2 Chronicles 24

Berean Standard Bible (BSB) · English

1 Joash was seven years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem forty years. His mother’s name was Zibiah; she was from Beersheba. 2 And Joash did what was right in the eyes of the LORD all the days of Jehoiada the priest. 3 Jehoiada took for himself two wives, and he had sons and daughters. 4 Some time later, Joash set his heart on repairing the house of the LORD. 5 So he gathered the priests and Levites and said, “Go out to the cities of Judah and collect the money due annually from all Israel, to repair the house of your God. Do it quickly.” The Levites, however, did not make haste. 6 So the king called Jehoiada the high priest and said, “Why have you not required the Levites to bring from Judah and Jerusalem the tax imposed by Moses the servant of the LORD and by the assembly of Israel for the Tent of the Testimony?” 7 For the sons of that wicked woman Athaliah had broken into the house of God and had even used the sacred objects of the house of the LORD for the Baals. 8 At the king’s command a chest was made and placed outside, at the gate of the house of the LORD. 9 And a proclamation was issued in Judah and Jerusalem that they were to bring to the LORD the tax imposed by Moses the servant of God on Israel in the wilderness. 10 All the officers and all the people rejoiced and brought their contributions, and they dropped them in the chest until it was full. 11 Whenever the chest was brought by the Levites to the king’s overseers and they saw that there was a large amount of money, the royal scribe and the officer of the high priest would come and empty the chest and carry it back to its place. They did this daily and gathered the money in abundance. 12 Then the king and Jehoiada would give the money to those who supervised the labor on the house of the LORD to hire stonecutters and carpenters to restore the house of the LORD, as well as workers in iron and bronze to repair the house of the LORD. 13 So the workmen labored, and in their hands the repair work progressed. They restored the house of God according to its specifications, and they reinforced it. 14 When they were finished, they brought the rest of the money to the king and Jehoiada to make with it the articles for the house of the LORD—utensils for the service and for the burnt offerings, dishes, and other objects of gold and silver. Throughout the days of Jehoiada, burnt offerings were presented regularly in the house of the LORD. 15 When Jehoiada was old and full of years, he died at the age of 130. 16 And Jehoiada was buried with the kings in the City of David, because he had done what was good in Israel for God and His temple. 17 After the death of Jehoiada, however, the officials of Judah came and paid homage to the king, and he listened to them. 18 They abandoned the house of the LORD, the God of their fathers, and served the Asherah poles and idols. So wrath came upon Judah and Jerusalem for this guilt of theirs. 19 Nevertheless, the LORD sent prophets to bring the people back to Him and to testify against them; but they would not listen. 20 Then the Spirit of God came upon Zechariah son of Jehoiada the priest, who stood up before the people and said to them, “This is what God says: ‘Why do you transgress the commandments of the LORD so that you cannot prosper? Because you have forsaken the LORD, He has forsaken you.’” 21 But they conspired against Zechariah, and by order of the king, they stoned him in the courtyard of the house of the LORD. 22 Thus King Joash failed to remember the kindness that Zechariah’s father Jehoiada had extended to him. Instead, Joash killed Jehoiada’s son. As he lay dying, Zechariah said, “May the LORD see this and call you to account.” 23 In the spring, the army of Aram went to war against Joash. They entered Judah and Jerusalem and destroyed all the leaders of the people, and they sent all the plunder to their king in Damascus. 24 Although the Aramean army had come with only a few men, the LORD delivered into their hand a very great army. Because Judah had forsaken the LORD, the God of their fathers, judgment was executed on Joash. 25 And when the Arameans had withdrawn, they left Joash severely wounded. His own servants conspired against him for shedding the blood of the son of Jehoiada the priest, and they killed him on his bed. So he died and was buried in the City of David, but not in the tombs of the kings. 26 Those who conspired against Joash were Zabad son of Shimeath the Ammonitess and Jehozabad son of Shimrith the Moabitess. 27 The accounts of the sons of Joash, as well as the many pronouncements about him and about the restoration of the house of God, are indeed written in the Treatise of the Book of the Kings. And his son Amaziah reigned in his place.

Commentary — not Bible text

2 Chronicles 24:1-3

Introduction

Joash begins to reign when seven years old, and reigns well all the days of Jehoiada the priest, 2Chr 24:1-3. He purposes to repair the temple of God; and makes a proclamation that the people should bring in the money prescribed by Moses, 2Chr 24:4-9. They all contribute liberally; and the different artificers soon perfect the work, 2Chr 24:10-13. The rest of the money is employed to form utensils for the temple, 2Chr 24:14. Jehoiada dies, 2Chr 24:15, 2Chr 24:16. And the people after his death become idolaters, 2Chr 24:17, 2Chr 24:18. Prophets are sent unto them, 2Chr 24:19. And among the rest Zechariah the son of Jehoiada, who testifies against them; and they stone him to death, 2Chr 24:20-22. The Syrians come against Jerusalem, and spoil it, 2Chr 24:23, 2Chr 24:24. Joash is murdered by his own servants, 2Chr 24:25, 2Chr 24:26. His acts, 2Chr 24:27.

