1 Joash became king of Judah in Jehu’s seventh year as king of Israel, and he ruled for 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 taught him.
3 But the places where gods were worshiped were not removed; the people still made sacrifices and burned incense there.
4 Joash said to the priests, “Take all the money brought as offerings to the Temple of the Lord. This includes the money each person owes in taxes and the money each person promises or brings freely to the Lord.
5 Each priest will take the money from the people he serves. Then the priests must repair any damage they find in the Temple.”
6 But by the twenty-third year Joash was king, the priests still had not repaired the Temple.
7 So King Joash called for Jehoiada the priest and the other priests and said to them, “Why aren’t you repairing the damage of the Temple? Don’t take any more money from the people you serve, but hand over the money for the repair of the Temple.”