II Chronicles 24:17-24 · Bible study
2 Chronicles 24:17-24 Commentary: The Cost of Forsaking God
Hebrew · 10 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Study the sobering account of King Joash's fall after Jehoiada's death, his murder of Zechariah, and the swift judgment that followed.
Research Summary
- Meaning: After Jehoiada’s death, King Joash fell into idolatry under pressure from the princes, murdered the prophet Zechariah, and received swift judgment through a Syrian invasion.
- Key words: Azav (forsaken), repeated six times; chesed (loyal love); lavash (the Spirit “clothed” Zechariah); qashar (conspired).
- Main debate: Whether Zechariah’s dying words were a vindictive imprecation or a prophetic oracle of judgment.
- Theological theme: Covenant faithfulness and the consequences of forsaking God; the pattern of apostasy, prophetic warning, rejection, and judgment.
- Best use: A cautionary narrative about the danger of spiritual drift after the loss of godly leadership, and a reminder that God’s patience is not limitless.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
17After the death of Jehoiada, however, the officials of Judah came and paid homage to the king, and he listened to them.
18They abandoned the house of the LORD, the God of their fathers, and served the Asherah poles and idols. So wrath came upon Judah and Jerusalem for this guilt of theirs.
19Nevertheless, the LORD sent prophets to bring the people back to Him and to testify against them; but they would not listen.
20Then the Spirit of God came upon Zechariah son of Jehoiada the priest, who stood up before the people and said to them, “This is what God says: ‘Why do you transgress the commandments of the LORD so that you cannot prosper? Because you have forsaken the LORD, He has forsaken you.’”
21But they conspired against Zechariah, and by order of the king, they stoned him in the courtyard of the house of the LORD.
22Thus King Joash failed to remember the kindness that Zechariah’s father Jehoiada had extended to him. Instead, Joash killed Jehoiada’s son. As he lay dying, Zechariah said, “May the LORD see this and call you to account.”
23In the spring, the army of Aram went to war against Joash. They entered Judah and Jerusalem and destroyed all the leaders of the people, and they sent all the plunder to their king in Damascus.
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.
WEB World English Bible 2000
17Now after the death of Jehoiada, the princes of Judah came and bowed down to the king. Then the king listened to them.
18They abandoned the house of Yahweh, the God of their fathers, and served the Asherah poles and the idols, so wrath came on Judah and Jerusalem for this their guiltiness.
19Yet he sent prophets to them to bring them again to Yahweh, and they testified against them; but they would not listen.
20The Spirit of God came on Zechariah the son of Jehoiada the priest; and he stood above the people, and said to them, “God says, ‘Why do you disobey Yahweh’s commandments, so that you can’t prosper? Because you have forsaken Yahweh, he has also forsaken you.’”
21They conspired against him, and stoned him with stones at the commandment of the king in the court of Yahweh’s house.
22Thus Joash the king didn’t remember the kindness which Jehoiada his father had done to him, but killed his son. When he died, he said, “May Yahweh look at it, and repay it.”
23At the end of the year, the army of the Syrians came up against him. They came to Judah and Jerusalem, and destroyed all the princes of the people from among the people, and sent all their plunder to the king of Damascus.
24For the army of the Syrians came with a small company of men; and Yahweh delivered a very great army into their hand, because they had forsaken Yahweh, the God of their fathers. So they executed judgment on Joash.
KJV King James Version 1769
17Now after the death of Jehoiada came the princes of Judah, and made obeisance to the king. Then the king hearkened unto them.
18And they left the house of the Lord God of their fathers, and served groves and idols: and wrath came upon Judah and Jerusalem for this their trespass.
19Yet he sent prophets to them, to bring them again unto the Lord; and they testified against them: but they would not give ear.
20And the Spirit of God came upon Zechariah the son of Jehoiada the priest, which stood above the people, and said unto them, Thus saith God, Why transgress ye the commandments of the Lord, that ye cannot prosper? because ye have forsaken the Lord, he hath also forsaken you.
21And they conspired against him, and stoned him with stones at the commandment of the king in the court of the house of the Lord.
22Thus 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.
23And it came to pass at the end of the year, that the host of Syria came up against him: and they came to Judah and Jerusalem, and destroyed all the princes of the people from among the people, and sent all the spoil of them unto the king of Damascus.
