2 Chronicles — Chapter 24

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1Joash was seven years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name also was Zibiah of Beer-sheba.

2And Joash did that which was right in the sight of the LORD all the days of Jehoiada the priest.

3And Jehoiada took for him two wives; and he begat sons and daughters.

4And it came to pass after this, that Joash was minded to repair the house of the LORD.

5And he gathered together the priests and the Levites, and said to them, Go out unto the cities of Judah, and gather of all Israel money to repair the house of your God from year to year, and see that ye hasten the matter. Howbeit the Levites hastened it not.

6And the king called for Jehoiada the chief, and said unto him, Why hast thou not required of the Levites to bring in out of Judah and out of Jerusalem the collection, according to the commandment of Moses the servant of the LORD, and of the congregation of Israel, for the tabernacle of witness?

7For the sons of Athaliah, that wicked woman, had broken up the house of God; and also all the dedicated things of the house of the LORD did they bestow upon Baalim.

8And at the king’s commandment they made a chest, and set it without at the gate of the house of the LORD.

9And they made a proclamation through Judah and Jerusalem, to bring in to the LORD the collection that Moses the servant of God laid upon Israel in the wilderness.

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

11Now it came to pass, that at what time the chest was brought unto the king’s office by the hand of the Levites, and when they saw that there was much money, the king’s scribe and the high priest’s officer came and emptied the chest, and took it, and carried it to his place again. Thus they did day by day, and gathered money in abundance.

12And the king and Jehoiada gave it to such as did the work of the service of the house of the LORD, and hired masons and carpenters to repair the house of the LORD, and also such as wrought iron and brass to mend the house of the LORD.

13So the workmen wrought, and the work was perfected by them, and they set the house of God in his state, and strengthened it.

14And when they had finished it, they brought the rest of the money before the king and Jehoiada, whereof were made vessels for the house of the LORD, even vessels to minister, and to offer withal, and spoons, and vessels of gold and silver. And they offered burnt offerings in the house of the LORD continually all the days of Jehoiada.

15But Jehoiada waxed old, and was full of days when he died; an hundred and thirty years old was he when he died.

16And they buried him in the city of David among the kings, because he had done good in Israel, both toward God, and toward his house.

17Now after the death of Jehoiada came the princes of Judah, and made obeisance to the king. Then the king hearkened unto them.

18And they left the house of the LORD God of their fathers, and served groves and idols: and wrath came upon Judah and Jerusalem for this their trespass.

19Yet he sent prophets to them, to bring them again unto the LORD; and they testified against them: but they would not give ear.

20And the Spirit of God came upon Zechariah the son of Jehoiada the priest, which stood above the people, and said unto them, Thus saith God, Why transgress ye the commandments of the LORD, that ye cannot prosper? because ye have forsaken the LORD, he hath also forsaken you.

21And they conspired against him, and stoned him with stones at the commandment of the king in the court of the house of the LORD.

22Thus Joash the king remembered not the kindness which Jehoiada his father had done to him, but slew his son. And when he died, he said, The LORD look upon it, and require it.

23And it came to pass at the end of the year, that the host of Syria 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 the spoil of them unto the king of Damascus.

24For the army of the Syrians came with a small company of men, and the LORD delivered a very great host into their hand, because they had forsaken the LORD God of their fathers. So they executed judgment against Joash.

25And when they were departed from him, (for they left him in great diseases,) his own servants conspired against him for the blood of the sons of Jehoiada the priest, and slew him on his bed, and he died: and they buried him in the city of David, but they buried him not in the sepulchres of the kings.

26And these are they that conspired against him; Zabad the son of Shimeath an Ammonitess, and Jehozabad the son of Shimrith a Moabitess.

27Now concerning his sons, and the greatness of the burdens laid upon him, and the repairing of the house of God, behold, they are written in the story of the book of the kings. And Amaziah his son reigned in his stead.

1Joash was seven years old when he began to reign; and he reigned forty years in Jerusalem: and his mother`s name was Zibiah, of Beer-sheba.

2And Joash did that which was right in the eyes of Jehovah all the days of Jehoiada the priest.

3And Jehoiada took for him two wives; and he begat sons and daughters.

4And it came to pass after this, that Joash was minded to restore the house of Jehovah.

5And he gathered together the priests and the Levites, and said to them, Go out unto the cities of Judah, and gather of all Israel money to repair the house of your God from year to year; and see that ye hasten the matter. Howbeit the Levites hastened it not.

