2Kings 12-13; 2Chronicles 24
12Joash began to rule over Judah in the seventh year of King Jehu's reign in Israel. He reigned in Jerusalem forty years. His mother was Zibiah from Beersheba.H7651H8141H3058H3060H4427H705H8141H4427H3389H517H8034H6645H884 2All his life Joash did what was pleasing in the LORD's sight because Jehoiada the priest instructed him.H3060H6213H3477H5869H3068H3117H3077H3548H3384 3Yet even so, he did not destroy the pagan shrines, and the people still offered sacrifices and burned incense there.H1116H5493H5971H2076H6999H1116 4One day King Joash said to the priests, "Collect all the money brought as a sacred offering to the LORD's Temple, whether it is a regular assessment, a payment of vows, or a voluntary gift.H3060H559H3548H3701H6944H935H1004H3068H3701H376H5674H3701H5315H6187H3701H5927H376H3820H935H1004H3068 5Let the priests take some of that money to pay for whatever repairs are needed at the Temple."H3548H3947H376H4378H2388H919H1004H919H4672 6But by the twenty-third year of Joash's reign, the priests still had not repaired the Temple.H7969H8141H6242H8141H4428H3060H3548H2388H919H1004 7So King Joash called for Jehoiada and the other priests and asked them, "Why haven't you repaired the Temple? Don't use any more money for your own needs. From now on, it must all be spent on Temple repairs."H4428H3060H7121H3077H3548H3548H559H2388H919H1004H3947H3701H4378H5414H919H1004 8So the priests agreed not to accept any more money from the people, and they also agreed to let others take responsibility for repairing the Temple.H3548H225H3947H1115H3701H5971H1115H2388H919H1004 9Then Jehoiada the priest bored a hole in the lid of a large chest and set it on the right-hand side of the altar at the entrance of the Temple of the LORD. The priests guarding the entrance put all of the people's contributions into the chest.H3077H3548H3947H259H727H5344H2356H1817H5414H681H4196H3225H376H935H1004H3068H3548H8104H5592H5414H3701H935H1004H3068 10Whenever the chest became full, the court secretary and the high priest counted the money that had been brought to the LORD's Temple and put it into bags.H7200H7227H3701H727H4428H5608H1419H3548H5927H6696H4487H3701H4672H1004H3068 11Then they gave the money to the construction supervisors, who used it to pay the people working on the LORD's Temple—the carpenters, the builders,H5414H3701H8505H3027H6213H4399H6485H6485H1004H3068H3318H2796H6086H1129H6213H1004H3068 12the masons, and the stonecutters. They also used the money to buy the timber and the finished stone needed for repairing the LORD's Temple, and they paid any other expenses related to the Temple's restoration.H1443H2672H68H7069H6086H4274H68H2388H919H1004H3068H3318H1004H2394 13The money brought to the Temple was not used for making silver bowls, lamp snuffers, basins, trumpets, or other articles of gold or silver for the Temple of the LORD.H6213H1004H3068H5592H3701H4212H4219H2689H3627H2091H3627H3701H3701H935H1004H3068 14It was paid to the workmen, who used it for the Temple repairs.H5414H4399H6213H2388H1004H3068 15No accounting of this money was required from the construction supervisors, because they were honest and trustworthy men.H2803H582H3027H5414H3701H5414H4399H6213H530 16However, the money that was contributed for guilt offerings and sin offerings was not brought into the LORD's Temple. It was given to the priests for their own use.H817H3701H2403H3701H935H1004H3068H3548 17About this time King Hazael of Aram went to war against Gath and captured it. Then he turned to attack Jerusalem.H2371H4428H758H5927H3898H1661H3920H2371H7760H6440H5927H3389 18King Joash collected all the sacred objects that Jehoshaphat, Jehoram, and Ahaziah, the previous kings of Judah, had dedicated, along with what he himself had dedicated. He sent them all to Hazael, along with all the gold in the treasuries of the LORD's Temple and the royal palace. So Hazael called off his attack on Jerusalem.H3060H4428H3063H3947H6944H3092H3088H274H1H4428H3063H6942H6944H2091H4672H214H1004H3068H4428H1004H7971H2371H4428H758H5927H3389 19The rest of the events in Joash's reign and everything he did are recorded in The Book of the History of the Kings of Judah.H3499H1697H3101H6213H3789H5612H1697H3117H4428H3063 20Joash's officers plotted against him and assassinated him at Beth-millo on the road to Silla.H5650H6965H7194H7195H5221H3101H1004H4407H1037H3381H5538 21The assassins were Jozacar son of Shimeath and Jehozabad son of Shomer—both trusted advisers. Joash was buried with his ancestors in the City of David. Then his son Amaziah became the next king.H3108H1121H8100H3075H1121H7763H5650H5221H4191H6912H1H5892H1732H558H1121H4427
