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约阿施作犹大王(A)

24 约阿施登基的时候是七岁,在耶路撒冷作王共四十年。他的母亲名叫西比亚,是别是巴人。 耶何耶大祭司在世的日子,约阿施行耶和华看为正的事。 耶何耶大为他娶了两个妻子,他就生了一些儿女。

下令重修圣殿(B)

此后,约阿施有意重修耶和华的殿, 就召集了众祭司和利未人,对他们说:“你们要去到犹大各城,向所有以色列人募捐金钱,可以年年修建你们 神的殿;你们应急速办理这事。”可是利未人却不急速办理。 于是王把大祭司耶何耶大召来,对他说:“你为甚么不命令利未人把耶和华的仆人摩西和以色列的会众,为法柜的会幕规定的税款,从犹大和耶路撒冷征收回来,作修殿的费用呢?” 原来那恶妇亚他利雅的众子曾经拆毁 神的殿,又把耶和华殿中一切分别为圣的物品用来供奉巴力。

于是王下令,他们就造了一个柜,放在耶和华殿的门外; 又在犹大和耶路撒冷发出通告,叫人把 神的仆人摩西,在旷野规定以色列人缴交的税款带来,献给耶和华。 10 众领袖和人民都欢欢喜喜把税款带来,投进柜中,直到他们都投完了。 11 利未人把银柜抬到王指定负责这事的人那里的时候,他们看见税银很多,王的书记和大祭司的属员就来把银柜倒空,然后抬回原处。天天都是这样,所以收集了很多银子。 12 王和耶何耶大把银子交给耶和华殿的办事人员,他们就雇了石匠和木匠,重建耶和华的殿,又雇了铁匠和铜匠,重建耶和华的殿。 13 作工的人不住工作,重修的工程在他们手下顺利进行;他们把 神的殿重建得和先前一样,并且非常坚固。 14 他们完工以后,就把剩下的银子送到王和耶何耶大面前,用来制造耶和华殿里的器皿、供奉和献祭所用的器皿、盘子,以及各种金银器皿。耶何耶大在世的日子,众人都常在耶和华的殿里献燔祭。

耶何耶大逝世

15 耶何耶大年纪老了,寿数满足就死了;他死的时候,是一百三十岁。 16 他和列王一同埋葬在大卫城里,因为他在以色列为 神和 神的殿作了美善的事。

全国上下离弃耶和华

17 耶何耶大死后,犹大的领袖们来朝拜王;王听从了他们的主意。 18 他们离弃了耶和华他们列祖的 神的殿,去事奉亚舍拉和偶像。因为他们的罪, 神的忿怒临到犹大和耶路撒冷。 19 但耶和华仍然差派先知到他们中间,引导他们归向耶和华;这些先知虽然警告他们,他们却不肯听从。

撒迦利亚责民遭害

20 那时, 神的灵临到耶何耶大祭司的儿子撒迦利亚身上,他就站在比众民高的地方,对他们说:“ 神这样说:‘你们为甚么违背耶和华的诫命,使你们不得亨通呢?因为你们离弃了耶和华,所以耶和华也离弃你们。’” 21 众人要杀害撒迦利亚,于是照着王的命令,在耶和华殿的院子里用石头把他打死。 22 约阿施王没有记念撒迦利亚的父亲耶何耶大对他所施的恩,反而杀了他的儿子。撒迦利亚临死的时候,说:“愿耶和华鉴察,并且责问你!”

亚兰军攻打犹大(C)

23 过了年,亚兰的军队上来攻打约阿施;他们侵入犹大和耶路撒冷,杀了民间的领袖,又把他们的一切战利品都送到大马士革王那里去。 24 亚兰的军队虽然只来了一小队人,耶和华却把一支庞大的军队交在他们手里;因为犹大人离弃了耶和华他们列祖的 神,亚兰人向约阿施执行了惩罚。

约阿施被杀(D)

25 亚兰人离开约阿施的时候,他们丢下约阿施,因为他受了重伤,他的臣仆要杀害他,为了报复耶何耶大祭司的儿子流血的仇;他们在床上杀死他,他就死了;有人把他埋葬在大卫城里,只是没有埋葬在列王的陵墓里。 26 谋害他的是亚扪妇人示米押的儿子撒拔和摩押妇人示米利的儿子约萨拔。 27 至于约阿施的众子,以及许多警戒他的话,还有他重建 神的殿的事,都记在列王记的注释上。约阿施的儿子亚玛谢接续他作王。

24 Yoash was seven years old when he began to reign, and he reigned arba’im shanah in Yerushalayim. Shem immo also was Tzivyah of Beer Sheva.