6And the king called for Jehoiada the chief, and said unto him, Why hast thou not required of the Levites to bring in out of Judah and out of Jerusalem the tax of Moses the servant of Jehovah, and of the assembly of Israel, for the tent of the testimony?

7For the sons of Athaliah, that wicked woman, had broken up the house of God; and also all the dedicated things of the house of Jehovah did they bestow upon the Baalim.

8So the king commanded, and they made a chest, and set it without at the gate of the house of Jehovah.

9And they made a proclamation through Judah and Jerusalem, to bring in for Jehovah the tax that Moses the servant of God laid upon Israel in the wilderness.

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

11And it was so, that, at what time the chest was brought unto 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.

12And the king and Jehoiada gave it to such as did the work of the service of the house of Jehovah; and they hired masons and carpenters to restore the house of Jehovah, and also such as wrought iron and brass to repair the house of Jehovah.

13So the workmen wrought, and the work of repairing went forward in their hands, and they set up the house of God in its state, and strengthened it.

14And when they had made an end, they brought the rest of the money before the king and Jehoiada, whereof were made vessels for the house of Jehovah, even vessels wherewith to minister and to offer, and spoons, and vessels of gold and silver. And they offered burnt-offerings in the house of Jehovah continually all the days of Jehoiada.

15But Jehoiada waxed old and was full of days, and he died; a hundred and thirty years old was he when he died.

16And they buried him in the city of David among the kings, because he had done good in Israel, and toward God and his house.

17Now after the death of Jehoiada came the princes of Judah, and made obeisance to the king. Then the king hearkened unto them.

18And they forsook the house of Jehovah, the God of their fathers, and served the Asherim and the idols: and wrath came upon Judah and Jerusalem for this their guiltiness.

19Yet he sent prophets to them, to bring them again unto Jehovah; and they testified against them: but they would not give ear.

20And the Spirit of God came upon Zechariah the son of Jehoiada the priest; and he stood above the people, and said unto them, Thus saith God, Why transgress ye the commandments of Jehovah, so that ye cannot prosper? because ye have forsaken Jehovah, he hath also forsaken you.

21And they conspired against him, and stoned him with stones at the commandment of the king in the court of the house of Jehovah.

22Thus Joash the king remembered not the kindness which Jehoiada his father had done to him, but slew his son. And when he died, he said, Jehovah look upon it, and require it.

23And it came to pass at the end of the year, that 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 the spoil of them unto the king of Damascus.

24For the army of the Syrians came with a small company of men; and Jehovah delivered a very great host into their hand, because they had forsaken Jehovah, the God of their fathers. So they executed judgment upon Joash.

25And when 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 slew him on his bed, and he died; and they buried him in the city of David, but they buried him not in the sepulchres of the kings.

26And these are they that conspired against him: Zabad the son of Shimeath the Ammonitess, and Jehozabad the son of Shimrith the Moabitess.

27Now concerning his sons, and the greatness of the burdens [laid] upon him, and the rebuilding of the house of God, behold, they are written in the commentary of the book of the kings. And Amaziah his son reigned in his stead.

1Joash was seven years old when he began to reign. He reigned for forty years in Jerusalem. His mother was Zibiah, who was from Beer Sheba.

2Joash did what the Lord approved throughout the lifetime of Jehoiada the priest.

3Jehoiada chose two wives for him who gave him sons and daughters.

4Later, Joash was determined to repair the Lord’s temple.

5He assembled the priests and Levites and ordered them, “Go out to the cities of Judah and collect the annual quota of silver from all Israel for repairs on the temple of your God. Be quick about it!” But the Levites delayed.

6So the king summoned Jehoiada the chief priest, and said to him, “Why have you not made the Levites collect from Judah and Jerusalem the tax authorized by Moses the Lord’s servant and by the assembly of Israel at the tent containing the tablets of the law?”

7(Wicked Athaliah and her sons had broken into God’s temple and used all the holy items of the Lord’s temple in their worship of the Baals.)

8The king ordered a chest to be made and placed outside the gate of the Lord’s temple.

9An edict was sent throughout Judah and Jerusalem requiring the people to bring to the Lord the tax that Moses, God’s servant, imposed on Israel in the wilderness.

10All the officials and all the people gladly brought their silver and threw it into the chest until it was full.

11Whenever the Levites brought the chest to the royal accountant and they saw there was a lot of silver, the royal scribe and the accountant of the high priest emptied the chest and then took it back to its place. They went through this routine every day and collected a large amount of silver.

12The king and Jehoiada gave it to the construction foremen assigned to the Lord’s temple. They hired carpenters and craftsmen to repair the Lord’s temple, as well as those skilled in working with iron and bronze to restore the Lord’s temple.

