1 J oash was seven years old when he began to reign; and he reigned forty years in Jerusalem: and his mother’s name was Zibiah, of Beersheba.

Joash was seven years old when he became king, and he reigned forty years in Jerusalem; and his mother’s name was Zibiah from Beersheba.

2 J oash did that which was right in Yahweh’s eyes all the days of Jehoiada the priest.

Joash did what was right in the sight of the Lord all the days of Jehoiada the priest.

3 J ehoiada took for him two wives; and he became the father of sons and daughters.

Jehoiada took two wives for him, and he became the father of sons and daughters. Faithless Priests

4 A fter this, Joash intended to restore Yahweh’s house.

Now it came about after this that Joash decided to restore the house of the Lord.

5 H e gathered together the priests and the Levites, and said to them, “Go out to the cities of Judah, and gather money to repair the house of your God from all Israel from year to year. See that you expedite this matter.” However the Levites didn’t do it right away.

He gathered the priests and Levites and said to them, “Go out to the cities of Judah and collect money from all Israel to repair the house of your God annually, and you shall do the matter quickly.” But the Levites did not act quickly.

6 T he king called for Jehoiada the chief, and said to him, “Why haven’t you required of the Levites to bring in the tax of Moses the servant of Yahweh, and of the assembly of Israel, out of Judah and out of Jerusalem, for the tent of the testimony?”

So the king summoned Jehoiada the chief priest and said to him, “Why have you not required the Levites to bring in from Judah and from Jerusalem the levy fixed by Moses the servant of the Lord on the congregation of Israel for the tent of the testimony?”

7 F or the sons of Athaliah, that wicked woman, had broken up God’s house; and they also gave all the dedicated things of Yahweh’s house to the Baals.

For the sons of the wicked Athaliah had broken into the house of God and even used the holy things of the house of the Lord for the Baals. Temple Repaired

8 S o the king commanded, and they made a chest, and set it outside at the gate of Yahweh’s house.

So the king commanded, and they made a chest and set it outside by the gate of the house of the Lord.

9 T hey made a proclamation through Judah and Jerusalem, to bring in for Yahweh the tax that Moses the servant of God laid on Israel in the wilderness.

They made a proclamation in Judah and Jerusalem to bring to the Lord the levy fixed by Moses the servant of God on Israel in the wilderness.

10 A ll the princes and all the people rejoiced, and brought in, and cast into the chest, until they had made an end.

All the officers and all the people rejoiced and brought in their levies and dropped them into the chest until they had finished.

11 I t was so, that whenever the chest was brought to the king’s officers by the hand of the Levites, and when they saw that there was much money, the king’s scribe and the chief priest’s officer came and emptied the chest, and took it, and carried it to its place again. Thus they did day by day, and gathered money in abundance.

It came about whenever the chest was brought in to the king’s officer by the Levites, and when they saw that there was much money, then the king’s scribe and the chief priest’s officer would come, empty the chest, take it, and return it to its place. Thus they did daily and collected much money.

12 T he king and Jehoiada gave it to such as did the work of the service of Yahweh’s house; and they hired masons and carpenters to restore Yahweh’s house, and also such as worked iron and brass to repair Yahweh’s house.

The king and Jehoiada gave it to those who did the work of the service of the house of the Lord; and they hired masons and carpenters to restore the house of the Lord, and also workers in iron and bronze to repair the house of the Lord.

13 S o the workmen worked, and the work of repairing went forward in their hands, and they set up God’s house in its state, and strengthened it.

So the workmen labored, and the repair work progressed in their hands, and they restored the house of God according to its specifications and strengthened it.

14 W hen they had made an end, they brought the rest of the money before the king and Jehoiada, of which were made vessels for Yahweh’s house, even vessels with which to minister and to offer, and spoons, and vessels of gold and silver. They offered burnt offerings in Yahweh’s house continually all the days of Jehoiada.

When they had finished, they brought the rest of the money before the king and Jehoiada; and it was made into utensils for the house of the Lord, utensils for the service and the burnt offering, and pans and utensils of gold and silver. And they offered burnt offerings in the house of the Lord continually all the days of Jehoiada.

