Joash Crowned King of Judah(A)

23 In (B)the seventh year (C)Jehoiada strengthened himself, and made a covenant with the captains of hundreds: Azariah the son of Jeroham, Ishmael the son of Jehohanan, Azariah the son of (D)Obed, Maaseiah the son of Adaiah, and Elishaphat the son of Zichri. And they went throughout Judah and gathered the Levites from all the cities of Judah, and the (E)chief fathers of Israel, and they came to Jerusalem.

Then all the assembly made a covenant with the king in the house of God. And he said to them, “Behold, the king’s son shall reign, as the Lord has (F)said of the sons of David. This is what you shall do: One-third of you (G)entering on the Sabbath, of the priests and the Levites, shall be keeping watch over the doors; one-third shall be at the king’s house; and one-third at the Gate of the Foundation. All the people shall be in the courts of the house of the Lord. But let no one come into the house of the Lord except the priests and (H)those of the Levites who serve. They may go in, for they are holy; but all the people shall keep the watch of the Lord. And the Levites shall surround the king on all sides, every man with his weapons in his hand; and whoever comes into the house, let him be put to death. You are to be with the king when he comes in and when he goes out.”

So the Levites and all Judah did according to all that Jehoiada the priest commanded. And each man took his men who were to be on duty on the Sabbath, with those who were going off duty on the Sabbath; for Jehoiada the priest had not dismissed (I)the divisions. And Jehoiada the priest gave to the captains of hundreds the spears and the large and small (J)shields which had belonged to King David, that were in the temple of God. 10 Then he set all the people, every man with his weapon in his hand, from the right side of the temple to the left side of the temple, along by the altar and by the temple, all around the king. 11 And they brought out the king’s son, put the crown on him, (K)gave him the [a]Testimony, and made him king. Then Jehoiada and his sons anointed him, and said, “Long live the king!”

Death of Athaliah(L)

12 Now when (M)Athaliah heard the noise of the people running and praising the king, she came to the people in the temple of the Lord. 13 When she looked, there was the king standing by his pillar at the entrance; and the leaders and the trumpeters were by the king. All the people of the land were rejoicing and blowing trumpets, also the singers with musical instruments, and (N)those who led in praise. So Athaliah tore her clothes and said, (O)“Treason! Treason!”

14 And Jehoiada the priest brought out the captains of hundreds who were set over the army, and said to them, “Take her outside under guard, and slay with the sword whoever follows her.” For the priest had said, “Do not kill her in the house of the Lord.”

15 So they seized her; and she went by way of the entrance (P)of the Horse Gate into the king’s house, and they killed her there.

16 Then Jehoiada made a (Q)covenant between himself, the people, and the king, that they should be the Lord’s people. 17 And all the people went to the [b]temple of Baal, and tore it down. They broke in pieces its altars and images, and (R)killed Mattan the priest of Baal before the altars. 18 Also Jehoiada appointed the oversight of the house of the Lord to the hand of the priests, the Levites, whom David had (S)assigned in the house of the Lord, to offer the burnt offerings of the Lord, as it is written in the (T)Law of Moses, with rejoicing and with singing, as it was established by David. 19 And he set the (U)gatekeepers at the gates of the house of the Lord, so that no one who was in any way unclean should enter.

20 (V)Then he took the captains of hundreds, the nobles, the governors of the people, and all the people of the land, and brought the king down from the house of the Lord; and they went through the Upper Gate to the king’s house, and set the king on the throne of the kingdom. 21 So all the people of the land rejoiced; and the city was quiet, for they had slain Athaliah with the sword.

Joash Repairs the Temple(W)

24 Joash (X)was seven years old when he became king, and he reigned forty years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Zibiah of Beersheba. Joash (Y)did what was right in the sight of the Lord all the days of Jehoiada the priest. And Jehoiada took two wives for him, and he had sons and daughters.

Now it happened after this that Joash set his heart on repairing the house of the Lord. Then he gathered the priests and the Levites, and said to them, “Go out to the cities of Judah, and (Z)gather from all Israel money to repair the house of your God from year to year, and see that you do it quickly.”

However the Levites did not do it quickly. (AA)So the king called Jehoiada the chief priest, and said to him, “Why have you not required the Levites to bring in from Judah and from Jerusalem the collection, according to the commandment of (AB)Moses the servant of the Lord and of the assembly of Israel, for the (AC)tabernacle of witness?” For (AD)the sons of Athaliah, that wicked woman, had broken into the house of God, and had also presented all the (AE)dedicated things of the house of the Lord to the Baals.

Then at the king’s command (AF)they made a chest, and set it outside at the gate of the house of the Lord. And they made a proclamation throughout Judah and Jerusalem to bring to the Lord (AG)the collection that Moses the servant of God had imposed on Israel in the wilderness. 10 Then all the leaders and all the people rejoiced, brought their contributions, and put them into the chest until all had given. 11 So it was, at that time, when the chest was brought to the king’s official by the hand of the Levites, and (AH)when they saw that there was much money, that the king’s scribe and the high priest’s officer came and emptied the chest, and took it and returned it to its place. 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 house of the Lord; and they hired masons and carpenters to (AI)repair the house of the Lord, and also those who worked in iron and bronze to restore the house of the Lord. 13 So the workmen labored, and the work was completed by them; they restored the house of God to its original condition and reinforced it. 14 When they had finished, they brought the rest of the money before the king and Jehoiada; (AJ)they made from it articles for the house of the Lord, articles for serving and offering, spoons and vessels of gold and silver. And they offered burnt offerings in the house of the Lord continually all the days of Jehoiada.