Verse 1

Joash was seven years old - As he was hidden six years in the temple, and was but seven when he came to the throne, he could have been but one year old when he was secreted by his aunt; see on 2Chr 22:10 (note).

2 Chronicles 24:4

Verse 4

To repair the house of the Lord - During the reigns of Joram and Athaliah, the temple of God had been pillaged to enrich that of Baal, and the whole structure permitted to fall into decay; see 2Chr 24:7.

2 Chronicles 24:5

Verse 5

Gather of all Israel money - As the temple was the property of the whole nation, and the services performed in it were for the salvation of the people at large, it was right that each should come forward on an occasion of this kind, and lend a helping hand. This is the first instance of such a general collection for building or repairing a house of God.

From year to year - It must have been in a state of great dilapidation, when it required such annual exertions to bring it into a thorough state of repair.

2 Chronicles 24:6-7

Verse 6

The collection - of Moses - This was the poll-tax, fixed by Moses, of half a shekel, which was levied on every man from twenty years old and upward; and which was considered as a ransom for their souls, that there might be no plague among them. See Exo 30:12-14.

2 Chronicles 24:8-15

Verse 8

They made a chest - See the notes on the parallel places, 2Kgs 12:4 (note), etc.

2 Chronicles 24:16

Verse 16

They buried him - among the kings - He had, in fact, been king in Judah; for Joash, who appears to have been a weak man, was always under his tutelage. Jehoiada governed the state in the name of the king; and his being buried among the kings is a proof of the high estimation in which he was held among the people.

2 Chronicles 24:17-19

Verse 17

The princes of Judah - made obeisance to the king - I believe the Targum has given the true sense of this verse: "After the death of Jehoiada, the great men of Judah came and adored King Joash, and seduced him; and then the king received from them their idols."

2 Chronicles 24:20

Verse 20

And the Spirit of God came upon Zechariah - "When he saw the transgression of the king and of the people, burning incense to an idol in the house of the sanctuary of the Lord, on the day of expiation; and preventing the priests of the Lord from offering the burnt-offerings, sacrifices, daily oblations, and services, as written in the book of the law of Moses; he stood above the people, and said." - Targum.

2 Chronicles 24:21

Verse 21

Stoned him - at the commandment of the king - What a most wretched and contemptible man was this, who could imbrue his hands in the blood of a prophet of God, and the son of the man who had saved him from being murdered, and raised him to the throne! Alas, alas! Can even kings forget benefits? But when a man falls from God, the devil enters into him; and then he is capable of every species of cruelty.

2 Chronicles 24:22-25

Verse 22

The Lord look upon it, and require it - And so he did; for, at the end of that year, the Syrians came against Judah, destroyed all the princes of the people, sent their spoils to Damascus; and Joash, the murderer of the prophet, the son of his benefactor, was himself murdered by his own servants. Here was a most signal display of the Divine retribution.

On the subject of the death of this prophet the reader is requested to refer to the note on Mat 23:34, Mat 23:35.

2 Chronicles 24:26

Verse 26

These are they that conspired against him - The two persons here mentioned were certainly not Jews; the mother of one was an Ammonitess, and the mother of the other was a Moabitess. Who their fathers were we know not; they were probably foreigners and aliens. Some suppose that these persons were of the king's chamber, and therefore could have the easiest access to him. It has been, and is still, the folly of kings to have foreigners for their valets and most confidential servants, and they have often been the causes of murders and treacheries of different kinds. Foreigners should be banished from the person of the sovereign by strong and efficient laws: even in this country they have often been the cause of much political wo.

2 Chronicles 24:27

Verse 27

The greatness of the burdens laid upon him - Meaning, probably, the heavy tribute laid upon him by the Syrians; though some think the vast sums amassed for the repairs of the temple are here intended.

Written in the story - מדרש midrash, the commentary, of the book of Kings. We have met with this before; but these works are all lost, except the extracts found in Kings, Chronicles, and Ezra. These abridgments were the cause of the neglect, and finally of the destruction, of the originals. This has been often the case in works of great consequence. Trogus Pompeius wrote a general history of the world, which he brought down to the reign of Augustus, in forty-four volumes. Justin abridged them into one volume, and the original is lost.

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