Joash

 •  3 min. read  •  grade level: 8
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1. Son of Ahaziah king of Judah. When his grandmother Athaliah attempted to cut off all the seed royal, Joash, then an infant, was hidden and preserved by his aunt, Jehosheba, the wife of Jehoiada the high priest. When he was about seven years old, Jehoiada succeeded in placing him, as the preserved seed of David, on the throne, and putting Athaliah to death. Thus, at that time, did the Lord secure the sure mercies centered in the house of David. He reigned forty years, from B.C. 878 to 839.
During the life of Jehoiada, Joash did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, and with zeal caused the temple to be repaired. But on the death of the high priest, the princes of Judah and the king turned to idolatry. God sent them prophets, but they would not hear. Zechariah, son of Jehoiada, attempted to call them back to the worship of God, but by command of the king he was stoned to death in the court of the temple. God sent the Syrians to punish them: a small company of whom overcame a very great host of Judah, the princes were destroyed, and Joash gave all the treasures of the temple and of the king’s house to the Syrians. Joash was now greatly diseased; and his servants conspired against him and slew him. He is very frequently called JEHOASH (2 Kings 11:2,21; 2 Kings 12:1-20; 2 Kings 13:1,10; 2 Chron. 22:11; 2 Chron. 24:1-26; 2 Chron. 25:23,25).
2. Son and successor of Jehoahaz, king of Israel: he reigned sixteen years: B.C. 841 to 825. He did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord, even as Jeroboam; but when Elisha was dying Joash visited him, and wept over him, uttering the same words which Elisha had uttered as he beheld Elijah taken to heaven. Joash had the sense that the power which translated Elijah had been with Elisha, who was now departing. Elisha then prophesied that he should smite Syria. He told the king to smite upon the ground with arrows, and he smote three times. Elisha said that if he had smitten more times he would have consumed Syria; but now he should defeat them only three times. This was fulfilled, Joash smote them three times and recovered the cities of Israel that the king of Syria had taken. After this Amaziah king of Judah asked Joash to let them “look one another in the face.” Joash in a parable called Judah a thistle, and himself a cedar, and advised Amaziah to stay at home; but he would not, and Judah was smitten. Joash went to Jerusalem, brake down the wall of it, and took away all the treasures of the temple and of the king’s house, and returned with hostages to Samaria. Thus the two kingdoms punished each other (2 Kings 13:9-25; 2 Kings 14:1-27; 2 Chron. 25:17-25; Hos. 1:1; Amos 1:1). Called also JEHOASH.
3. Father of Gideon: he defended his son when he had thrown down the altar of Baal, saying, If Baal “be a god, let him plead for himself” (Judg. 6:11,29-31; Judg. 7:14; Judg. 8:13,29,32).
4. Son of Ahab king of Israel (1 Kings 22:26; 2 Chron. 18:25).
5. Descendant of Shelah, a son of Judah (1 Chron. 4:22).
6. Son of Becher, a son of Benjamin (1 Chron. 7:8).
7. Son of Shemaah; he resorted to David at Ziklag (1 Chron. 12:3).
8. One who had the care of the stores of oil in the time of David (1 Chron. 27:28).