2 Chronicles 24
New Century Version
Joash Repairs the Temple
24 Joash was seven years old when he became king, and he ruled forty years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Zibiah, and she was from Beersheba. 2 Joash did what the Lord said was right as long as Jehoiada the priest was alive. 3 Jehoiada chose two wives for Joash, and Joash had sons and daughters.
4 Later, Joash decided to repair the Temple of the Lord. 5 He called the priests and the Levites together and said to them, “Go to the towns of Judah and gather the money all the Israelites have to pay every year. Use it to repair the Temple of your God. Do this now.” But the Levites did not hurry.
6 So King Joash called for Jehoiada the leading priest and said to him, “Why haven’t you made the Levites bring in from Judah and Jerusalem the tax money that Moses, the Lord’s servant, and the people of Israel used for the Holy Tent?”
7 In the past the sons of wicked Athaliah had broken into the Temple of God and used its holy things for worshiping the Baal idols.
8 King Joash commanded that a box for contributions be made. They put it outside, at the gate of the Temple of the Lord. 9 Then the Levites made an announcement in Judah and Jerusalem, telling people to bring to the Lord the tax money Moses, the servant of God, had made the Israelites give while they were in the desert. 10 All the officers and people were happy to bring their money, and they put it in the box until the box was full. 11 When the Levites would take the box to the king’s officers, they would see that it was full of money. Then the king’s royal secretary and the leading priest’s officer would come and take out the money and return the box to its place. They did this often and gathered much money. 12 King Joash and Jehoiada gave the money to the people who worked on the Temple of the Lord. And they hired stoneworkers and carpenters to repair the Temple of the Lord. They also hired people to work with iron and bronze to repair the Temple.
13 The people worked hard, and the work to repair the Temple went well. They rebuilt the Temple of God to be as it was before, but even stronger. 14 When the workers finished, they brought the money that was left to King Joash and Jehoiada. They used that money to make utensils for the Temple of the Lord, utensils for the service in the Temple and for the burnt offerings, and bowls and other utensils from gold and silver. Burnt offerings were given every day in the Temple of the Lord while Jehoiada was alive.
15 Jehoiada grew old and lived many years. Then he died when he was one hundred thirty years old. 16 Jehoiada was buried in Jerusalem with the kings, because he had done much good in Judah for God and his Temple.
Joash Does Evil
17 After Jehoiada died, the officers of Judah came and bowed down to King Joash, and he listened to them. 18 The king and these leaders stopped worshiping in the Temple of the Lord, the God of their ancestors. Instead, they began to worship the Asherah idols and other idols. Because they did wrong, God was angry with the people of Judah and Jerusalem. 19 Even though the Lord sent prophets to the people to turn them back to him and even though the prophets warned them, they refused to listen.
20 Then the Spirit of God entered Zechariah son of Jehoiada the priest. Zechariah stood before the people and said, “This is what God says: ‘Why do you disobey the Lord’s commands? You will not be successful. Because you have left the Lord, he has also left you.’”
21 But the king and his officers made plans against Zechariah. At the king’s command they threw stones at him in the courtyard of the Temple of the Lord until he died. 22 King Joash did not remember Jehoiada’s kindness to him, so Joash killed Zechariah, Jehoiada’s son. Before Zechariah died, he said, “May the Lord see what you are doing and punish you.”
23 At the end of the year, the Aramean army came against Joash. They attacked Judah and Jerusalem, killed all the leaders of the people, and sent all the valuable things to their king in Damascus. 24 The Aramean army came with only a small group of men, but the Lord handed over to them a very large army from Judah, because the people of Judah had left the Lord, the God of their ancestors. So Joash was punished. 25 When the Arameans left, Joash was badly wounded. His own officers made plans against him because he had killed Zechariah son of Jehoiada the priest. So they killed Joash in his own bed. He died and was buried in Jerusalem but not in the graves of the kings.
26 The officers who made plans against Joash were Jozabad and Jehozabad. Jozabad was the son of Shimeath, a woman from Ammon. And Jehozabad was the son of Shimrith, a woman from Moab. 27 The story of Joash’s sons, the great prophecies against him, and how he repaired the Temple of God are written in the book of the kings. Joash’s son Amaziah became king in his place.
2 Chronicles 24
English Standard Version
Joash Repairs the Temple
24 (A)Joash[a] was seven years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Zibiah of Beersheba. 2 (B)And Joash did what was right in the eyes of the Lord all the days of Jehoiada the priest. 3 Jehoiada got for him two wives, and he had sons and daughters.