24For the army of the Syrians came with a small company of men, and the Lord delivered a very great host into their hand, because they had forsaken the Lord God of their fathers. So they executed judgment against Joash.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
17Now after the death of Jehoiada came the princes of Judah, and made obeisance to the king. Then the king hearkened unto them.
18And they forsook the house of Jehovah, the God of their fathers, and served the Asherim and the idols: and wrath came upon Judah and Jerusalem for this their guiltiness.
19Yet he sent prophets to them, to bring them again unto Jehovah; and they testified against them: but they would not give ear.
20And the Spirit of God came upon Zechariah the son of Jehoiada the priest; and he stood above the people, and said unto them, Thus saith God, Why transgress ye the commandments of Jehovah, so that ye cannot prosper? because ye have forsaken Jehovah, he hath also forsaken you.
21And they conspired against him, and stoned him with stones at the commandment of the king in the court of the house of Jehovah.
22Thus 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, Jehovah look upon it, and require it.
23And it came to pass at the end of the year, that the army of the Syrians came up against him: and they came to Judah and Jerusalem, and destroyed all the princes of the people from among the people, and sent all the spoil of them unto the king of Damascus.
24For the army of the Syrians came with a small company of men; and Jehovah delivered a very great host into their hand, because they had forsaken Jehovah, the God of their fathers. So they executed judgment upon Joash.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
17And after the death of Jehoiada come in have heads of Judah, and bow themselves to the king; then hath the king hearkened unto them,
18and they forsake the house of Jehovah, God of their fathers, and serve the shrines and the idols, and there is wrath upon Judah and Jerusalem for this their guilt.
19And He sendeth among them prophets, to bring them back unto Jehovah, and they testify against them, and they have not given ear;
20and the Spirit of God hath clothed Zechariah son of Jehoiada the priest, and he standeth over-against the people, and saith to them, `Thus said God, Why are ye transgressing the commands of Jehovah, and prosper not? because ye have forsaken Jehovah--He doth forsake you.'
21And they conspire against him, and stone him with stones by the command of the king, in the court of the house of Jehovah,
22and Joash the king hath not remembered the kindness that Jehoiada his father did with him, and slayeth his son, and in his death he said, `Jehovah doth see, and require.'
23And it cometh to pass, at the turn of the year, come up hath the force of Aram against him, and they come in unto Judah and Jerusalem, and destroy all the heads of the people from the people, and all their spoil they have sent to the king of Damascus,
24for with few men have the force of Aram come in, and Jehovah hath given into their hand a mighty force for multitude, because they have forsaken Jehovah, God of their fathers; and with Joash they have executed judgments.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
17And after the death of Jehoiada the princes of Judah came and made obeisance to the king; then the king hearkened to them.
18And they forsook the house of Jehovah the God of their fathers, and served the Asherahs and idols; and wrath came upon Judah and Jerusalem for this their trespass.
19And he sent prophets among them to bring them again to Jehovah, and they testified against them; but they would not give ear.
20And the Spirit of God came upon Zechariah the son of Jehoiada the priest; and he stood up above the people and said unto them, Thus saith God: Wherefore do ye transgress the commandments of Jehovah? And ye cannot prosper; for ye have forsaken Jehovah, and he hath forsaken you.
21And they conspired against him, and stoned him with stones at the command of the king in the court of the house of Jehovah.
22And king Joash remembered not the kindness which Jehoiada his father had done to him, but slew his son. And when he died, he said, Jehovah see and require [it]!
23And it came to pass at the end of the year [that] the army of Syria came up against him; and they entered into Judah and Jerusalem, and destroyed all the princes of the people from among the people, and sent all the spoil of them to the king at Damascus.
24Truly with a small company of men came the army of the Syrians, but Jehovah delivered a very great army into their hand, because they had forsaken Jehovah the God of their fathers; and they executed judgment upon Joash.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
17And after the death of Joiada, the princes of Juda went in, and worshipped the king: and he was soothed by their services and hearkened to them.
18And they forsook the temple of the Lord the God of their fathers, and served groves and idols, and wrath came upon Juda and Jerusalem for this sin.
19And he sent prophets to them to bring them back to the Lord, and they would not give ear when they testified against them.
