2 דִּבְרֵי הַיָּמִים 24

1 בֶּן־שֶׁ֤בַע שָׁנִים֙ יֹאָ֣שׁ בְּמָלְכ֔וֹ וְאַרְבָּעִ֣ים שָׁנָ֔ה מָלַ֖ךְ בִּֽירוּשָׁלִָ֑ם וְשֵׁ֣ם אִמּ֔וֹ צִבְיָ֖ה מִבְּאֵ֥ר שָֽׁבַע׃

Joash was seven when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem for forty years. His mother's name was Zibiah of Beersheba.

2 וַיַּ֧עַשׂ יוֹאָ֛שׁ הַיָּשָׁ֖ר בְּעֵינֵ֣י יְהוָ֑ה כָּל־יְמֵ֖י יְהוֹיָדָ֥ע הַכֹּהֵֽן׃

Joash did what was right in the Lord's sight during the lifetime of Jehoiada the priest.

3 וַיִּשָּׂא־ל֥וֹ יְהוֹיָדָ֖ע נָשִׁ֣ים שְׁתָּ֑יִם וַיּ֖וֹלֶד בָּנִ֥ים וּבָנֽוֹת׃

Jehoiada arranged for him to marry two wives, and he had sons and daughters.

4 וַיְהִ֖י אַחֲרֵיכֵ֑ן הָיָה֙ עִם־לֵ֣ב יוֹאָ֔שׁ לְחַדֵּ֖שׁ אֶת־בֵּ֥ית יְהוָֽה׃

Some time later, Joash decided to repair the Lord's Temple.

5 וַיִּקְבֹּץ֮ אֶת־הַכֹּהֲנִ֣ים וְהַלְוִיִּם֒ וַיֹּ֣אמֶר לָהֶ֡ם צְא֣וּ לְעָרֵ֪י יְהוּדָ֟ה וְקִבְצוּ֩ מִכָּל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֨ל כֶּ֜סֶף לְחַזֵּ֣ק ׀ אֶת־בֵּ֣ית אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶ֗ם מִדֵּ֤י שָׁנָה֙ בְּשָׁנָ֔ה וְאַתֶּ֖ם תְּמַהֲר֣וּ לַדָּבָ֑ר וְלֹ֥א מִֽהֲר֖וּ הַֽלְוִיִּֽם׃

He summoned the priests and Levites and told them, “Go to the towns of Judah and collect the yearly dues from everyone in Israel to repair the Temple of your God. Do it right away.” But the Levites did not go right away.

6 וַיִּקְרָ֣א הַמֶּלֶךְ֮ לִֽיהוֹיָדָ֣ע הָרֹאשׁ֒ וַיֹּ֣אמֶר ל֗וֹ מַדּ֙וּעַ֙ לֹֽא־דָרַ֣שְׁתָּ עַל־הַלְוִיִּ֔ם לְהָבִ֞יא מִֽיהוּדָ֣ה וּמִֽירוּשָׁלִַ֗ם אֶת־מַשְׂאַת֙ מֹשֶׁ֣ה עֶֽבֶד־יְהוָ֔ה וְהַקָּהָ֖ל לְיִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל לְאֹ֖הֶל הָעֵדֽוּת׃

So the king called for Jehoiada the high priest and asked him, “Why haven't you ordered the Levites to collect from Judah and Jerusalem the tax that Moses, the Lord's servant, and the assembly of Israel imposed to maintain the Tent of the Law?”

7 כִּ֤י עֲתַלְיָ֙הוּ֙ הַמִּרְשַׁ֔עַת בָּנֶ֥יהָ פָרְצ֖וּ אֶת־בֵּ֣ית הָאֱלֹהִ֑ים וְגַם֙ כָּל־קָדְשֵׁ֣י בֵית־יְהוָ֔ה עָשׂ֖וּ לַבְּעָלִֽים׃

(The supporters of that wicked woman Athaliah had broken into God's Temple and had stolen the holy objects of the Lord's Temple and used them to worship the Baals.)

8 וַיֹּ֣אמֶר הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ וַֽיַּעֲשׂ֖וּ אֲר֣וֹן אֶחָ֑ד וַֽיִּתְּנֻ֛הוּ בְּשַׁ֥עַר בֵּית־יְהוָ֖ה חֽוּצָה׃

The king ordered a collection chest to be made and placed outside the entrance to the Lord's Temple.

