2 Chronicles 24:21

THE MESSAGE

But they worked out a plot against Zechariah, and with the complicity of the king—he actually gave the order!—they murdered him, pelting him with rocks, right in the court of The Temple of God . That's the thanks King Joash showed the loyal Jehoiada, the priest who had made him king. He murdered Jehoiada's son. Zechariah's last words were, "Look, God ! Make them pay for this!"

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
But they conspired against him and stoned him at the king’s command in the courtyard of the Lord’s temple.

Hebrew Names Version
They conspired against him, and stoned him with stones at the mitzvah of the king in the court of the house of the LORD.

King James Version
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 .

English Standard Version
But they conspired against him, and by command of the king they stoned him with stones in the court of the house of the Lord .

New Century Version
But the king and his officers made plans against Zechariah. At the king's command they threw stones at him in the courtyard of the Temple of the Lord until he died.

New English Translation
They plotted against him and by royal decree stoned him to death in the courtyard of the Lord 's temple.

Amplified Bible
So they conspired against Zechariah and stoned him [to death] at the command of the king, in the courtyard of the house of the LORD.

New American Standard Bible
So they conspired against him, and at the command of the king they stoned him to death in the courtyard of the house of the LORD.

World English Bible
They conspired against him, and stoned him with stones at the commandment of the king in the court of the house of Yahweh.

Geneva Bible (1587)
Then they conspired against him & stoned him with stones at the commandement of the King, in the court of the house of the Lord.

Legacy Standard Bible
So they conspired against him and at the command of the king they stoned him to death in the court of the house of Yahweh.

Berean Standard Bible
But they conspired against Zechariah, and by order of the king, they stoned him in the courtyard of the house of the LORD.

Contemporary English Version
King Joash forgot that Zechariah's father had always been a loyal friend. So when the people of Judah plotted to kill Zechariah, Joash joined them and gave orders for them to stone him to death in the courtyard of the temple. As Zechariah was dying, he said, "I pray that the Lord will see this and punish all of you."

Complete Jewish Bible
But they conspired against him and stoned him to death at the order of the king in the courtyard of the house of Adonai .

Darby Translation
And they conspired against him, and stoned him with stones at the command of the king in the court of the house of Jehovah.

Easy-to-Read Version
But the people made plans against Zechariah. The king commanded the people to kill Zechariah, so they threw rocks at him until he was dead. The people did this in the courtyard of the Lord 's Temple.

George Lamsa Translation
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.

Good News Translation
King Joash joined in a conspiracy against Zechariah, and on the king's orders the people stoned Zechariah in the Temple courtyard.

Lexham English Bible
Then they conspired against him and stoned him with stones at the command of the king in the courtyard of the house of Yahweh.

Literal Translation
And they conspired against him, and stoned him with stones by the command of the king, in the court of the house of Jehovah.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Neuertheles they conspyred agaynst him, & stoned him at ye kynges comaundement in ye courte of the house of the LORDE.

American Standard Version
And they conspired against him, and stoned him with stones at the commandment of the king in the court of the house of Jehovah.

Bible in Basic English
But when they had made a secret design against him, he was stoned with stones, by the king's order, in the outer square of the Lord's house.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
And they conspired against him, and stoned him with stones at the commaundement of the king, euen in the court of the house of the Lorde.

JPS Old Testament (1917)
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.

King James Version (1611)
And they conspired against him, and stoned him with stones at the commandement of the king, in the court of the house of the Lord.

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And they conspired against him, and stone him by command of king Joas in the court of the Lord’s house.

English Revised Version
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.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Whiche weren gaderide togidere ayens hym, and senten stonys, bi comaundement `of the kyng, in the large place of the hows of the Lord.

Update Bible Version
And they conspired against him, and stoned him with stones at the commandment of the king in the court of the house of Yahweh.

Webster's Bible Translation
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.

New King James Version
So they conspired against him, and at the command of the king they stoned him with stones in the court of the house of the LORD.

