G10 H 1-3. Introduction.
J 4-26. Events.
H 27. Conclusion.
782-742 B.C.
2 Chronicles 24)
1 Joash (= to who Yahaveh hastens, i.e. to help) was seven years old (7 = spiritual perfection) when he began to reign, (cp. 2 Kings 12:1,2) and he reigned forty years (40 = probation) in Jerusalem. His mother's name also was Zibiah of Beersheba.
2 And Joash did that which was right in the sight of the Lord (Yahaveh) all the days of Jehoiada the priest.
3 And Jehoiada took for him two wives; (i.e. for Joash. Was this because the line was almost extinct, or from lack of faith?) and he begat sons and daughters.
J K 4-22. Administration of Jehoiada.
L 23,24. Invasion by Syrians.
K 25,26. Conspiracy of servants.
K M 4-14. House of God. Repaired.
N 15,16. Jehoiada. Death.
M 17-20. House of God. Forsaken.
N 21,22. Jehoiada's son. Death.
M O 4. Repairs. Purposed.
P 5-11. Collection. Made.
O 12,13. Repairs. Effected.
P 14. Collection. Surplus.
4 And it came to pass after this, (cp. 1 Kings 12:17) that Joash was minded to repair the house of the Lord. (see v.7)
P t 5-. Command of Joash.
u -5. Delay of Levites.
v 6,7. Need and expostulation.
t 8,9. Command of Joash.
u 10. Alacrity of princes and people.
v 11. Need suplied. Abundance.
5 And he gathered together the priests and the Levites, and said to them, "Go out to the cities of Judah, and gather of all Israel silver to repair the house of your God (Elohim) from year to year, (see 1 Kings 12:17) and see that you hasten the matter."
However the Levites hastened it not.
6 And the king called for Jehoiada the chief, (in the 23rd year [2 Kings 12:6) and said to him, "Why have you not required of the Levites to bring in out of Judah and out of Jerusalem the the tribute of the half-shekel redemption money (Ex. 30:13-16. .2 oz.), according to the commandment of Moses the servant of the Lord (see Deut. 34:5), and of the assembly of Israel, for the tabernacle of witness?
7 For the sons of Athaliah (Ahaziah and his brethren before they were slain [21:17], which may have been allowed in consequence of their sin. Cp. 21:10-12), that wicked woman (the term only found here), had broken up the house of God; and also all the holy (see Ex. 3:5) things of the house of the Lord did they bestow upon Baalim.
8 And at the king's commandment they made a chest, and set it without at the gate of the house of the Lord.
9 And they made a proclamation through Judah and Jerusalem, to bring in to the Lord the collection that Moses the servant of God (see 1 Chron. 6:49) laid upon Israel in the wilderness.
10 And all the princes and all the people rejoiced, and brought in, and cast into the chest, until they had made an end.
11 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.
12 And the king and Jehoiada gave it to him who 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.
13 So the workmen wrought, and the work was perfected by them (i.e. by their direction), and they set the house of God in his state, and strengthened it.
14 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 (5 "ands" in this verse, 5 = grace) 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.
15 But Jehoiada waxed old, and was full of days when he died; an hundred and thirty years old was he when he died. (Unprecedented since Joshua [24:29]. Born in Solomon's reign, he lived through 6 others)
16 And they buried him in the city of David among the kings (an honor refused to Joash. Cp. v.25), because he had done good in Israel, both toward God, and toward his house.
17 Now after the death of Jehoiada came the princes of Judah, and made obeisance to the king (with the view of obtaining the king's consent to their renewal of idolatry). Then the king hearkened to them.
18 And they left the house of the Lord God of their fathers, and served groves ('Ashērah. See Deut. 16:31) and grievous images: and wrath came (from Yehovah. Cp. vv. 23,24) upon Judah and Jerusalem for this their trespass.
19 Yet he sent prophets to them, to bring them again to the Lord; and they testified against them (the Vulg. reads quos protestant = who is protesting against them. Thus, the 1st instance of the word "Protestant" is found in the Vulgate, and not in the history of the Reformation. Pro = for, and testans = witnessing, is positive, not negative. It denotes witnessing for God and His truth, not merely against evil): but they would not give ear.
20 And the Spirit of God clothed Zechariah the son of Jehoiada (in Zech. 1:1 and Matt. 23:35 a second name is given, "son of Barachias". On the use of 2 or more name see 1 Chron. 25:11. It is quite needless to assume that there is any error, when so simple a solution lies on the surface) the priest, which stood above the people, and said to them, "Thus has said God, 'Why transgress you the commandments of the Lord, that you cannot prosper? because you have forsaken the Lord, He has also forsaken you.' "
21 And they conspired against him, and stoned him with stones (1 of 9 persons stoned. See Lev. 24:14) at the commandment of the king (1 of 11 rules offended with God's servants. See Ex. 10:28) in the court of the house of the Lord.
22 Thus Joash the king remembered not the kindness which Jehoiada his father had done to him, but slew his son. And when he (i.e. Zechariah) died, he said, "The Lord look upon it, and require it." (The very words twice used by the Lord Jesus in Luke 11:50,51. Cp. Matt. 23:35)
23 And it came to pass at the end of the year, that the force of Syria came up against him: and they came to Judah and Jerusalem, and destroyed all the princes of the people (who had led the People astray. This is how the "wrath came" [v.18]) from among the people, and sent all the spoil of them to the king of Damascus.
24 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.
25 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 (put for Jehoiada's one son.: thus emphasising the one son who was slain [vv.20,21), 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 sepulchers of the kings. (As Ahaz [28:27])
26 And these are they that conspired against him; Zabad the son of Shimeath an Ammonitess, and Jehozabad (slaves, but the executioners of God's judgment. Zabad had another name [Jozachar], used in 2 Kings 12:21) the son of Shimrith a Moabitess. (In 2 Kings 12:21 he has another name, "Shomer", if not his father's name)
27 Now concerning his sons, and the greatness of the burdens laid upon him (by the king of Syria [2 Kings 12:18), and the repairing of the house of God (vv.4-14), behold, they are written in the commentary of the book of the kings (see 18:22, the only other place in which the word is used). And Amaziah his son reigned in his stead. (Not so in Israel. There they set up whom they chose [1 Kings 15:27; 16:15,22]. Here is seen Yahaveh's faithfulness, in "the sure mercies of David" [2 Sam. 7:16. Ps. 89:34-36])