1Jóašovi bylo sedm let, když se stal králem. Kraloval v Jeruzalémě čtyřicet let. Jeho matka se jmenovala Sibja z Beer-šeby. 2Jóaš činil to, co je správné v Hospodinových očích, po všechny dny kněze Jójady. 3Jójada pro něho vzal dvě ženy, takže zplodil syny a dcery. 4Potom se stalo, že přišlo Jóašovi na mysl obnovit Hospodinův dům. 5Shromáždil kněze a lévity a řekl jim: Vyjděte do judských měst a rok co rok shromažďujte od všech Izraelců stříbro na opravu domu vašeho Boha. Pospěšte si s tím. Ale lévité nepospíchali. 6Potom si král zavolal vrchního kněze Jójadu a zeptal se ho: Proč jsi nedohlédl na lévity, aby přinesli z Judska a z Jeruzaléma daň, kterou ustanovil Hospodinův otrok Mojžíš a shromáždění Izraele, do stanu svědectví? 7Vždyť ničemnice Atalja a její synové vtrhli do Božího domu a všechny svaté věci z Hospodinova domu použili pro baaly. 8Král řekl, aby udělali jednu truhlu a dali ji zvenku do brány Hospodinova domu. 9Potom rozhlásili v Judsku a v Jeruzalémě, aby přinášeli Hospodinu daň, kterou ustanovil Izraeli v pustině Boží otrok Mojžíš. 10Všichni předáci a všechen lid se radovali, přinášeli daň a házeli do truhly, až byla plná. 11I stalo se, když přinesli prostřednictvím lévitů truhlu ke královskému dozorci a když viděli, že je tam již mnoho stříbra, přišel královský písař a dohlížitel vrchního kněze, vyprázdnili truhlu, vzali ji a vrátili ji zpět na místo. Toto dělali den co den a nashromáždili množství stříbra. 12Král a Jójada ho pak dávali dílovedoucím práce na Hospodinově domě. Ti najímali kameníky a řemeslníky na obnovu Hospodinova domu a také kováře a kovotepce na opravu Hospodinova domu. 13Dílovedoucí konali svou práci, takže opravné práce pod jejich vedením postupovaly. Postavili Boží dům do původní podoby a opravili ho. 14Když to dokončili, přinesli před krále a Jójadu zbytek stříbra. Ten z něho udělal předměty pro Hospodinův dům, předměty pro bohoslužbu a přinášení obětí, kadidlové pánvičky a jiné zlaté a stříbrné předměty. Zápalné oběti se přinášely v Hospodinově domě ustavičně po všechny Jójadovy dny. 15Jójada zestárl, byl sytý dnů a zemřel. Bylo mu sto třicet let, když zemřel. 16Pohřbili ho spolu s králi v Městě Davidově, protože prokazoval dobro Izraeli, Bohu i jeho domu. 17Po Jójadově smrti však přišla judská knížata a klaněla se králi. Tehdy je král uposlechl. 18Opustili dům Hospodina, Boha svých otců, a sloužili posvátným kůlům a modlářským zpodobeninám. Kvůli tomuto jejich provinění dopadlo na Judsko a Jeruzalém rozhořčení. 19Posílal jim proroky, aby je obrátili zpět k Hospodinu. Varovali je, ale oni neposlouchali. 20A Duch Boží vyzbrojil Zekarjáše, syna kněze Jójady. Postavil se před lid a řekl jim: Toto praví Bůh: Proč přestupujete Hospodinovy příkazy? Neuspějete! Protože jste opustili Hospodina, on opustí vás. 21Spikli se proti němu a na nádvoří Hospodinova domu na něj z králova příkazu házeli kamení. 22Král Jóaš nepamatoval na milosrdenství, které mu prokázal jeho otec Jójada, a zabil jeho syna. Když Zekarjáš umíral, řekl: Ať pohledí na to Hospodin a povolá ho k odpovědnosti. 23I stalo se na konci roku, že proti němu vytáhlo aramejské vojsko. Přitáhli do Judska a Jeruzaléma, pozabíjeli z lidu všechny předáky lidu a všechnu kořist po nich poslali králi do Damašku. 24Ačkoliv aramejské vojsko přitáhlo s nemnoha muži, Hospodin vydal do jejich ruky velmi veliké vojsko, protože opustili Hospodina, Boha svých otců. Tak vykonali soud nad Jóašem. 25Když od něj odtáhli, zanechali ho těžce nemocného. Spikli se proti němu jeho otroci za prolitou krev synů kněze Jójady a zabili ho na jeho posteli. Zemřel a pohřbili ho v Městě Davidově. Nepohřbili ho však v královských hrobech. 26Toto jsou ti, kdo se proti němu spikli: Zábad, syn Amónky Šimeáty, a Józabad, syn Moábky Šimríty. 27Jeho synové, množství výnosů proti němu a základní opravy Božího domu jsou zapsány ve výkladu Knihy králů. Po něm se stal králem jeho syn Amasjáš.
Jamieson Fausset Brown Bible Commentary 1 JOASH REIGNS WELL ALL THE DAYS OF JEHOIADA. (
2Chr 24:1-14)
Joash . . . began to reign--(See on
2Kgs 12:1-3).