New Living Translation
Then the leaders plotted to kill Zechariah, and King Joash ordered that they stone him to death in the courtyard of the Lord 's Temple.

New Life Bible
So they made plans against him. At the king's word, they killed Zechariah with stones in the open space of the Lord's house.

New Revised Standard
But they conspired against him, and by command of the king they stoned him to death in the court of the house of the Lord .

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
So they conspired against him, and stoned him with stones, by the commandment of the king, - in the court of the house of Yahweh.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And they gathered themselves together against him, and stoned him at the king’s commandment in the court of the house of the Lord.

Revised Standard Version
But they conspired against him, and by command of the king they stoned him with stones in the court of the house of the LORD.

Young's Literal Translation
And they conspire against him, and stone him with stones by the command of the king, in the court of the house of Jehovah,

New American Standard Bible (1995)
So they conspired against him and at the command of the king they stoned him to death in the court of the house of the LORD.

Contextual Overview

¹⁵King Joash Joash was seven years old when he became king; he was king for forty years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Gazelle (Zibiah). She was from Beersheba. Taught and trained by Jehoiada the priest, Joash did what pleased God throughout Jehoiada's lifetime. Jehoiada picked out two wives for him; he had a family of both sons and daughters. The time came when Joash determined to renovate The Temple of God . He got the priests and Levites together and said, "Circulate through the towns of Judah every year and collect money from the people to repair The Temple of your God. You are in charge of carrying this out." But the Levites dragged their feet and didn't do anything. Then the king called in Jehoiada the chief priest and said, "Why haven't you made the Levites bring in from Judah and Jerusalem the tax Moses, servant of God and the congregation, set for the upkeep of the place of worship? You can see how bad things are—wicked Queen Athaliah and her sons let The Temple of God go to ruin and took all its sacred artifacts for use in Baal worship." Following the king's orders, they made a chest and placed it at the entrance to The Temple of God . Then they sent out a tax notice throughout Judah and Jerusalem: "Pay the tax that Moses the servant of God set when Israel was in the wilderness." The people and their leaders were glad to do it and cheerfully brought their money until the chest was full. Whenever the Levites brought the chest in for a royal audit and found it to be full, the king's secretary and the official of the chief priest would empty the chest and put it back in its place. Day after day they did this and collected a lot of money. The king and Jehoiada gave the money to the managers of The Temple project; they in turn paid the masons and carpenters for the repair work on The Temple of God . The construction workers kept at their jobs steadily until the restoration was complete—the house of God as good as new! When they had finished the work, they returned the surplus money to the king and Jehoiada, who used the money for making sacred vessels for Temple worship, vessels for the daily worship, for the Whole-Burnt-Offerings, bowls, and other gold and silver liturgical artifacts. Whole-Burnt-Offerings were made regularly in The Temple of God throughout Jehoiada's lifetime. He died at a ripe old age—130 years old! They buried him in the royal cemetery because he had such a distinguished life of service to Israel and God and God's Temple. But after the death of Jehoiada things fell apart. The leaders of Judah made a formal presentation to the king and he went along with them. Things went from bad to worse; they deserted The Temple of God and took up with the cult of sex goddesses. An angry cloud hovered over Judah and Jerusalem because of this sin. God sent prophets to straighten them out, warning of judgment. But nobody paid attention. Then the Spirit of God moved Zechariah son of Jehoiada the priest to speak up: "God's word: Why have you deliberately walked away from God 's commandments? You can't live this way! If you walk out on God , he'll walk out on you." But they worked out a plot against Zechariah, and with the complicity of the king—he actually gave the order!