2 Chronicles 24
Christian Standard Bible
Judah’s King Joash
24 Joash(A) was seven years old when he became king, and he reigned forty years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Zibiah; she was from Beer-sheba. 2 Throughout the time of the priest Jehoiada, Joash did what was right in the Lord’s sight.(B) 3 Jehoiada acquired two wives for him, and he was the father of sons and daughters.
Repairing the Temple
4 Afterward,(C) Joash took it to heart to renovate(D) the Lord’s temple. 5 So he gathered the priests and Levites and said, “Go out to the cities of Judah and collect silver from all Israel to repair the temple of your God as needed year by year,(E) and do it quickly.”
However, the Levites did not hurry. 6 So the king called Jehoiada the high priest and said, “Why haven’t you required the Levites to bring from Judah and Jerusalem the tax imposed by the Lord’s servant Moses and the assembly of Israel for the tent(F) of the testimony? 7 For the sons of that wicked Athaliah broke into the Lord’s temple and even used the sacred things of the Lord’s temple for the Baals.”
8 At the king’s command a chest was made and placed outside the gate of the Lord’s temple. 9 Then a proclamation(G) was issued in Judah and Jerusalem that the tax God’s servant Moses imposed on Israel in the wilderness be brought to the Lord. 10 All the leaders and all the people rejoiced, brought the tax, and put it in the chest until it was full. 11 Whenever the chest was brought by the Levites to the king’s overseers, and when they saw that there was a large amount of silver, the king’s secretary and the high priest’s deputy came and emptied the chest, picked it up, and returned it to its place. They did this daily and gathered the silver in abundance. 12 Then the king and Jehoiada gave it to those in charge of the labor on the Lord’s temple, who were hiring stonecutters and carpenters to renovate the Lord’s temple, also blacksmiths and coppersmiths to repair the Lord’s temple.(H)
13 The workmen did their work, and through them the repairs progressed. They restored God’s temple to its specifications and reinforced it. 14 When they finished, they presented the rest of the silver to the king and Jehoiada, who made articles for the Lord’s temple with it—articles for ministry and for making burnt offerings, and ladles[a] and articles of gold and silver. They regularly offered burnt offerings in the Lord’s temple throughout Jehoiada’s life.
Joash’s Apostasy
15 Jehoiada died when he was old and full of days; he was 130 years old at his death. 16 He was buried in the city of David with the kings(I) because he had done what was good in Israel with respect to God and his temple.
17 However, after Jehoiada died, the rulers of Judah came and paid homage to the king. Then the king listened to them, 18 and they abandoned the temple of the Lord, the God of their ancestors, and served the Asherah poles and the idols.(J) So there was wrath(K) against Judah and Jerusalem for this guilt of theirs. 19 Nevertheless, he sent them prophets(L) to bring them back to the Lord; they admonished them, but the people would not listen.(M)
20 The Spirit of God enveloped[b](N) Zechariah son of Jehoiada the priest. He stood above the people and said to them, “This is what God says, ‘Why are you transgressing the Lord’s commands so that you do not prosper?(O) Because you have abandoned the Lord, he has abandoned you.’”(P) 21 But they conspired against him and stoned him at the king’s command in the courtyard of the Lord’s temple.(Q) 22 King Joash didn’t remember the kindness that Zechariah’s father Jehoiada had extended to him, but killed his son. While he was dying, he said, “May the Lord see and demand(R) an account.”
Aramean Invasion of Judah
23 At the turn of the year, an Aramean army attacked Joash.(S) They entered Judah and Jerusalem and destroyed all the leaders of the people among them and sent all the plunder to the king of Damascus. 24 Although the Aramean army came with only a few men, the Lord handed over(T) a vast army to them because the people of Judah had abandoned(U) the Lord, the God of their ancestors. So they executed judgment on Joash.
Joash Assassinated
25 When(V) the Arameans saw that Joash had many wounds, they left him. His servants conspired against him, and killed him on his bed, because he had shed the blood of the sons of the priest Jehoiada. So he died, and they buried him in the city of David, but they did not bury him in the tombs of the kings.(W)
26 Those who conspired against him were Zabad, son of the Ammonite woman Shimeath, and Jehozabad, son of the Moabite woman Shimrith.[c](X) 27 The accounts concerning his sons, the many divine pronouncements about him, and the restoration(Y) of God’s temple are recorded in the Writing(Z) of the Book of the Kings. His son Amaziah became king in his place.
