Self-interpreting Bible

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2 Chronicles 24

1Joash reigneth well all the days of Jehoiada. 4His care and orders for the repairs of the temple. 15Jehoiada's death and honourable burial. 17Joash seduced by the flattering homage of his princes falleth away to idolatry, and putteth to death Zechariah the son of Jehoiada for reproving him by the Spirit of God. 23Joash is spoiled by the Syrians, and slain by a conspiracy of his servants. 27Amaziah succeedeth him.

1 JOASH was aseven years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years in Jerusalem. His mother's name also was Zibiah of Beer-sheba.

2 And bJoash did that which was right in the sight of the LORD call the days of Jehoiada the priest.

3 And Jehoiada dtook for him etwo wives; and he begat sons and daughters.

4 ¶And it came to pass after this, that Joash was minded 1to repair the house of the LORD.

5 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 fto repair the house of your God from year to year, and see that ye hasten the matter. gHowbeit the Levites hastened it not.

6 And the king called for Jehoiada the chief, and said unto him, hWhy hast thou not *required of the Levites to bring in out of Judah and out of Jerusalem ithe collection, according to the commandment of jMoses the servant of the LORD, and of the congregation of Israel, for the ktabernacle of witness?

7 For the lsons of Athaliah, that wicked woman, had broken up the house of God; and also all the dedicated things of the house of the LORD mdid they bestow upon Baalim.

8 And at the king's commandment they made na chest, and set it *without at the gate of the house of the LORD.

9 And they made 2a proclamation through Judah and Jerusalem, to bring in to the LORD othe collection that Moses the servant of God 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, pthat 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 such as did the work of the service of the house of the LORD, and hired qmasons 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 3the work was perfected by them, and they set the house of God in his state, and strengthened it.

    • 3: Heb. the healing went up upon the work. Ne. 4.7. , Ne. 4:7

    14 And when they had finished it, they brought the rest of the money before the king and Jehoiada, whereof were made rvessels for the house of the LORD, even vessels to minister, and 4to offer *withal, and spoons, and vessels of gold and silver. And they soffered burnt offerings in the house of the LORD continually tall the days of Jehoiada.

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

    16 And they buried him vin the city of David among the kings, wbecause he had done good in Israel, both toward God, and toward his house.

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

    18 And they left the house of the LORD God of their fathers, and served ygroves and idols: and zwrath came upon Judah and Jerusalem for this their *trespass.

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

    20 And the Spirit of God 5came upon Zechariah the son of Jehoiada the priest, which stood above the people, and said unto them, cThus saith God, Why transgress ye the commandments of the LORD, that ye cannot prosper? dbecause ye have forsaken the LORD, he hath also forsaken you.

    21 And they conspired against him, and estoned him with stones at the commandment of the king fin the court of the house of the LORD.

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

    23 ¶And it icame to pass 6at 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 7Damascus.

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

    25 And when they were departed from him, (for they left him in mgreat diseases,) his own servants conspired against him for nthe 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 onot in the sepulchres of the kings.

    26 And these are they that conspired against him; 8Zabad the son of Shimeath an Ammonitess, and Jehozabad the son of 9Shimrith a Moabitess.

    27 ¶Now concerning his sons, and the greatness of the pburdens laid upon him, and the 10repairing of the house of God, behold, they are written in the 11story of the book of the kings. And Amaziah his son reigned in his *stead.