Chapter 24

Joash [was] seven years old when he began to reign,² and he reigned¹ forty years in Jerusalem. His mother's name also [was] Zibiah of Beersheba.

And Joash did⁴ [that which was] right in the sight of the LORD all the days of Jehoiada the priest.

And Jehoiada took⁴ for him two wives; and he begat⁵⁵ sons and daughters.

And it came to pass after this, [that] Joash was minded to repair¹⁵ the house of the LORD.

And he gathered together⁴ the priests and the Levites, and said⁴ to them, Go out³ unto the cities of Judah, and gather³ of all Israel money to repair¹⁵ the house of your God from year to year, and see that ye hasten¹⁷ the matter. Howbeit the Levites hastened¹⁴ [it] not.

And the king called⁴ for Jehoiada the chief, and said⁴ unto him, Why hast thou not required¹ of the Levites to bring in⁵³ 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?

For the sons of Athaliah, that wicked woman, had broken up¹ the house of God; and also all the dedicated things of the house of the LORD did they bestow¹ upon Baalim.

And at the king's commandment⁴ they made⁴ a chest, and set⁴ it without at the gate of the house of the LORD.

And they made⁴ a proclamation through Judah and Jerusalem, to bring in⁵³ to the LORD the collection [that] Moses the servant of God [laid] upon Israel in the wilderness.

And all the princes and all the people rejoiced,⁴ and brought in,⁵⁵ and cast⁵⁵ into the chest, until they had made an end.¹⁵

Now it came to pass, that at what time the chest was brought⁵⁵ unto the king's office by the hand of the Levites, and when they saw² that [there was] much money, the king's scribe⁶ and the high priest's officer came¹ and emptied¹⁷ the chest, and took⁴ it, and carried it to his place again.⁵⁵ Thus they did¹ day by day, and gathered⁴ money in abundance.

And the king and Jehoiada gave⁴ it to such as did⁶ the work of the service of the house of the LORD, and hired⁶ masons⁶ and carpenters to repair¹⁵ the house of the LORD, and also such as wrought iron and brass to mend¹⁵ the house of the LORD.

So the workmen ^{6213 6} wrought,⁴ and the work was⁴ perfected by them, and they set⁵⁵ the house of God in his state, and strengthened¹⁷ it.

And when they had finished¹⁵ [it], they brought⁵² the rest of the money before the king and Jehoiada, whereof were made⁴ vessels for the house of the LORD, [even] vessels to minister, and to offer⁵³ [withal], and spoons, and vessels of gold and silver. And they offered⁵⁶ burnt offerings in the house of the LORD continually all the days of Jehoiada.

But Jehoiada waxed old,⁴ and was full⁴ of days when he died;⁴ an hundred and thirty years old [was he] when he died.

And they buried⁴ him in the city of David among the kings, because he had done¹ good in Israel, both toward God, and toward his house.

Now after the death of Jehoiada came¹ the princes of Judah, and made obeisance¹⁰¹ to the king. Then the king hearkened¹ unto them.

And they left⁴ the house of the LORD God of their fathers, and served⁴ groves and idols: and wrath came upon Judah and Jerusalem for this their trespass.

Yet he sent⁴ prophets to them, to bring them again⁵³ unto the LORD; and they testified⁵⁵ against them: but they would not give ear.⁵²

And the Spirit of God came upon¹ Zechariah the son of Jehoiada the priest, which stood⁴ above the people, and said⁴ unto them, Thus saith¹ God, Why transgress⁶ ye the commandments of the LORD, that ye cannot prosper?⁵⁵ because ye have forsaken¹ the LORD, he hath also forsaken⁴ you.

And they conspired⁴ against him, and stoned⁴ him with stones at the commandment of the king in the court of the house of the LORD.

Thus Joash the king remembered¹ not the kindness which Jehoiada his father had done¹ to him, but slew⁴ his son. And when he died, he said,¹ The LORD look⁴ upon [it], and require⁴ [it].

And it came to pass at the end of the year, [that] the host of Syria came up¹ against him: and they came⁴ to Judah and Jerusalem, and destroyed⁵⁵ all the princes of the people from among the people, and sent¹⁴ all the spoil of them unto the king of Damascus.

For the army of the Syrians came¹ with a small company of men, and the LORD delivered¹ a very great host into their hand, because they had forsaken¹ the LORD God of their fathers. So they executed¹ judgment against Joash.

And when they were departed² from him, (for they left¹ him in great diseases,) his own servants conspired⁹⁸ against him for the blood of the sons of Jehoiada the priest, and slew⁴ him on his bed, and he died:⁴ and they buried⁴ him in the city of David, but they buried¹ him not in the sepulchres of the kings.

And these are they that conspired¹⁰² against him; Zabad the son of Shimeath an Ammonitess, and Jehozabad the son of Shimrith a Moabitess.

Now [concerning] his sons, and the greatness^{4 7230} of the burdens [laid] upon him, and the repairing of the house of God, behold, they [are] written⁷ in the story of the book of the kings. And Amaziah his son reigned⁴ in his stead.