2 Chronicles 24:25
And when they were departed from him, (for they left him in great diseases,) his own servants conspired against him for the blood of the sons of Jehoiada the priest, and slew him on his bed, and he died: and they buried him in the city of David, but they buried him not in the sepulchres of the kings.
And when they were departed {H3212} from him,(for they left {H5800} him in great {H7227} diseases {H4251},) his own servants {H5650} conspired {H7194} against him for the blood {H1818} of the sons {H1121} of Jehoiada {H3077} the priest {H3548}, and slew {H2026} him on his bed {H4296}, and he died {H4191}: and they buried {H6912} him in the city {H5892} of David {H1732}, but they buried {H6912} him not in the sepulchres {H6913} of the kings {H4428}.
After they had left him - and they left him seriously wounded - his own servants conspired against him because he had shed the blood of the sons of Y'hoyada the cohen; and they killed him in his own bed. After he died, they buried him in the City of David, but they didn't bury him in the tombs of the kings.
And when the Arameans had withdrawn, they left Joash severely wounded. His own servants conspired against him for shedding the blood of the son of Jehoiada the priest, and they killed him on his bed. So he died and was buried in the City of David, but not in the tombs of the kings.
And when they were departed from him (for they left him very sick), his own servants conspired against him for the blood of the sons of Jehoiada the priest, and slew him on his bed, and he died; and they buried him in the city of David, but they buried him not in the sepulchres of the kings.
Cross-References
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2 Chronicles 24:21 (3 votes)
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. -
2 Chronicles 24:22 (3 votes)
Thus Joash the king remembered not the kindness which Jehoiada his father had done to him, but slew his son. And when he died, he said, The LORD look upon [it], and require [it]. -
2 Chronicles 28:27 (3 votes)
And Ahaz slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city, [even] in Jerusalem: but they brought him not into the sepulchres of the kings of Israel: and Hezekiah his son reigned in his stead. -
2 Kings 14:19 (2 votes)
Now they made a conspiracy against him in Jerusalem: and he fled to Lachish; but they sent after him to Lachish, and slew him there. -
2 Kings 14:20 (2 votes)
And they brought him on horses: and he was buried at Jerusalem with his fathers in the city of David. -
2 Chronicles 21:16 (2 votes)
Moreover the LORD stirred up against Jehoram the spirit of the Philistines, and of the Arabians, that [were] near the Ethiopians: -
2 Chronicles 21:18 (2 votes)
And after all this the LORD smote him in his bowels with an incurable disease.
Commentary
This verse details the tragic and ignominious end of King Joash of Judah. After the Syrian army departed, leaving him severely weakened by illness, his own officials conspired against him. The motive for the assassination was retribution for his order to kill Zechariah, the son of Jehoiada the priest, who had faithfully served Joash and whose family had protected him in his youth. Joash was murdered in his bed and, while buried in the City of David, was denied burial in the sepulchres reserved for the kings.
Context
King Joash came to the throne as a young boy, saved from the purge by Athaliah through the efforts of Jehoiada the priest (2 Chronicles 22:11). For most of Jehoiada's life, Joash reigned righteously, restoring the temple worship (2 Chronicles 24:4). However, after Jehoiada's death, Joash turned away from God and listened to wicked counsel (2 Chronicles 24:17-18). This apostasy led to God's judgment through the Syrian invasion, which, though small in number, defeated Judah's large army (2 Chronicles 24:23-24). The immediate catalyst for the servants' conspiracy was Joash's earlier act of ordering the stoning of Zechariah, the son of Jehoiada, who had rebuked the people and the king for forsaking the Lord (2 Chronicles 24:21). Zechariah's dying words, "The LORD look upon it, and require it," foreshadowed this retribution.
Key Themes
Linguistic Insights
The phrase "great diseases" (KJV) or "severe illness" indicates Joash was left in a state of physical weakness after the Syrian attack, making him vulnerable. The motivation "for the blood of the sons of Jehoiada the priest" explicitly links the assassination to the earlier injustice, emphasizing that the shedding of innocent blood was the primary cause for the conspiracy.
Reflection
The story of Joash is a somber reminder that a good beginning does not guarantee a good end. His life shows the critical importance of continued faithfulness and the danger of turning away from God's ways, especially after receiving great blessings and protection. The swift and violent end to his reign underscores the principle that actions have consequences, and God does not ignore injustice. The fact that his own servants, whom he presumably trusted, carried out the deed for the sake of the murdered prophet's family highlights the deep impact of his sin and the pervasive sense of injustice it created.
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