Siteadmin, Check users, Administrators
12,071
edits
Changes
Jump to navigation
Jump to search
New article
'''Joash''' or '''Jehoash''' ([[Hebrew]] '''יהואש המלך''', [[YHWH]]-given) (884-r. 878-839 BC according to [[James Ussher|Ussher]],<ref name=Ussher>[[James Ussher]], ''[[The Annals of the World]]'', [[Larry Pierce]], ed., Green Forest, AR: Master Books, 2003 (ISBN 0890513600), pghh. 536-541, 544-545</ref> or 841-r. 835-798 BC according to [[Edwin R. Thiele|Thiele]]<ref name=Wood>Leon J. Wood, ''A Survey of Israel's History'', rev. ed. David O'Brien, Grand Rapids, MI: Academie Books, 1986 (ISBN 031034770X), pp. 296-297</ref>) was the seventh king of the [[Southern Kingdom]] of [[Israel]] in direct line of descent from King [[David]]. Technically, he was the eighth reigning monarch, if one includes his grandmother [[Athaliah]] in the reckoning. But because Athaliah attempted to secure her succession by an act of murder, her "reign," such as it is, is more accurately described as a period of usurpation, if not an interregnum. The high priest [[Jehoiada]] did not so much bring him to his throne as assert, by force of arms, his lawful authority to sit on it. Sadly, Joash repaid the kindness of this priest with murder, and died by an act of murder in his own turn.
== Early Life and Family ==
Joash's life nearly ended violently before he was a year old. The son of King [[Ahaziah]] by his wife [[Zibia]], Joash was but an infant when Ahaziah died in the [[Jehu]] Revolution in the [[Northern Kingdom]]. Queen mother [[Athaliah]] then seized the throne and killed every remaining prince and princess of the [[House of David]]--except for Joash and his aunt [[Jehosheba]], who rescued him from the royal palace and hid him in the [[Temple of Jerusalem]] for six years.<ref name=CCM>David Holt Boshert, Jr., and David Ettinger, [http://www.christcenteredmall.com/teachings/kings/joash.htm Joash King of Judah], Christ-Centered Mall. Retrieved June 10, 2007</ref> She and her husband [[Jehoiada]] raised him, while Athaliah held the reins of government.<ref name=GeoCities>Authors unknown. "[http://www.geocities.com/thekingsofisrael/biography_JoashOfJudah.html King Joah of Judah - Biography]." ''The Kings of Israel'', hosted at http://www.geocities.com/ Retrieved June 10, 2007.</ref><ref name=Columbia>Authors unknown. "[http://www.infoplease.com/ce6/people/A0826119.html Entry for Joash]." ''The Columbia Encyclopedia'', 6th ed., 2007. Retrieved June 10, 2007.</ref>
When he was twenty-two, then-King Joash married [[Jehoaddan]] of [[Jerusalem]] and by her had one son, [[Amaziah]].
== Accession ==
When Joash was seven years old, his uncle [[Jehoiada]] determined to end the illegitimate rule of Athaliah and establish Joash as the rightful king. With the aid of all the company-commanding officers (literally, "captains of hundreds," equivalent to [[Rome|Roman]] [[centurion]]s), Jehoiada recruited every [[Levi (tribe)|Levite]] throughout the Southern Kingdom to protect Joash and shepherd him to the sanctuary of the Temple. There Jehoiada placed the crown on his head, and everyone present pledged him their service and obedience.
Athaliah burst into the assembly at this point, tore her royal robes, and cried, "Treason! Treason!" Jehoiada ordered the officers to arrest her, take her outside, and execute her.<ref>{{Bible ref|book=II_Kings|chap=11|verses=4-16}}</ref><ref>{{Bible ref|book=II_Chronicles|chap=23|verses=1-15}}</ref><ref name=GeoCities/> Later that day, Joash took his place in the throne room of the palace.<ref>{{Bible ref|book=II_Kings|chap=11|verses=17-20}}</ref><ref>{{Bible ref|book=II_Chronicles|chap=23|verses=16-21}}</ref> He then gave his first order: to destroy the Temple of [[Baal]] that stood nearby to the [[Temple of Jerusalem]].<ref name=GeoCities/>
== Temple repair ==
The [[Temple of Jerusalem]] was in shocking disrepair when Joash took the throne. Twenty years of mis-rule by [[Jehoram]], [[Ahaziah]], and finally [[Athaliah]] had taken their toll. The temple walls had several holes in them, and the three rulers, or their agents, had taken the dedicated items out of the Temple and used them in the Temple of [[Baal]] and perhaps in various and sundry other [[high place]]s throughout the Southern Kingdom. Joash asked Jehoiada to require a collection, similar to that which [[Moses]] collected to make the [[Tabernacle]], to keep the Temple in repair.