3 Jehoiada took for him two wives--As Jehoiada was now too old to contract such new alliances, the generality of interpreters apply this statement to the young king.
4 Joash was minded to repair the house of the Lord--(See on
2Kgs 12:4-16).
15 JEHOIADA BEING DEAD. (
2Chr 24:15-16)
Jehoiada waxed old . . . and died--His life, protracted to unusual longevity and spent in the service of his country, deserved some tribute of public gratitude, and this was rendered in the posthumous honors that were bestowed on him. Among the Hebrews, intramural interment was prohibited in every city but Jerusalem, and there the exception was made only to the royal family and persons of eminent merit, on whom the distinction was conferred of being buried in the city of David, among the kings, as in the case of Jehoiada.
17 JOASH FALLS INTO IDOLATRY. (
2Chr 24:17-22)
Now came the princes of Judah, and make obeisance to the king--Hitherto, while Joash occupied the throne, his uncle had held the reins of sovereign power, and by his excellent counsels had directed the young king to such measures as were calculated to promote both the civil and religious interests of the country. The fervent piety, practical wisdom, and inflexible firmness of that sage counsellor exerted immense influence over all classes. But now that the helm of the state-ship was no longer steered by the sound head and firm hand of the venerable high priest, the real merits of Joash's administration appear; and for want of good and enlightened principle, as well as, perhaps, of natural energy of character, he allowed himself to be borne onward in a course which soon wrecked the vessel upon hidden rocks.
the king hearkened unto them, &c.--They were secretly attached to idolatry, and their elevated rank affords sad proof how extensively and deeply the nation had become corrupted during the reigns of Jehoram, Ahaziah, and Athaliah. With strong professions of allegiance they humbly requested that they might not be subjected to the continued necessity of frequent and expensive journeys to Jerusalem, but allowed the privilege their fathers had enjoyed of worshipping God in high places at home. They framed their petition in this plausible and least offensive manner, well knowing that, if excused attendance at the temple, they might--without risk of discovery or disturbance--indulge their tastes in the observance of any private rites they pleased. The weak-minded king granted their petition; and the consequence was, that when they left the house of the Lord God of their fathers, they soon "served groves and idols."
18 wrath came upon Judah and Jerusalem--The particular mention of Jerusalem as involved in the sin implies that the neglect of the temple and the consequent idolatry received not only the king's toleration, but his sanction; and it naturally occurs to ask how, at his mature age, such a total abandonment of a place with which all his early recollections were associated can be accounted for. It has been suggested that what he had witnessed of the conduct of many of the priests in the careless performance of the worship, and especially their unwillingness to collect the money, as well as apply a portion of their revenues for the repairs of the temple, had alienated and disgusted him [LE CLERC].
19 Yet he sent prophets--Elisha, Micah, Jehu son of Hanani, Jahaziel son of Zechariah (
2Chr 20:14), Eliezer son of Dodavah (
2Chr 20:37), lived and taught at that time. But all their prophetic warnings and denunciations were unheeded.
20 the Spirit of God came upon Zechariah the son of Jehoiada--probably a younger son, for his name does not occur in the list of Aaron's successors (1Ch. 6:4-47).
stood above the people--Being of the priestly order, he spoke from the inner court, which was considerably higher than that of the people.
and said unto them, Thus saith God, Why transgress ye the commandments of the Lord, that ye cannot prosper, &c.--His near relationship to the king might have created a feeling of delicacy and reluctance to interfere; but at length he, too, was prompted by an irresistible impulse to protest against the prevailing impiety. The bold freedom and energy of [Zechariah's] remonstrance, as well as his denunciation of the national calamities that would certainly follow, were most unpalatable to the king; while they so roused the fierce passions of the multitude that a band of miscreants, at the secret instigation of Joash, stoned him to death. This deed of violence involved complicated criminality on the part of the king. It was a horrid outrage on a prophet of the Lord--base ingratitude to a family who had preserved his life--atrocious treatment of a true Hebrew patriot--an illegal and unrighteous exercise of his power and authority as a king.
22 when he died, he said, The Lord look upon it and require it--These dying words, if they implied a vindictive imprecation, exhibit a striking contrast to the spirit of the first Christian martyr (
Acts 7:60). But, instead of being the expression of a personal wish, they might be the utterance of a prophetic doom.
23 HE IS SLAIN BY HIS SERVANTS. (
2Chr 24:23-27)
at the end of the year the host of Syria came up--This invasion took place under the personal conduct of Hazael, whom Joash, to save the miseries of a siege, prevailed on to withdraw his forces by a large present of gold (
2Kgs 12:18). Most probably, also, he promised the payment of an annual tribute, on the neglect or refusal of which the Syrians returned the following year, and with a mere handful of men inflicted a total and humiliating defeat on the collected force of the Hebrews.
25 they left him in great diseases--The close of his life was embittered by a painful malady, which long confined him to bed.
his own servants conspired against him--These two conspirators (whose fathers were Jews, but their mothers aliens) were probably courtiers, who, having constant access to the bedchamber, could the more easily execute their design.
for the blood of the sons--read "the son" of Jehoiada. Public opinion seems to have ascribed the disasters of his life and reign to that foul crime. And as the king had long lost the esteem and respect of his subjects, neither horror nor sorrow was expressed for his miserable end!