Who is King Joash of Judah?

Disambiguation

Jehoash of Israel / Joash of Israel
Jehoash of Judah / Joash of Judah

Quick facts

Father: Ahaziah of Judah, 2Ki 12:18.
Mother:  Zibiah, 2Ch 24:1
Predecessor: Queen Athaliah, 2Ch 23:16-21
Succession: 8th king of Judah
Length of reign: 40 years, 2Ch 24:1
Successor: King Amaziah, 2Ch 24:27
Age when made a king: 7 years, 2Ch 24:1
Kingdom: Kingdom of Judah
Reign: 836 BC–796 BC
Age at death: 47 years, 2Ch 24:1
Morality: good king, but turned bad, 2Ch 24:2; 2Ch 24:17-22
Other names: Jehoash, 2Ki 11:21; 2Ki 12:1, 2, 4, 6, 7, 18.
Biblical history: 2Ch 23:1-21; 2Ch 24:1-27; 2Ki 11:1-21; 2Ki 12:1-21.

Background

The name Joash means Jehovah-fired. He became a king at the age of 7 years and reigned for 40 years in Jerusalem. He married 2 wives. He was a godly king in the days when his spiritual father Jehoiada was counseling him, but when Jehoiada died he apostatized. Joash was succeeded by his son Amaziah when he died. (2Ch 24:1-3)

Joash’s father King Ahaziah of Judah met his untimely death at the hands of King Jehu. When he died, his mother Queen Athaliah killed all the heirs of Ahaziah, usurped the throne, and ruled as queen of Judah in Jerusalem. However, unknown to Athaliah, Ahaziah’s sister Jehosheba successfully saved baby Joash from the purge. Baby Joash and his nurse were made to hide in the Temple of Solomon under the protection of the high priest Jehoiada during the 7 years of Athaliah’s reign. (2Ch 22:10-12)   

The coronation of Joash

In the 7th year of Queen Athaliah’s reign, the priest Jehoiada took courage and sought the support of priests, Levites, and military commanders of hundreds who were Azariah, Ishmael, Azariah the son of Obed, Maaseiah, and Elishaphat and he made a covenant with them and showed them the 7-year-old Joash. They conspired to make Joash king and dethrone Athaliah. After all the security measures were put in place, Jehoiada and his allies converged in the Temple of Solomon and they brought forth Joash and crowned him, after which there was rejoicing and loud noisemaking. (2Ch 23:1-11)

The noise of trumpets and rejoicing was heard even by Athaliah, who rushed to the temple only to witness that a new king, a little boy, had been crowned. Then she tore her clothes, and shouted, “Treason, Treason.” But at Jehoiada’s orders, she and her followers were captured, taken outside the temple, and killed. (2Ch 23:12-15)

Joash restores the temple

Joash, along with Jehoiada, worked to restore the temple and its services. Joash implemented a tax system in accordance with the law of Moses to raise money to fund the repairs of the temple and pay the workers. The money collected was used to hire workers to repair the temple and make its utensils, dishes for incense, and vessels of gold and silver. (2Ch 24:1-19)

Jehoiada’s reforms during Joash’s reign

Jehoiada, Joash, and the people of the kingdom entered a covenant to serve the Lord only.This covenant was a turning point for the nation, as they had previously abandoned the worship of the true God and turned to idolatry under Athaliah’s reign. They destroyed the house of Baal and tore down his altars and his images, and they killed Mattan the priest of Baal. Also, Jehoiada kept the house of the Lord in order. (2Ch 23:16-21)

Jehoiada’s death and Joash’s idolatry

Finally, Jehoiada, the man who protected, nurtured, enthroned and counseled the boy Joash and also brought reforms into the kingdom died at the age of 130 years. And they buried him in Jerusalem in the tombs of the kings because of his good deeds. (2Ch 24:15-16)

After the death of Jehoiada the priest, the officials of the Kingdom of Judah convinced Joash and they abandoned the temple, turned away from serving God, and began to worship idols again. Then God’s wrath came upon the nation. (2Ch 24:17-19)

Joash kills Zechariah

God tried to bring Joash and his kingdom back to himself by sending his prophets to testify against them but they did not yield. One day, Zechariah, son of Jehoiada, moved by the Spirit of God, went out to publicly rebuke the nation for turning away from God. Following this, they conspired against him, and by the orders of Joash, Zechariah was stoned in the court of the temple. As he was dying, Zechariah cried out, “May the LORD see and avenge!” (2Ch 24:20-22)

Joash’s war with the Syrians

The cry of Zechariah did not go unanswered, as, at the end of that same year, the Syrian army invaded the Kingdom of Judah, defeated the vast army of Joash, plundered the city of Jerusalem, killed all the leaders or officials of the kingdom, and left Joash wounded. (2Ch 24:23-24)

The death of Joash

Two officials of Joash called Zabad and Jehozabad conspired against him to avenge Zechariah, the son of Jehoiada, and they killed Joash while he was sleeping on his bed. When he died, they buried him in Jerusalem, but not in the tombs of the kings. (2 Chronicles 24:25-27)

Achievement of Joash

  • He renovated the temple of Solomon and restored it to its proper condition. (2Ch 24:1-19)
  • He made utensils, dishes for incense, and gold and silver vessels – all for the temple. (2Ch 24:14)
  • He accommodated Jehoiada’s reforms. (2Ch 23:16-21)

Contemporaries of King Joash

Though Joash was a contemporary of King Jehu and two of his sons, he was not on good terms with any of them. This is because King Jehu killed the father of Joash, bringing enmity between the house of Jehu and the house of David.

  • King Jehu had reigned for 7 years when Joash became a king. 2Ki 12:1
  • Jehoahaz of Israel, son of King Jehu, became a king in the 23rd year of Joash. 2Ki 13:1
  • Jehoash of Israel, son of Jehoahaz of Israel, began to reign in the 37th year of Joash. 2Ki 13:9
  • Jehoiada the high priest – he was the spiritual father of Joash. 2Ch 24:2
  • Prophet Zechariah – he was killed for rebuking the nation for their idolatry. 2Ch 24:20

Major events during the reign of Joash

  • The death of Queen Athaliah (2Ch 23:12-15)
  • Jehoiada’s reforms (2Ch 23:16-21)
  • Repair and restoration of the temple (2Ch 24:1-19)
  • The kingdom of Judah lost to Syria in a war. (2Ch 24:23-24)
  • The death of Prophet Zechariah (2Ch 24:20-22)

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