2 Chronicles 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.

At the tender age of seven, Joash ascended to the throne, ruling Jerusalem for four decades. His mother, Zibiah from Beersheba, watched him grow into his reign.

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

Joash, guided by the wise priest Jehoiada, did what pleased the Lord for as long as Jehoiada lived.

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

Jehoiada, filled with love, took two women as his wives. Together, they joyfully welcomed both sons and daughters into their family.

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

After this, Joash felt a strong urge to restore the Lord's house.

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.

He rallied the priests and Levites, urging them, "Travel to Judah's cities and collect funds from all Israel to fix God's house yearly. Speed up the process." However, the Levites didn't hurry.

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?

The king summoned Jehoiada the high priest, frustration etched on his face. "Why haven't you required the Levites to bring in from Judah and Jerusalem the collection that Moses the servant of the Lord and the assembly of Israel laid down for the sacred tabernacle?" he questioned.

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.

Athaliah's evil sons had destroyed God's sacred temple, and even worse, they had given all the holy offerings meant for the Lord to the false god, Baalim.

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

Following the king's order, they crafted a box and placed it outside the entrance of the Lord's home.

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.

They spread the word throughout Judah and Jerusalem, asking everyone to contribute to the Lord's collection, as Moses, God's servant, had instructed the people of Israel during their time in the wilderness.

And all the princes and all the people rejoiced, and brought in, and cast into the chest, until they had made an end.

Every leader and every person celebrated, joyfully contributing to the chest until it was filled to the brim.

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.

When the Levites brought the chest full of money to the king's office, the king's scribe and the high priest's officer were amazed at the sight. They emptied the chest, took it, and returned it to its place. This became their daily routine, accumulating a vast wealth over time.

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.

The king and Jehoiada, with a sense of duty and respect, entrusted the sacred task of repairing the Lord's house to skilled workers. They hired stonemasons and carpenters, and those proficient with iron and brass, all working together to restore the Lord's home.

So the workmen wrought, and the work was perfected by them, and they set the house of God in his state, and strengthened it.

The craftsmen worked diligently, their labor bringing the house of God to completion. They restored God's home to its former glory, reinforcing its strength.

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.

Once they were done, they presented the remaining money to the king and Jehoiada. This was used to create sacred items for the Lord's house - items for service, offerings, and golden and silver utensils. They continuously made sacrifices in the Lord's house throughout Jehoiada's life.

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

Jehoiada, filled with wisdom and experiences, reached the end of his long, fulfilling journey at the ripe age of 130.

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.

They laid him to rest among the kings in the city of David, honoring the good he had done in Israel for God and for His house.

Now after the death of Jehoiada came the princes of Judah, and made obeisance to the king. Then the king hearkened unto them.

After Jehoiada's passing, the leaders of Judah approached the king, showing him respect. The king, in turn, listened to them attentively.

And they left the house of the LORD God of their fathers, and served groves and idols: and wrath came upon Judah and Jerusalem for this their trespass.

They abandoned their ancestral God's temple, choosing to worship false idols instead. This betrayal ignited a fierce anger, bringing calamity upon Judah and Jerusalem.

Yet he sent prophets to them, to bring them again unto the LORD; and they testified against them: but they would not give ear.

Despite God sending messengers to guide them back to Him, they chose to ignore the warnings and continued on their path.

And the Spirit of God came upon Zechariah the son of Jehoiada the priest, which stood above the people, and said unto them, Thus saith God, Why transgress ye the commandments of the LORD, that ye cannot prosper? because ye have forsaken the LORD, he hath also forsaken you.

God's Spirit filled Zechariah, the priest Jehoiada's son, who stood before the people and asked, "Why do you ignore God's rules, hindering your own success? You've abandoned God, and in turn, He has left you."

And they conspired against him, and stoned him with stones at the commandment of the king in the court of the house of the LORD.

They plotted against him, cruelly pelting him with stones, following the king's orders, right in God's sacred courtyard.

Thus Joash the king remembered not the kindness which Jehoiada his father had done to him, but slew his son. And when he died, he said, The LORD look upon it, and require it.

King Joash tragically forgot the love and kindness that Jehoiada, Zechariah's father, had shown him, and in a cruel twist, he killed Jehoiada's son. As Zechariah drew his last breath, he pleaded, "May God see this and call you to account."

And it came to pass at the end of the year, that the host of Syria came up against him: and they came to Judah and Jerusalem, and destroyed all the princes of the people from among the people, and sent all the spoil of them unto the king of Damascus.

As the year drew to a close, the Syrian forces advanced, bringing terror to Judah and Jerusalem. They decimated the noble leaders, leaving the people leaderless and in despair. All the riches and spoils were cruelly taken and delivered to the king of Damascus.

For the army of the Syrians came with a small company of men, and the LORD delivered a very great host into their hand, because they had forsaken the LORD God of their fathers. So they executed judgment against Joash.

The Syrian forces came with only a few men, yet the Lord handed a vast army over to them, because Judah had abandoned the Lord God of their ancestors. So the Syrians carried out judgment on Joash.

And when they were departed from him, (for they left him in great diseases,) his own servants conspired against him for the blood of the sons of Jehoiada the priest, and slew him on his bed, and he died: and they buried him in the city of David, but they buried him not in the sepulchres of the kings.

After they left him, sick and suffering, his own servants turned against him. They were seeking revenge for the murder of Jehoiada the priest's sons. They killed him in his own bed, and he died. He was buried in the city of David, but not in the royal tombs.

And these are they that conspired against him; Zabad the son of Shimeath an Ammonitess, and Jehozabad the son of Shimrith a Moabitess.

These were the ones who plotted against him; Zabad, son of Shimeath the Ammonite woman, and Jehozabad, son of Shimrith the Moabite woman.

Now concerning his sons, and the greatness of the burdens laid upon him, and the repairing of the house of God, behold, they are written in the story of the book of the kings. And Amaziah his son reigned in his stead.

Regarding his sons, the many prophecies spoken against him, and the restoration of God's temple, all are recorded in the chronicles of the kings. His son Amaziah then took over his reign.