2 Chronicles 24:17-24 Meaning: The Tragedy of Joash
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Meaning in one sentence
Why did King Joash abandon God after Jehoiada's death? Learn how his fall began with listening to wrong voices and ended in judgment.
Context
This passage is the hinge of King Joash’s story. He started well, guided by the priest Jehoiada, who had saved his life and helped him repair the temple. But after Jehoiada died, the leading men of Judah came to the king with a request. They wanted to worship other gods, and Joash listened to them. The nation abandoned the house of the Lord and served Asherah poles and idols. God sent prophets to call them back, but they refused to listen. One prophet, Zechariah the son of Jehoiada, was stoned to death in the temple court on the king’s order. Then at the turn of the year, a small Syrian army defeated Judah’s great forces because the people had forsaken the Lord. Judgment came on Joash and the princes who led the nation into sin.
Key Words
Three Hebrew words hold the weight of this passage. When the princes came to Joash, they ‘bowed down’ (shachah). This is the word for worship, the same gesture given to God. The princes used it to flatter the king, and what they asked for, freedom to serve idols, redirected the nation’s worship from God to wood and stone. The word warns that homage can be a mask for rebellion.
When the Spirit of God came on Zechariah, the Hebrew says the Spirit ‘clothed’ him (lavash). Like a garment wrapped around his whole being, Zechariah was empowered to speak the hard truth directly to the people. That clothing of the Spirit gave him the courage to stand above the crowd and say, “Why do you disobey?” It was not his own boldness but God’s covering.
The final key phrase is that Joash ‘remembered not the kindness’ (lo zakar et hachesed). Zakar means more than recalling a fact; it is to hold something in your heart and act on it. Chesed is the loyal, stubborn love of a covenant. Joash forgot the loyal love Jehoiada had shown him, the priest who hid him, raised him, and put him on the throne. That failure of memory led to the murder of Jehoiada’s son. The invitation here is to remember well.
How Christians Read This Verse
Christians across traditions see this passage as a stark warning about human weakness. Many focus on the danger of flattery and the weight of leadership: the princes used their influence to lead the king astray, and Joash failed to stand firm. Some commentators highlight the contrast between the old covenant cry of Zechariah, “May the Lord look upon it and repay it,” and the forgiving spirit of Stephen in Acts 7. Others see in Zechariah’s words not a vengeful curse but a prophetic declaration of God’s justice. Despite these different emphases, Christians of all traditions agree that the story shows how quickly a good beginning can unravel when a person stops listening to God’s voice and starts yielding to the wrong crowd.
A common misunderstanding
A common misreading is to see Joash as a passive victim of bad counselors. People think he was just weak, caught up in pressure from the nobles. In fact, the text shows his active participation: he listened to their request, agreed to abandon the temple, and later commanded the stoning of Zechariah with his own authority. Joash’s sin was willful, not merely a mistake in judgment.
Living This Out
Think of someone who helped you follow God: a parent who prayed with you, a friend who spoke truth, a mentor who showed you the way. This passage asks you to keep that kindness alive in your memory, not as a sentimental thought, but as a gift that shapes your choices today. When you are tempted to drift from what is good, stop and remember the solid ground you once stood on.
The passage also asks you to be careful about who you bow to. The princes came with flattery, not threat. Their request sounded reasonable. But it led to ruin. Before you say yes to a direction that moves you away from God, pause and ask: is this the kind of listening that leads to life?
Main takeaway: A good start does not guarantee a faithful finish; only a heart that remembers God’s kindness and listens to His warnings will last.
For Families
For ages 5, 8
Jehoiada was a good priest who helped King Joash follow God. But after Jehoiada died, Joash listened to bad friends and forgot to obey God. He even let them hurt a prophet who told the truth. God was sad, and He sent trouble to help them see their mistake.
For ages 9, 12
This story shows how easy it is to start well and end badly. King Joash did the right thing while Jehoiada was alive, but after he died, Joash let the leaders talk him into worshipping idols. He forgot how much Jehoiada had helped him. When Zechariah warned them, Joash had him killed. God did not ignore that. A small Syrian army defeated Judah because the nation had turned away from God. This teaches us to keep our hearts loyal to God no matter who is around us, and to remember the people who helped us follow Him.
Questions People Ask
Why did Joash turn to idolatry after Jehoiada died?
After Jehoiada’s death, the princes of Judah came and asked for the king’s permission to serve other gods. Joash listened to them and agreed. He may have felt pressure from the nobles, or his own faith may not have been deep enough to stand without Jehoiada’s guidance. The chronicler shows that without a godly influence, Joash’s heart was easily led astray.
Who was Zechariah the son of Jehoiada?
Zechariah was a priest and prophet, the son of Jehoiada the high priest who had protected Joash as a child. When the people turned to idolatry, the Spirit of God came upon Zechariah, and he warned them that forsaking the Lord would lead to judgment. His message was rejected, and he was stoned to death on the king’s order in the temple court. Many Christians identify this Zechariah as the one Jesus mentions in Luke 11:51 as a righteous martyr.
What does Zechariah’s dying prayer mean?
Zechariah said, “May Yahweh look at it, and repay it.” Some read this as a curse or prayer for revenge, but many commentators see it as a prophetic appeal for God’s justice. Under the old covenant, such cries for vindication were common. The New Testament shows a different response in Stephen’s prayer for forgiveness (Acts 7:60), yet God did indeed act on Zechariah’s words by bringing judgment on Joash and the princes.
Why did the Syrian army defeat Judah with so few men?
The passage states plainly: “because they had forsaken Yahweh, the God of their fathers.” The small Syrian army defeated the large Judahite forces because God delivered them into their hands as judgment for the nation’s idolatry and the murder of Zechariah. This shows that military strength matters little when a people has abandoned their God.
Is this Zechariah the same one mentioned in the New Testament?
Yes, many Christians believe so. In Matthew 23:35 and Luke 11:51, Jesus refers to the murder of Zechariah son of Barachiah (or, in some manuscripts, the son of Jehoiada), who was killed between the temple and the altar. This matches the account of Zechariah stoned in the court of the Lord’s house. Jewish tradition also remembered this event as a national tragedy.
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