronicles 24

Joash rebuilds the house of God while Jehoiada lives. After the old priest dies, the king has the priest’s son stoned in the same court.

27 verses≈ 7 min3 peopleBSB

Images are artistic interpretations.

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In this chapter

Where we are

  1. 1SolomonWisdom asked at Gibeon
  2. 2–5The templeBuilt on Mount Moriah
  3. 6–7DedicationIf My people humble themselves
  4. 8–9Solomon's gloryThe queen of Sheba
  5. 10–16DivisionRehoboam to Asa
  6. 17–20JehoshaphatThe battle is God's
  7. 21–24Dark yearsJehoram to JoashChapter 24
  8. 25–28Proud kingsAmaziah to Ahaz
  9. 29–32HezekiahDoors opened, Passover kept
  10. 33–35Manasseh to JosiahMercy and the Book found
  11. 36Exile and returnMay he go up

Joash Repairs the Temple

The palace throne room in soft light: a small seven-year-old boy wearing a plain gold circlet and a blue-purple robe far too long for him sits on a great carved wooden throne on a raised step, his feet not reaching the floor, the white-bearded priest Jehoiada standing at his side.

Judah

Joash of Judah · 40 years

  1. Seven, and forty years

    Joash was seven years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem forty years.

  2. His mother Zibiah of Beersheba

    His mother’s name was Zibiah; she was from Beersheba.

  3. did right

    Right, all the days of Jehoiada

    And Joash did what was right in the eyes of the LORD all the days of Jehoiada the priest.

  4. Two wives, sons and daughters

    Jehoiada took for him two wives, and he had sons and daughters.

Tap to go deeper: meaning, history and related Scripture

Some time later, Joash set his heart on repairing the house of the LORD. So he gathered the priests and Levites and said, “Go out to the cities of Judah and collect the money due annually from all Israel, to repair the house of your God. Do it quickly.”

The Levites, however, did not make haste.

So the king called Jehoiada the high priest and said, “Why have you not required the Levites to bring 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 Testimony?”

For the sons of that wicked woman Athaliah had broken into the house of God and had even used the sacred objects of the house of the LORD for the Baals.

At the king’s command a chest was made and placed outside, at the gate of the house of the LORD. And a proclamation was issued in Judah and Jerusalem that they were to bring to the LORD the tax imposed by Moses the servant of God on Israel in the wilderness. All the officers and all the people rejoiced and brought their contributions, and they dropped them in the chest until it was full.

Reflect

Until it was full

When the people knew where their gifts would go, they “rejoiced and brought their contributions,” and they kept giving “until it was full.” What makes giving to God’s work glad for you, and what makes it hard? Is there something He is asking you to give gladly now? Write it down.

When they were finished, they brought the rest of the money to the king and Jehoiada, and with it were made articles for the house of the LORD—utensils for the service and for the burnt offerings, dishes, and other objects of gold and silver. Throughout the days of Jehoiada, burnt offerings were presented regularly in the house of the LORD.

Jehoiada’s Death and Burial

When Jehoiada was old and full of years, he died at the age of 130.

Dusk on the rocky slope of the City of David before the rock-cut entrances of the royal tombs: priests in white linen and people of Jerusalem in dark mantles stand in mourning as two men set a heavy squared stone into one entrance to close it, small clay lamps lit on the rock.

And Jehoiada was buried with the kings in the City of David, because he had done what was good in Israel for God and His temple.

Question

Quick question

Jehoiada died “old and full of years,” at the age of 130.

Where was Jehoiada the priest buried?

The Wickedness of Joash

After the death of Jehoiada, however, the officials of Judah came and paid homage to the king, and he listened to them.

They abandoned the house of the LORD, the God of their fathers, and served the Asherah poles and idols. So wrath came upon Judah and Jerusalem for this guilt of theirs. Nevertheless, the LORD sent prophets to bring the people back to Him and to testify against them, but they would not listen.

Midday in the temple court: the priest Zechariah son of Jehoiada, tall and lean with a gray-streaked dark beard, stands on a raised stone step above a crowd of people and officials, one hand lifted as he speaks, grave and steady; some faces below turn hard and angry.

Then the Spirit of God came upon Zechariah son of Jehoiada the priest, who stood up before the people and said to them, “This is what God says: ‘Why do you transgress the commandments of the LORD so that you cannot prosper? Because you have forsaken the LORD, He has forsaken you.’”

Because you have forsaken the LORD, He has forsaken you.

2 Chronicles 24:20

But they conspired against Zechariah, and by order of the king, they stoned him in the courtyard of the house of the LORD.

Thus King Joash failed to remember the kindness that Zechariah’s father Jehoiada had extended to him. Instead, Joash killed Jehoiada’s son. As he lay dying, Zechariah said, “May the LORD see this and call you to account.”

The Death of Joash

In the spring, the army of Aram went to war against Joash. They entered Judah and Jerusalem and destroyed all the leaders of the people, and they sent all the plunder to their king in Damascus.

Dusk in the hills of Judah: on a near ridge a small company of about twenty Aramean soldiers with small round shields, spears and bows stands seen from behind, looking down into a broad valley where the countless tents and campfires of Judah's great army spread across the floor; a calm, darkening sky above.

Although the Aramean army had come with only a few men, the LORD delivered into their hand a very great army. Because Judah had forsaken the LORD, the God of their fathers, judgment was executed on Joash.

0:12

Narrated by Bob Souer · BSB audio, public domain

And when the Arameans had withdrawn, they left Joash severely wounded. His own servants conspired against him for shedding the blood of the son of Jehoiada the priest, and they killed him on his bed.

Judah

Joash’s end

  1. Buried, but not with the kings

    So he died and was buried in the City of David, but not in the tombs of the kings.

  2. Zabad and Jehozabad

    Those who conspired against Joash were Zabad son of Shimeath the Ammonitess and Jehozabad son of Shimrith the Moabitess.

  3. His acts recorded

    The accounts of the sons of Joash and the many pronouncements about him, and of the restoration of the house of God, are indeed written in the Treatise of the Book of the Kings.

  4. Amaziah reigns

    And his son Amaziah reigned in his place.

Joash: a good start

Hiddensix yearssaved as ababyCrownedat sevenJehoiadabeside himThetemplerestoredthe chest atthe gateJehoiadadiesat 130, withthe kingsListens toofficialsAsherah polesand idolsZechariahstonedby order ofthe kingKilled onhis bednot with thekings

Whiteboard

Joash did right as long as Jehoiada lived. When the old priest died he listened to other voices, turned to idols and killed the priest’s son. A good start is a gift, but it is not the same as finishing well.

Pray

To the end

Thank God for those who taught you His ways. Ask Him to keep you faithful when they are gone, and to give you ears for the warnings He sends. Ask Him to make you someone who does not forget kindness, as Joash “failed to remember the kindness” shown to him, and to keep you walking with Him to the end.

You’ve experienced

2 Chronicles 24

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A verse to carry with you

Then the Spirit of God came upon Zechariah son of Jehoiada the priest, who stood up before the people and said to them, “This is what God says: ‘Why do you transgress the commandments of the LORD so that you cannot prosper? Because you have forsaken the LORD, He has forsaken you.’”

2 Chronicles 24:20

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