13Jehoahaz son of Jehu began to rule over Israel in the twenty-third year of King Joash's reign in Judah. He reigned in Samaria seventeen years.H7969H8141H6242H8141H3101H1121H274H4428H3063H3059H1121H3058H4427H3478H8111H7651H6240H8141 2But he did what was evil in the LORD's sight. He followed the example of Jeroboam son of Nebat, continuing the sins that Jeroboam had led Israel to commit.H6213H7451H5869H3068H3212H310H2403H3379H1121H5028H3478H2398H5493 3So the LORD was very angry with Israel, and he allowed King Hazael of Aram and his son Ben-hadad to defeat them repeatedly.H639H3068H2734H3478H5414H3027H2371H4428H758H3027H1130H1121H2371H3117 4Then Jehoahaz prayed for the LORD's help, and the LORD heard his prayer, for he could see how severely the king of Aram was oppressing Israel.H3059H2470H3068H3068H8085H6440H7200H3906H3478H4428H758H3905 5So the LORD provided someone to rescue the Israelites from the tyranny of the Arameans. Then Israel lived in safety again as they had in former days.H3068H5414H3478H3467H3318H3027H758H1121H3478H3427H168H8032H8543 6But they continued to sin, following the evil example of Jeroboam. They also allowed the Asherah pole in Samaria to remain standing.H5493H2403H1004H3379H3478H2398H1980H5975H842H8111 7Finally, Jehoahaz's army was reduced to 50 charioteers, 10 chariots, and 10,000 foot soldiers. The king of Aram had killed the others, trampling them like dust under his feet.H7604H5971H3059H2572H6571H6235H7393H6235H505H7273H4428H758H6H7760H6083H1758 8The rest of the events in Jehoahaz's reign—everything he did and the extent of his power—are recorded in The Book of the History of the Kings of Israel.H3499H1697H3059H6213H1369H3789H5612H1697H3117H4428H3478 9When Jehoahaz died, he was buried in Samaria. Then his son Jehoash became the next king.H3059H7901H1H6912H8111H3101H1121H4427 10Jehoash son of Jehoahaz began to rule over Israel in the thirty-seventh year of King Joash's reign in Judah. He reigned in Samaria sixteen years.H7970H8141H7651H8141H3101H4428H3063H3060H1121H3059H4427H3478H8111H8337H6240H8141 11But he did what was evil in the LORD's sight. He refused to turn from the sins that Jeroboam son of Nebat had led Israel to commit.H6213H7451H5869H3068H5493H2403H3379H1121H5028H3478H2398H1980 12The rest of the events in Jehoash's reign and everything he did, including the extent of his power and his war with King Amaziah of Judah, are recorded in The Book of the History of the Kings of Israel.H3499H1697H3101H6213H1369H3898H558H4428H3063H3789H5612H1697H3117H4428H3478 13When Jehoash died, he was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel. Then his son Jeroboam II became the next king.H3101H7901H1H3379H3427H3678H3101H6912H8111H4428H3478 14When Elisha was in his last illness, King Jehoash of Israel visited him and wept over him. "My father! My father! I see the chariots and charioteers of Israel!" he cried.H477H2470H2483H4191H3101H4428H3478H3381H1058H6440H559H1H1H7393H3478H6571 15Elisha told him, "Get a bow and some arrows." And the king did as he was told.H477H559H3947H7198H2671H3947H7198H2671 16Elisha told him, "Put your hand on the bow," and Elisha laid his own hands on the king's hands.H559H4428H3478H7392H3027H7198H7392H3027H477H7760H3027H4428H3027 17Then he commanded, "Open that eastern window," and he opened it. Then he said, "Shoot!" So he shot an arrow. Elisha proclaimed, "This is the LORD's arrow, an arrow of victory over Aram, for you will completely conquer the Arameans at Aphek."H559H6605H2474H6924H6605H477H559H3384H3384H559H2671H3068H8668H2671H8668H758H5221H758H663H3615 18Then he said, "Now pick up the other arrows and strike them against the ground." So the king picked them up and struck the ground three times.H559H3947H2671H3947H559H4428H3478H5221H776H5221H7969H6471H5975 