20The spirit of God then came upon Zacharias the son of Joiada the priest, and he stood in the sight of the people, and said to them: Thus saith the Lord God: Why transgress you the commandment of the Lord which will not be for your good, and have forsaken the Lord, to make him forsake you?
21And they gathered themselves together against him, and stoned him at the king's commandment in the court of the house of the Lord.
22And king Joas did not remember the kindness that Joiada his father had done to him, but killed his son. And when he died, he said: The Lord see, and require it.
23And when a year was come about, the army of Syria came up against him: and they came to Juda and Jerusalem, and killed all the princes of the people, and they sent all the spoils to the king of Damascus.
24And whereas there came a very small number of the Syrians, the Lord delivered into their hands an infinite multitude, because they had forsaken the Lord the God of their fathers: and on Joas they executed shameful judgments.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · II Chronicles 24:17
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators broadly agree on the sequence and meaning of this passage. After the death of the high priest Jehoiada, the princes of Judah approached Joash with a request, likely for permission to worship at high places or to tolerate Asherah poles and idols (Clarke, Gill). Joash consented, and the abandonment of the temple soon followed. The Cambridge Bible notes that the phrase “they left the house of the Lord” is a euphemism for apostasy. God sent prophets to warn them, but the people refused to listen.
When Zechariah, Jehoiada’s son, was clothed with the Spirit of God and rebuked the people from an elevated position in the temple court, they conspired against him. Barnes and Keil identify this Zechariah as the one Jesus references in Matthew 23:35. Joash ordered his stoning, forgetting the loyal love (chesed) Jehoiada had shown him. Commentators note that Zechariah’s dying words, “May Yahweh look at it and repay it”, were not merely a personal curse but a prophetic oracle (Jamieson-Fausset-Brown). Within a year, a small Syrian army defeated Judah’s much larger force, executing judgment on Joash because he had forsaken the Lord.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Flattery-driven apostasy: Clarke and the Targum emphasize the princes’ seduction of the king through obeisance and flattery (Proverbs 7:21 pattern).
- Political pressure: Barnes suggests the nobles were politically motivated, wanting to restore a more autonomous Judah without Jehoiada’s religious constraints.
- Weak character of Joash: Wesley and Matthew Henry attribute Joash’s fall to an inconstant heart that depended entirely on an external guide.
What is clear: After Jehoiada’s death, Joash abandoned the worship of Yahweh, tolerated idolatry, and ordered the execution of the prophet Zechariah, which led to divine judgment through a Syrian invasion.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Zechariah’s dying words | Zechariah called on God to see and act in response to the injustice of his murder. | Some (e.g., Jamieson-Fausset-Brown) see it as a prophetic declaration of coming judgment; others (e.g., Ellicott) view it as a prayer for vengeance consistent with the older covenant, contrasting with Stephen’s prayer in Acts 7:60. |
| The princes’ request | The princes sought the king’s permission to adopt a form of worship that included idolatry, and Joash consented. | The exact nature of the request is not stated; the Targum says they sought to burn incense to an idol in the temple, while other commentators suggest they wanted freedom to worship at high places. |
| Why Joash turned | Joash’s faithfulness depended heavily on Jehoiada’s influence, and his character was weak without that support. | Some emphasize the princes’ flattery as the cause (Clarke, Wesley); others point to Joash’s own spiritual shallowness or desire for political independence (Barnes, Keil & Delitzsch). |
| Relationship to Jesus’ words | Jesus refers to “Zechariah son of Barachiah” (Matthew 23:35) or “Zechariah” (Luke 11:51) who was killed between the altar and the sanctuary, connecting this martyrdom to the blood of Abel. | Some identify that Zechariah as this son of Jehoiada; others think a different Zechariah is intended, but most modern commentators accept the identification, noting that Chronicles is the last book in the Hebrew canon. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Jehoiada the high priest had been the power behind the throne for decades. He led the coup against Athaliah, placed the seven-year-old Joash on the throne, and oversaw the repair of the temple. His burial “among the kings” (24:16) shows his extraordinary stature. But after his death, the political landscape shifted.
