The Wickedness of Joash

Once Jehoiada is gone, Judah’s officials win Joash’s ear, and the people abandon the LORD for Asherah poles and idols. Wrath comes on Judah, yet the LORD still sends prophets to call them back, and they refuse to listen.

A¹⁷fter the death of Jehoiada, however, the officials of Judah came and paid homage to the king, and he listened to them. ¹⁸They abandoned the house of the LORD, the God of their fathers, and served the Asherah poles and idols. So wrath came upon Judah and Jerusalem for this guilt of theirs. ¹⁹Nevertheless, the LORD sent prophets to bring the people back to Him and to testify against them, but they would not listen.

Zechariah, filled with the Spirit, confronts the people with their forsaking of the LORD and the loss that follows. Instead of heeding him, Joash orders his death in the temple court, forgetting Jehoiada’s kindness as Zechariah dies calling on the LORD to see and judge.

²⁰Then the Spirit of God came upon Zechariah son of Jehoiada the priest, who stood up before the people and said to them, “This is what God says: ‘Why do you transgress the commandments of the LORD so that you cannot prosper? Because you have forsaken the LORD, He has forsaken you.’” ²¹But they conspired against Zechariah, and by order of the king, they stoned him in the courtyard of the house of the LORD. ²²Thus King Joash failed to remember the kindness that Zechariah’s father Jehoiada had extended to him. Instead, Joash killed Jehoiada’s son. As he lay dying, Zechariah said, “May the LORD see this and call you to account.”