19But the man of God was angry with him. "You should have struck the ground five or six times!" he exclaimed. "Then you would have beaten Aram until it was entirely destroyed. Now you will be victorious only three times."H376H430H7107H559H5221H2568H8337H6471H5221H758H3615H5221H758H7969H6471 20Then Elisha died and was buried. Groups of Moabite raiders used to invade the land each spring.H477H4191H6912H1416H4124H935H776H935H8141 21Once when some Israelites were burying a man, they spied a band of these raiders. So they hastily threw the corpse into the tomb of Elisha and fled. But as soon as the body touched Elisha's bones, the dead man revived and jumped to his feet!H6912H376H7200H1416H7993H376H6913H477H376H3212H5060H6106H477H2421H6965H7272 22King Hazael of Aram had oppressed Israel during the entire reign of King Jehoahaz.H2371H4428H758H3905H3478H3117H3059 23But the LORD was gracious and merciful to the people of Israel, and they were not totally destroyed. He pitied them because of his covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. And to this day he still has not completely destroyed them or banished them from his presence.H3068H2603H7355H6437H4616H1285H85H3327H3290H14H7843H7993H6440H5704 24King Hazael of Aram died, and his son Ben-hadad became the next king.H2371H4428H758H4191H1130H1121H4427 25Then Jehoash son of Jehoahaz recaptured from Ben-hadad son of Hazael the towns that had been taken from Jehoash's father, Jehoahaz. Jehoash defeated Ben-hadad on three occasions, and he recovered the Israelite towns.H3060H1121H3059H3947H7725H3027H1130H1121H2371H5892H3947H3027H3059H1H4421H7969H6471H3101H5221H7725H5892H3478
24Joash was seven years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem forty years. His mother was Zibiah from Beersheba.H3101H7651H8141H1121H4427H4427H705H8141H3389H517H8034H6645H884 2Joash did what was pleasing in the LORD's sight throughout the lifetime of Jehoiada the priest.H3101H6213H3477H5869H3068H3117H3077H3548 3Jehoiada chose two wives for Joash, and he had sons and daughters.H3077H5375H8147H802H3205H1121H1323 4At one point Joash decided to repair and restore the Temple of the LORD.H310H3101H3820H2318H1004H3068 5He summoned the priests and Levites and gave them these instructions: "Go to all the towns of Judah and collect the required annual offerings, so that we can repair the Temple of your God. Do not delay!" But the Levites did not act immediately.H6908H3548H3881H559H3318H5892H3063H6908H3478H3701H2388H1004H430H1767H8141H8141H4116H1697H3881H4116 6So the king called for Jehoiada the high priest and asked him, "Why haven't you demanded that the Levites go out and collect the Temple taxes from the towns of Judah and from Jerusalem? Moses, the servant of the LORD, levied this tax on the community of Israel in order to maintain the Tabernacle of the Covenant."H4428H7121H3077H7218H559H1875H3881H935H3063H3389H4864H4872H5650H3068H6951H3478H168H5715 7Over the years the followers of wicked Athaliah had broken into the Temple of God, and they had used all the dedicated things from the Temple of the LORD to worship the images of Baal.H1121H6271H4849H6555H1004H430H6944H1004H3068H6213H1168 8So now the king ordered a chest to be made and set outside the gate leading to the Temple of the LORD.H4428H559H6213H259H727H5414H2351H8179H1004H3068 9Then a proclamation was sent throughout Judah and Jerusalem, telling the people to bring to the LORD the tax that Moses, the servant of God, had required of the Israelites in the wilderness.H5414H6963H3063H3389H935H3068H4864H4872H5650H430H3478H4057 10This pleased all the leaders and the people, and they gladly brought their money and filled the chest with it.H8269H5971H8055H935H7993H727H3615 11Whenever the chest became full, the Levites would carry it to the king's officials. Then the court secretary and an officer of the high priest would come and empty the chest and take it back to the Temple again. This went on day after day, and a large amount of money was collected.H6256H727H935H4428H6486H3027H3881H7200H7227H3701H4428H5608H7218H3548H6496H935H6168H727H5375H7725H4725H7725H6213H3117H3117H622H3701H7230 12The king and Jehoiada gave the money to the construction