King
Joash of Judah
8th King of Judah · Divided Kingdom · 835–796 BC
The Coronation of Joash — Francesco Hayez
Summary
The child king hidden in the Temple who was crowned at age seven and repaired the Temple under the guidance of the priest Jehoiada. After Jehoiada's death he turned to idolatry and murdered Zechariah, Jehoiada's son, before being assassinated by his own servants.
- Among the passages here, Joash of Judah is first named in 2 Kings 12:18: “So King Joash of Judah took all the sacred objects dedicated by his fathers—Jehoshaphat…”
- The record places Joash of Judah in Divided Kingdom.
- 3 verses name Joash of Judah, in 1 book.
- 6 moments stand in order on this page, each with its verse.
On this page
Start here
And Joash did what was right in the eyes of the LORD all the days of Jehoiada the priest.
2 Chronicles 24:2→- 6 key events in order
- 3 verses name Joash of Judah, across 1 book
In Scripture
- Verses
- 3
- Books
- 1
Joash of Judah
- Role
- 8th King of Judah
- Era
- Divided Kingdom
- Dates
- 835–796 BC
- Tribe
- Judah
- Father
- Ahaziah of Judah
- Children
- Amaziah
The life in order
from the events the row records, with the first and last verse that names the person among the passages this page stands on
1Where the passages this page records open
2What the record holds, in its own order
- Hidden from Athaliah2 Kings 11:2-3But Jehosheba daughter of King Joram, the sister of Ahaziah, took Joash son of Ahaziah and stole him away from among the sons of the king who were being murdered. She put him and his nurse in a bedroom to hide him from Athaliah, and he was not killed.
- Crowned king at age seven2 Kings 11:12Then Jehoiada brought out the king’s son, put the crown on him, presented him with the Testimony, and proclaimed him king. They anointed him, and the people clapped their hands and declared, “Long live the king!”
- Temple repair2 Kings 12:4-16Then Joash said to the priests, “Collect all the money brought as sacred gifts into the house of the LORD—the census money, the money from vows, and the money brought voluntarily into the house of the LORD.
- Murder of Zechariah2 Chronicles 24:21-22But they conspired against Zechariah, and by order of the king, they stoned him in the courtyard of the house of the LORD.
- Syrian defeat2 Chronicles 24:24Although the Aramean army had come with only a few men, the LORD delivered into their hand a very great army. Because Judah had forsaken the LORD, the God of their fathers, judgment was executed on Joash.
- Assassinated2 Chronicles 24:25And 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.
Biography
Joash was hidden as an infant from the murderous Athaliah and raised in the Temple by the high priest Jehoiada for six years. Crowned at age seven in a dramatic coup, he began his reign under Jehoiada's mentorship and showed great promise — most notably organizing the repair and restoration of the Temple which had fallen into disrepair.
However, after Jehoiada died at the remarkable age of 130, the officials of Judah seduced Joash into abandoning the Temple and returning to Asherah poles and idols. When Zechariah son of Jehoiada prophesied against this apostasy, Joash ordered him stoned to death in the Temple court — a shocking act of ingratitude toward the very family that had saved his life.
He was subsequently defeated by a tiny Syrian force (God's judgment), severely wounded, and assassinated by his own servants in his bed.
And Joash did what was right in the eyes of the LORD all the days of Jehoiada the priest.
What they got right, and what they got wrong
Strengths
Receptive to good mentorship, organized the Temple repair, decisive in the coup
Weaknesses
Spiritually dependent on others, susceptibility to peer pressure from officials, ingratitude, murder of his benefactor's son
Lessons
Spiritual faithfulness must be deeply personal, not merely dependent on a mentor or institution. Joash's great works lasted only as long as Jehoiada lived. True faith must survive the loss of its human supports.
Spiritual significance
Joash illustrates that a faith dependent entirely on human mentorship is fragile. His reign is a cautionary tale about the difference between inherited religion and personal conviction — and about the ultimate ingratitude of abandoning those who sacrificed for you.
Joash of Judah in Scripture
Open a book to read its mentions here. Text: Berean Standard Bible. Names repeat in Scripture, so some of these verses may speak of another person called Joash of Judah. The two marks are drawn from the chapters this page's own references stand in.
Old Testament1 book · 3 mentions
2 Kings3 mentions
- 2 Kings 12:18So King Joash of Judah took all the sacred objects dedicated by his fathers—Jehoshaphat, Jehoram, and Ahaziah, the kings of Judah—along with his own consecrated items and all the gold found in the treasuries of the house of the LORD and the royal palace, and he sent them to Hazael king of Aram. So Hazael withdrew from Jerusalem.
- 2 Kings 13:10In the thirty-seventh year of the reign of Joash over Judah, Jehoash son of Jehoahaz became king of Israel in Samaria, and he reigned sixteen years.
- 2 Kings 14:23In the fifteenth year of the reign of Amaziah son of Joash over Judah, Jeroboam son of Jehoash became king of Israel, and he reigned in Samaria forty-one years.
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