15
But Jehoiada grew old and full of days, and died. He was 130 years old at his death.
16
And they buried him in the city of David among the kings, because he had done good in Israel, and toward God and his house.
17
Now after the death of Jehoiada the princes of Judah came and paid homage to the king. Then the king listened to them.
18
And they abandoned the house of the LORD, the God of their fathers, and served
1the Asherim and the idols. And
2wrath came upon Judah and Jerusalem for this guilt of theirs.
19
3Yet he sent prophets among them to bring them back to the LORD.
4These testified against them, but they would not pay attention.
Joash's Treachery
20 5Then the Spirit of God clothed Zechariah
6the son of Jehoiada the priest, and he stood above the people, and said to them, "Thus says God,
7'Why do you break the commandments of the LORD, so that you cannot prosper?
8Because you have forsaken the LORD, he has forsaken you.'"
21
But
9they conspired against him,
10and by command of the king they stoned him with stones in the court of the house of the LORD.
22
Thus Joash the king did not remember the kindness that Jehoiada, Zechariah's father, had shown him, but killed his son. And when he was dying, he said, "May the LORD see
11and avenge!"
Joash Assassinated
23 At the end of the year
12the army of the Syrians came up against Joash. They came to Judah and Jerusalem and destroyed all the princes of the people from among the people and sent all their spoil to the king of Damascus.
24
Though the army of the Syrians had come with few men,
13the LORD delivered into their hand a very great army,
14because Judah had forsaken the LORD, the God of their fathers. Thus they
15executed judgment on Joash.
25
When they had departed from him, leaving him
16severely wounded,
17his servants conspired against him because of the blood of
18the son of Jehoiada the priest, and killed him on his bed. So he died, and they buried him in the city of David,
19but they did not bury him in the tombs of the kings.