And his servants arose and formed a conspiracy, and killed Joash. 2 Kings 12:20
Godly King Joash Turns to Apostasy after Priest Jehoiada’s Death
Jehoiada the priest is the young king’s chief advisor. During Jehoiada’s life, Joash follows the Lord. During this period the great Jerusalem Temple is restored and repaired, financed by contributions from the people.
1 In the seventh year of Jehu, Jehoash became king, and he reigned forty years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Zibiah of Beersheba. 2 Jehoash did what was right in the sight of the Lord all the days in which Jehoiada the priest instructed him. 3 But the high places were not taken away; the people still sacrificed and burned incense on the high places.
15 Moreover they did not require an account from the men into whose hand they delivered the money to be paid to workmen, for they dealt faithfully. 16 The money from the trespass offerings and the money from the sin offerings was not brought into the house of the Lord. It belonged to the priests.
Jehoiada’s death brings a change in Joash. He turns from God to worship idols, Zechariah, the son of Jehoiada, is sent by God to warn Joash. But the king does not respond to God’s word. Instead, he actually orders to the death of this son of his old friend and protector.
God permits the Aramaeans under Hazael to overcome Judah’s superior forces. Joash is wounded, and then assassinated in bed by those who are against the apostasy of their king.
17 Hazael king of Syria went up and fought against Gath, and took it; then Hazael set his face to go up to Jerusalem. 18 And Jehoash king of Judah took all the sacred things that his fathers, Jehoshaphat and Jehoram and Ahaziah, kings of Judah, had dedicated, and his own sacred things, and all the gold found in the treasuries of the house of the Lord and in the king’s house, and sent them to Hazael king of Syria. Then he went away from Jerusalem. 19 Now 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? 20 And his servants arose and formed a conspiracy, and killed Joash in the house of the Millo, which goes down to Silla.