In the twenty-third year of his reign (856 BC or 813 BC), Joash was displeased to find out that nothing, or next to nothing, had been done. He urged Jehoiada to take the situation in hand. Jehoiada did, by building a special chest for the collection and by personally seeing to the hiring of workmen to repair the Temple. With the money that was left over, Jehoiada was able to replace most of the dedicated items.<ref>{{Bible ref|book=II_Kings|chap=12|verses=4-16}}</ref><ref>{{Bible ref|book=II_Chronicles|chap=24|verses=4-14}}</ref><ref name=CCM/><ref name=GeoCities/>
== Backsliding ==
Joash kept true to [[God]] as long as [[Jehoiada]] was alive.<ref>{{Bible ref|book=II_Kings|chap=12|verses=2}}</ref><ref>{{Bible ref|book=II_Chronicles|chap=24|verses=2}}</ref> But even the most dedicated high priest could not live forever. Jehoiada died in the thirty-ninth year of Joash's reign, at the age of 130.<ref>{{Bible ref|book=II_Chronicles|chap=24|verses=15}}</ref>
With Jehoiada's death, the nobles of the Southern Kingdom prevailed upon Joash to allow the same idol worship that Jehoiada had encouraged him to oppose. Joash then began to tolerate and even to practice this form of worship--a practice perhaps made easier because Joash never removed any of the [[high place]]s in his territory.<ref name=CCM/><ref name=GeoCities/> Several prophets warned Joash against this policy, saying, {{Bible quote|Because ye have forsaken the LORD, he hath also forsaken you.|book=II_Chronicles|chap=24|verses=20|version=KJV}}
One of these prophets was [[Zechariah (priest)|Zechariah]], son of Jehoiada. In reply, Joash ordered that Zechariah be executed by stoning in the Temple court.<ref name=CCM/> As he died, Zechariah said, {{Bible quote|The LORD look upon it, and require it.|book=II_Chronicles|chap=24|verses=22|version=KJV}}
At the end of that year (839 BC or 798 BC), a [[Syria]]n army (probably under the command of King [[Hazael]]) invaded the Southern Kingdom with a relatively small force. This force nevertheless defeated a much larger Judean force and in the process destroyed practically all the nobility of the Southern Kingdom and took a great deal of spoil.<ref>{{Bible ref|book=II_Chronicles|chap=24|verses=23-24}}</ref>
== Death and Succession ==
Shortly after that humiliation, two servants of the royal household conspired together and killed Joash in his bed.<ref name=CCM/><ref name=GeoCities/><ref name=Columbia/> Joash was buried in Jerusalem, but not in the sepulchres of the kings. Furthermore, the evangelist [[Matthew]] failed to mention him in his genealogy of [[Jesus Christ]]. (Matthew also failed to mention his father and his son, but instead skipped from [[Jehoram]] to [[Uzziah]].<ref>{{Bible ref|book=Matthew|chap=1|verses=8}}</ref>) His son [[Amaziah]] succeeded him.<ref>{{Bible ref|book=II_Chronicles|chap=24|verses=25-27}}</ref>
== References ==
<references/>
== See Also ==
* [[Athaliah]]
* [[Jehosheba]]
* [[Jehoiada]]
* [[Southern Kingdom]]
* [[Biblical chronology dispute]]
[[Category:Bible]]
[[Category:Biblical persons]]
[[Category:Biography]]
[[Category:Israel]]
[[Category:Ancient History]]
== Early Life and Family ==
Joash's life nearly ended violently before he was a year old. The son of King [[Ahaziah]] by his wife [[Zibia]], Joash was but an infant when Ahaziah died in the [[Jehu]] Revolution in the [[Northern Kingdom]]. Queen mother [[Athaliah]] then seized the throne and killed every remaining prince and princess of the [[House of David]]--except for Joash and his aunt [[Jehosheba]], who rescued him from the royal palace and hid him in the [[Temple of Jerusalem]] for six years.<ref name=CCM>David Holt Boshert, Jr., and David Ettinger, [http://www.christcenteredmall.com/teachings/kings/joash.htm Joash King of Judah], Christ-Centered Mall. Retrieved June 10, 2007</ref> She and her husband [[Jehoiada]] raised him, while Athaliah held the reins of government.<ref name=GeoCities>Authors unknown. "[http://www.geocities.com/thekingsofisrael/biography_JoashOfJudah.html King Joah of Judah - Biography]." ''The Kings of Israel'', hosted at http://www.geocities.com/ Retrieved June 10, 2007.</ref><ref name=Columbia>Authors unknown. "[http://www.infoplease.com/ce6/people/A0826119.html Entry for Joash]." ''The Columbia Encyclopedia'', 6th ed., 2007. Retrieved June 10, 2007.</ref>
When he was twenty-two, then-King Joash married [[Jehoaddan]] of [[Jerusalem]] and by her had one son, [[Amaziah]].
== Accession ==
When Joash was seven years old, his uncle [[Jehoiada]] determined to end the illegitimate rule of Athaliah and establish Joash as the rightful king. With the aid of all the company-commanding officers (literally, "captains of hundreds," equivalent to [[Rome|Roman]] [[centurion]]s), Jehoiada recruited every [[Levi (tribe)|Levite]] throughout the Southern Kingdom to protect Joash and shepherd him to the sanctuary of the Temple. There Jehoiada placed the crown on his head, and everyone present pledged him their service and obedience.