13They worked hard and made the repairs. They followed the measurements specified for God’s temple and restored it.

14When they were finished, they brought the rest of the silver to the king and Jehoiada. They used it to make items for the Lord’s temple, including items used in the temple service and for burnt sacrifices, pans, and various other gold and silver items. Throughout Jehoiada’s lifetime, burnt sacrifices were offered regularly in the Lord’s temple.

15Jehoiada grew old and died at the age of 130.

16He was buried in the City of David with the kings, because he had accomplished good in Israel and for God and his temple.

17After Jehoiada died, the officials of Judah visited the king and declared their loyalty to him. The king listened to their advice.

18They abandoned the temple of the Lord God of their ancestors and worshiped the Asherah poles and idols. Because of this sinful activity, God was angry with Judah and Jerusalem.

19The Lord sent prophets among them to lead them back to him. They warned the people, but they would not pay attention.

20God’s Spirit energized Zechariah son of Jehoiada the priest. He stood up before the people and said to them, “This is what God says: ‘Why are you violating the commands of the Lord? You will not be prosperous. Because you have rejected the Lord, he has rejected you!’”

21They plotted against him and by royal decree stoned him to death in the courtyard of the Lord’s temple.

22King Joash disregarded the loyalty Zechariah’s father Jehoiada had shown him and killed Jehoiada’s son. As Zechariah was dying, he said, “May the Lord take notice and seek vengeance!”

23At the beginning of the year the Syrian army attacked Joash and invaded Judah and Jerusalem. They wiped out all the leaders of the people and sent all the plunder they gathered to the king of Damascus.

24Even though the invading Syrian army was relatively weak, the Lord handed over to them Judah’s very large army, for the people of Judah had abandoned the Lord God of their ancestors. The Syrians gave Joash what he deserved.

25When they withdrew, they left Joash badly wounded. His servants plotted against him because of what he had done to the son of Jehoiada the priest. They murdered him on his bed. Thus he died and was buried in the City of David, but not in the tombs of the kings.

26The conspirators were Zabad son of Shimeath (an Ammonite woman) and Jehozabad son of Shimrith (a Moabite woman).

27The list of Joash’s sons, the many prophetic oracles about him, and the account of his building project on God’s temple are included in the record of the Scroll of the Kings. His son Amaziah replaced him as king.

1Joash was seven years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Zibiah, of Beersheba.

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

3Jehoiada took for him two wives, and he became the father of sons and daughters.

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

5He 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.

6The 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?”

7For 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.

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

9They 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.

10All the princes and all the people rejoiced, and brought in, and cast into the chest, until they had filled it.

11Whenever 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.

12The king and Jehoiada gave it to those who did the work of the service of Yahweh’s house. They hired masons and carpenters to restore Yahweh’s house, and also those who worked iron and brass to repair Yahweh’s house.

13So 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.

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

15But Jehoiada grew old and was full of days, and he died. He was one hundred thirty years old when he died.

16They buried him in David’s city among the kings, because he had done good in Israel, and toward God and his house.

17Now after the death of Jehoiada, the princes of Judah came, and bowed down to the king. Then the king listened to them.

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

19Yet he sent prophets to them, to bring them again to Yahweh, and they testified against them; but they would not listen.

20The 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.’”

21They conspired against him, and stoned him with stones at the commandment of the king in the court of Yahweh’s house.

22Thus 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.”

23At 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.

24For 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.

25When they had departed from 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. They buried him in David’s city, but they didn’t bury him in the tombs of the kings.

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

27Now 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.

Summary
Authorship & Background
Map & Geography
Commentary
Videos
Reflection

Summary

Joash rules well under Jehoiada's guidance and repairs the Temple through a collection chest at the gate, but after Jehoiada's death he turns to idolatry. He murders Jehoiada's son Zechariah for prophesying against him and is assassinated by his own servants.