9 וַיִּתְּנוּ־ק֞וֹל בִּֽיהוּדָ֣ה וּבִֽירוּשָׁלִַ֗ם לְהָבִ֤יא לַֽיהוָה֙ מַשְׂאַ֞ת מֹשֶׁ֧ה עֶֽבֶד־הָאֱלֹהִ֛ים עַל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל בַּמִּדְבָּֽר׃

A decree was proclaimed throughout Judea and Jerusalem to bring to the Lord the tax that Moses, the Lord's servant, imposed on Israel in the wilderness.

10 וַיִּשְׂמְח֥וּ כָל־הַשָּׂרִ֖ים וְכָל־הָעָ֑ם וַיָּבִ֛יאוּ וַיַּשְׁלִ֥יכוּ לָאָר֖וֹן עַד־לְכַלֵּֽה׃

All the leaders and all the people were glad to do so and brought their taxes. They dropped them in the chest until it was full.

11 וַיְהִ֡י בְּעֵת֩ יָבִ֨יא אֶת־הָֽאָר֜וֹן אֶל־פְּקֻדַּ֣ת הַמֶּלֶךְ֮ בְּיַ֣ד הַלְוִיִּם֒ וְכִרְאוֹתָ֞ם כִּי־רַ֣ב הַכֶּ֗סֶף וּבָ֨א סוֹפֵ֤ר הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ וּפְקִיד֙ כֹּהֵ֣ן הָרֹ֔אשׁ וִיעָ֙רוּ֙ אֶת־הָ֣אָר֔וֹן וְיִשָּׂאֻ֖הוּ וִֽישִׁיבֻ֣הוּ אֶל־מְקֹמ֑וֹ כֹּ֤ה עָשׂוּ֙ לְי֣וֹם ׀ בְּי֔וֹם וַיַּֽאַסְפוּ־כֶ֖סֶף לָרֹֽב׃

Every so often the Levites took the chest to the king's officials. When they saw that it contained a large amount of money, the king's secretary and the chief officer of the high priest would come and empty the chest. Then they would carry it back to its place. They did this every day and collected a great deal of money.

12 וַיִּתְּנֵ֨הוּ הַמֶּ֜לֶךְ וִֽיהוֹיָדָ֗ע אֶל־עוֹשֵׂה֙ מְלֶ֙אכֶת֙ עֲבוֹדַ֣ת בֵּית־יְהוָ֔ה וַיִּֽהְי֤וּ שֹׂכְרִים֙ חֹצְבִ֣ים וְחָרָשִׁ֔ים לְחַדֵּ֖שׁ בֵּ֣ית יְהוָ֑ה וְ֠גַם לְחָרָשֵׁ֤י בַרְזֶל֙ וּנְחֹ֔שֶׁת לְחַזֵּ֖ק אֶת־בֵּ֥ית יְהוָֽה׃

Then the king and Jehoiada would allocate the money of those supervising the work on the Lord's Temple to hire stonecutters and carpenters to restore the Lord's Temple and craftsmen in iron and bronze to repair the Lord's Temple.

13 וַֽיַּעֲשׂוּ֙ עֹשֵׂ֣י הַמְּלָאכָ֔ה וַתַּ֧עַל אֲרוּכָ֛ה לַמְּלָאכָ֖ה בְּיָדָ֑ם וַֽיַּעֲמִ֜ידוּ אֶת־בֵּ֧ית הָֽאֱלֹהִ֛ים עַל־מַתְכֻּנְתּ֖וֹ וַֽיְאַמְּצֻֽהוּ׃

The men doing the repairs worked hard and made good progress. They restored God's Temple to its original condition and strengthened it.

14 וּֽכְכַלּוֹתָ֡ם הֵבִ֣יאוּ לִפְנֵי֩ הַמֶּ֨לֶךְ וִֽיהוֹיָדָ֜ע אֶת־שְׁאָ֣ר הַכֶּ֗סֶף וַיַּעֲשֵׂ֨הוּ כֵלִ֤ים לְבֵית־יְהוָה֙ כְּלֵ֣י שָׁרֵ֔ת וְהַעֲל֣וֹת וְכַפּ֔וֹת וּכְלֵ֥י זָהָ֖ב וָכָ֑סֶף וַ֠יִּֽהְיוּ מַעֲלִ֨ים עֹל֤וֹת בְּבֵית־יְהוָה֙ תָּמִ֔יד כֹּ֖ל יְמֵ֥י יְהוֹיָדָֽע׃ פ

When they finished, they returned the money that was left to the king and Jehoiada, and with it utensils were made for the Lord's Temple, both for the worship services and for the burnt offerings, also bowls for incense and vessels of gold and silver. Burnt offerings were regularly offered in the Lord's Temple regularly throughout Jehoiada's lifetime.

