21When Jehoshaphat died, he was buried with his ancestors in the City of David. Then his son Jehoram became the next king.H3092H7901H1H6912H1H5892H1732H3088H1121H4427 2Jehoram's brothers—the other sons of Jehoshaphat—were Azariah, Jehiel, Zechariah, Azariahu, Michael, and Shephatiah; all these were the sons of Jehoshaphat king of Judah.H251H1121H3092H5838H3171H2148H5838H4317H8203H1121H3092H4428H3478 3Their father had given each of them valuable gifts of silver, gold, and costly items, and also some of Judah's fortified towns. However, he designated Jehoram as the next king because he was the oldest.H1H5414H7227H4979H3701H2091H4030H4694H5892H3063H4467H5414H3088H1060 4But when Jehoram had become solidly established as king, he killed all his brothers and some of the other leaders of Judah.H3088H6965H4467H1H2388H2026H251H2719H8269H3478 5Jehoram was thirty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem eight years.H3088H7970H8147H8141H1121H4427H4427H8083H8141H3389 6But Jehoram followed the example of the kings of Israel and was as wicked as King Ahab, for he had married one of Ahab's daughters. So Jehoram did what was evil in the LORD's sight.H3212H1870H4428H3478H6213H1004H256H1323H256H802H6213H7451H5869H3068 7But the LORD did not want to destroy David's dynasty, for he had made a covenant with David and promised that his descendants would continue to rule, shining like a lamp forever.H3068H14H7843H1004H1732H1285H3772H1732H559H5414H5216H1121H3117 8During Jehoram's reign, the Edomites revolted against Judah and crowned their own king.H3117H123H6586H3027H3063H4427H4428 9So Jehoram went out with his full army and all his chariots. The Edomites surrounded him and his chariot commanders, but he went out at night and attacked them under cover of darkness.H3088H5674H8269H7393H6965H3915H5221H123H5437H8269H7393 10Even so, Edom has been independent from Judah to this day. The town of Libnah also revolted about that same time. All this happened because Jehoram had abandoned the LORD, the God of his ancestors.H123H6586H3027H3063H3117H6256H3841H6586H3027H5800H3068H430H1 11He had built pagan shrines in the hill country of Judah and had led the people of Jerusalem and Judah to give themselves to pagan gods and to go astray.H6213H1116H2022H3063H3427H3389H2181H5080H3063 12Then Elijah the prophet wrote Jehoram this letter: "This is what the LORD, the God of your ancestor David, says: You have not followed the good example of your father, Jehoshaphat, or your grandfather King Asa of Judah.H935H4385H452H5030H559H559H3068H430H1732H1H1980H1870H3092H1H1870H609H4428H3063 13Instead, you have been as evil as the kings of Israel. You have led the people of Jerusalem and Judah to worship idols, just as King Ahab did in Israel. And you have even killed your own brothers, men who were better than you.H3212H1870H4428H3478H3063H3427H3389H2181H2181H1004H256H2026H251H1H1004H2896 14So now the LORD is about to strike you, your people, your children, your wives, and all that is yours with a heavy blow.H1419H4046H3068H5062H5971H1121H802H7399 15You yourself will suffer with a severe intestinal disease that will get worse each day until your bowels come out."H7227H2483H4245H4578H4578H3318H2483H3117H3117 16Then the LORD stirred up the Philistines and the Arabs, who lived near the Ethiopians, to attack Jehoram.H3068H5782H3088H7307H6430H6163H5921H3027H3569 17They marched against Judah, broke down its defenses, and carried away everything of value in the royal palace, including the king's sons and his wives. Only his youngest son, Ahaziah, was spared.H5927H3063H1234H7617H7399H4672H4428H1004H1121H802H1121H7604H3059H6996H1121 18After all this, the LORD struck Jehoram with the severe intestinal disease.H310H3068H5062H4578H369H4832H2483 19The disease grew worse and worse, and at the end of two years it caused his bowels to come out, and he died in agony. His people did not build a great funeral fire to honor him as they had done for his ancestors.H3117H3318H6256H7093H8147H3117H4578H3318H5973H2483H4191H7451H8463H5971H6213H8316H8316H1 20Jehoram was thirty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem eight years. No one was sorry when he died. They buried him in the City of David, but not in the royal cemetery.H7970H8147H1121H4427H4427H3389H8083H8141H3212H2532H6912H5892H1732H6913H4428
