The Second Book of the Chronicles
2 Chronicles 24
Chapter XXIV · Vol. II, pp. 871–873
1 Joash reigneth well all the days of Jehoiada 4 He giveth order for the repair of the temple. 15 Jehoiada's death and honourable burial. 17 Joash, falling to idolatry, slayeth Zechariah the son of Jehoiada. 23 Joash is spoiled by the Syrians, and slain by Zabad and Jehozabad. 27 Amaziah succeedeth him.
1 Joash wasa seven years old when he began to reign; and he reigned forty years in Jerusalem: his mother's name also was Zibiah of Beer-sheba.
a 2 Ki.11.21; 12.1,21. [Joash is merely an alteration of Jehoash, the name which he elsewhere bears. As he was hid six years in the temple, and was only seven years old when he began to reign, he could not be more than a year old when secreted in the temple.—I.]
2 And bJoash did that which was right in the sight of the LORD all the days of Jehoiada the priest.
b ch.25.2. 2 Ki.12.2. Ps.78.36,37. Jos.24.31. Ju.2.7,10.
3 And Jehoiada ctook for him1 twod wives; and he begat sons and daughters.
1 The rabbins say this was for himself, and they censure such conduct in the high-priest. But the words may as naturally be understood to refer to the wives he successively selected for Joash. His advanced age renders the rabbinical supposition highly improbable; for, having been born in the days of Solomon, and having lived during six successive reigns, he must on the lowest computation have been a hundred years old at the accession of Joash. He lived to the age of 130, ver. 15.—I.
d Ge.4.19. Mat.19.4-8.
4 And it came to pass after this, that Joash was minded eto repair the house of the LORD.
e Heb. to renew, ver.7.
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 to frepair the house of your God from year to year, and see that ye hasten the matter: howbeitg the Levites hastened it not.2
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,3 according to the commandment of Moses the servant of the LORD, and of the congregation of Israel, for the tabernacle of witness?
h 2 Ki.12.7,8.
i Ex.30.12-14. Nu.1.50.
3 This was the poll-tax fixed by Moses, of half a shekel, which was levied off every man from twenty years old and upwards, and which was considered as a ransom for their souls, that there might be no plague among them.—I.
7 For the ksons of Athaliah,4 that wicked woman, had broken up the house of God; and also all the dedicated things of the house of the LORD ldid they bestow upon Baalim.
A.M. 3149. B.C. 855.
k ch.21.17; 22.3,4. Ps.12.8.
4 Most probably Ahaziah and his brethren, who did this before they were taken captive, ch. 21. 17. But Hales thinks it denotes her idolatrous adherents, 'sons of Belial.'—I.
l Ho.2.8. De.32.15,17.
8 And at the king's commandment they made ma chest, and set it without at the gate of the house of the LORD.5
9 And they made a nproclamation through Judah and Jerusalem, to bring in to the LORD the collection that Moses the servant of God laid upon Israel in the wilderness.
10 And all the princes and all the people rejoiced,6 and brought in, and cast into the chest, until they had made an end.
6 A memorial to Christians when called upon to contribute to the cause of Christ; for 'God loveth a cheerful giver,' 2 Co.9.7.—C.
11 Now it came to pass, othat 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 pmasons 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 qthe work was perfected by them, and they set the house of God in his state, and strengthened it.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 to offer withal, and spoons, and vessels of gold and silver: and they soffered8 burnt-offerings in the house of the LORD continually all the days of Jehoiada.
r 1 Ki.7.50, with 2 Ki.12.13,14.
s Ex.29.38-42. Nu.xxviii.xxix.
8 It would seem from this that the daily morning and evening sacrifice had been previously intermitted, and that it was very much neglected after the death of Jehoiada.—I.
15 But Jehoiada waxed old, and was tfull of days when he died; an hundred and thirty years old was he when he died.9
t Ge.15.15. 1 Ch.23.1. Job 5.26. Ps.91.15,16.
9 He had been born in the reign of Solomon, and had lived through six successive reigns (besides the usurpation of Athaliah), viz. Rehoboam, Abijah, Asa, Jehoshaphat, Jehoram, and Ahaziah.—I.
16 And they buried him uin the city of David1 among the kings, xbecause he had done good in Israel, both toward God, and toward his house.2
1 It was a mark of distinguished honour to be interred within a city, for the burial-places were without.—Burder.
x Heb.6.10. Ne.13.14. 2 Ki.xi.xii. ch.xxiii.xxiv.
2 To render honour to the mortal remains of the great and good thus receives the sanction of God's word. It has an important influence upon the living. It stirs them up to imitate the noble acts, and to follow the footsteps, of those who have been distinguished by patriotism and devotion to God.—P.
17 Now, yafter the death of Jehoiada came the princes of Judah, and made obeisance to the king:3 then the king hearkened unto them.
y Ac.20.29. 2 Ti.4.3,4,10. Ju.2.10. Pr.29.12.
3 Flattered the king with feigned respect and deference till they seduced him to forget God, neglect his worship, and serve idols.—Note, Whenever Satan and his instruments can seduce any one to listen to the praise of self, an idol is set up in the heart that will soon supersede the service of God.—C.
18 And they left the house of the LORD God of their fathers, and served groves 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 testified against them:4 but they would not give ear.
a ch.36.15,16. 2 Ki.17.13-15. Je.44.4,5. Ne.9.26. Zec.7.11,12.
