Prayer Tents Bible References - Prayer Tents

JOASH

(Heb. yôʾāš, yĕhôʾāš) (also JEHOASH)

1. The father of Gideon (Judg. 6:11, 29-31). A member of the Abiezrite clan of the tribe of Manasseh. He was owner of “the oak at Ophrah,” probably a local shrine associated with Baal and Asherah. The account emphasizes Yahwistic hegemony in Joash’s refusal to contend for Baal after Gideon destroys the cult site.

2. The son of King Ahab of Israel; one of the officials ordered to take custody of the prophet Micaiah (1 Kgs. 22:26 = 2 Chr. 18:25).

3. King of Judah (ca. 837-800 b.c.e.; 2 Kgs. 11–12; 2 Chr. 22:10–24:27). Joash (throne name Jehoash) was made king of Judah as a child by a coup d’état led by the priest Jehoiada against Athaliah, who had seized the throne and murdered all rivals seven years earlier. Narrative interest in the Kings account of the coup centers on the legitimacy of Joash as Ahaziah’s son and the only survivor of Athaliah’s purge, and on the necessary and authoritative restoration of the Davidic dynasty. The Chronicles account emphasizes the roles of the priest and the Levites in leading a popular uprising. While the identity of Joash as the king’s son is suspect, these events are comprehensible as typical political struggles in monarchic states and as fallout from Jehu’s revolt that ended the Omride dynasty in the north.

The chronology of the period is uncertain, but the attributed 40-year reign for Joash (2 Kgs. 12:1[MT 2]) seems more evocative of the reigns of David and Solomon than realistic. Joash is characterized in the Deuteronomistic-type regnal summary as a good king except for not removing the high places; Chronicles limits his right rule to Jehoiada’s influence. This king is remembered for his regularizing of a financial program for the care of the temple. A power struggle with the priests for control of the finances may underlie the narrative. The Kings account demonstrates Joash’s leadership in establishing an enduring arrangement (2 Kgs. 22:3-7, 9). In contrast, Chronicles highlights Joash’s abandonment of the priestly ideals of Yahwistic loyalty after Jehoiada dies.

Hazael’s defeat of the city of Gath and tribute from Joash reflect the dominance of Aram-Damascus in Syria-Palestine in the late 9th century. Joash’s assassination by two of his officials, characteristic of royal power politics, is unexplained in Kings. In Chronicles both Hazael’s victory and the assassination are retribution for Joash’s transgressions. Joash was succeeded by his son Amaziah.

4. King of Israel (ca. 800-ca. 785). Joash succeeded his father Jehoahaz and ruled for 16 years early in the 8th century (2 Kgs. 13:10-25; 14:8-16; 2 Chr. 25:17-24). The regnal summary, like other Deuteronomistic judgments of northern kings, describes him as an evil king who followed in Jeroboam’s sins. However, the narrative strategy of 2 Kgs. 13:14-25 portrays him according to the usually positive Deuteronomistic criterion of a king who seeks the prophetic word. The narrative focuses on Joash’s responses to Elisha’s commands to act out Israel’s limited success in its continuing struggle against Aram. The narrative confirmation of the prophetic word comes in 2 Kgs. 13:25, where Joash defeats Ben-hadad three times.

Historically, this account reflects the changing balance of power between Aram and Assyria ca. 800. Assyria under Adadnirari III in its western campaigns between 805 and 796 controlled and then ended Aram’s four decades of domination of Syria-Palestine. An Assyrian inscription, the Rimah stela, marks Adad-nirari’s success and his receipt of tribute from Tyre, Sidon, and Joash of Samaria. Aram’s weakness left Joash free to regain the cities (in Galilee or Transjordan?) his father had lost.

Joash figures in the report about Amaziah which describes a battle between Israel and Judah (2 Kgs. 14:8-16 = 2 Chr. 25:17-24). Narrative emphasis is on Joash’s rebuff of Amaziah, Israel’s defeat of Judah on its own territory, and the sacking of Jerusalem. Other than alluding to Amaziah’s arrogance after defeating Edom, the report does not give reasons for the battle. While specifics cannot be known, the battle is comprehensible as typical jockeying for power or territory between smaller states after a dominating state (here, Aram) has been removed. Joash was succeeded by his son Jeroboam II.

5. A member of the Judahite genealogy in the Shelanite branch (1 Chr. 4:22).

6. A Benjaminite from the clan of Becher (1 Chr. 7:8).

7. An archer listed among the Benjaminite warriors who joined David at Ziklag (1 Chr. 12:3).

8. The overseer of David’s stores of oil (1 Chr. 27:28).

Bibliography. G. W. Ahlström, The History of Ancient Palestine (Minneapolis, 1993); P. Dutcher-Walls, Narrative Art, Political Rhetoric: The Case of Athaliah and Joash. JSOTSup 209 (Sheffield, 1996); S. Japhet, I and II Chronicles. OTL (Louisville, 1993); J. M. Miller and J. H. Hayes, A History of Ancient Israel and Judah (Philadelphia, 1986).

Patricia Dutcher-Walls

Prayer Tents Bible References - Prayer Tents

JOASH

Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible (2000)