—they murdered him, pelting him with rocks, right in the court of The Temple of God . That's the thanks King Joash showed the loyal Jehoiada, the priest who had made him king. He murdered Jehoiada's son. Zechariah's last words were, "Look, God ! Make them pay for this!" A year or so later Aramean troops attacked Joash. They invaded Judah and Jerusalem, massacred the leaders, and shipped all their plunder back to the king in Damascus. The Aramean army was quite small, but God used them to wipe out Joash's large army—their punishment for deserting God , the God of their ancestors. Arameans implemented God's judgment against Joash. They left Joash badly wounded and his own servants finished him off—it was a palace conspiracy, avenging the murder of the son of Jehoiada the priest. They killed him in his bed. Afterward they buried him in the City of David, but he was not honored with a grave in the royal cemetery. The temple conspirators were Zabad, whose mother was Shimeath from Ammon, and Jehozabad, whose mother was Shimrith from Moab. The story of his sons, the many sermons preached to Joash, and the account of his repairs on The Temple of God can be found contained in the commentary on the royal history. Amaziah, Joash's son, was the next king. ¹⁶King Joash Joash was seven years old when he became king; he was king for forty years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Gazelle (Zibiah). She was from Beersheba. Taught and trained by Jehoiada the priest, Joash did what pleased God throughout Jehoiada's lifetime. Jehoiada picked out two wives for him; he had a family of both sons and daughters. The time came when Joash determined to renovate The Temple of God . He got the priests and Levites together and said, "Circulate through the towns of Judah every year and collect money from the people to repair The Temple of your God. You are in charge of carrying this out." But the Levites dragged their feet and didn't do anything. Then the king called in Jehoiada the chief priest and said, "Why haven't you made the Levites bring in from Judah and Jerusalem the tax Moses, servant of God and the congregation, set for the upkeep of the place of worship? You can see how bad things are—wicked Queen Athaliah and her sons let The Temple of God go to ruin and took all its sacred artifacts for use in Baal worship." Following the king's orders, they made a chest and placed it at the entrance to The Temple of God . Then they sent out a tax notice throughout Judah and Jerusalem: "Pay the tax that Moses the servant of God set when Israel was in the wilderness." The people and their leaders were glad to do it and cheerfully brought their money until the chest was full. Whenever the Levites brought the chest in for a royal audit and found it to be full, the king's secretary and the official of the chief priest would empty the chest and put it back in its place. Day after day they did this and collected a lot of money. The king and Jehoiada gave the money to the managers of The Temple project; they in turn paid the masons and carpenters for the repair work on The Temple of God . The construction workers kept at their jobs steadily until the restoration was complete—the house of God as good as new! When they had finished the work, they returned the surplus money to the king and Jehoiada, who used the money for making sacred vessels for Temple worship, vessels for the daily worship, for the Whole-Burnt-Offerings, bowls, and other gold and silver liturgical artifacts. Whole-Burnt-Offerings were made regularly in The Temple of God throughout Jehoiada's lifetime. He died at a ripe old age—130 years old! They buried him in the royal cemetery because he had such a distinguished life of service to Israel and God and God's Temple. ¹⁷But after the death of Jehoiada things fell apart. The leaders of Judah made a formal presentation to the king and he went along with them. Things went from bad to worse; they deserted The Temple of God and took up with the cult of sex goddesses. An angry cloud hovered over Judah and Jerusalem because of this sin. God sent prophets to straighten them out, warning of judgment. But nobody paid attention. ²⁰ Then the Spirit of God moved Zechariah son of Jehoiada the priest to speak up: "God's word: Why have you deliberately walked away from God 's commandments? You can't live this way! If you walk out on God , he'll walk out on you." ²¹But they worked out a plot against Zechariah, and with the complicity of the king—he actually gave the order!—they murdered him, pelting him with rocks, right in the court of The Temple of God . That's the thanks King Joash showed the loyal Jehoiada, the priest who had made him king. He murdered Jehoiada's son. Zechariah's last words were, "Look, God ! Make them pay for this!" ²³A year or so later Aramean troops attacked Joash. They invaded Judah and Jerusalem, massacred the leaders, and shipped all their plunder back to the king in Damascus. The Aramean army was quite small, but God used them to wipe out Joash's large army—their punishment for deserting God , the God of their ancestors. Arameans implemented God's judgment against Joash. ²⁵They left Joash badly wounded and his own servants finished him off—it was a palace conspiracy, avenging the murder of the son of Jehoiada the priest. They killed him in his bed. Afterward they buried him in the City of David, but he was not honored with a grave in the royal cemetery. The temple conspirators were Zabad, whose mother was Shimeath from Ammon, and Jehozabad, whose mother was Shimrith from Moab. The story of his sons, the many sermons preached to Joash, and the account of his repairs on The Temple of God can be found contained in the commentary on the royal history. Amaziah, Joash's son, was the next king.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

