Young Joash Influenced by Jehoiada

24 (A)Joash was seven years old when he became king, and he reigned for forty years in Jerusalem; and his mother’s name was Zibiah from Beersheba. (B)Joash did what was right in the sight of the Lord all the days of Jehoiada the priest. Jehoiada took two wives for him, and he fathered sons and daughters.

Faithless Priests

Now it came about after this that Joash [a]decided (C)to restore the house of the Lord. He gathered the priests and Levites and said to them, “Go out to the cities of Judah and collect money from all (D)Israel to [b]repair the house of your God annually, and you shall [c]do the work quickly.” But the Levites did not act quickly. 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 (E)the [d]contribution of Moses, the servant of the Lord, and the congregation of Israel, (F)for the tent of the testimony?” For (G)the sons of the wicked Athaliah had broken into the house of God, and even [e]used the holy things of the house of the Lord for the Baals.

Temple Repaired

So the king commanded, and (H)they made a chest and set it outside by the gate of the house of the Lord. (I)And they made a proclamation in Judah and Jerusalem to bring to the Lord (J)the [f]contribution commanded by Moses the servant of God on Israel in the wilderness. 10 All the officers and all the people rejoiced, and they brought in their contribution and [g]dropped it into the chest until they had finished. 11 It happened that whenever the chest was brought to the king’s officer by the Levites, and (K)they saw that the money was substantial, the king’s scribe and the chief priest’s officer would come and empty the chest, and pick it up and return it to its place. They did this daily and collected a large amount of money. 12 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 So the workmen labored, and the repair work progressed in their hands, and they [h]restored the house of God according to its [i]specifications and strengthened it. 14 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 offerings, 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 Now Jehoiada [j]reached a good old age and he died; he was 130 years old at his death. 16 And they buried him (L)in the city of David with the kings, because he had done well in (M)Israel and [k]for God and His house.

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Chronicles 24:4 Lit was with a heart
  2. 2 Chronicles 24:5 Lit strengthen
  3. 2 Chronicles 24:5 Lit hasten to the thing
  4. 2 Chronicles 24:6 Or mandatory offering
  5. 2 Chronicles 24:7 Lit made
  6. 2 Chronicles 24:9 Or mandatory offering
  7. 2 Chronicles 24:10 Lit threw
  8. 2 Chronicles 24:13 Lit set up
  9. 2 Chronicles 24:13 Lit measurement
  10. 2 Chronicles 24:15 Lit became old and satisfied with days
  11. 2 Chronicles 24:16 Lit with

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

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

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

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

And 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.

And 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?

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.

And at the king's commandment they made a chest, and set it without at the gate of the house of the Lord.

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 Israel in the wilderness.

10 And all the princes and all the people rejoiced, 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 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.

12 And 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.

13 So the workmen wrought, and the work was perfected 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 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.

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

16 And 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.

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24 Joash was seven years old when he became king, and he reigned forty years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Zibiah, from Beersheba. Joash tried hard to please the Lord all during the lifetime of Jehoiada the priest. Jehoiada arranged two marriages for him, and he had sons and daughters.

Later on Joash decided to repair and recondition the Temple. He summoned the priests and Levites and gave them these instructions:

“Go to all the cities of Judah and collect offerings for the building fund so that we can maintain the Temple in good repair. Get at it right away. Don’t delay.” But the Levites took their time.

So the king called for Jehoiada the High Priest and asked him, “Why haven’t you demanded that the Levites go out and collect the Temple taxes from the cities of Judah and from Jerusalem? The tax law enacted by Moses the servant of the Lord must be enforced so that the Temple can be repaired.”

7-8 (The followers of wicked Athaliah had ravaged the Temple, and everything dedicated to the worship of God had been removed to the temple of Baalim.) So now the king instructed that a chest be made and set outside the Temple gate. Then a proclamation was sent to all the cities of Judah and throughout Jerusalem telling the people to bring to the Lord the tax that Moses the servant of God had assessed upon Israel. 10 And all the leaders and the people were glad, and brought the money and placed it in the chest until it was full.

11 Then the Levites carried the chest to the king’s accounting office, where the recording secretary and the representative of the High Priest counted the money and took the chest back to the Temple again. This went on day after day, and money continued to pour in. 12 The king and Jehoiada gave the money to the building superintendents, who hired masons and carpenters to restore the Temple, and to foundrymen, who made articles of iron and brass. 13 So the work went forward, and finally the Temple was in much better condition than before. 14 When all was finished, the remaining money was brought to the king and Jehoiada, and it was agreed to use it for making the gold and silver spoons and bowls used for incense, and for making the instruments used in the sacrifices and offerings.

Burnt offerings were sacrificed continually during the lifetime of Jehoiada the priest. 15 He lived to a very old age, finally dying at 130. 16 He was buried in the City of David among the kings because he had done so much good for Israel, for God, and for the Temple.

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