1 Joash was seven years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem 40 years. His mother’s name was Zibiah of Beer-sheba.
2 Joash did what was right in the eyes of Adonai all the days of Jehoiada the kohen.
3 Jehoiada took two wives by whom he fathered sons and daughters.
4 It came to pass after this that Joash had a heart to renovate the House of Adonai.
5 He assembled the kohanim and the Levites and told them, “Go out to the cities of Judah and collect money from all Israel year by year to repair the House of your God. Do this quickly!” However, the Levites did not act quickly.
6 So the king summoned Jehoiada the chief and asked him, “Why have you not required the Levites to bring in from Judah and from Jerusalem the tax of Moses the servant of Adonai on the congregation of Israel for the Tent of the Testimony?”
7 For the sons of wicked Athaliah had broken into the House of God, and had even used all the sacred things of the House of Adonai for the Baalim .
8 So the king commanded that a box be made and placed outside the gate of the House of Adonai.
9 A proclamation was made throughout Judah and Jerusalem to bring in to Adonai the tax of Moses, God’s servant, upon Israel in the wilderness.
10 All the officers and all the people rejoiced, and brought in and cast into the chest until it was full.
11 Whenever the chest was brought by the Levites to the king’s officers and when they saw that it was full of money, the royal scribe and the officer of the kohen gadol would come and empty the box and take it back to its place. Thus they did daily and gathered much money.
12 The king and Jehoiada gave it to workmen who carried out the work for the House of Adonai. They hired masons and carpenters to renovate the House of Adonai, as well as craftsmen in iron and bronze to repair the House of Adonai.
13 So the workmen labored and the renovation work progressed in their hands. They restored the House of God to its original design, and strengthened it.
14 When they had finished, they brought the remainder of the money before the king and Jehoiada and they made it into vessels for the House of Adonai—vessels for avodah and for burnt offering, pans and utensils of gold and silver. Then they offered burnt offerings in the House of Adonai continually all the days of Jehoiada.
15 When Jehoiada reached a ripe old age, he died. He was 130 years old when he died.
16 So he was buried in the city of David among the kings, because he had done good things in Israel and toward God and His House.
17 Now after the death of Jehoiada, the chiefs of Judah came and bowed down to the king. Then the king listened to them.
18 They forsook the House of Adonai, the God of their fathers, and served the Asherah poles and the idols. Wrath came upon Judah and Jerusalem for their guilt.
19 Adonai sent prophets to them to bring them back to Him and although they admonished them, they would not listen.
20 Then the Ruach Elohim came upon Zechariah the son of Jehoiada the kohen. He stood above the people and said to them, “Thus says God, ‘Why do you transgress the mitzvot of Adonai? You will not succeed. Because you have forsaken Adonai, He has also forsaken you.’”
21 But they conspired against him, and by order of the king, they stoned him to death in the courtyard of the House of Adonai.
22 Thus King Joash disregarded the loyalty which his father Jehoiada had shown to him—and slew Jehoiada’s son. As he was dying, he said: “May Adonai see and avenge!”
23 It came to pass that at the turn of the year, the Aramean army came up against him. They invaded Judah and Jerusalem and massacred all the chieftains of the people, and sent all their plunder to the king of Damascus.
24 Although the Aramean army came with only a small number of men, Adonai gave over a much larger army into their hands, because they had forsaken Adonai, God of their fathers. So they executed judgment upon Joash.
25 When they withdrew from him—for they left him very sick—his own servants plotted against him because of the blood of the sons of Jehoiada the kohen, and assassinated him on his bed. He died and was buried in the city of David—but not in the tombs of the kings.
26 These men conspired against him: Zabad son of Shimiath the Ammonitess and Jehozabad son of Shimrith the Moabitess.
27 Now concerning his sons and the many prophesies against him and the rebuilding of the House of God, behold, they are written in the commentary of the book of the kings. And Amaziah his son became king in his place.