Beginning

Jehoram Rules in Judah

21 Jehoshaphat died, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David. His son Jehoram became king in his place. ² Jehoram’s brothers were Azariah, Jehiel, Zechariah, Michael, and Shephatiah. All these were the sons of King Jehoshaphat of Israel. ³ Their father gave them many gifts of silver, gold, and things of much worth. He gave them strong cities in Judah. But he made Jehoram king, because he was the first-born.

⁴ Now when Jehoram had become king in the place of his father, and had made himself strong, he killed all his brothers with the sword. He killed some of the leaders of Israel also. ⁵ Jehoram was thirty-two years old when he became king. And he ruled for eight years in Jerusalem. ⁶ He walked in the way of the kings of Israel, just as those of Ahab’s house did. (For Ahab’s daughter was his wife.) He did what was sinful in the eyes of the Lord. ⁷ Yet the Lord would not destroy the family of David, because of the agreement He had made with David. He had promised to give a light to him and his sons forever.

⁸ In the days of Jehoram, Edom turned against the rule of Judah, and set up a king of their own. ⁹ Then Jehoram crossed over with his captains and all his war-wagons. He went during the night and destroyed the Edomites who had gathered around him and the captains of the war-wagons. ¹⁰ So Edom has been against the rule of Judah to this day. Libnah turned against Jehoram’s rule at the same time, because he had left the Lord God of his fathers. ¹¹ And Jehoram made high places in the mountains of Judah. He caused the people of Jerusalem to give themselves over to sin. And he made Judah sin. ¹² Then a letter came to him from Elijah the man of God, saying, “The Lord God of your father David says, ‘You have not walked in the ways of your father Jehoshaphat, and the ways of King Asa of Judah. ¹³ But you have walked in the way of the kings of Israel. You have caused Judah and the people of Israel to give themselves over to sin, as those of Ahab’s house did. And you have killed your brothers, your own family, who were better than you. ¹⁴ So see, the Lord is going to send a bad disease upon your people, your sons, your wives, and all you have. ¹⁵ You yourself will suffer a bad sickness, a disease of your stomach. Your insides will come out because of the sickness, day by day.’”

¹⁶ Then the Lord made the Philistines and the Arabs who were near the Ethiopians angry against Jehoram. ¹⁷ They came and fought against Judah, and carried away all the things they found in the king’s house, together with his sons and his wives. No son was left to him except Jehoahaz, his youngest. ¹⁸ After all this the Lord caused a sickness in Jehoram’s stomach, which could not be cured. ¹⁹ After that time, at the end of two years, his insides came out because of his sickness. And he died in much pain. His people made no fire for him like the fires made for his fathers. ²⁰ Jehoram was thirty-two years old when he became king. He ruled in Jerusalem for eight years. And no one felt bad when he died. They buried him in the city of David, but not in the graves of the kings.

Ahaziah Rules in Judah

22 The people of Jerusalem made his youngest son Ahaziah king in his place. For the army of men who came with the Arabs to the tents had killed all the older sons. So Ahaziah, the son of King Jehoram of Judah, began to rule. ² He was twenty-two years old when he became king. And he ruled for one year in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Athaliah, the grand-daughter of Omri. ³ Ahaziah walked in the ways of those of Ahab’s house. For his mother talked him into doing sinful things. ⁴ He did what was sinful in the eyes of the Lord, as those of Ahab’s house had done. For after his father’s death, they talked with him about what to do, and so caused him to be destroyed. ⁵ He did what they told him to do. He went with Jehoram the son of King Ahab of Israel to fight a war against King Hazael of Syria at Ramoth-gilead. But the Syrians hurt Jehoram. ⁶ So he returned to Jezreel to be healed of the cuts he had received at Ramah, when he fought against King Hazael of Syria. And Ahaziah the son of Jehoram, king of Judah, went down to see Jehoram the son of Ahab in Jezreel, because he was sick.

⁷ But it was planned by God that Ahaziah would be destroyed by going to Jehoram. For when he came, he went out with Jehoram against Jehu the son of Nimshi. Jehu was the one the Lord had chosen to destroy the family of Ahab. ⁸ When Jehu was punishing the family of Ahab, he found the sons of kings of Judah and the sons of Ahaziah’s brothers. They were helping Ahaziah. And Jehu killed them. ⁹ Then he looked for Ahaziah, and he was found hiding in Samaria. He was brought to Jehu, and was put to death. Then they buried him, for they said, “He is the son of Jehoshaphat, who followed the Lord with all his heart.” So there was no one left of Ahaziah’s house who was able to rule the nation.