And Yoash did that which was yashar in the eyes of Hashem kol yemei Yehoyada HaKohen.

And Yehoyada took for him nashim shtayim; and he fathered banim and banot.

And it came to pass after this, that Yoash was minded to renovate the Bais Hashem.

And he called together the Kohanim and the Levi’im, and said to them, Go out unto the towns of Yehudah, and collect from Kol Yisroel kesef to repair the Bais Eloheichem annually, and see that ye hasten the matter. Howbeit the Levi’im hastened it not.

And HaMelech called for Yehoyada HaRosh, and said unto him, Why hast thou not required of the Levi’im to bring in from Yehudah and from Yerushalayim the mas’at (the tax of) Moshe Eved Hashem and the Kahal L’Yisroel L’Ohel HaEdut?

For the sons of that wicked woman Atalyah had broken in the Beis HaElohim; all the Kadshei Beis Hashem did they bestow upon Ba’alim.

And at the commandment of HaMelech they made aron echad and set it outside at the Sha’ar Beis Hashem.

And they made a proclamation in Yehudah and in Yerushalayim, to bring in to Hashem the mas’at Moshe Eved HaElohim laid upon Yisroel in the midbar.

10 And all the sarim and kol HaAm rejoiced, and brought in, and dropped into the aron, until it was full.

11 Now it came to pass, that at what time the aron was brought unto the Pekuddat HaMelech by the yad of the Levi’im, and when they saw that there was much kesef, the Sofer HaMelech and the official, the Pakid Kohen HaRosh came and emptied the aron, and took it, and carried it to its place again. Thus they did yom b’yom, and collected kesef in abundance.

12 And HaMelech and Yehoyada gave it to such as did the work of the Avodas Beis Hashem, and hired masons and carpenters to renovate the Beis Hashem, and also such as wrought barzel and nechoshet to repair the Beis Hashem.

13 So the workmen wrought, and the work in the yad of them was furthered, and they restored the Beis HaElohim to its original form and reinforced it.

14 And when they had finished it, they brought the rest of the kesef before HaMelech and Yehoyada, whereof were made vessels for the Beis Hashem, even keli sharet, and for the olot, and ladles, and vessels of zahav and kesef. And they offered olot in the Beis Hashem continually all the days of Yehoyada.

15 But Yehoyada was old, and was full of yamim when he died: 130 years old was he in his mot.

16 And they buried him in Ir Dovid among the Melachim, because he had done tovah in Yisroel, both toward HaElohim, and His Beis.

17 Now after the mot Yehoyada came the sarim of Yehudah, and paid homage to HaMelech. Then HaMelech paid heed unto them.

18 And they forsook the Beis Hashem Elohei Avoteihem, and served HaAsherim and the atzabim; and ketzef (wrath) came upon Yehudah and Yerushalayim because of their trespass.

19 Yet He sent Nevi’im to them, to bring them back unto Hashem; and they testified against them; but they would not give ear.

20 And the Ruach Elohim came upon Zecharyah ben Yehoyada HaKohen, which stood before HaAm and he said unto them, Thus saith HaElohim, Why transgress ye the mitzvot Hashem, that ye cannot prosper? Because ye have forsook Hashem, He hath also forsaken you.

21 And they conspired against him, and stoned him with stones at the order of HaMelech in the khatzer of the Beis Hashem.

22 Thus Yoash HaMelech remembered not the chesed which Yehoyada Aviv had done to him, but slaughtered bno. And when he died, he said, May Hashem look upon it, and may He call to account.

23 And it came to pass at the end of the year, that the army of Aram came up against him, they invaded Yehudah and Yerushalayim, destroyed all the sarim of the people from among HaAm, sent all their plunder unto Melech Darmasek (Damascus].

24 For the army of Aram came with a small company of men, and Hashem delivered a very great army into their yad, because they had forsaken Hashem Elohei Avoteihem. So they executed shefatim against Yoash.

25 And when they withdrew from him, (for they left him with machaluyim rabbim [many wounds]), his own avadim conspired against him on account of the dahm of the Bnei Yehoyada HaKohen, and slaughtered him on his bed, and he died; and they buried him in Ir David, but they buried him not in the Kivrot HaMelachim.

