2Kings 11:1 ¶ And when Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she arose and destroyed all the seed royal.
2Kings 11:2 But Jehosheba, the daughter of king Joram, sister of Ahaziah, took Joash the son of Ahaziah, and stole him from among the king’s sons which were slain; and they hid him, even him and his nurse, in the bedchamber from Athaliah, so that he was not slain.
2Kings 11:3 And he was with her hid in the house of the LORD six years. And Athaliah did reign over the land.
The historian turns his attention back to Judah after the death of Ahaziah.
When Athaliah, the mother of Ahaziah, saw that her son was dead, her first response wasn’t grief. This mother’s first response was to kill all of her son’s children, her own grandchildren. I am a mom and grandma, and I can’t even begin to understand such a woman.
Jehosheba, Ahaziah’s half sister, was able to steal away with her baby nephew Joash, Ahaziah’s son, and hide him and his nurse from Athaliah. He remained hidden in the house of the LORD for six years. During those six years, Athaliah ruled in Judah—the only female that ever did so.
The Chronicler tells us that Jehosheba was the wife of Jehoiada the priest.
2 Chronicles 22:11 “But Jehoshabeath, the daughter of the king, took Joash the son of Ahaziah, and stole him from among the king’s sons that were slain, and put him and his nurse in a bedchamber. So Jehoshabeath, the daughter of king Jehoram, the wife of Jehoiada the priest, (for she was the sister of Ahaziah,) hid him from Athaliah, so that she slew him not.”
2Kings 11:4 ¶ And the seventh year Jehoiada sent and fetched the rulers over hundreds, with the captains and the guard, and brought them to him into the house of the LORD, and made a covenant with them, and took an oath of them in the house of the LORD, and shewed them the king’s son.
After seven years, Jehoida sent for the top military leaders to come to the temple. He made a covenant with them confirmed by an oath and then showed them that the king’s son Joash had survived.
The fact that Jehoiada was able to be so influential on the military leaders makes me think he was the high priest. I think it also testifies to the fact that Athaliah was not at all liked by the military.
I couldn’t help but wonder why the people of Israel tolerated the rule of this evil queen who wasn’t even Jewish. Guzik made a good observation: “One reason Athaliah was able to reign for six years was that no one knew any alternative. Many people live under the reign of Satan because they don’t really know there is a legitimate king ready to take reign in their life.”
The Chronicler identifies the top military leaders for us and tells us a bit more.
2 Chronicles 23:1-3 “And in the seventh year Jehoiada strengthened himself, and took the captains of hundreds, Azariah the son of Jeroham, and Ishmael the son of Jehohanan, and Azariah the son of Obed, and Maaseiah the son of Adaiah, and Elishaphat the son of Zichri, into covenant with him. And they went about in Judah, and gathered the Levites out of all the cities of Judah, and the chief of the fathers of Israel, and they came to Jerusalem. And all the congregation made a covenant with the king in the house of God. And he said unto them, Behold, the king’s son shall reign, as the LORD hath said of the sons of David.”
After making a covenant with the top military leaders, they gathered together the Levites along with the recognized civic leaders out of all the cities of Judah. That group also made a covenant to support Joash as king in accordance with the word of the LORD.
2Kings 11:5 And he commanded them, saying, This is the thing that ye shall do; A third part of you that enter in on the sabbath shall even be keepers of the watch of the king’s house;
2Kings 11:6 And a third part shall be at the gate of Sur; and a third part at the gate behind the guard: so shall ye keep the watch of the house, that it be not broken down.
2Kings 11:7 And two parts of all you that go forth on the sabbath, even they shall keep the watch of the house of the LORD about the king.
2Kings 11:8 And ye shall compass the king round about, every man with his weapons in his hand: and he that cometh within the ranges, let him be slain: and be ye with the king as he goeth out and as he cometh in.
2Kings 11:9 And the captains over the hundreds did according to all things that Jehoiada the priest commanded: and they took every man his men that were to come in on the sabbath, with them that should go out on the sabbath, and came to Jehoiada the priest.
I think the summary provided by the Chronicler is a bit easier to understand.
NLT - 2 Chronicles 23:4–7 “This is what you must do. When the priests and Levites come on duty on the Sabbath, a third of them will serve as gatekeepers. Another third will go over to the royal palace, and the final third will be at the Foundation Gate. Everyone else should stay in the courtyards of the LORD’s Temple. Remember, only the priests and Levites on duty may enter the Temple of the LORD, for they are set apart as holy. The rest of the people must obey the LORD’s instructions and stay outside. You Levites, form a bodyguard for the king and keep your weapons in hand. Any unauthorized person who enters the Temple must be killed. Stay right beside the king at all times.”
