Study Desk

"The Levites shall surround the [young] king, every man with his weapons in his hand; and whoever comes into the temple [breaking through the ranks of the guard to get near Joash] is to be killed. You are to be with the king when he comes in [from the temple chamber where he is hiding] and when he goes out."

So the Levites and all Judah acted in accordance with everything that Jehoiada the priest had commanded; and every man took his men who were to resume duty on the Sabbath, with those who were to go off duty on the Sabbath, for Jehoiada the priest did not dismiss [any of] the divisions [from their duties].

He stationed all the people around the king [as guards for him], every man with his weapon in his hand, from the right side to the left side of the house (temple), by the altar and by the house.

Then they brought out the king's son and put the crown on him, and gave him the testimony [a copy of the Mosaic Law] and made him king. And Jehoiada and his sons anointed him and said, "Long live the king!"

She looked, and there was the [young] king, standing by his pillar at the entrance, and the captains and the trumpeters were beside him. And all the people of the land were rejoicing and blowing trumpets, and the singers with their musical instruments were directing the [singing of] praise. Then Athaliah tore her clothes and cried, "Treason! Treason!"

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

Joash did what was right in the sight of the LORD all the days of Jehoiada the priest [his uncle].

Now when Jehoiada grew old and was full of days, he died. He was a hundred and thirty years old at his death.

They buried him in the City of David among the kings, because he had done good [things] in Israel and toward God and His house.

Thus Joash the king did not remember the kindness which Jehoiada, Zechariah's father, had shown him, but he murdered his son. And when Zechariah was dying, he said, "May the LORD see this and require an accounting!"

When they left Joash (for they left him very ill), his own servants conspired against him because of the blood of the son of Jehoiada the priest, and they murdered him on his bed. So he died, and they buried him in the City of David, but they did not bury him in the tombs of the kings.

Now as to his sons and the many prophecies uttered against him and the rebuilding of the house of God, they are written in the commentary on the Book of Kings. Then his son Amaziah became king in his place.

Amaziah was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned for twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Jehoaddan of Jerusalem.

When his kingdom was firmly established, he killed his servants who had struck down his father the king.

But he did not kill their children; for he did as it is written in the Law, in the Book of Moses, where the LORD commanded, "The fathers shall not die for the children, nor the children die for the fathers, but each shall be put to death for his own sin."

Now Amaziah took courage and led his people out to the Valley of Salt, and he struck down 10,000 of the men of Seir (Edom).

After Amaziah came back from the slaughter of the Edomites, he brought the gods of the sons of Seir, and set them up to be his gods, bowed before them, and burned incense to them.

And Judah was defeated by Israel, and they fled, every man to his tent.

Then they brought him on horses and buried him with his fathers in the City of [David in] Judah.

Then all the people of Judah took Uzziah, who was sixteen years old, and made him king in place of his father Amaziah.