^7 (A)And the people served the Lord all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders who outlived Joshua, who had seen all the great work that the Lord had done for Israel.

Lights in the World

¹² Therefore, my beloved, ^(A)as you have always ^(B)obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling,

^31 (A)Israel served the Lord all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders who outlived Joshua ^(B)and had known all the work that the Lord did for Israel.

¹⁴ And when they had finished, they brought the rest of the money before the king and Jehoiada, and with it ^(A)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 ^(B)the Asherim and the idols. And ^(C)wrath came upon Judah and Jerusalem for this guilt of theirs. ^19 (D)Yet he sent prophets among them to bring them back to the Lord. ^(E)These testified against them, but they would not pay attention.

Joash's Treachery

^20 (F)Then the Spirit of God clothed Zechariah ^(G)the son of Jehoiada the priest, and he stood above the people, and said to them, “Thus says God, ^(H)‘Why do you break the commandments of the Lord, so that you cannot prosper? ^(I)Because you have forsaken the Lord, he has forsaken you.’” ²¹ But ^(J)they conspired against him, ^(K)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 ^(L)and avenge!”^[a]

^2 (A)And Joash did what was right in the eyes of the Lord all the days of Jehoiada the priest.

² And Jehoash did what was right in the eyes of the Lord all his days, because Jehoiada the priest instructed him.