1Joash was seven years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Zibiah, of Beersheba. 2And Joash did what was right in the eyes of the LORD all the days of Jehoiada, the priest (Joash’s uncle. It was his wife, Jehosheba - Joash’s aunt - who saved him from murderous Athaliah (1:11)). 3And Jehoiada chose two wives for Joash; and Joash had both sons and daughters.

4And in time, Joash decided to repair the Temple of the LORD. 5And he gathered the priests and the Levites, and told them, “Go out to the cities of Judah, and collect money due annually from all Israel to repair the Temple of your God; and see that you do not delay in this matter.” However, the Levites did not act at once, as ordered. 6And the king called for Jehoiada, the chief priest, and asked him, “Why have you not required the Levites to gather in from Judah and from Jerusalem the collection, according to the commandment of Moses, the servant of the LORD, and of the congregation of Israel, for the tabernacle of witness?” 7For the sons of Athaliah, that wicked woman, had broken up the Temple of God; and they had even used the dedicated things of the Temple of the LORD to serve Baalim. 8And at the king's commandment they made a chest, and set it outside at the gate of the Temple of the LORD. 9And they made a proclamation throughout Judah and Jerusalem, to bring in to the LORD the collection that Moses, the servant of God, laid upon Israel in the wilderness. 10And all the leaders and all the people joyfully brought and threw their contributions into the chest, until they had finished. 11Now, whenever the chest was brought in by the Levites to the king's officials, and when they saw that there was much money, the king's scribe and the high priest's officer would come and empty the chest, and then carry it back to its place again. Thus, they did day by day, and gathered money in abundance. 12And King Joash and Jehoiada gave it to those that did the work in service of the Temple of the LORD; and hired masons and carpenters to repair the Temple of the LORD, and those that worked with iron and bronze to mend the Temple of the LORD. 13Those in charge were diligent and the work to repair, reinforce, and put the Temple of God in order, was completed. 14And when they had finished it, they brought the rest of the money before the king and Jehoiada, and used it to furnish utensils for the Temple of the LORD – articles for the service, and for offerings - spoons, and other articles of gold and silver. And they offered burnt offerings in the Temple of the LORD continually all the days of Jehoiada.

15But Jehoiada had grown old, and he died at the age of 130 years. 16And they buried him in the city of David among the kings, because of the good he had done - for God, His Temple, and Israel. 17Now after the death of Jehoiada, some leaders of Judah came and paid homage to the king; and persuaded Joash to heed their wicked advice. 18And Judah abandoned the Temple of the LORD God of their fathers, and served images and idols; such as Asherah poles, and brought God’s wrath upon Judah and Jerusalem for this foolish trespass. 19And when the LORD sent prophets to them, to bring them back to Him, they testified against the prophets; and would not listen. 20And then the Spirit of God came upon Zechariah, the son of Jehoiada, the priest, who stood above the people, and proclaimed, “Thus says God, ‘Why do you disobey My commandments? You will not prosper. Because you have forsaken the LORD, He has also forsaken you.’” 21But these leaders conspired against Zechariah, and at the commandment of the king, they stoned him to death in the courtyard of the Temple of the LORD. 22Thus King Joash repaid the kindness which Jehoiada, his uncle, had shown him, by killing his son, (and God’s messenger, Zechariah). And when he was dying, Zechariah said, “May the LORD look upon this, and avenge my death!”

23And at the end of the year, the army of Syria marched against Joash, invaded Judah and Jerusalem, killed all the leaders of the people, and sent all their plunder to their king in Damascus. 24For even though the army that the Syrians sent was a small company of men, the LORD delivered the very large army of Judah into their hand, because they had forsaken the LORD God of their fathers. And so, the Syrians executed God’s judgment against Joash. 25And when the Syrians departed, they left Joash severely wounded; and then his own servants conspired against him for murdering Zechariah, the son of Jehoiada, the priest, and killed Joash on his bed; and they buried him in the city of David, but did not bury him in the tombs of the kings. 26And these are the ones who conspired against Joash: Zabad, son of Shimeath, an Ammonitess, and Jehozabad, son of Shimrith, a Moabitess. 27Now the account of his sons, the many prophecies uttered about him, and the repairing of the Temple of God, are written in the book of the kings. And Amaziah, his son, reigned in his stead.