4 After this Joash (C)decided to (D)restore the house of the Lord. 5 And he gathered the priests and the Levites and said to them, “Go out to the cities of (E)Judah and gather from all Israel money to repair the house of your God from year to year, and see that you act quickly.” But the Levites did not act quickly. 6 So the king summoned Jehoiada the chief and said to him, “Why have you not required the Levites to bring in from Judah and Jerusalem (F)the tax levied by Moses, the servant of the Lord, and the congregation of Israel for (G)the tent of testimony?” 7 For (H)the sons of Athaliah, that wicked woman, had broken into the house of God, and had also used all (I)the dedicated things of the house of the Lord for the Baals.
8 So the king commanded, and they made a chest and set it outside the gate of the house of the Lord. 9 And (J)proclamation was made throughout Judah and Jerusalem to bring in for the Lord (K)the tax that Moses the servant of God laid on Israel in the wilderness. 10 And all the princes and all the people rejoiced and brought their tax and dropped it into the chest until they had finished.[b] 11 And whenever the chest was brought to the king's officers by the Levites, when they saw that there was much money in it, the king's secretary and the officer of the chief priest would come and empty the chest and take it and return it to its place. Thus they did day after day, and collected money in abundance. 12 And the king and Jehoiada gave it to those who had charge of the work 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 those who were engaged in the work labored, and the repairing went forward in their hands, and they restored the house of God to its proper condition and strengthened it. 14 And when they had finished, they brought the rest of the money before the king and Jehoiada, and with it (L)were made utensils for the house of the Lord, both for the service and for the burnt offerings, and dishes for incense and vessels of gold and silver. And they offered burnt offerings in the house of the Lord regularly all the days of Jehoiada.
15 But Jehoiada grew old and full of days, and died. He was 130 years old at his death. 16 And they buried him in the city of David among the kings, because he had done good in Israel, and toward God and his house.
17 Now after the death of Jehoiada the princes of Judah came and paid homage to the king. Then the king listened to them. 18 And they abandoned the house of the Lord, the God of their fathers, and served (M)the Asherim and the idols. And (N)wrath came upon Judah and Jerusalem for this guilt of theirs. 19 (O)Yet he sent prophets among them to bring them back to the Lord. (P)These testified against them, but they would not pay attention.
Joash's Treachery
20 (Q)Then the Spirit of God clothed Zechariah (R)the son of Jehoiada the priest, and he stood above the people, and said to them, “Thus says God, (S)‘Why do you break the commandments of the Lord, so that you cannot prosper? (T)Because you have forsaken the Lord, he has forsaken you.’” 21 But (U)they conspired against him, (V)and by command of the king they stoned him with stones in the court of the house of the Lord. 22 Thus Joash the king did not remember the kindness that Jehoiada, Zechariah's father, had shown him, but killed his son. And when he was dying, he said, “May the Lord see (W)and avenge!”[c]
Joash Assassinated
23 At the end of the year (X)the army of the Syrians came up against Joash. They came to Judah and Jerusalem and destroyed all the princes of the people from among the people and sent all their spoil to the king of Damascus. 24 Though the army of the Syrians had come with few men, (Y)the Lord delivered into their hand a very great army, (Z)because Judah[d] had forsaken the Lord, the God of their fathers. Thus they (AA)executed judgment on Joash.
25 When they had departed from him, leaving him (AB)severely wounded, (AC)his servants conspired against him because of the blood of (AD)the son[e] of Jehoiada the priest, and killed him on his bed. So he died, and they buried him in the city of David, (AE)but they did not bury him in the tombs of the kings. 26 Those who conspired against him were Zabad the son of Shimeath the Ammonite, and Jehozabad the son of Shimrith the Moabite. 27 Accounts of his sons and of the many oracles against him and of (AF)the rebuilding[f] of the house of God are written in the (AG)Story[g] of the Book of the Kings. And Amaziah his son reigned in his place.
Footnotes
- 2 Chronicles 24:1 Spelled Jehoash in 2 Kings 12:1
- 2 Chronicles 24:10 Or until it was full
- 2 Chronicles 24:22 Or and require it
- 2 Chronicles 24:24 Hebrew they
- 2 Chronicles 24:25 Septuagint, Vulgate; Hebrew sons
- 2 Chronicles 24:27 Hebrew founding
- 2 Chronicles 24:27 Or Exposition
The Holy Bible, New Century Version®. Copyright © 2005 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