15 וַיִּזְקַ֧ן יְהוֹיָדָ֛ע וַיִּשְׂבַּ֥ע יָמִ֖ים וַיָּמֹ֑ת בֶּן־מֵאָ֧ה וּשְׁלֹשִׁ֛ים שָׁנָ֖ה בְּמוֹתֽוֹ׃

Jehoiada grew old and died at the age of 130, having lived a full life.

16 וַיִּקְבְּרֻ֥הוּ בְעִיר־דָּוִ֖יד עִם־הַמְּלָכִ֑ים כִּֽי־עָשָׂ֤ה טוֹבָה֙ בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וְעִ֥ם הָאֱלֹהִ֖ים וּבֵיתֽוֹ׃ ס

He was buried with the kings in the City of David, for all the good he had done in Israel for God and his Temple.

17 וְאַֽחֲרֵ֥י מוֹת֙ יְה֣וֹיָדָ֔ע בָּ֚אוּ שָׂרֵ֣י יְהוּדָ֔ה וַיִּֽשְׁתַּחֲו֖וּ לַמֶּ֑לֶךְ אָ֛ז שָׁמַ֥ע הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ אֲלֵיהֶֽם׃

But after the death of Jehoiada, the leaders of Judah came to swear their loyalty to the king, and he listened to their advice.

18 וַיַּֽעַזְב֗וּ אֶת־בֵּ֤ית יְהוָה֙ אֱלֹהֵ֣י אֲבוֹתֵיהֶ֔ם וַיַּֽעַבְד֥וּ אֶת־הָאֲשֵׁרִ֖ים וְאֶת־הָֽעֲצַבִּ֑ים וַֽיְהִי־קֶ֗צֶף עַל־יְהוּדָה֙ וִיר֣וּשָׁלִַ֔ם בְּאַשְׁמָתָ֖ם זֹֽאת׃

They abandoned the Temple of the Lord, the God of their forefathers, and worshiped Asherah poles and idols. Judah and Jerusalem were punished because of their sin.

19 וַיִּשְׁלַ֤ח בָּהֶם֙ נְבִאִ֔ים לַהֲשִׁיבָ֖ם אֶל־יְהוָ֑ה וַיָּעִ֥ידוּ בָ֖ם וְלֹ֥א הֶאֱזִֽינוּ׃ ס

The Lord sent prophets to bring the people back to him and to warn them; but they refused to listen.

20 וְר֣וּחַ אֱלֹהִ֗ים לָֽבְשָׁה֙ אֶת־זְכַרְיָה֙ בֶּן־יְהוֹיָדָ֣ע הַכֹּהֵ֔ן וַֽיַּעֲמֹ֖ד מֵעַ֣ל לָעָ֑ם וַיֹּ֨אמֶר לָהֶ֜ם כֹּ֣ה ׀ אָמַ֣ר הָאֱלֹהִ֗ים לָמָה֩ אַתֶּ֨ם עֹבְרִ֜ים אֶת־מִצְוֺ֤ת יְהוָה֙ וְלֹ֣א תַצְלִ֔יחוּ כִּֽי־עֲזַבְתֶּ֥ם אֶת־יְהוָ֖ה וַיַּֽעֲזֹ֥ב אֶתְכֶֽם׃

Then the Spirit of God came to Zechariah, son of Jehoiada the priest. He stood before the people and told them, “This is what God says: ‘Why do you break the Lord's commandments so that you cannot be successful? Since you have abandoned the Lord, he has abandoned you.’”

21 וַיִּקְשְׁר֣וּ עָלָ֔יו וַיִּרְגְּמֻ֥הוּ אֶ֖בֶן בְּמִצְוַ֣ת הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ בַּחֲצַ֖ר בֵּ֥ית יְהוָֽה׃

Then the leaders hatched a plot to kill Zechariah, and on the orders of the king they stoned him to death in the courtyard of the Lord's Temple.