22Then the people of Jerusalem made Ahaziah, Jehoram's youngest son, their next king, since the marauding bands who came with the Arabs had killed all the older sons. So Ahaziah son of Jehoram reigned as king of Judah.H3427H3389H4427H274H6996H1121H4427H1416H935H6163H4264H2026H7223H274H1121H3088H4428H3063H4427 2Ahaziah was twenty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem one year. His mother was Athaliah, a granddaughter of King Omri.H705H8147H8141H1121H274H4427H4427H259H8141H3389H517H8034H6271H1323H6018 3Ahaziah also followed the evil example of King Ahab's family, for his mother encouraged him in doing wrong.H1980H1870H1004H256H517H3289H7561 4He did what was evil in the LORD's sight, just as Ahab's family had done. They even became his advisers after the death of his father, and they led him to ruin.H6213H7451H5869H3068H1004H256H3289H310H4194H1H4889 5Following their evil advice, Ahaziah joined King Joram, the son of King Ahab of Israel, in his war against King Hazael of Aram at Ramoth-gilead. When the Arameans wounded Joram in the battle,H1980H6098H3212H3088H1121H256H4428H3478H4421H2371H4428H758H7433H1568H7421H5221H3141 6he returned to Jezreel to recover from the wounds he had received at Ramoth. Because Joram was wounded, King Ahaziah of Judah went to Jezreel to visit him.H7725H7495H3157H4347H5221H7414H3898H2371H4428H758H5838H1121H3088H4428H3063H3381H7200H3088H1121H256H3157H2470 7But God had decided that this visit would be Ahaziah's downfall. While he was there, Ahaziah went out with Joram to meet Jehu grandson of Nimshi, whom the LORD had appointed to destroy the dynasty of Ahab.H8395H274H430H935H3141H935H3318H3088H3058H1121H5250H3068H4886H3772H1004H256 8While Jehu was executing judgment against the family of Ahab, he happened to meet some of Judah's officials and Ahaziah's relatives who were traveling with Ahaziah. So Jehu killed them all.H3058H8199H1004H256H4672H8269H3063H1121H251H274H8334H274H2026 9Then Jehu's men searched for Ahaziah, and they found him hiding in the city of Samaria. They brought him to Jehu, who killed him. Ahaziah was given a decent burial because the people said, "He was the grandson of Jehoshaphat—a man who sought the LORD with all his heart." But none of the surviving members of Ahaziah's family was capable of ruling the kingdom.H1245H274H3920H2244H8111H935H3058H4191H6912H559H1121H3092H1875H3068H3824H1004H274H3581H6113H4467 10When Athaliah, the mother of King Ahaziah of Judah, learned that her son was dead, she began to destroy the rest of Judah's royal family.H6271H517H274H7200H1121H4191H6965H1696H2233H4467H1004H3063 11But Ahaziah's sister Jehosheba, the daughter of King Jehoram, took Ahaziah's infant son, Joash, and stole him away from among the rest of the king's children, who were about to be killed. She put Joash and his nurse in a bedroom. In this way, Jehosheba, wife of Jehoiada the priest and sister of Ahaziah, hid the child so that Athaliah could not murder him.H3090H1323H4428H3947H3101H1121H274H1589H8432H4428H1121H4191H5414H3243H2315H4296H3090H1323H4428H3088H802H3077H3548H269H274H5641H6440H6271H4191 12Joash remained hidden in the Temple of God for six years while Athaliah ruled over the land.H2244H1004H430H8337H8141H6271H4427H776
23In the seventh year of Athaliah's reign, Jehoiada the priest decided to act. He summoned his courage and made a pact with five army commanders: Azariah son of Jeroham, Ishmael son of Jehohanan, Azariah son of Obed, Maaseiah son of Adaiah, and Elishaphat son of Zicri.H7637H8141H3077H2388H3947H8269H3967H5838H1121H3395H3458H1121H3076H5838H1121H5744H4641H1121H5718H478H1121H2147H1285 2These men traveled secretly throughout Judah and summoned the Levites and clan leaders in all the towns to come to Jerusalem.H5437H3063H6908H3881H5892H3063H7218H1H3478H935H3389 3They all gathered at the Temple of God, where they made a solemn pact with Joash, the young king. Jehoiada said to them, "Here is the king's son! The time has come for him to reign! The LORD has promised that a descendant of David will be our king.H6951H3772H1285H4428H1004H430H559H4428H1121H4427H3068H1696H1121H1732 4This is what you must do. When you priests and Levites come on duty on the Sabbath, a third of you will serve as gatekeepers.H1697H6213H7992H935H7676H3548H3881H7778H5592 5Another third will go over to the royal palace, and the final third will be at the Foundation Gate. Everyone else should stay in the courtyards of the LORD's Temple.H7992H4428H1004H7992H8179H3247H5971H2691H1004H3068 6Remember, only the priests and Levites on duty may enter the Temple of the LORD, for they are set apart as holy. The rest of the people must obey the LORD's instructions and stay outside.H935H1004H3068H3548H8334H3881H935H6944H5971H8104H4931H3068 7You Levites, form a bodyguard around the king and keep your weapons in hand. Kill anyone who tries to enter the Temple. Stay with the king wherever he goes."H3881H5362H4428H5439H376H3627H3027H935H1004H4191H4428H935H3318 8So the Levites and all the people of Judah did everything as Jehoiada the priest ordered. The commanders took charge of the men reporting for duty that Sabbath, as well as those who were going off duty. Jehoiada the priest did not let anyone go home after their shift ended.H3881H3063H6213H3077H3548H6680H3947H376H582H935H7676H3318H7676H3077H3548H6358H4256 9Then Jehoiada supplied the commanders with the spears and the large and small shields that had once belonged to King David and were stored in