Athaliah Rules in Judah

¹⁰ When Athaliah, the mother of Ahaziah, saw that her son was dead, she went and destroyed all the king’s children of the family of Judah. ¹¹ But Jehoshabeath, the king’s daughter, took Ahaziah’s son Joash. She stole him from among the king’s sons who were being killed. And she put him and his nurse in the bedroom. So Jehoshabeath, the daughter of King Jehoram, the wife of Jehoiada the religious leader, and sister of Ahaziah, hid Joash from Athaliah, so she could not kill him.

¹² Joash was hidden with them in the house of God for six years, while Athaliah ruled over the land.

Joash Made King of Judah

23 In the seventh year, Jehoiada made himself strong. He made an agreement with the captains of hundreds. These captains were Azariah the son of Jeroham, Ishmael the son of Johanan, Azariah the son of Obed, Maaseiah the son of Adaiah, and Elishaphat the son of Zichri. They made an agreement with Jehoiada. ² And they went through Judah and gathered the Levites from all the cities. They gathered the heads of the fathers’ houses of Israel. And they came to Jerusalem. ³ Then all the people made an agreement with the king in the house of God. Jehoiada said to them, “See, the king’s son will rule, as the Lord has spoken about the sons of David. ⁴ This is what you must do. One third of you religious leaders and Levites who come in on the Day of Rest will watch the gates. ⁵ One third will be at the king’s house, and one third at the Gate of the Foundation. And all the people will be in the open places of the house of the Lord. ⁶ But let no one come into the house of the Lord except the religious leaders and the Levite helpers. They may come in, for they are holy. But let all the other people obey the law against going into the holy place of the Lord. ⁷ The Levites will stand around the king. Each one will have his spear in his hand. And whoever goes into the house will be killed. Be with the king when he comes in and when he goes out.”

⁸ The Levites and all Judah did all that Jehoiada the religious leader told them. Each one of them took his men who were to come in on the Day of Rest, with those who were to go out on the Day of Rest. For Jehoiada the religious leader did not send away any of the groups. ⁹ Then Jehoiada the religious leader gave the captains of hundreds the spears and the large and small battle-coverings that had been King David’s, which were in the house of God. ¹⁰ And he put all the people in their places around the king. Each man had his spear in his hand. They were put in their places from the right side of the house to the left side, around the altar and the house. ¹¹ Then they brought out the king’s son and put the crown on him. They gave him the Law, and made him king. Jehoiada and his sons poured oil on him and said, “Long live the king!”

Death of Athaliah

¹² When Athaliah heard the noise of the people running and praising the king, she came into the house of the Lord to the people. ¹³ She looked and saw the king beside his pillar at the gate. The captains and those who blew the horns were beside the king. And all the people of the land were filled with joy and blew horns. The singers were playing music and leading the praise. Athaliah tore her clothes and called out, “They are turning against the queen!” ¹⁴ Then Jehoiada the religious leader brought out the captains of hundreds who were over the army, and said to them, “Bring her out from among the groups of people. And kill with the sword whoever follows her.” For the religious leader said, “Do not kill her in the house of the Lord.” ¹⁵ So they took hold of her. And when she came to the Horse Gate of the king’s house, they killed her there.

¹⁶ Then Jehoiada made an agreement between himself and all the people and the king, that they should be the Lord’s people. ¹⁷ All the people went to the house of Baal and tore it down. They broke in pieces his altars and the objects made to look like him. And they killed Mattan the religious leader of Baal in front of the altars. ¹⁸ Then Jehoiada put the duties of the Lord’s house under the care of the religious leaders and the Levites. David had chosen them to take care of the Lord’s house. They were to give the burnt gifts of the Lord, as it is written in the Law of Moses. It was to be done with joy and singing, as David had told them. ¹⁹ And Jehoiada put the gate-keepers in their places of the Lord’s house. This was so no one would go in who was in any way unclean. ²⁰ Then he took the captains of hundreds, the princes, the leaders of the people, and all the people of the land. And they brought the king down from the house of the Lord. They came through the high gate to the king’s house. And they placed the king upon the throne of the nation. ²¹ So all the people of the land were filled with joy, and the city was quiet. For they had killed Athaliah with the sword.

