Joash, King of Judah

Background and Family

Joash was born into a period of extreme political and spiritual turmoil in the Kingdom of Judah. He was the son of King Ahaziah and Zibiah of Beersheba (2 Chronicles 24:1). Following the death of Ahaziah at the hands of Jehu, the queen mother Athaliah sought to seize the throne by exterminating the entire royal seed of the house of Judah. However, Jehosheba (also called Jehoshabeath), the sister of Ahaziah and wife of the High Priest Jehoiada, intervened by stealing the infant Joash away from the slaughter.

For six years, Joash was hidden in the Temple of the LORD while Athaliah reigned over the land. This clandestine upbringing ensured that the Davidic line—to which the Messianic promise was attached—remained intact despite the usurper’s efforts. In the seventh year, Jehoiada the priest orchestrated a coup, presenting the young Joash to the captains of the guard and the Levites. Joash was crowned and anointed in the Temple courtyard, and Athaliah was subsequently executed, restoring the legitimate monarchy to Judah.

Major Life Events

The Restoration of the Temple

Upon taking the throne at age seven, Joash was initially a model of Davidic kingship. Under the tutelage of Jehoiada, he sought to undo the damage caused by the previous idolatrous administrations. His most significant achievement was the comprehensive repair of the Temple, which had fallen into disrepair and had been pillaged by Athaliah’s sons to furnish the house of Baal.

Joash personally took charge of the fundraising for this project. He initially instructed the priests to collect money from the census and voluntary gifts, but by his twenty-third year, the work had not progressed (2 Kings 12:6). Consequently, Joash implemented a new system: a chest with a hole in its lid was placed beside the altar, where the people could directly deposit their contributions. This transparent method proved highly successful, allowing the king to hire masons and carpenters to restore the structural integrity of the house of the LORD.

Spiritual Decline and the Death of Zechariah

The turning point in Joash’s life occurred after the death of his mentor, Jehoiada. Without the priest’s stabilizing influence, Joash was swayed by the officials of Judah to abandon the worship of the LORD in favor of Asherah poles and idols (2 Chronicles 24:17-18). When Zechariah, the son of Jehoiada, was filled with the Spirit of God and rebuked the king and the people for their apostasy, Joash responded with staggering ingratitude. Forgetting the kindness shown to him by Jehoiada, Joash ordered that Zechariah be stoned to death in the courtyard of the Temple.

Military Defeat and Assassination

Following this spiritual collapse, Judah faced divine judgment through the Aramean army. Although the Arameans arrived with a small force, they defeated the much larger Judean army because the nation had forsaken the LORD (2 Chronicles 24:24). To prevent the total destruction of Jerusalem, Joash stripped the Temple of its sacred objects—including gold and items dedicated by his ancestors—and sent them as tribute to Hazael, the king of Aram (2 Kings 12:18).

Broken in health and status, Joash’s reign ended in violence. Two of his own servants, Jozabad and Jehozabad, conspired against him at Beth-millo. They murdered him in his bed, reportedly in retaliation for the blood of Zechariah. While he was buried in the City of David, the chronicler notes he was not buried in the tombs of the kings.

Relationship to Other Biblical Figures

Joash’s life was inextricably linked to Jehoiada the Priest, who acted as his protector, regent, and spiritual guide. Their relationship defines the "good" years of Joash's reign, illustrating the vital role of the priesthood in advising the monarchy. His aunt, Jehosheba, is also a pivotal figure, representing the courage required to preserve the royal line during the purge of Athaliah.

In his later years, his relationship with Zechariah son of Jehoiada serves as a tragic foil to his earlier relationship with the father. His son and successor, Amaziah, inherited a kingdom that had been weakened by the Aramean invasion, and the biblical record notes that while Amaziah did right in the eyes of the LORD, he followed the pattern of his father Joash by failing to remove the high places (2 Kings 14:3-4).

Spiritual Significance

The narrative of Joash serves as a profound warning regarding the nature of inherited or external faith. The biblical text emphasizes that Joash did what was right "all the days he was instructed by Jehoiada" (2 Kings 12:2). This suggests that his righteousness was largely dependent on the influence of his mentor rather than a personal, internal conviction. Once the godly mentor was removed, Joash’s true character—one susceptible to peer pressure and idolatry—was revealed.

Furthermore, the story of Joash underscores the theme of divine preservation. Despite the best efforts of the enemies of God to extinguish the line of David, the survival of Joash proves that God’s promises cannot be thwarted by human violence. His life is a testament to God's providence, yet his end is a somber reminder of the danger of spiritual complacency and the consequences of betraying one's spiritual heritage.