supervisors, who hired masons and carpenters to restore the Temple of the LORD. They also hired metalworkers, who made articles of iron and bronze for the LORD's Temple.H4428H3077H5414H6213H4399H5656H1004H3068H7936H2672H2796H2318H1004H3068H2796H1270H5178H2388H1004H3068 13The men in charge of the renovation worked hard and made steady progress. They restored the Temple of God according to its original design and strengthened it.H4399H6213H6213H4399H5927H724H3027H5975H1004H430H4971H553 14When all the repairs were finished, they brought the remaining money to the king and Jehoiada. It was used to make various articles for the Temple of the LORD—articles for worship services and for burnt offerings, including ladles and other articles made of gold and silver. And the burnt offerings were sacrificed continually in the Temple of the LORD during the lifetime of Jehoiada the priest.H3615H935H7605H3701H6440H4428H3077H6213H3627H1004H3068H3627H8335H5927H3709H3627H2091H3701H5927H5930H1004H3068H8548H3117H3077 15Jehoiada lived to a very old age, finally dying at 130.H3077H2204H7646H3117H4191H3967H7970H8141H1121H4194 16He was buried among the kings in the City of David, because he had done so much good in Israel for God and his Temple.H6912H5892H1732H4428H6213H2896H3478H430H1004 17But after Jehoiada's death, the leaders of Judah came and bowed before King Joash and persuaded him to listen to their advice.H310H4194H3077H935H8269H3063H7812H4428H4428H8085 18They decided to abandon the Temple of the LORD, the God of their ancestors, and they worshiped Asherah poles and idols instead! Because of this sin, divine anger fell on Judah and Jerusalem.H5800H1004H3068H430H1H5647H842H6091H7110H3063H3389H819 19Yet the LORD sent prophets to bring them back to him. The prophets warned them, but still the people would not listen.H7971H5030H7725H3068H5749H238 20Then the Spirit of God came upon Zechariah son of Jehoiada the priest. He stood before the people and said, "This is what God says: Why do you disobey the LORD's commands and keep yourselves from prospering? You have abandoned the LORD, and now he has abandoned you!"H7307H430H3847H2148H1121H3077H3548H5975H5971H559H559H430H5674H4687H3068H6743H5800H3068H5800 21Then the leaders plotted to kill Zechariah, and King Joash ordered that they stone him to death in the courtyard of the LORD's Temple.H7194H7275H68H4687H4428H2691H1004H3068 22That was how King Joash repaid Jehoiada for his loyalty—by killing his son. Zechariah's last words as he died were, "May the LORD see what they are doing and avenge my death!"H3101H4428H2142H2617H3077H1H6213H2026H1121H4194H559H3068H7200H1875 23In the spring of the year the Aramean army marched against Joash. They invaded Judah and Jerusalem and killed all the leaders of the nation. Then they sent all the plunder back to their king in Damascus.H8622H8141H2428H758H5927H935H3063H3389H7843H8269H5971H5971H7971H7998H4428H1834 24Although the Arameans attacked with only a small army, the LORD helped them conquer the much larger army of Judah. The people of Judah had abandoned the LORD, the God of their ancestors, so judgment was carried out against Joash.H2428H758H935H4705H582H3068H5414H3966H7230H2428H3027H5800H3068H430H1H6213H8201H3101 25The Arameans withdrew, leaving Joash severely wounded. But his own officials plotted to kill him for murdering the son of Jehoiada the priest. They assassinated him as he lay in bed. Then he was buried in the City of David, but not in the royal cemetery.H3212H5800H7227H4251H5650H7194H1818H1121H3077H3548H2026H4296H4191H6912H5892H1732H6912H6913H4428 26The assassins were Jozacar, the son of an Ammonite woman named Shimeath, and Jehozabad, the son of a Moabite woman named Shomer.H7194H2066H1121H8100H5985H3075H1121H8116H4125 27The account of the sons of Joash, the prophecies about him, and the record of his restoration of the Temple of God are written in The Commentary on the Book of the Kings. His son Amaziah became the next king.H1121H7235H7230H4853H3247H1004H430H3789H4097H5612H4428H558H1121H4427
Dublin, OH
Joash began to rule over Judah in the seventh year of King Jehu's reign in Israel. He reigned in Jerusalem forty years. His mother was Zibiah from Beersheba.H7651