the Temple of God.H3077H3548H5414H8269H3967H2595H4043H7982H4428H1732H1004H430 10He stationed all the people around the king, with their weapons ready. They formed a line from the south side of the Temple around to the north side and all around the altar.H5975H5971H376H7973H3027H3233H3802H1004H8042H3802H1004H4196H1004H4428H5439 11Then Jehoiada and his sons brought out Joash, the king's son, placed the crown on his head, and presented him with a copy of God's laws. They anointed him and proclaimed him king, and everyone shouted, "Long live the king!"H3318H4428H1121H5414H5145H5715H4427H3077H1121H4886H559H2421H4428 12When Athaliah heard the noise of the people running and the shouts of praise to the king, she hurried to the LORD's Temple to see what was happening.H6271H8085H6963H5971H7323H1984H4428H935H5971H1004H3068 13When she arrived, she saw the newly crowned king standing in his place of authority by the pillar at the Temple entrance. The commanders and trumpeters were surrounding him, and people from all over the land were rejoicing and blowing trumpets. Singers with musical instruments were leading the people in a great celebration. When Athaliah saw all this, she tore her clothes in despair and shouted, "Treason! Treason!"H7200H4428H5975H5982H3996H8269H2689H4428H5971H776H8056H8628H2689H7891H3627H7892H3045H1984H6271H7167H899H559H7195H7195 14Then Jehoiada the priest ordered the commanders who were in charge of the troops, "Take her to the soldiers in front of the Temple, and kill anyone who tries to rescue her." For the priest had said, "She must not be killed in the Temple of the LORD."H3077H3548H3318H8269H3967H6485H2428H559H3318H1004H7713H935H310H4191H2719H3548H559H4191H1004H3068 15So they seized her and led her out to the entrance of the Horse Gate on the palace grounds, and they killed her there.H7760H3027H935H3996H5483H8179H4428H1004H4191 16Then Jehoiada made a covenant between himself and the king and the people that they would be the LORD's people.H3077H3772H1285H5971H4428H3068H5971 17And all the people went over to the temple of Baal and tore it down. They demolished the altars and smashed the idols, and they killed Mattan the priest of Baal in front of the altars.H5971H935H1004H1168H5422H7665H4196H6754H7665H2026H4977H3548H1168H6440H4196 18Jehoiada now put the priests and Levites in charge of the Temple of the LORD, following all the directions given by David. He also commanded them to present burnt offerings to the LORD, as prescribed by the Law of Moses, and to sing and rejoice as David had instructed.H3077H7760H6486H1004H3068H3027H3548H3881H1732H2505H1004H3068H5927H5930H3068H3789H8451H4872H8057H7892H3027H1732 19He also stationed gatekeepers at the gates of the LORD's Temple to keep out those who for any reason were ceremonially unclean.H5975H7778H8179H1004H3068H2931H1697H935 20Then the commanders, nobles, rulers, and all the people of the land escorted the king from the Temple of the LORD. They went through the upper gate and into the palace, and they seated the king on the royal throne.H3947H8269H3967H117H4910H5971H5971H776H3381H4428H1004H3068H935H8432H5945H8179H4428H1004H3427H4428H3678H4467 21So all the people of the land rejoiced, and the city was peaceful because Athaliah had been killed.H5971H776H8055H5892H8252H4191H6271H2719
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
76[For the choir director: A psalm of Asaph. A song to be accompanied by stringed instruments.] God is honored in Judah; his name is great in Israel.H5329H5058H4210H7892H623H3063H430H3045H8034H1419H3478 2Jerusalem is where he lives; Mount Zion is his home.H8004H5520H4585H6726 3There he has broken the fiery arrows of the enemy, the shields and swords and weapons of war. InterludeH7665H7565H7198H4043H2719H4421H5542 4You are glorious and more majestic than the everlasting mountains.H215H117H2042H2964 5Our boldest enemies have been plundered. They lie before us in the sleep of death. No warrior could lift a hand against us.H47H3820H7997H5123H8142H582H2428H4672H3027 6At the blast of your breath, O God of Jacob, their horses and chariots lay still.H1606H430H3290H7393H5483H7290 7No wonder you are greatly feared! Who can stand before you when your anger explodes?H3372H5975H6440H227H639 8From heaven you sentenced your enemies; the earth trembled and stood silent before you.H1779H8085H8064H776H3372H8252 9You stand up to judge those who do evil, O God, and to rescue the oppressed of the earth. InterludeH430H6965H4941H3467H6035H776H5542 10Human defiance only enhances your glory, for you use it as a weapon.H2534H120H3034H7611H2534H2296 11Make vows to the Lord your God, and keep them. Let everyone bring tribute to the Awesome One.H5087H7999H3068H430H5439H2986H7862H4172 12For he breaks the pride of princes, and the kings of the earth fear him.H1219H7307H5057H3372H4428H776
Dublin, OH
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