Athaliah burst into the assembly at this point, tore her royal robes, and cried, "Treason! Treason!" Jehoiada ordered the officers to arrest her, take her outside, and execute her.<ref>{{Bible ref|book=II_Kings|chap=11|verses=4-16}}</ref><ref>{{Bible ref|book=II_Chronicles|chap=23|verses=1-15}}</ref><ref name=GeoCities/> Later that day, Joash took his place in the throne room of the palace.<ref>{{Bible ref|book=II_Kings|chap=11|verses=17-20}}</ref><ref>{{Bible ref|book=II_Chronicles|chap=23|verses=16-21}}</ref> He then gave his first order: to destroy the Temple of [[Baal]] that stood nearby to the [[Temple of Jerusalem]].<ref name=GeoCities/>
== Temple repair ==
The [[Temple of Jerusalem]] was in shocking disrepair when Joash took the throne. Twenty years of mis-rule by [[Jehoram]], [[Ahaziah]], and finally [[Athaliah]] had taken their toll. The temple walls had several holes in them, and the three rulers, or their agents, had taken the dedicated items out of the Temple and used them in the Temple of [[Baal]] and perhaps in various and sundry other [[high place]]s throughout the Southern Kingdom. Joash asked Jehoiada to require a collection, similar to that which [[Moses]] collected to make the [[Tabernacle]], to keep the Temple in repair.
In the twenty-third year of his reign (856 BC or 813 BC), Joash was displeased to find out that nothing, or next to nothing, had been done. He urged Jehoiada to take the situation in hand. Jehoiada did, by building a special chest for the collection and by personally seeing to the hiring of workmen to repair the Temple. With the money that was left over, Jehoiada was able to replace most of the dedicated items.<ref>{{Bible ref|book=II_Kings|chap=12|verses=4-16}}</ref><ref>{{Bible ref|book=II_Chronicles|chap=24|verses=4-14}}</ref><ref name=CCM/><ref name=GeoCities/>
== Backsliding ==
Joash kept true to [[God]] as long as [[Jehoiada]] was alive.<ref>{{Bible ref|book=II_Kings|chap=12|verses=2}}</ref><ref>{{Bible ref|book=II_Chronicles|chap=24|verses=2}}</ref> But even the most dedicated high priest could not live forever. Jehoiada died in the thirty-ninth year of Joash's reign, at the age of 130.<ref>{{Bible ref|book=II_Chronicles|chap=24|verses=15}}</ref>
With Jehoiada's death, the nobles of the Southern Kingdom prevailed upon Joash to allow the same idol worship that Jehoiada had encouraged him to oppose. Joash then began to tolerate and even to practice this form of worship--a practice perhaps made easier because Joash never removed any of the [[high place]]s in his territory.<ref name=CCM/><ref name=GeoCities/> Several prophets warned Joash against this policy, saying, {{Bible quote|Because ye have forsaken the LORD, he hath also forsaken you.|book=II_Chronicles|chap=24|verses=20|version=KJV}}
One of these prophets was [[Zechariah (priest)|Zechariah]], son of Jehoiada. In reply, Joash ordered that Zechariah be executed by stoning in the Temple court.<ref name=CCM/> As he died, Zechariah said, {{Bible quote|The LORD look upon it, and require it.|book=II_Chronicles|chap=24|verses=22|version=KJV}}
At the end of that year (839 BC or 798 BC), a [[Syria]]n army (probably under the command of King [[Hazael]]) invaded the Southern Kingdom with a relatively small force. This force nevertheless defeated a much larger Judean force and in the process destroyed practically all the nobility of the Southern Kingdom and took a great deal of spoil.<ref>{{Bible ref|book=II_Chronicles|chap=24|verses=23-24}}</ref>
== Death and Succession ==
Shortly after that humiliation, two servants of the royal household conspired together and killed Joash in his bed.<ref name=CCM/><ref name=GeoCities/><ref name=Columbia/> Joash was buried in Jerusalem, but not in the sepulchres of the kings. Furthermore, the evangelist [[Matthew]] failed to mention him in his genealogy of [[Jesus Christ]]. (Matthew also failed to mention his father and his son, but instead skipped from [[Jehoram]] to [[Uzziah]].<ref>{{Bible ref|book=Matthew|chap=1|verses=8}}</ref>) His son [[Amaziah]] succeeded him.<ref>{{Bible ref|book=II_Chronicles|chap=24|verses=25-27}}</ref>
== References ==
<references/>
== See Also ==
* [[Athaliah]]
* [[Jehosheba]]
* [[Jehoiada]]
* [[Southern Kingdom]]
* [[Biblical chronology dispute]]
[[Category:Bible]]
[[Category:Biblical persons]]
[[Category:Biography]]
[[Category:Israel]]
[[Category:Ancient History]]