The princes of Judah came “and bowed down to the king.” In ancient Near Eastern courts, such obeisance was the standard way to present a petition. The Targum cited by Clarke says the princes “adored King Joash and seduced him”, their request was for permission to reintroduce idolatrous worship, perhaps by reviving the high places that Jehoiada had suppressed. Joash, now in his thirties and free of Jehoiada’s restraining influence, listened to them.
The temple setting is crucial. Zechariah stood “above the people,” probably on the steps of the inner court, which was elevated above the outer court where worshipers gathered. This was a common place for prophetic proclamation. The murder of a priest and prophet in the very court of the Lord’s house was an act of staggering sacrilege.
The phrase “the Spirit of God came upon Zechariah” uses the Hebrew verb lavash (“clothed itself with”), a vivid image of divine empowerment seen also in Judges 6:34 and 1 Chronicles 12:18. The Spirit did not simply rest on him; it enveloped him for the task of confrontation.
The Syrian invasion “at the end of the year” is likely the spring, the usual season for military campaigns. In 2 Kings 12:17-18, Joash bought off Hazael with temple treasures; the Chronicler omits that bribe to highlight the moral logic: because Judah had forsaken God, God gave them into the hand of a small army. The destruction of the princes who had led the apostasy explicitly answers Zechariah’s prayer.
Textual Notes
The supplied sources note no significant textual variants for this passage. The Hebrew text is consistent across manuscripts. The main interpretive differences arise from the absence of a specific description of the princes’ request, not from textual corruption.
Reception History
This passage has been received in Christian tradition primarily through Jesus’ reference in Matthew 23:35 and Luke 11:51, where he names Zechariah as the last prophet whose blood was shed, linking him to Abel as the first. Early church writers such as Origen and Jerome identified this Zechariah with the one mentioned here. In Jewish tradition, the blood of Zechariah was said to have boiled on the temple stones until the Babylonian destruction, symbolizing unavenged blood. John Chrysostom preached on this passage to warn against ingratitude and the danger of flattery. The narrative has also been used as a type of the suffering prophet and a warning against spiritual apostasy following a season of reform.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The Void a Godly Mentor Leaves, After Jehoiada’s death, the princes filled the vacuum with flattery and false counsel. Joash, who had done right while Jehoiada lived, now heeded the wrong voices.
- From Worship to Murder, Apostasy leads to hardened hearts. The same people who had repaired the temple now stone a prophet in its court. Sin spirals quickly.
- God’s Patience Has a Limit, God sent prophets, then Zechariah, then judgment. The Syrian defeat of a “very great host” by a few men is a divine reversal that calls for repentance.
Five-point outline
- The Crisis of Transition, Jehoiada dies; princes seize the moment to influence the king.
- The Silence of the King, Joash listens to the princes and abandons the house of God.
- The Voice of the Prophet, Zechariah, clothed with the Spirit, confronts the people with the covenant equation: forsake God, and He forsakes you.
- The Crime in the Court, The king orders the stoning of his benefactor’s son, a sin that echoes throughout Scripture.
- The Harvest of Blood, Within a year, judgment comes through Syria, a small army that defeats a great host because God was no longer with Judah.
Illustration hooks
- A teenager who stayed faithful at a Christian school, then drifted after graduation when peer pressure increased. The shift was gradual, beginning with listening to the wrong friends.
- A church that lost its founding pastor and slowly moved away from core commitments, not through open rebellion but through a series of small compromises that the new leadership approved.
- A business leader who credited God for success, but after a key mentor retired, began making ethical shortcuts. The first step was a conversation with the wrong advisor.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Why did Joash turn so quickly after being faithful for years? Is my own faith that fragile?
- Were Zechariah’s dying words a curse or a prayer for justice? Does God still call for blood vengeance?
- How do I know when I am being influenced by flattering people who want me to compromise?
Leading a Discussion
This passage shows how quickly a nation and a king can slide from reform into rebellion once the godly influence is removed. Joash’s fall did not happen overnight, it began with listening to the wrong voices. As you discuss, notice the pattern: flattery, apostasy, rejected prophets, murder, and finally judgment.
Discussion questions
- Read 2 Chronicles 24:17-18. What does the princes’ act of bowing down suggest about their intentions? (See also 1 Kings 1:16 for a similar gesture of petition.)
- Why do you think Joash, who had been so zealous for the temple, so quickly abandoned the house of God? What does this say about the influence of companions?