Authorship & Background

Author: Traditionally attributed to Ezra the scribe. Originally one book with 1 Chronicles. Written post-exile (approximately 450-400 BC). 2 Chronicles covers Solomon's reign through the Babylonian exile and Cyrus's decree of return (approximately 970-538 BC). The Chronicler focuses exclusively on Judah (ignoring the northern kingdom) and emphasizes Temple worship, reform movements, and the principle of 2 Chronicles 7:14: "If my people... shall humble themselves, and pray... then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land."
Historical Context: Chapter 24 presents one of Scripture's most tragic character studies — King Joash, who did right "all the days of Jehoiada the priest" (v.2) but collapsed into apostasy and murder after his mentor's death. The chapter divides sharply into two halves: Joash's Temple restoration under Jehoiada's guidance (vv.1-14) and his catastrophic apostasy after Jehoiada's death (vv.15-27). This structure communicates the Chronicler's painful lesson: external reform without internalized faith cannot survive the loss of godly influence.
The Temple restoration project (vv.4-14) addressed damage inflicted by "the sons of Athaliah, that wicked woman" (v.7), who had broken into God's house and dedicated its treasures to Baal. Joash's method — a collection chest placed at the Temple gate — became a model for later fundraising (and is referenced as background to Jesus observing the widow's offering in Mark 12:41-44). The people gave joyfully and abundantly, the work was completed, and regular burnt offerings resumed. During Jehoiada's lifetime, everything prospered.
Jehoiada's death at 130 years old (v.15) — with the remarkable honor of burial among the kings — marks the chapter's turning point. Without his spiritual backbone, Joash immediately succumbed to the princes of Judah who advocated return to Baal worship (vv.17-18). God sent prophets, but they refused to listen. When Zechariah son of Jehoiada — the son of the very man who had saved Joash's life and placed him on the throne — prophesied against them, Joash commanded his execution in the Temple courtyard (vv.20-22). This is likely the Zechariah referenced by Jesus in Matthew 23:35 as the last martyr recorded in the Hebrew canon ("from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah"). Zechariah's dying prayer — "The LORD look upon it, and require it" — was answered swiftly: Syria defeated Judah with a small force (God delivering "a very great host into their hand"), and Joash's own servants assassinated him. His burial outside the royal tombs confirmed his disgrace. The chapter demonstrates that borrowed faith — faith sustained only by another's influence — will not endure the test of independence.

Map & Geography

  • Parallels 1-2 Kings but focuses exclusively on Judah (the southern kingdom). Jerusalem and the Temple are the theological center throughout.
  • Key locations include various battle sites, reform locations, and high places destroyed or rebuilt by successive kings.
  • The book ends with exile to Babylon (586 BC) and Cyrus's decree permitting return — the geographic arc moves from Jerusalem to Babylon and back.

Commentary

  • Enduring Word (David Guzik): enduringword.com Guzik stresses the tragedy of secondhand faith: Joash never developed personal conviction independent of Jehoiada's influence. He notes that Jehoiada's burial among kings — while the king himself was denied royal burial — is a dramatic irony illustrating that faithfulness outranks position in God's economy. The priest received kingly honor; the king received common burial.
  • Charles Spurgeon: "Mark well the phrase: 'all the days of Jehoiada the priest.' Joash stood only so long as his prop remained. The moment the good priest died, the king fell. Oh, the sadness of a religion that depends upon a minister, a parent, or a friend! That faith which cannot survive the death of its human support was never true faith at all. Build upon God Himself, for every Jehoiada must die — but the Lord liveth forever. The man who leans upon another's spirituality has no root in himself, and when tribulation comes, immediately he is offended."

Reflection

  • 1. Faith must be personally owned, not merely borrowed (v.2). Joash thrived under Jehoiada's influence but collapsed without it. Whose faith are you borrowing? A parent's? A pastor's? A spouse's? The test of personal faith is what remains when your human support is removed. Build direct relationship with God that can survive the loss of any earthly mentor.
  • 2. Ingratitude is the gateway to every other sin (v.22). Joash forgot Jehoiada's kindness and killed his son. The progression: forgetting God's past faithfulness leads to listening to ungodly counsel, which leads to abandoning worship, which leads to persecuting the righteous. Guard gratitude fiercely — it is the first defense against spiritual decline.
  • 3. God always sends warning before judgment (v.19). Before Syria came, God sent prophets. Before disaster, God sends correction. If you are hearing conviction — through Scripture, through preaching, through the Holy Spirit's inner witness — respond now. The prophets were God's mercy before His judgment. Don't require God to move from words to consequences.
  • 4. Small forces defeat great armies when God is in the equation (v.24). Syria's "small company" defeated Judah's "very great host" because God determined the outcome. Numbers, resources, and human strength are irrelevant when God opposes you. Conversely, the smallest force aligned with God is invincible. Seek God's favor, not numerical advantage.
  • 5. How you finish matters more than how you start (vv.15-25). Joash began with Temple restoration and ended with prophet-murder. His good beginning did not excuse his terrible ending. The Christian life is measured not by its starting enthusiasm but by its sustained faithfulness. Press on — the crown belongs to those who endure to the end.