1Joash was sevenyearsold when he began to reign, and he reignedfortyyears in Jerusalem. His mother's name also was Zibiah of Beersheba.
2
And Joashdid that which was right in the sight of the LORD all the days of Jehoiada the priest.
3
And Jehoiadatook for him twowives; and he begatsons and daughters.
4
And it came to pass after this, that Joash was minded to repair the house of the LORD.
5
And he gathered together the priests and the Levites, and said to them, Go out unto the cities of Judah, and gather of all Israelmoney to repair the house of your Godfromyear to year, and see that ye hasten the matter. Howbeit the Leviteshastened it not.
6
And the kingcalled 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?
7
For 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.
8
And at the king's commandment they madeachest, and set it without at the gate of the house of the LORD.
9
And they made a proclamation through Judah and Jerusalem, to bring in to the LORD the collection that Moses the servant of God laid upon Israelin the wilderness.
10
And all the princes and all the peoplerejoiced, and brought in, and cast into the chest, until they had made an end.
11
Now 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 muchmoney, the king's scribe and the high priest's officercame and emptied the chest, and took it, and carried it to his placeagain. Thus they didday by day, and gatheredmoney in abundance.
12
And the king and Jehoiadagave it to such as did the work of the service of the house of the LORD, and hiredmasons and carpenters to repair the house of the LORD, and also such as wroughtiron and brass to mend the house of the LORD.
13
So the workmenwrought, and the workwasperfected by them, and they set the house of God in his state, and strengthened it.
14
And when they had finished it, they brought the rest of the moneybefore the king and Jehoiada, whereof were madevessels 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 LORDcontinually all the days of Jehoiada.
15
But Jehoiada waxed old, and was full of days when he died; an hundred and thirtyyearsold was he when he died.
16
And they buried him in the city of David among the kings, because he had donegood in Israel, both toward God, and toward his house.
17
Now after the death of Jehoiadacame the princes of Judah, and made obeisance to the king. Then the kinghearkened unto them.
18
And they left the house of the LORDGod of their fathers, and servedgroves and idols: and wrath came upon Judah and Jerusalem for this their trespass.
19
Yet he sentprophets to them, to bring them again unto the LORD; and they testified against them: but they would not give ear.
20
And the Spirit of Godcame upon Zechariah the son of Jehoiada the priest, which stood above the people, and said unto them, Thus saithGod, Why transgress ye the commandments of the LORD, that ye cannot prosper? because ye have forsaken the LORD, he hath also forsaken you.
21
And they conspired against him, and stoned him with stones at the commandment of the king in the court of the house of the LORD.
22
Thus Joash the kingremembered not the kindness which Jehoiada his father had done to him, but slew his son. And when he died, he said, The LORDlook upon it, and require it.
23
And it came to pass at the end of the year, that the host of Syriacameup 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.
24
For the army of the Syrianscame with a small company of men, and the LORDdelivered a verygreathost into their hand, because they had forsaken the LORDGod of their fathers. So they executedjudgment against Joash.
25
And when they were departed from him,(for they left him in greatdiseases,) his own servantsconspired 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.
26
And these are they that conspired against him; Zabad the son of Shimeath an Ammonitess, and Jehozabad the son of Shimrith a Moabitess.
27
Now 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 sonreigned in his stead.