26 And these are they that conspired against him: Zavad ben Shim’at an Ammonit, and Yehozavad ben Shimrit the Moavit.

27 Now concerning his banim, and the rav hamassa concerning him, and the repairing of the Beis HaElohim, hinei, they are written in the Midrash Sefer HaMelachim. And Amatzyah bno reigned in his place.

Jehoash rules

24 Jehoash[a] was 7 years old when he became king, and he ruled for forty years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Zibiah; she was from Beer-sheba. Jehoash did what was right in the Lord’s eyes as long as Jehoiada the priest was alive. Jehoiada had him marry two wives, and Jehoash fathered sons and daughters.

Sometime later, Jehoash wanted to renovate the Lord’s temple. He gathered the priests and the Levites and said, “Go to the cities of Judah and collect the annual tax of silver due from all Israel for the upkeep of God’s temple. Do it right away.”

But the Levites procrastinated. So the king summoned the chief priest Jehoiada and asked him, “Why haven’t you required the Levites to bring in from Judah and Jerusalem the tax imposed by the Lord’s servant Moses and the Israelite assembly for the covenant tent?” (Now wicked Athaliah and her followers had broken into God’s temple and used all the holy objects of the Lord’s temple in their worship of the Baals.) So at the king’s command a box was made and placed outside the gate of the Lord’s temple. Then a proclamation was issued throughout Judah and Jerusalem requiring the people to bring to the Lord the tax that God’s servant Moses had imposed on Israel in the wilderness. 10 This so pleased all the leaders and all the people that they gladly dropped their money in the box until it was full. 11 Whenever the box was brought by the Levites to the royal accountants, as soon as they saw that a large amount of money was in the box, the royal scribe and the representative of the high priest would come, empty the box, and return it to its place. This took place day after day, and a large amount of money was collected. 12 The king and Jehoiada would give it to those in charge of the work on the Lord’s temple who in turn hired masons and carpenters to renovate the Lord’s temple, as well as metalworkers for the iron and bronze to repair the Lord’s temple. 13 The workers labored hard, and the restoration progressed smoothly under their control until they had brought God’s temple back to its original state and reinforced it. 14 As soon as they finished, they brought the remaining money to the king and Jehoiada. They used it to make equipment for the Lord’s temple, including what was used for the service and the entirely burned offerings, pans, and other objects made of gold and silver. As long as Jehoiada lived, the entirely burned offerings were regularly offered in the Lord’s temple.

15 Jehoiada grew old, and when he reached the age of 130, he died. 16 He was buried among the kings in David’s City because of his exemplary service to Israel, God, and God’s temple.

17 After Jehoiada’s death, however, the leaders of Judah came and bowed before the king, and the king listened to them. 18 They abandoned the temple of the Lord, their ancestors’ God, and worshipped sacred poles[b] and idols. Anger came upon Judah and Jerusalem as a consequence of their sin, 19 and though God sent prophets to them to bring them back to the Lord and to warn them, they refused to listen. 20 Then the spirit of God enwrapped Zechariah the son of the priest Jehoiada. Standing before the people, he told them, “This is what God says: Why do you defy the Lord’s commands and keep yourselves from prospering? Because you have abandoned the Lord, he has abandoned you!” 21 But the people plotted against Zechariah, and at the king’s command stoned him to death in the courtyard of the Lord’s temple. 22 King Jehoash failed to remember the loyalty that Jehoiada, Zechariah’s father, had shown him and murdered Jehoiada’s son, who cried out as he lay dying, “May the Lord see and seek vengeance!”

23 That spring the Aramean army marched against Jehoash. They attacked Judah and Jerusalem, destroyed all the people’s leaders, and sent all the loot to the king of Damascus. 24 Although the Aramean forces were relatively small, the Lord handed over to them a very large army, because the people of Judah had abandoned the Lord, their ancestors’ God. Jehoash was justly punished. 25 The Arameans left him badly wounded, but his own officials plotted against him for murdering the son[c] of the priest Jehoiada. So they killed him in his bed. He died and was buried in David’s City but not in the royal cemetery. 26 Those who plotted against him were the Ammonite Zabad, Shimeath’s son, and the Moabite Jehozabad, Shimrith’s son. 27 The list of Jehoash’s sons, the many prophecies against him, and the account of his restoration of God’s temple are written in the comments on the records of the kings. His son Amaziah succeeded him as king.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Chronicles 24:1 Heb Joash (see 24:2, 4, 22, 24); the king's name is variously spelled in either long Jehoash or short Joash form in 2 Kgs.
  2. 2 Chronicles 24:18 Heb asherim, perhaps objects devoted to the goddess Asherah
  3. 2 Chronicles 24:25 LXX, Vulg; MT sons

24 Joash was seven years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years in Jerusalem. His mother's name also was Zibiah of Beersheba.