Joash Becomes King

24 Joash was seven years old when he became king. And he ruled forty years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Zibiah of Beersheba. ² Joash did what was right in the eyes of the Lord all the days of Jehoiada the religious leader. ³ Jehoiada took two wives for him, and he became the father of sons and daughters.

⁴ After this Joash decided to do the work that was needed on the Lord’s house. ⁵ He gathered the religious leaders and Levites, and said to them, “Go out to the cities of Judah. And gather money from all Israel to pay for the work needed to be done on the house of your God from year to year. Be quick about it.” But the Levites did not hurry. ⁶ So the king called for Jehoiada the head religious leader, and said to him, “Why have you not made the Levites bring in from Judah and Jerusalem the tax set by Moses the Lord’s servant? All the people of Israel were to pay taxes for the tent of the Law.” ⁷ For the sons of that sinful woman Athaliah had broken into the house of God. They even used the holy things of the Lord’s house for the false gods of Baal.

⁸ So the king had them make a box and set it outside by the gate of the Lord’s house. ⁹ And they made it known in Judah and Jerusalem that the tax set by God’s servant Moses on Israel in the desert must be brought to the Lord. ¹⁰ Then all the leaders and all the people were filled with joy. They brought in their taxes and put the money into the box until they had finished. ¹¹ The Levites would bring the box in to the king’s helper. And when they saw that there was much money, the king’s writer and the head religious leader’s helper would come and empty the box. They would take out the money and return the box to its place. They did this each day, and gathered much money. ¹² The king and Jehoiada gave it to those who watched over the work being done on the Lord’s house. They paid those who worked with stone and wood and iron and brass, for the work done on the Lord’s house. ¹³ So the workmen worked hard doing what needed to be done. The house of God was like new again, just as it was planned. They made it strong. ¹⁴ When they had finished, they brought the rest of the money to the king and Jehoiada. From it were made the objects used in the Lord’s house. These things were made for the worship and the burnt gifts. Then dishes and pots of gold and silver were made. And they gave burnt gifts in the house of the Lord all the time, all the days of Jehoiada.

¹⁵ When Jehoiada had lived a long time, he died. He died when he was 130 years old. ¹⁶ They buried him in the city of David among the kings, because he had done well in Israel, and to God and His house. ¹⁷ But after the death of Jehoiada, the leaders of Judah came and bowed down in front of the king. And the king listened to them. ¹⁸ They left the house of the Lord the God of their fathers, and worshiped the false gods of Asherah and the objects made to look like them. So anger came upon Judah and Jerusalem because of their sin. ¹⁹ Yet God sent men who speak for God to bring them back to the Lord. These men of God spoke against them, but they would not listen. ²⁰ Then the Spirit of God came upon Zechariah the son of Jehoiada the religious leader. He stood where he could be seen by the people and said to them, “God says, ‘Why do you sin against the Laws of the Lord, and bring trouble on yourselves? Because you have left the Lord, He has left you.’” ²¹ So they made plans against him. At the king’s word, they killed Zechariah with stones in the open space of the Lord’s house. ²² So Joash the king did not remember the kindness his father Jehoiada had shown him, but he killed his son. And when Zechariah was dying, he said, “May the Lord see and punish!”

The Death of Joash

²³ At the end of the year the army of the Syrians came up against Joash. They came to Judah and Jerusalem, and destroyed all the leaders of the people. And they sent all they had taken in battle to the king of Damascus. ²⁴ The army of the Syrians came with a small number of men. But the Lord let them win against a very large army. Because the people of Judah and Jerusalem had turned away from the Lord, the God of their fathers. So the Syrians were used to punish Joash. ²⁵ When they had left Joash, leaving him very sick, his own servants made plans against him because of the blood of the son of Jehoiada the religious leader. And they 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 graves of the kings. ²⁶ The men who made plans against Joash were Zabad the son of Shimeath the Ammonitess, and Jehozabad the son of Shimrith the Moabitess. ²⁷ Now the story of his sons, and the words spoken by wise men against him, and the work done on the house of God, are written in the Book of the Kings. His son Amaziah became king in his place.