The Second Book of the Chronicles

⭑ Literal Standard Version :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 24 -

(2 Kings 12:1–16)

Joash [is] a son of seven years in his reigning, and he has reigned forty years in Jerusalem, and the name of his mother [is] Zibiah of Beer-Sheba.

And Joash does that which is right in the eyes of YHWH all the days of Jehoiada the priest.

And Jehoiada takes two wives for him, and he begets sons and daughters.

And it comes to pass after this, it has been with the heart of Joash to renew the house of YHWH,

and he gathers the priests and the Levites, and says to them, “Go out to the cities of Judah, and gather money from all Israel to strengthen the house of your God sufficiently year by year, and you, hurry to the matter”; and the Levites have not hurried.

And the king calls for Jehoiada the head and says to him, “Why have you not required of the Levites to bring in out of Judah and out of Jerusalem the tribute of Moses, servant of YHWH, and of the assembly of Israel, for the Tent of the Testimony?

For sons of Athaliah, the wicked one, have broken up the house of God, and also, they have prepared all the holy things of the house of YHWH for Ba‘alim.”

And the king commands, and they make one chest, and put it at the gate of the house of YHWH outside,

and give an intimation in Judah and in Jerusalem to bring to YHWH the tribute of Moses, servant of God, [laid] on Israel in the wilderness.

And all the heads, and all the people rejoice, and they bring in, and cast into the chest, to completion.

And it comes to pass, at the time one brings in the chest for the inspection of the king by the hand of the Levites, and at their seeing that the money [is] abundant, that a scribe of the king has come in, and an officer of the head-priest, and they empty the chest, and take it up and turn it back to its place; thus they have done day by day, and gather money in abundance.

And the king and Jehoiada give it to the doers of the work of the service of the house of YHWH, and they are hiring hewers and craftsmen to renew the house of YHWH, and also—to craftsmen in iron and bronze to strengthen the house of YHWH.

And those doing the business work, and there goes up lengthening to the work by their hand, and they establish the house of God by its proper measure, and strengthen it.

And at their completing [it], they have brought in the rest of the money before the king and Jehoiada, and they make [with] it vessels for the house of YHWH, vessels of serving, and of offering up, and spoons, even vessels of gold and silver; and they are causing burnt-offerings to ascend in the house of YHWH continually, all the days of Jehoiada.

Jehoiada’s Death and Burial

And Jehoiada is aged and satisfied with days, and dies—a son of one hundred and thirty years in his death,

and they bury him in the City of David with the kings, for he has done good in Israel, and with God and his house.

The Wickedness of Joash

And after the death of Jehoiada, heads of Judah have come in, and bow themselves to the king; then the king has listened to them,

and they forsake the house of YHWH, God of their fathers, and serve the Asherim and the idols, and there is wrath on Judah and Jerusalem for this guilt of theirs.

And He sends among them prophets, to bring them back to YHWH, and they testify against them, and they have not given ear;

and the Spirit of God has clothed Zechariah son of Jehoiada the priest, and he stands above the people, and says to them, “Thus said God: Why are you transgressing the commands of YHWH, and do not prosper? Because you have forsaken YHWH, He forsakes you.”

And they conspire against him, and stone him [with] stone by the command of the king, in the court of the house of YHWH,

and Joash the king has not remembered the kindness that his father Jehoiada did with him, and slays his son, and in his death he said, “YHWH sees and requires.”

The Death of Joash

(2 Kings 12:17–21)

And it comes to pass, at the turn of the year, the force of Aram has come up against him, and they come to Judah and Jerusalem, and destroy all the heads of the people from the people, and they have sent all their spoil to the king of Damascus,

for with few men the force of Aram has come in, and YHWH has given into their hand a mighty force for multitude, because they have forsaken YHWH, God of their fathers; and they have executed judgments with Joash.

And in their going from him—for they left him with many diseases—his servants themselves have conspired against him for the blood of the sons of Jehoiada the priest, and slay him on his bed, and he dies; and they bury him in the City of David, and have not buried him in the graves of the kings.

And these [are] those conspiring against him: Zabad son of Shimeath the Ammonitess, and Jehozabad son of Shimrith the Moabitess.

As for his sons, and the greatness of the burden on him, and the foundation of the house of God, behold, they are written on the commentary of the scroll of the Kings; and his son Amaziah reigns in his stead.

(2 Kings 12:1–16)

Joash was seven years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Zibiah, of Beersheba.

Joash did that which was right in the LORD’s eyes all the days of Jehoiada the priest.

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

After this, Joash intended to restore the LORD’s house.

He 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.

The 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 the LORD, and of the assembly of Israel, out of Judah and out of Jerusalem, for the Tent of the Testimony?”

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

So the king commanded, and they made a chest, and set it outside at the gate of the LORD’s house.

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

All the princes and all the people rejoiced, and brought in, and cast into the chest, until they had filled it.

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.

The king and Jehoiada gave it to those who did the work of the service of the LORD’s house. They hired masons and carpenters to restore the LORD’s house, and also those who worked iron and bronze to repair the LORD’s house.

So the workmen worked, and the work of repairing went forward in their hands. They set up God’s house as it was designed, and strengthened it.

When they had finished, they brought the rest of the money before the king and Jehoiada, from which were made vessels for the LORD’s house, even vessels with which to minister and to offer, including spoons and vessels of gold and silver. They offered burnt offerings in the LORD’s house continually all the days of Jehoiada.

Jehoiada’s Death and Burial

But Jehoiada grew old and was full of days, and he died. He was one hundred thirty years old when he died.

They buried him in David’s city among the kings, because he had done good in Israel, and toward God and his house.

The Wickedness of Joash

Now after the death of Jehoiada, the princes of Judah came and bowed down to the king. Then the king listened to them.

They abandoned the house of the LORD, the God of their fathers, and served the Asherah poles and the idols, so wrath came on Judah and Jerusalem for this their guiltiness.

Yet he sent prophets to them to bring them again to the LORD, and they testified against them; but they would not listen.

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

They conspired against him, and stoned him with stones at the commandment of the king in the court of the LORD’s house.

Thus 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 the LORD look at it, and repay it.”

The Death of Joash

(2 Kings 12:17–21)

At the end of the year, the army of the Syrians came up against him. 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.

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

When they had departed from him (for they left him seriously wounded), 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. They buried him in David’s city, but they didn’t bury him in the tombs of the kings.

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

Now concerning his sons, 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.