And Joash did that which was right in the sight of the Lord all the days of Jehoiada the priest.

And Jehoiada took for him two wives; and he begat sons and daughters.

And it came to pass after this, that Joash was minded to repair the house of the Lord.

And he gathered together the priests and the Levites, and said to them, Go out unto the cities of Judah, and gather of all Israel money to repair the house of your God from year to year, and see that ye hasten the matter. Howbeit the Levites hastened it not.

And the king called for Jehoiada the chief, and said unto him, Why hast thou not required of the Levites to bring in out of Judah and out of Jerusalem the collection, according to the commandment of Moses the servant of the Lord, and of the congregation of Israel, for the tabernacle of witness?

For the sons of Athaliah, that wicked woman, had broken up the house of God; and also all the dedicated things of the house of the Lord did they bestow upon Baalim.

And at the king's commandment they made a chest, and set it without at the gate of the house of the Lord.

And they made a proclamation through Judah and Jerusalem, to bring in to the Lord the collection that Moses the servant of God laid upon Israel in the wilderness.

10 And all the princes and all the people rejoiced, and brought in, and cast into the chest, until they had made an end.

11 Now it came to pass, that at what time the chest was brought unto the king's office by the hand of the Levites, and when they saw that there was much money, the king's scribe and the high priest's officer came and emptied the chest, and took it, and carried it to his place again. Thus they did day by day, and gathered money in abundance.

12 And the king and Jehoiada gave it to such as did the work of the service of the house of the Lord, and hired masons and carpenters to repair the house of the Lord, and also such as wrought iron and brass to mend the house of the Lord.

13 So the workmen wrought, and the work was perfected by them, and they set the house of God in his state, and strengthened it.

14 And when they had finished it, they brought the rest of the money before the king and Jehoiada, whereof were made vessels for the house of the Lord, even vessels to minister, and to offer withal, and spoons, and vessels of gold and silver. And they offered burnt offerings in the house of the Lord continually all the days of Jehoiada.

15 But Jehoiada waxed old, and was full of days when he died; an hundred and thirty years old was he 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 toward his house.

17 Now after the death of Jehoiada came the princes of Judah, and made obeisance to the king. Then the king hearkened unto them.

18 And they left the house of the Lord God of their fathers, and served groves and idols: and wrath came upon Judah and Jerusalem for this their trespass.

19 Yet he sent prophets to them, to bring them again unto the Lord; and they testified against them: but they would not give ear.

20 And the Spirit of God came upon Zechariah the son of Jehoiada the priest, which stood above the people, and said unto them, Thus saith God, Why transgress ye the commandments of the Lord, that ye cannot prosper? because ye have forsaken the Lord, he hath also forsaken you.

21 And they conspired against him, and stoned him with stones at the commandment of the king in the court of the house of the Lord.

22 Thus Joash the king remembered not the kindness which Jehoiada his father had done to him, but slew his son. And when he died, he said, The Lord look upon it, and require it.

23 And it came to pass at the end of the year, that the host of Syria came up against him: and they came to Judah and Jerusalem, and destroyed all the princes of the people from among the people, and sent all the spoil of them unto 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 host into their hand, because they had forsaken the Lord God of their fathers. So they executed judgment against Joash.

25 And when they were departed from him, (for they left him in great diseases,) his own servants conspired against him for the blood of the sons of Jehoiada the priest, and slew him on his bed, and he died: and they buried him in the city of David, but they buried him not in the sepulchres of the kings.

26 And these are they that conspired against him; Zabad the son of Shimeath an Ammonitess, and Jehozabad the son of Shimrith a Moabitess.

27 Now concerning his sons, and the greatness of the burdens laid upon him, and the repairing of the house of God, behold, they are written in the story of the book of the kings. And Amaziah his son reigned in his stead.