- In verse 19, God sends prophets “to bring them again to Yahweh.” Why do people often refuse to listen to correction, even when it comes from God’s messengers?
- Zechariah says, “Because you have forsaken Yahweh, he has also forsaken you” (v.20). How does this statement reflect the covenant relationship between God and His people? Is it a threat or a warning?
- Joash “remembered not the kindness” (chesed) of Jehoiada. What does it mean to remember God’s kindness, and what happens when we forget?
- Zechariah’s dying words (v.22) could be read as a curse or a cry for justice. How do you understand them, especially in light of Jesus’ teaching in Luke 6:27-28?
- The Syrian army defeated a much larger Judean force (v.24). What does this tell us about where true strength comes from? How can we apply that to our own battles today?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Deuteronomy 31:27 | For I know your rebellion and your stiff neck. Behold, while I am yet alive with you today, you have been rebellious against Yahweh. How much more after my death? |
| II Chronicles 10:8 | But he abandoned the counsel of the old men which they had given him, and took counsel with the young men who had grown up with him, who stood before him. |
| II Chronicles 10:10 | The young men who had grown up with him spoke to him, saying, “Thus you shall tell the people who spoke to you, saying, ‘Your father made our yoke heavy, but make it lighter on us;’ thus you shall say to them, ‘My little finger is thicker than my father’s waist. |
| II Chronicles 22:3 | He also walked in the ways of Ahab’s house, because his mother was his counselor in acting wickedly. |
| II Chronicles 22:4 | He did that which was evil in Yahweh’s sight, as did Ahab’s house, for they were his counselors after the death of his father, to his destruction. |
| Proverbs 7:21 | With persuasive words, she led him astray. With the flattering of her lips, she seduced him. |
| Proverbs 7:23 | Until an arrow strikes through his liver, as a bird hurries to the snare, and doesn’t know that it will cost his life. |
| Proverbs 20:19 | He who goes about as a tale-bearer reveals secrets; therefore don’t keep company with him who opens wide his lips. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
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What the Commentators Say
8 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke highlights the tragic ingratitude of King Joash, who allowed himself to be seduced into idolatry after Jehoiada's death and then had Zechariah, his benefactor's son, stoned to death. He sees this as proof that when a person abandons God, the devil takes control, making them capable of any cruelty. The swift divine retribution against Joash and the princes confirms this.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes notes the nobles revolted for political reasons, not religious zeal; they wanted tolerance of idolatry, not a return to Athaliah's rule. He contrasts Zechariah's prophetic cry for requital with Christ's and Stephen's prayers for forgiveness, highlighting a different spirit under the old covenant.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva Note highlights Joash’s shocking ingratitude: after Jehoiada saved his life and crown, he had Jehoiada’s son Zechariah stoned. The commentator stresses that God turned the tables completely, using a tiny Syrian army to destroy Judah’s great forces because the king and princes had forsaken the Lord.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill highlights how the princes' long-hidden idolatry surfaced only after Jehoiada's death, when they flattered Joash into abandoning temple worship. He stresses the direct cause-and-effect: because Joash forsook the Lord, God forsook him and let a small Syrian army destroy his great host, singling out the idolatrous princes for destruction.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB stresses that Jehoiada's death exposed Joash's lack of real principle. Once the high priest's restraining influence was gone, the weak king yielded to princes who wanted high-place worship, and his earlier disgust with negligent priests made him abandon the temple altogether.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch draws attention to the princes bowing before the king as a request to worship idols, revealing how Joash's weak compliance made him a slave to sin. The commentary also notes that Zechariah's death, stoned at the king's command after being accused of sedition, is the same prophet-murder Jesus later recalls.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry highlights the devastating speed of Joash's fall once his godly mentor Jehoiada was gone. Within the same year, the king who owed his throne to Jehoiada not only abandoned the Lord but murdered Jehoiada's son. Henry emphasizes that judgment on Joash began with the very princes who led him into idolatry.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley emphasizes the staggering wickedness of this murder: they killed a priest, prophet, and judge in one act, shedding innocent blood and defiling the temple court, the Sabbath, and the Day of Atonement. He notes that God's retribution came swiftly within a year, striking down the princes who led the apostasy.