22 וְלֹא־זָכַ֞ר יוֹאָ֣שׁ הַמֶּ֗לֶךְ הַחֶ֙סֶד֙ אֲשֶׁ֨ר עָשָׂ֜ה יְהוֹיָדָ֤ע אָבִיו֙ עִמּ֔וֹ וַֽיַּהֲרֹ֖ג אֶת־בְּנ֑וֹ וּכְמוֹת֣וֹ אָמַ֔ר יֵ֥רֶא יְהוָ֖ה וְיִדְרֹֽשׁ׃ פ

King Joash showed he had forgotten all about the loyalty and love shown to him by Jehoiada, Zechariah's father, by killing his son. As he died, Zechariah cried out, “May the Lord see what you've done and pay you back!”

23 וַיְהִ֣י ׀ לִתְקוּפַ֣ת הַשָּׁנָ֗ה עָלָ֣ה עָלָיו֮ חֵ֣יל אֲרָם֒ וַיָּבֹ֗אוּ אֶל־יְהוּדָה֙ וִיר֣וּשָׁלִַ֔ם וַיַּשְׁחִ֛יתוּ אֶת־כָּל־שָׂרֵ֥י הָעָ֖ם מֵעָ֑ם וְכָל־שְׁלָלָ֥ם שִׁלְּח֖וּ לְמֶ֥לֶךְ דַּרְמָֽשֶׂק׃

At the end of the year, the Aramean army came to attack Joash. They invaded Judah and Jerusalem and killed all the people's leaders, and sent all their plunder back to the king of Damascus.

24 כִּי֩ בְמִצְעַ֨ר אֲנָשִׁ֜ים בָּ֣אוּ ׀ חֵ֣יל אֲרָ֗ם וַֽיהוָה֙ נָתַ֨ן בְּיָדָ֥ם חַ֙יִל֙ לָרֹ֣ב מְאֹ֔ד כִּ֣י עָֽזְב֔וּ אֶת־יְהוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֵ֣י אֲבוֹתֵיהֶ֑ם וְאֶת־יוֹאָ֖שׁ עָשׂ֥וּ שְׁפָטִֽים׃

Even though the Aramean army had come with only a few men, the Lord gave them the victory over a very large army, because Judah had abandoned the Lord, the God of their forefathers. In this way they punished Joash.

25 וּבְלֶכְתָּ֣ם מִמֶּ֗נּוּ כִּֽי־עָזְב֣וּ אֹתוֹ֮ במחליים רַבִּים֒ הִתְקַשְּׁר֨וּ עָלָ֜יו עֲבָדָ֗יו בִּדְמֵי֙ בְּנֵי֙ יְהוֹיָדָ֣ע הַכֹּהֵ֔ן וַיַּֽהַרְגֻ֥הוּ עַל־מִטָּת֖וֹ וַיָּמֹ֑ת וַֽיִּקְבְּרֻ֙הוּ֙ בְּעִ֣יר דָּוִ֔יד וְלֹ֥א קְבָרֻ֖הוּ בְּקִבְר֥וֹת הַמְּלָכִֽים׃ ס

When the Arameans departed, they left Joash badly wounded. But then his own officers plotted against him for murdering the son of Jehoiada the priest, and they killed him in his bed. He was buried in the City of David, but not in the cemetery of the kings.

26 וְאֵ֖לֶּה הַמִּתְקַשְּׁרִ֣ים עָלָ֑יו זָבָ֗ד בֶּן־שִׁמְעָת֙ הָֽעַמּוֹנִ֔ית וִיה֣וֹזָבָ֔ד בֶּן־שִׁמְרִ֖ית הַמּוֹאָבִֽית׃

Those who plotted against him were Zabad, son of Shimeath, an Ammonite woman, and Jehozabad, son of Shimrith, a Moabite woman.

27 וּבָנָ֞יו ורב הַמַּשָּׂ֣א עָלָ֗יו וִיסוֹד֙ בֵּ֣ית הָאֱלֹהִ֔ים הִנָּ֣ם כְּתוּבִ֔ים עַל־מִדְרַ֖שׁ סֵ֣פֶר הַמְּלָכִ֑ים וַיִּמְלֹ֛ךְ אֲמַצְיָ֥הוּ בְנ֖וֹ תַּחְתָּֽיו׃ פ

The story of the sons of Joash, as well as the many prophecies about him and about the restoration of God's Temple, are recorded in the Commentary on the Book of the Kings. His son Amaziah took over as king.