2 kings 11 12 2 Chron 23 24 King Joash of Judah

3 years ago
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Bringing Up Baby
When Ahaziah's mom Athaliah finds out that he's dead, she orders a killing spree of the rest of the royal family so that she'll be the only one with power.
Fortunately, the daughter of King Joram, Jehosheba, manages to hide Ahaziah's son Joash, saving him from the massacre of the other royal children.
Little Joash and his nurse survive the six-year reign of Athaliah in hiding.
In the seventh year, the priest Jehoiada summons a group of soldiers and has them make an oath in the Lord's Temple, swearing to defend Joash and divvying up their guard duties so that the child will have a permanent guard.
Jehoiada commands them to kill anyone who tries to break their ranks.
They do everything he tells them to do. Jehoiada provides them with swords and shields that once belonged to David.
Jehoiada anoints Joash king, crowning him, and the soldiers cheer.
Outside
Athaliah sneaks into the temple and sees Joash being made king and the people rejoicing. She cries out "Treason!" and tears her clothes.
Jehoiada tells the soldiers to capture her and kill anyone who tries to follow her—but he doesn't want Athaliah killed in the temple.
So they drag her outside and kill her at the horses' entrance to the king's house.
Jehoiada makes a covenant between Joash and all the people to only be the Lord's, from now on.
So they go out and destroy Baal's temple and kill the head priest, Mattan.
Jehoiada has some soldiers guard God's temple. Some other soldiers and the people head to the king's house and Joash takes his place on the throne.
Everyone celebrates. Joash (also called Jehoash) is seven when he starts his reign.

Chapter 12

Home Improvement
Joash starts reigning seven years into Jehu's reign and continues for forty years. He ends up being one of the somewhat rare good kings, since Jehoiada guides him.
However, he still doesn't end worship at the high places—which the narrator thinks needs to go.
Joash orders the priests to use the donations they collect at the Temple to make repairs on it.
By the twenty-third year of Joash's reign, they still haven't made repairs. So Joash tells them not to collect any more donations until they've made the repairs.
But the priests agree not to take donations or make the repairs.
Yet, Jehoiada takes a chest and puts a hole in it and sets it by the altar as a collection box.
When it fills up with money, the priests use it to finally repair the temple. They give it to carpenters, masons, stonecutters, and also use it to by wood and stone.
But they don't make any vessels of gold or anything like that for the Temple. The money that would've been used for that is used to help pay the workers.
The whole process goes smoothly and honestly. The priests are able to keep the money from "sin and guilt offerings" at the Temple for themselves.
A Momentarily Successful Bribe
Meanwhile, the wicked King Hazael of Aram threatens to destroy Jerusalem. But Joash gives him all the gold from the treasuries of the temple, along with the votive gifts of his ancestors (the kings of Judah) and his own votive gifts.
Unfortunately, after forty years of rule, Joash's servants—Jozacar and Jehozabad— conspire and assassinate him.
Joash is buried with David and his other ancestors and is succeeded by his son, Amaziah.

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