In this chapter Joash seemed to be referred to as Jehoash, maybe that was his full name. In the seventh year of Jehu king of Israel, Jehoash became king of Judah and reigned forty years in Jerusalem. So long as Jehoiada was alive to instruct him, Jehoash did right in the sight of the LORD, but when Jehoiada died, he seemed to fall into the hands of ungodly advisers (see 2 Chronicles 24:15-23). He did much good, but he fell short. He turned to idolatry and God judged him for it.
The high places had not been removed and people still burned incense there (v1-3). Joash had not changed all of their worship, the difficult job was removing the high places, and the people were still using them.
Jehoiada told the priests that they were to use the gifts brought into the LORD’s house to repair the damages done to the temple. The gifts comprised of Census money – half a shekel each Israelite over 20 years old was to pay annually (Exodus 30:14,15); Assessment money – a kind of property tax based on personal assessment (Leviticus 27:2); Money a man decided in his heart – freely given offerings over and above the required payments.
The temple was close to Josiah’s heart. He had spent seven years or so there in hiding and it had been vandalised by Athaliah (2 Chronicles 24:7).
However, it seemed that Jehoash had given the order to repair the temple some time ago and by the twenty-third year of his reign, it had not been carried out, so, he asked the priests why. (v6-13). He told them not to take more money from the people, but to deliver it for repairing the damages.
Jehoiada then bored a hole in the side of the money chest in which the offerings were placed so that he could see how much was in it and it could be emptied often and counted and given to the workmen to do the work. It seemed that the problem had been poor administration and mismanagement. When the people saw that it was being used properly, they gave generously (2Kings 22:3-7) and there was even money left over for sacred vessels (2 Chronicles 24:14).
The temple was repaired (v14-16), and the workmen were so trusted that they didn’t require account from them. The priests still received the trespass offerings and sin offerings. Thus, nothing was taken away from the priests.
A reign full of promise and hope, however, degenerated and resulted in an apostate king and a dissatisfied, faithless people (v17-21).
It started when Hazael king of Syria went and fought against and conquered Gath. He then decided to go against Jerusalem (v17). Joash appeared to panic and decided to try and bribe Hazael instead of turning to the LORD. He gathered all the sacred things his forefathers had dedicated as well as his own things, plus the gold found in the treasuries of the LORD’s house and the king’s house and sent them to Hazael who went away from Jerusalem (v18).
The rest of his acts are written in the chronicles of the kings of Judah (v19).
It is clear that his servants did not approve of his actions and conspired against Joash and killed him in house of Millo on the way down to Silla (v20, and see 2 Chronicles 24:25).
Jozach (Zabad) and Jehozabad struck him, and they buried him in the City of David with his fathers, and Amaziah his son reigned in his place (v21) (see 2 Chronicles 24:26,27).
Joash did right in the sight of the LORD while Jehoiada the high priest was alive (2 Chronicles 24:2). He obviously was a good influence upon Joash, and he taught him the ways of the LORD. He had been given two wives and had sons and daughters, and he died at the relatively young age of around forty-seven. Having initially served the LORD his life apparently went downhill after the death of Jehoiada.
The Bible says that what we sow we will reap. Joash had started so well but he didn’t finish well.