Apostasy of Joash

15 But Jehoiada grew old and was full of days, and he died; he was one hundred and thirty years old when he died. 16 And they buried him in the City of David among the kings, because he had done good in Israel, both toward God and His house.

17 Now after the death of Jehoiada the leaders of Judah came and bowed down to the king. And the king listened to them. 18 Therefore they left the house of the Lord God of their fathers, and served (AK)wooden images and idols; and (AL)wrath came upon Judah and Jerusalem because of their trespass. 19 Yet He (AM)sent prophets to them, to bring them back to the Lord; and they testified against them, but they would not listen.

20 Then the Spirit of God [c]came upon (AN)Zechariah the son of Jehoiada the priest, who stood above the people, and said to them, “Thus says God: (AO)‘Why do you transgress the commandments of the Lord, so that you cannot prosper? (AP)Because you have forsaken the Lord, He also has forsaken you.’ ” 21 So they conspired against him, and at the command of the king they (AQ)stoned him with stones in the court of the house of the Lord. 22 Thus Joash the king did not remember the kindness which Jehoiada his [d]father had done to him, but killed his son; and as he died, he said, “The Lord look on it, and (AR)repay!”

Death of Joash(AS)

23 So it happened in the spring of the year that (AT)the army of Syria came up against him; and they came to Judah and Jerusalem, and destroyed all the leaders of the people from among the people, and sent all their [e]spoil to the king of Damascus. 24 For the army of the Syrians (AU)came with a small company of men; but the Lord (AV)delivered a very great army into their hand, because they had forsaken the Lord God of their fathers. So they (AW)executed judgment against Joash. 25 And when they had withdrawn from him (for they left him severely wounded), (AX)his own servants conspired against him because of the blood of the [f]sons of Jehoiada the priest, and killed 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 These are the ones who conspired against him: [g]Zabad the son of Shimeath the Ammonitess, and Jehozabad the son of [h]Shimrith the Moabitess. 27 Now concerning his sons, and (AY)the many oracles about him, and the repairing of the house of God, indeed they are written in the [i]annals of the book of the kings. (AZ)Then Amaziah his son reigned in his place.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Chronicles 23:11 Law, Ex. 25:16, 21; 31:18
  2. 2 Chronicles 23:17 Lit. house
  3. 2 Chronicles 24:20 Lit. clothed
  4. 2 Chronicles 24:22 Foster father
  5. 2 Chronicles 24:23 plunder
  6. 2 Chronicles 24:25 LXX, Vg. son and vv. 20–22
  7. 2 Chronicles 24:26 Jozachar, 2 Kin. 12:21
  8. 2 Chronicles 24:26 Shomer, 2 Kin. 12:21
  9. 2 Chronicles 24:27 Or commentary, Heb. midrash

Praise to God for His Awesome Works

To the Chief Musician. A Song. A Psalm.

66 Make (A)a joyful shout to God, all the earth!
Sing out the honor of His name;
Make His praise glorious.
Say to God,
“How (B)awesome are Your works!
(C)Through the greatness of Your power
Your enemies shall submit themselves to You.
(D)All the earth shall worship You
And sing praises to You;
They shall sing praises to Your name.” Selah

Come and see the works of God;
He is awesome in His doing toward the sons of men.
(E)He turned the sea into dry land;
(F)They went through the river on foot.
There we will rejoice in Him.
He rules by His power forever;
His eyes observe the nations;
Do not let the rebellious exalt themselves. Selah

Oh, bless our God, you peoples!
And make the voice of His praise to be heard,
Who keeps our soul among the living,
And does not allow our feet to [a]be moved.
10 For (G)You, O God, have tested us;
(H)You have refined us as silver is refined.
11 (I)You brought us into the net;
You laid affliction on our backs.
12 (J)You have caused men to ride over our heads;
(K)We went through fire and through water;
But You brought us out to [b]rich fulfillment.

13 (L)I will go into Your house with burnt offerings;
(M)I will pay You my [c]vows,
14 Which my lips have uttered
And my mouth has spoken when I was in trouble.
15 I will offer You burnt sacrifices of fat animals,
With the sweet aroma of rams;
I will offer bulls with goats. Selah

16 Come and hear, all you who fear God,
And I will declare what He has done for my soul.
17 I cried to Him with my mouth,
And He was [d]extolled with my tongue.
18 (N)If I regard iniquity in my heart,
The Lord will not hear.
19 But certainly God (O)has heard me;
He has attended to the voice of my prayer.

20 Blessed be God,
Who has not turned away my prayer,
Nor His mercy from me!

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 66:9 slip
  2. Psalm 66:12 abundance
  3. Psalm 66:13 Promised deeds
  4. Psalm 66:17 praised

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