conspired: Jeremiah 11:19, Jeremiah 18:18, Jeremiah 38:4-6

stoned him: Matthew 21:35, Matthew 23:34-37, Acts 7:58, Acts 7:59

Reciprocal: Deuteronomy 13:10 - stone him 1 Samuel 22:18 - he fell 1 Kings 12:18 - all Israel 1 Kings 21:11 - did as Jezebel 2 Chronicles 10:18 - stoned him 2 Chronicles 24:25 - for the blood 2 Chronicles 25:16 - Art thou made 2 Chronicles 36:17 - in the house Nehemiah 9:26 - slew Proverbs 25:26 - General Proverbs 28:17 - General Ecclesiastes 7:15 - there is a just Jeremiah 2:30 - your own sword Jeremiah 19:14 - he stood Jeremiah 20:2 - smote Jeremiah 26:2 - Stand Matthew 23:37 - thou Luke 4:28 - were Luke 13:34 - killest Hebrews 11:37 - stoned

Cross-References

Genesis 24:1
Abraham was now an old man. God had blessed Abraham in every way.

Genesis 24:6
Abraham said, "Oh no. Never. By no means are you to take my son back there. God , the God of Heaven, took me from the home of my father and from the country of my birth and spoke to me in solemn promise, ‘I'm giving this land to your descendants.' This God will send his angel ahead of you to get a wife for my son. And if the woman won't come, you are free from this oath you've sworn to me. But under no circumstances are you to take my son back there."

Genesis 24:18
She said, "Certainly, drink!" And she held the jug so that he could drink. When he had satisfied his thirst she said, "I'll get water for your camels, too, until they've drunk their fill." She promptly emptied her jug into the trough and ran back to the well to fill it, and she kept at it until she had watered all the camels. The man watched, silent. Was this God 's answer? Had God made his trip a success or not?

Genesis 24:56
He said, "Oh, don't make me wait! God has worked everything out so well—send me off to my master."

Psalms 107:1
Oh, thank God —he's so good! His love never runs out. All of you set free by God , tell the world! Tell how he freed you from oppression, Then rounded you up from all over the place, from the four winds, from the seven seas.

Luke 2:19
Mary kept all these things to herself, holding them dear, deep within herself. The sheepherders returned and let loose, glorifying and praising God for everything they had heard and seen. It turned out exactly the way they'd been told!

Luke 2:51
So he went back to Nazareth with them, and lived obediently with them. His mother held these things dearly, deep within herself. And Jesus matured, growing up in both body and spirit, blessed by both God and people.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And they conspired against him,.... Consulted together to take away his life, and got the order of the king to do it:

and stoned him with stones at the commandment of the king in the court of the house of the Lord; where he had stood and reproved them; this they did before he went out, while in the temple; and if he is the same Zechariah, as some think, our Lord speaks of, he was slain between the temple porch and the altar, Matthew 23:35,

Matthew 23:35- :.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

In the court of the house of the Lord - “Between the altar and the Temple,” or directly in front of the temple porch, if it be this Zechariah of whom our Lord speaks Matthew 23:35. A horror of the impious deed long possessed the Jews, who believed that the b ood could not be effaced, but continued to bubble on the stones of the court, like blood newly shed, until the temple was entered, just prior to its destruction, by Nebuzaradan.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 2 Chronicles 24:21. Stoned him - at the commandment of the king — What a most wretched and contemptible man was this, who could imbrue his hands in the blood of a prophet of God, and the son of the man who had saved him from being murdered, and raised him to the throne! Alas, alas! Can even kings forget benefits? But when a man falls from God, the devil enters into him; and then he is capable of every species of cruelty.