4 To bear testimony against personal or national sin is still the duty of God's ministers. It is always a difficult, sometimes an almost hopeless task—still it is duty—and oftentimes the good seed grows in fields where it could be least expected.—C.
20 And the Spirit of God came upon5 Zechariah the son of Jehoiada the priest, which stood above the people, and said unto them, Thusb saith God, Why transgress ye the commandments of the LORD, that ye cannot prosper? cbecause ye have forsaken the LORD, he hath also forsaken you.
5 Heb. clothed.
21 And they conspired against him, and stonedd him with stones, at the commandment of the king, in the court of the house of the LORD.6
6 Idolaters have often been praised for liberality towards other forms of worship. And if it be a praise to judge all religions alike, infidelity may merit that praise. But if compassion, mercy, and gratitude be essential to liberality, then is idolatry ever most illiberal. The ingratitude and cruelty of Joash to the son of his preserver are only equalled by that illiberality that cannot bear the reproof of honesty and truth.—C.
22 Thus Joash the king eremembered not the kindness which Jehoiada his father had done to him, but slew his son: and when he died, he said, fThe LORD look upon it, and require it.7
23 And it gcame to pass at the end of the year,8 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.9
24 For the army of the Syrians came hwith a small company of men, and the LORD delivered a very great host into their hand, ibecause they had forsaken the LORD God of their fathers: kso they executed judgment against Joash.
25 And when they were departed from him, (for they left him in lgreat diseases,) his own servants conspired against him for mthe 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 nnot in the sepulchres of the kings.1
l ch.22.6; 35.24; 16.12; 21.18.
m ver.21. Ps.10.14. Re.16.6; 13.10. Ge.9.4,6.
n 1 Sa.2.30. Pr.10.7. ver.16; ch.33.20; 21.20.
1 What a striking and fearful example is this of divine judgment upon both ruler and people on account of royal and national infidelity! The king neglected the duty which, as a king, he owed to God; the people, left without restraint, gave way to idolatrous practices. The whole land thus became corrupt and guilty. Swift judgment followed. The army was overthrown in battle; the country was desolated; the capital was spoiled; and at length the weak and guilty monarch himself was murdered by his own servants.—P.
26 And these are they that conspired against him, oZabad the son of Shimeath an Ammonitess, and Jehozabad the son of Shimrith2 a Moabitess.
o Or, Jozachar, 2 Ki.12.21.
2 Or, Shomer. These traitors were the children of prohibited marriages.
27 Now concerning his sons, and the greatness of the pburdens3 laid upon him, and the qrepairing of the house of God, behold, they are written in the rstory of the book of the kings: and Amaziah his son reigned in his stead.
A.M. 3159. B.C. 845.
p 2 Ki.12.18. ver.25.
3 Did burdens here mean prophetic threatenings, they would scarcely be called great. They are to be interpreted rather of those great diseases mentioned (ver. 25), and the political disasters of his country arising from idolatry.—C.
q Heb. founding, ver.3-14.
r Or, commentary, ch.9.29; 16?.11,20.34.
Notes
[Ver. 18. Jehoiada was gone. The weak-minded king now felt the want of an upright, determined, and God-fearing counsellor. Joash was bound as a king not merely to serve God himself, but to exercise his legitimate influence, and use his rightful power, to maintain the worship of Jehovah in the land. His weakness, his failure to do his duty faithfully and fearlessly in this respect, brought the wrath of God both upon him and upon his kingdom. P.]
Ver 24. [In 2 Ki. 12. 17, 18 we are told that Hazael, king of Syria, invaded Philistia, and after capturing Gath, was marching on Jerusalem when he was bought off by Joash, who gave him all the treasures of the temple. It is highly probable he returned again, defeated the army of Joash, and plundered the country. So, at least, I would conclude from the statement that he 'executed judgment against Joash.' P.]
Reflections.—It is a great advantage for young persons to be directed by those who are pious, prudent, and faithful. And the influence of education, the awe or example of friends, may often push those far into external appearances of religion who have no cordial regard to it: nay, in shows of devotion, empty hypocrites may outstrip real and noted saints. How many useful works in church and state would be utterly stopped, if God did not raise up a few active men to carry them forward! But it is an honour to do good in our time by promoting religion; and faithfulness is the great honour, and will be the lasting comfort, of such as are intrusted with public money, or employed in public business. The godly are often honourably interred with an appearance of distinguished respect and grief, and yet their example quickly disregarded. Pretended conversions, and hypocritical strictness, soon issue in fearful apostasy. Many conform to religion when it is fashionable, who are glad of an opportunity to throw off the restraint. What an unspeakable loss to a church or nation is the death of a pious or faithful counsellor! and what a plague are complaisant and wicked flatterers! But in times of great degeneracy, God never wants some faithful witnesses, that they who hate to be reformed may be left without excuse: and great zeal for God is then needful, to oppose the torrent of ungodliness, and to render ministers duly faithful to souls: for ingratitude, injustice, and barbarity generally attend hatred of reproof and worshipping of idols. And God's prophets, if faithful, are sure to be marked with suffering or death: but quickly shall God resent the injuries done to them. Quickly, and in manifold forms, his judgment shall overtake the obstinate transgressors: and when he forsakes men they become an easy prey to every invader. Often he gives men blood to drink who have imbrued their hands in the blood of his saints; while his justice pursues them into everlasting woe. And scarcely doth anything more fearfully spread destruction than marriages with wicked women.