15 B ut Jehoiada grew old and was full of days, and he died; one hundred thirty years old was he when he died.

Now when Jehoiada reached a ripe old age he died; he was one hundred and thirty years old at his death.

16 T hey buried him in David’s city among the kings, because he had done good in Israel, and toward God and his house.

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 N ow after the death of Jehoiada came the princes of Judah, and made obeisance to the king. Then the king listened to them.

But after the death of Jehoiada the officials of Judah came and bowed down to the king, and the king listened to them.

18 T hey abandoned the house of Yahweh, the God of their fathers, and served the Asherah poles and the idols; and wrath came on Judah and Jerusalem for this their guiltiness.

They abandoned the house of the Lord, the God of their fathers, and served the Asherim and the idols; so wrath came upon Judah and Jerusalem for this their guilt.

19 Y et he sent prophets to them, to bring them again to Yahweh; and they testified against them: but they would not give ear.

Yet He sent prophets to them to bring them back to the Lord; though they testified against them, they would not listen. Joash Murders Son of Jehoiada

20 T he Spirit of God came on Zechariah the son of Jehoiada the priest; and he stood above the people, and said to them, “Thus says God, ‘Why do you disobey Yahweh’s commandments, so that you can’t prosper? Because you have forsaken Yahweh, he has also forsaken you.’”

Then the Spirit of God came on Zechariah the son of Jehoiada the priest; and he stood above the people and said to them, “Thus God has said, ‘ Why do you transgress the commandments of the Lord and do not prosper? Because you have forsaken the Lord, He has also forsaken you.’”

21 T hey conspired against him, and stoned him with stones at the commandment of the king in the court of Yahweh’s house.

So they conspired against him and at the command of the king they stoned him to death in the court of the house of the Lord.

22 T hus Joash the king didn’t remember the kindness which Jehoiada his father had done to him, but killed his son. When he died, he said, “May Yahweh look at it, and repay it.”

Thus Joash the king did not remember the kindness which his father Jehoiada had shown him, but he murdered his son. And as he died he said, “May the Lord see and avenge!” Aram Invades and Defeats Judah

23 A t the end of the year, the army of the Syrians came up against him: and they came to Judah and Jerusalem, and destroyed all the princes of the people from among the people, and sent all their plunder to the king of Damascus.

Now it happened at the turn of the year that the army of the Arameans came up against him; and they came to Judah and Jerusalem, destroyed all the officials of the people from among the people, and sent all their spoil to the king of Damascus.

24 F or the army of the Syrians came with a small company of men; and Yahweh delivered a very great army into their hand, because they had forsaken Yahweh, the God of their fathers. So they executed judgment on Joash.

Indeed the army of the Arameans came with a small number of men; yet the Lord delivered a very great army into their hands, because they had forsaken the Lord, the God of their fathers. Thus they executed judgment on Joash.

25 W hen they were departed for him (for they left him very sick), his own servants conspired against him for the blood of the sons of Jehoiada the priest, and killed him on his bed, and he died; and they buried him in David’s city, but they didn’t bury him in the tombs of the kings.

When they had departed from him (for they left him very sick), his own servants conspired against him because of the blood of the son of Jehoiada the priest, and murdered him on his bed. So he died, and they buried him in the city of David, but they did not bury him in the tombs of the kings.

26 T hese are those who conspired against him: Zabad the son of Shimeath the Ammonitess, and Jehozabad the son of Shimrith the Moabitess.

Now these are those who conspired against him: Zabad the son of Shimeath the Ammonitess, and Jehozabad the son of Shimrith the Moabitess.

27 N ow concerning his sons, and the greatness of the burdens laid on him, and the rebuilding of God’s house, behold, they are written in the commentary of the book of the kings. Amaziah his son reigned in his place.

As to his sons and the many oracles against him and the rebuilding of the house of God, behold, they are written in the treatise of the Book of the Kings. Then Amaziah his son became king in his place.