New American Standard Bible 1995

2 Chronicles 24

Young Joash Influenced by Jehoiada

1 1Joash 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 2Joash did what was right in the sight of the Lord all the days of Jehoiada the priest. 3Jehoiada took two wives for him, and he became the father of sons and daughters.

Faithless Priests

4Now it came about after this that Joash 3decided 4to restore the house of the Lord. 5He gathered the priests and Levites and said to them, “Go out to the cities of Judah and collect money from all 5Israel to 6repair the house of your God 7annually, and you shall do the matter quickly.” But the Levites did not act quickly. 6So 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 8the levy fixed by Moses the servant of the Lord on the congregation of Israel 9for the tent of the testimony?” 7For 10the sons of the wicked Athaliah had broken into the house of God and even 11used the holy things of the house of the Lord for the Baals.

Temple Repaired

8So the king commanded, and 12they made a chest and set it outside by the gate of the house of the Lord. 9 13They made a proclamation in Judah and Jerusalem to bring to the Lord 14the levy fixed by Moses the servant of God on Israel in the wilderness. 10All the officers and all the people rejoiced and brought in their levies and 15dropped them into the chest until they had finished. 11It came about whenever the chest was brought in to the king’s officer by the Levites, and when 16they 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. 12The 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 17repair the house of the Lord. 13So the workmen labored, and the repair work progressed in their hands, and they 18restored the house of God 19according to its specifications and strengthened it. 14When 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 offering, 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.

15Now when Jehoiada 20reached a ripe old age he died; he was one hundred and thirty years old at his death. 16They buried him 21in the city of David among the kings, because he had done well in 22Israel and 23to God and His house.

17But after the death of Jehoiada the officials of Judah came and bowed down to the king, and the king listened to them. 18They abandoned 24the house of the Lord, the God of their fathers, and 25served the 26Asherim and the idols; so 27wrath came upon Judah and Jerusalem for this their guilt. 19Yet 28He sent prophets to them to bring them back to the Lord; though they testified against them, they would not listen.

Joash Murders Son of Jehoiada

20 29Then the Spirit of God 30came on Zechariah the son of Jehoiada the priest; and he stood above the people and said to them, “Thus God has said, ‘31Why do you transgress the commandments of the Lord and do not prosper? 32Because you have forsaken the Lord, He has also forsaken you.’” 21So 33they conspired against him and at the command of the king they stoned him 34to death in the court of the house of the Lord. 22Thus 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 35the Lord see and 36avenge!”

Aram Invades and Defeats Judah

23Now it happened at the turn of the year that 37the 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. 24Indeed the army of the Arameans came with a small number of men; yet 38the Lord delivered a very great army into their hands, 39because they had forsaken the Lord, the God of their fathers. Thus they executed judgment on Joash.

25 40When they had departed from him (for they left him very sick), his own servants conspired against him because of the blood of the 41son 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. 26Now these are those who conspired against him: Zabad the son of Shimeath the Ammonitess, and Jehozabad the son of Shimrith the Moabitess. 27As to his sons and the many 42oracles against him and 43the 44rebuilding of the house of God, behold, they are written in the 45 46treatise of the Book of the Kings. Then Amaziah his son became king in his place.

Notes

1. 2 Chronicles 24:1 2 Kin 11:21; 12:1-15 ↩
2. 2 Chronicles 24:2 2 Chr 26:4, 5 ↩
3. 2 Chronicles 24:4 Lit was with a heart ↩
4. 2 Chronicles 24:4 2 Chr 24:7 ↩
5. 2 Chronicles 24:5 2 Chr 21:2 ↩
6. 2 Chronicles 24:5 Lit to strengthen ↩
7. 2 Chronicles 24:5 Lit from year to year ↩
8. 2 Chronicles 24:6 Ex 30:12-16 ↩
9. 2 Chronicles 24:6 Num 1:50 ↩
10. 2 Chronicles 24:7 2 Chr 21:17 ↩
11. 2 Chronicles 24:7 Lit made ↩
12. 2 Chronicles 24:8 2 Kin 12:9 ↩
13. 2 Chronicles 24:9 2 Chr 36:22 ↩
14. 2 Chronicles 24:9 2 Chr 24:6 ↩
15. 2 Chronicles 24:10 Lit threw ↩
16. 2 Chronicles 24:11 2 Kin 12:10 ↩
17. 2 Chronicles 24:12 Lit to strengthen ↩
18. 2 Chronicles 24:13 Lit set up ↩
19. 2 Chronicles 24:13 Lit upon its proportion ↩
20. 2 Chronicles 24:15 Lit became old and satisfied with days ↩
21. 2 Chronicles 24:16 2 Chr 21:20 ↩
22. 2 Chronicles 24:16 2 Chr 21:2 ↩
23. 2 Chronicles 24:16 Lit with ↩
24. 2 Chronicles 24:18 2 Chr 24:4 ↩
25. 2 Chronicles 24:18 Ex 34:12-14 ↩
26. 2 Chronicles 24:18 I.e. wooden symbols of a female deity ↩
27. 2 Chronicles 24:18 Josh 22:20 ↩
28. 2 Chronicles 24:19 Jer 7:25 ↩
29. 2 Chronicles 24:20 2 Chr 20:14 ↩
30. 2 Chronicles 24:20 Lit clothed ↩
31. 2 Chronicles 24:20 Num 14:41 ↩
32. 2 Chronicles 24:20 2 Chr 15:2 ↩
33. 2 Chronicles 24:21 Neh 9:26; Matt 23:34, 35 ↩
34. 2 Chronicles 24:21 Lit with stones ↩
35. 2 Chronicles 24:22 Gen 9:5 ↩
36. 2 Chronicles 24:22 Lit seek, or require ↩
37. 2 Chronicles 24:23 2 Kin 12:17 ↩
38. 2 Chronicles 24:24 2 Chr 16:7, 8 ↩
39. 2 Chronicles 24:24 2 Chr 24:20 ↩
40. 2 Chronicles 24:25 2 Kin 12:20, 21 ↩
41. 2 Chronicles 24:25 So some ancient versions; Heb sons ↩
42. 2 Chronicles 24:27 Or burdens upon ↩
43. 2 Chronicles 24:27 2 Chr 24:12 ↩
44. 2 Chronicles 24:27 Lit founding ↩
45. 2 Chronicles 24:27 Heb midrash ↩
46. 2 Chronicles 24:27 2 Chr 13:22 ↩