The plan was in place and everyone took position as directed by Jehoiada the priest.
Clarke has this note as to why Jehoiada chose the Sabbath day to implement his plan: “It appears that Jehoiada chose the Sabbath day to proclaim the young king, because as that was a day of public concourse, the gathering together of the people who were in this secret would not be noticed….”
Gill provides this note on the numbers of priests that were available: “…it should be observed, that the priests, in the times of David, were divided into twenty four courses, which were by turns to serve a week in the temple; the course that came in entered when the sabbath began, and that which went out went out when it ended, and each course consisted of a thousand men….”
Gill also notes that the Jews equated the Sur Gate to the eastern gate, the gate of foundation.
2Kings 11:10 And to the captains over hundreds did the priest give king David’s spears and shields, that were in the temple of the LORD.
2Kings 11:11 And the guard stood, every man with his weapons in his hand, round about the king, from the right corner of the temple to the left corner of the temple, along by the altar and the temple.
2Kings 11:12 And he brought forth the king’s son, and put the crown upon him, and gave him the testimony; and they made him king, and anointed him; and they clapped their hands, and said, God save the king.
Jehoiada gave the military leaders David’s spears and shields that were stored in the temple. The Chronicler tells us they numbered in the 100s.
2 Chronicles 23:9 “Moreover Jehoiada the priest delivered to the captains of hundreds spears, and bucklers, and shields, that had been king David’s, which were in the house of God.”
Every man took his weapon and got into position as had been instructed. Young king Joash was brought out and the crown put upon him. They gave him a copy of God’s law and officially anointed him as their king. Then all the people began to clap their hands and cheer, saying “God save the king.”
To give the king a copy of God’s law was in accordance with the directives established by the word of the LORD through Moses before they ever entered the land.
Deuteronomy 17:14 “When thou art come unto the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, and shalt possess it, and shalt dwell therein, and shalt say, I will set a king over me…. And it shall be, when he sitteth upon the throne of his kingdom, that he shall write him a copy of this law in a book out of that which is before the priests the Levites: And it shall be with him, and he shall read therein all the days of his life: that he may learn to fear the LORD his God, to keep all the words of this law and these statutes, to do them: That his heart be not lifted up above his brethren, and that he turn not aside from the commandment, to the right hand, or to the left: to the end that he may prolong his days in his kingdom, he, and his children, in the midst of Israel.”
Interesting bit of related trivia from Wiseman as quoted by Guzik: “This is the basis for the British custom of presenting the monarch with a copy of the Bible during the coronation service.”
2Kings 11:13 ¶ And when Athaliah heard the noise of the guard and of the people, she came to the people into the temple of the LORD.
2Kings 11:14 And when she looked, behold, the king stood by a pillar, as the manner was, and the princes and the trumpeters by the king, and all the people of the land rejoiced, and blew with trumpets: and Athaliah rent her clothes, and cried, Treason, Treason.
2Kings 11:15 But Jehoiada the priest commanded the captains of the hundreds, the officers of the host, and said unto them, Have her forth without the ranges: and him that followeth her kill with the sword. For the priest had said, Let her not be slain in the house of the LORD.
2Kings 11:16 And they laid hands on her; and she went by the way by the which the horses came into the king’s house: and there was she slain.
When Athaliah heard all the noise, she came to the temple to find out what was happening. She saw the young king standing by the pillar (designated for the king), according to custom, with the leaders and trumpeters standing next to him. All the people were rejoicing as the trumpets sounded. Athaliah yelled, “Treason, Treason.” I guess she was hoping her cries would bring help.
Jehoida the priest ordered the military leaders to take her outside the temple and kill anyone that tried to rescue her. He ordered that she not be killed in the temple. So they took her out to the gate where the horses entered the place grounds and killed her.
2Kings 11:17 ¶ And Jehoiada made a covenant between the LORD and the king and the people, that they should be the LORD’S people; between the king also and the people.
2Kings 11:18 And all the people of the land went into the house of Baal, and brake it down; his altars and his images brake they in pieces thoroughly, and slew Mattan the priest of Baal before the altars. And the priest appointed officers over the house of the LORD.
2Kings 11:19 And he took the rulers over hundreds, and the captains, and the guard, and all the people of the land; and they brought down the king from the house of the LORD, and came by the way of the gate of the guard to the king’s house. And he sat on the throne of the kings.
Jehoida then established a covenant between the LORD and the king and the people, renewing their pledge to be the LORD’s people. He also established a covenant of loyalty between the king and his people.
Then the people went to the house of Baal and destroyed it, breaking the altars and idols into pieces. They killed Mattan the priest of Baal in front of those altars.
Next, Jehoiada appointed officers to guard the temple of the LORD.