2 Chronicles 24
English Standard Version
Joash Repairs the Temple
24 (A)Joash[a] was seven years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Zibiah of Beersheba. 2 (B)And Joash did what was right in the eyes of the Lord all the days of Jehoiada the priest. 3 Jehoiada got for him two wives, and he had sons and daughters.
4 After this Joash (C)decided to (D)restore the house of the Lord. 5 And he gathered the priests and the Levites and said to them, “Go out to the cities of (E)Judah and gather from all Israel money to repair the house of your God from year to year, and see that you act quickly.” But the Levites did not act quickly. 6 So the king summoned Jehoiada the chief and said to him, “Why have you not required the Levites to bring in from Judah and Jerusalem (F)the tax levied by Moses, the servant of the Lord, and the congregation of Israel for (G)the tent of testimony?” 7 For (H)the sons of Athaliah, that wicked woman, had broken into the house of God, and had also used all (I)the dedicated things of the house of the Lord for the Baals.
8 So the king commanded, and they made a chest and set it outside the gate of the house of the Lord. 9 And (J)proclamation was made throughout Judah and Jerusalem to bring in for the Lord (K)the tax that Moses the servant of God laid on Israel in the wilderness. 10 And all the princes and all the people rejoiced and brought their tax and dropped it into the chest until they had finished.[b] 11 And whenever the chest was brought to the king's officers by the Levites, when they saw that there was much money in it, the king's secretary and the officer of the chief priest would come and empty the chest and take it and return it to its place. Thus they did day after day, and collected money in abundance. 12 And the king and Jehoiada gave it to those who had charge of the work 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 repair the house of the Lord. 13 So those who were engaged in the work labored, and the repairing went forward in their hands, and they restored the house of God to its proper condition and strengthened it. 14 And when they had finished, they brought the rest of the money before the king and Jehoiada, and with it (L)were made utensils for the house of the Lord, both for the service and for the burnt offerings, and dishes for incense and vessels of gold and silver. And they offered burnt offerings in the house of the Lord regularly all the days of Jehoiada.
15 But Jehoiada grew old and full of days, and died. He was 130 years old at his death. 16 And they buried him in the city of David among the kings, because he had done good in Israel, and toward God and his house.
17 Now after the death of Jehoiada the princes of Judah came and paid homage to the king. Then the king listened to them. 18 And they abandoned the house of the Lord, the God of their fathers, and served (M)the Asherim and the idols. And (N)wrath came upon Judah and Jerusalem for this guilt of theirs. 19 (O)Yet he sent prophets among them to bring them back to the Lord. (P)These testified against them, but they would not pay attention.
Joash's Treachery
20 (Q)Then the Spirit of God clothed Zechariah (R)the son of Jehoiada the priest, and he stood above the people, and said to them, “Thus says God, (S)‘Why do you break the commandments of the Lord, so that you cannot prosper? (T)Because you have forsaken the Lord, he has forsaken you.’” 21 But (U)they conspired against him, (V)and by command of the king they stoned him with stones in the court of the house of the Lord. 22 Thus Joash the king did not remember the kindness that Jehoiada, Zechariah's father, had shown him, but killed his son. And when he was dying, he said, “May the Lord see (W)and avenge!”[c]
Joash Assassinated
23 At the end of the year (X)the army of the Syrians came up against Joash. They came to Judah and Jerusalem and destroyed all the princes of the people from among the people and sent all their spoil to the king of Damascus. 24 Though the army of the Syrians had come with few men, (Y)the Lord delivered into their hand a very great army, (Z)because Judah[d] had forsaken the Lord, the God of their fathers. Thus they (AA)executed judgment on Joash.
25 When they had departed from him, leaving him (AB)severely wounded, (AC)his servants conspired against him because of the blood of (AD)the son[e] of Jehoiada the priest, and killed him on his bed. So he died, and they buried him in the city of David, (AE)but they did not bury him in the tombs of the kings. 26 Those who conspired against him were Zabad the son of Shimeath the Ammonite, and Jehozabad the son of Shimrith the Moabite. 27 Accounts of his sons and of the many oracles against him and of (AF)the rebuilding[f] of the house of God are written in the (AG)Story[g] of the Book of the Kings. And Amaziah his son reigned in his place.
Footnotes
- 2 Chronicles 24:1 Spelled Jehoash in 2 Kings 12:1
- 2 Chronicles 24:10 Or until it was full
- 2 Chronicles 24:22 Or and require it
- 2 Chronicles 24:24 Hebrew they
- 2 Chronicles 24:25 Septuagint, Vulgate; Hebrew sons
- 2 Chronicles 24:27 Hebrew founding
- 2 Chronicles 24:27 Or Exposition
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The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
