2 Chronicles 24:21

And they conspired against him, and stoned him with stones at the commandment of the king in the court of the house of the LORD.

And they conspired {H7194} against him, and stoned {H7275} him with stones {H68} at the commandment {H4687} of the king {H4428} in the court {H2691} of the house {H1004} of the LORD {H3068}.

But they conspired against him and stoned him to death at the order of the king in the courtyard of the house of ADONAI.

But they conspired against Zechariah, and by order of the king, they stoned him in the courtyard of the house of the LORD.

And they conspired against him, and stoned him with stones at the commandment of the king in the court of the house of Jehovah.

Commentary

2 Chronicles 24:21 describes a tragic and pivotal moment in the reign of King Joash of Judah, highlighting the depths of his apostasy and the persecution of God's prophets.

Context

This verse immediately follows the prophetic warning delivered by Zechariah, son of Jehoiada the priest, who had been instrumental in saving Joash's life and guiding his early, righteous reign. After the death of the venerable High Priest Jehoiada (see 2 Chronicles 24:15), King Joash, who had previously done "that which was right in the sight of the LORD all the days of Jehoiada the priest" (2 Chronicles 24:2), turned away from God. He began to heed wicked counsel, allowing the people to serve idols and Asherah poles. When the Spirit of God came upon Zechariah, he boldly rebuked the people and the king, saying, "Why transgress ye the commandments of the LORD, that ye cannot prosper? because ye have forsaken the LORD, he hath also forsaken you" (2 Chronicles 24:20). Instead of repenting, Joash, in an act of profound ingratitude and spiritual blindness, commanded the people to stone Zechariah.

Key Themes

  • Ingratitude and Betrayal: Joash's command to murder Zechariah was an act of extreme ingratitude towards the family that had preserved his life and established his throne. It represents a deep betrayal of trust and loyalty.
  • Apostasy and Its Consequences: The verse powerfully illustrates the severe consequences of turning away from God. Joash's abandonment of the Lord's ways led directly to this heinous crime and subsequently, to national disaster and his own demise (2 Chronicles 24:23-25).
  • Persecution of Prophets: Zechariah joins a long line of God's messengers who faced persecution and martyrdom for speaking uncomfortable truths. His death foreshadows the suffering of many prophets throughout Israel's history, a theme even Jesus Himself lamented.
  • Sacrilege: The murder taking place "in the court of the house of the LORD" adds another layer of horror, as it desecrated the very place consecrated to God's worship.

Linguistic Insights

The phrase "conspired against him" comes from the Hebrew word qashar, which means to bind together or to conspire, often with malicious intent. It highlights the calculated nature of the act, not a spontaneous outburst. The explicit mention of "stoned him with stones" emphasizes the brutality and deliberateness of the execution, a method typically reserved for severe breaches of the Mosaic Law, but here applied to an innocent prophet for speaking God's truth.

Practical Application

This verse serves as a sober warning about the dangers of spiritual decline and the hardening of one's heart against divine counsel. It reminds us that:

  • Spiritual Vigilance is Crucial: Even those who start well can fall away if they neglect God's word and surround themselves with ungodly influences.
  • Truth Often Comes at a Cost: Speaking God's truth can be unpopular and even dangerous, but it remains a divine imperative for those called to it.
  • God Remembers Injustice: Zechariah's dying words, "The LORD look upon it, and require it" (2 Chronicles 24:22), indicate a divine promise of justice, reminding believers that God sees and will ultimately address all acts of injustice.
Note: If the commentary doesn’t appear instantly, please allow 2–5 seconds for it to load. It is generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash using a prompt focused on Biblical fidelity over bias. While the insights have been consistently reliable, we encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit.

Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated — the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • Acts 7:58

    And cast [him] out of the city, and stoned [him]: and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man's feet, whose name was Saul.

  • Acts 7:59

    And they stoned Stephen, calling upon [God], and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.

  • Nehemiah 9:26

    Nevertheless they were disobedient, and rebelled against thee, and cast thy law behind their backs, and slew thy prophets which testified against them to turn them to thee, and they wrought great provocations.

  • Jeremiah 38:4

    Therefore the princes said unto the king, We beseech thee, let this man be put to death: for thus he weakeneth the hands of the men of war that remain in this city, and the hands of all the people, in speaking such words unto them: for this man seeketh not the welfare of this people, but the hurt.

  • Jeremiah 38:6

    Then took they Jeremiah, and cast him into the dungeon of Malchiah the son of Hammelech, that [was] in the court of the prison: and they let down Jeremiah with cords. And in the dungeon [there was] no water, but mire: so Jeremiah sunk in the mire.

  • Jeremiah 11:19

    But I [was] like a lamb [or] an ox [that] is brought to the slaughter; and I knew not that they had devised devices against me, [saying], Let us destroy the tree with the fruit thereof, and let us cut him off from the land of the living, that his name may be no more remembered.

  • Matthew 21:35

    And the husbandmen took his servants, and beat one, and killed another, and stoned another.
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