After that, they formed a huge procession to escort the king from the temple to the palace where Joash took his place on the throne.
2Kings 11:20 And all the people of the land rejoiced, and the city was in quiet: and they slew Athaliah with the sword beside the king’s house.
2Kings 11:21 Seven years old was Jehoash when he began to reign.
The people of Judah rejoiced and the city of Jerusalem was finally quiet.
The wicked queen mother was dead.
Joash was seven years old when he became king.
Primary lesson: The LORD’s word will always be proven true—even when the circumstances seem to declare otherwise.
2Kings 12:1 ¶ In the seventh year of Jehu Jehoash began to reign; and forty years reigned he in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Zibiah of Beersheba.
2Kings 12:2 And Jehoash did that which was right in the sight of the LORD all his days wherein Jehoiada the priest instructed him.
2Kings 12:3 But the high places were not taken away: the people still sacrificed and burnt incense in the high places.
It was during the seventh year of Jehu’s reign as king of Israel that Joash became king in Judah. His reign in Jerusalem would last for 40 years. His mother’s name was Zibiah of Beersheba.
We learn that Joash did right before the LORD during the days that Jehoiada the priest instructed him. However, the people were still allowed to offer sacrifices and burn incense in the high places outside the temple.
2Kings 12:4 ¶ And Jehoash said to the priests, All the money of the dedicated things that is brought into the house of the LORD, even the money of every one that passeth the account, the money that every man is set at, and all the money that cometh into any man’s heart to bring into the house of the LORD,
2Kings 12:5 Let the priests take it to them, every man of his acquaintance: and let them repair the breaches of the house, wheresoever any breach shall be found.
2Kings 12:6 But it was so, that in the three and twentieth year of king Jehoash the priests had not repaired the breaches of the house.
We aren’t told when, but it seems obvious to me that it was many years later that Joash decided it was time to make repairs to the temple. He ordered that all the money that was given for sacred purposes was to be used to repair the damaged areas of the temple.
Guzik provides a good explanation of the sources of money: “This money was received in three ways:
Each man’s census money: This was the half shekel each Israelite older than the age of twenty had to pay every year (Exodus 20:13).
Each man’s assessment money: ….This was a kind of property tax based on the personal assessment of each individual (Leviticus 27:2). (Dilday)
All the money that a man purposes in his heart to bring into the house of the Lord: These were freely given offerings over and above the required donations.”
The repairs were needed because the sons of Athaliah had damaged and looted the temple to provide support for the worship of Baal.
2 Chronicles 24:7 “For the sons of Athaliah, that wicked woman, had broken up the house of God; and also all the dedicated things of the house of the LORD did they bestow upon Baalim.”
The Chronicler tells us that the king’s command included going out to all the cities of Judah to collect the needed money and to be quick about it. The Levites ignored the command to be quick about it.
2 Chronicles 24:5 “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 repair the house of your God from year to year, and see that ye hasten the matter. Howbeit the Levites hastened it not.”
It is noted that in the 23rd year of the king’s reign the priests had still not seen to the needed repairs at the temple.
2Kings 12:7 Then king Jehoash called for Jehoiada the priest, and the other priests, and said unto them, Why repair ye not the breaches of the house? now therefore receive no more money of your acquaintance, but deliver it for the breaches of the house.
2Kings 12:8 And the priests consented to receive no more money of the people, neither to repair the breaches of the house.
Joash called for a meeting with Jehoiada and the other priests to ask why the repairs had not been done. He then forbade the priests to use any money contributed for their personal use. It was to be used to repair the temple.
Instead of following the king’s instruction, the priests decided that they would no longer accept personal gifts of money, but neither would they repair the temple.
2Kings 12:9 But Jehoiada the priest took a chest, and bored a hole in the lid of it, and set it beside the altar, on the right side as one cometh into the house of the LORD: and the priests that kept the door put therein all the money that wasbrought into the house of the LORD.
2Kings 12:10 And it was so, when they saw that there was much money in the chest, that the king’s scribe and the high priest came up, and they put up in bags, and told the money that was found in the house of the LORD.
2Kings 12:11 And they gave the money, being told, into the hands of them that did the work, that had the oversight of the house of the LORD: and they laid it out to the carpenters and builders, that wrought upon the house of the LORD,
2Kings 12:12 And to masons, and hewers of stone, and to buy timber and hewed stone to repair the breaches of the house of the LORD, and for all that was laid out for the house to repair it.
So Jehoiada the priest essentially made a donation box that he set beside the altar on the right side of the entrance to the temple. The Chronicler notes that this was at the command of the king.
2 Chronicles 24:8 “And at the king’s commandment they made a chest, and set it without at the gate of the house of the LORD.”
The priests that guarded the entrance to the temple made sure that all the money brought to the temple was put in the box.
When the chest was quite full, the king’s scribe and the high priest came and put the money in bags as they counted it. They then hired carpenters, builders, masons and stonecutters to do the needed repairs. The money was also used to buy the timber and cut stone that was needed to complete the work.
2Kings 12:13 Howbeit there were not made for the house of the LORD bowls of silver, snuffers, basons, trumpets, any vessels of gold, or vessels of silver, of the money that was brought into the house of the LORD:
2Kings 12:14 But they gave that to the workmen, and repaired therewith the house of the LORD.
2Kings 12:15 Moreover they reckoned not with the men, into whose hand they delivered the money to be bestowed on workmen: for they dealt faithfully.
2Kings 12:16 The trespass money and sin money was not brought into the house of the LORD: it was the priests’.
After paying the workmen, there was not enough money left to make the bowls of silver, snuffers, basins, trumpets or vessels of gold and silver that were used in the temple. This seems to contradict the account of the Chronicler.
2 Chronicles 24:14 “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 to offer withal, and spoons, and vessels of gold and silver.”
Clark offers this explanation: “That is, there were no vessels made for the service of the temple till all the outward repairs were completed; but after this was done, they brought the rest of the money before the king and Jehoiada, whereof were made vessels of gold and silver.”
It is also noted that they required no accounting from the men hired to do the work, because they were men of integrity.
The money that was brought into the temple as trespass and sin offerings was not used for the repair work; it was given to the priests. Gill explains this practice: This “…was the money persons at a distance sent for their trespass and sin offerings instead of cattle, with which the sacrifices were bought; and what remained of the money was not brought into the temple, and made use of in the above manner….”
2Kings 12:17 ¶ Then Hazael king of Syria went up, and fought against Gath, and took it: and Hazael set his face to go up to Jerusalem.
2Kings 12:18 And Jehoash king of Judah took all the hallowed things that Jehoshaphat, and Jehoram, and Ahaziah, his fathers, kings of Judah, had dedicated, and his own hallowed things, and all the gold that was found in the treasures of the house of the LORD, and in the king’s house, and sent it to Hazael king of Syria: and he went away from Jerusalem.
After the work was completed, Hazael, king of Syria, attacked and conquered Gath. He then decided to attack Jerusalem.
When Joash was made aware of Hazael’s intentions, he took all the consecrated vessels that he and his forefathers had given to the temple, as well as all the gold found in the temple and palace treasuries and sent it to Hazael. This evidently satisfied the Syrian king and he left Jerusalem alone.
You would think that Joash, who had been trained by Jehoiada, would have thought to seek the LORD when threatened with an attack by the Syrian king. Sadly, his first thought was to bribe the man. Bribes never provide a long-term solution. The enemy is never satisfied and always comes back for more.
2Kings 12:19 And the rest of the acts of Joash, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?
2Kings 12:20 And his servants arose, and made a conspiracy, and slew Joash in the house of Millo, which goeth down to Silla.
2Kings 12:21 For Jozachar the son of Shimeath, and Jehozabad the son of Shomer, his servants, smote him, and he died; and they buried him with his fathers in the city of David: and Amaziah his son reigned in his stead.
The historian notes that the rest of the acts of Joash were recorded in the chronicles of the kings of Judah. After his death, his son Amaziah became king.
The Chronicler tells us more about the death of Joash. He notes that after Jehoiada died at the age of 130, the leaders of Judah rebelled against the LORD and began to worship idols once again. When Jehoiada’s son Zechariah spoke out against their rebellion against the LORD, Joash had him killed.
The LORD’s judgment came in the form of an attack from a small contingent of Syrians that achieved a great victory over the Jews. When they left, the servants of Joash (Jozachar son of Shimeath and Jehozabad son of Shomer) killed him in an act of vengeance for the death of the sons (plural) of Jehoiada. It seems that Zechariah wasn’t the only son of Jehoiada to suffer for his stand for the LORD.
The Chronicler also notes that though Joash was buried in Jerusalem, he was not accorded a burial in the burying place of the kings.
2 Chronicles 24:20–25 “And the Spirit of God came upon Zechariah the son of Jehoiada the priest, which stood above the people, and said unto them, Thus saith God, Why transgress ye the commandments of the LORD, that ye cannot prosper? because ye have forsaken the LORD, he hath also forsaken you. And they conspired against him, and stoned him with stones at the commandment of the king in the court of the house of the LORD. Thus Joash the king remembered not the kindness which Jehoiada his father had done to him, but slew his son. And when he died, he said, The LORD look upon it, and require it. And it came to pass at 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 Damascus. 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. 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, 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 sepulchres of the kings.”