2 Chronicles 24 22

2 Chronicles 24:22 kjv

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 24:22 nkjv

Thus Joash the king did not remember the kindness which Jehoiada his father had done to him, but killed his son; and as he died, he said, "The LORD look on it, and repay!"

2 Chronicles 24:22 niv

King Joash did not remember the kindness Zechariah's father Jehoiada had shown him but killed his son, who said as he lay dying, "May the LORD see this and call you to account."

2 Chronicles 24:22 esv

Thus Joash the king did not remember the kindness that Jehoiada, Zechariah's father, had shown him, but killed his son. And when he was dying, he said, "May the LORD see and avenge!"

2 Chronicles 24:22 nlt

That was how King Joash repaid Jehoiada for his loyalty ? by killing his son. Zechariah's last words as he died were, "May the LORD see what they are doing and avenge my death!"

2 Chronicles 24 verses

2 Chronicles 24 22 Meaning

This verse details King Joash's egregious act of ingratitude and wickedness. Despite having been rescued, protected, and raised by Jehoiada the priest, Joash, upon Jehoiada's death, betrayed that profound "kindness" by ordering the murder of Jehoiada's own son, Zechariah. This act occurred after Zechariah, filled with God's Spirit, confronted the people's and Joash's idolatry. As he died, Zechariah uttered a powerful imprecation, appealing to God for justice, saying, "The Lord look on it and avenge!" This cry was a solemn prophecy, not merely a personal curse, foreshadowing divine retribution for the innocent blood shed in the very courts of the Temple.

2 Chronicles 24 22 Context

Chapter 24 of 2 Chronicles narrates the reign of King Joash of Judah. Initially, Joash’s reign began auspiciously, largely due to the guidance of the High Priest Jehoiada, who had rescued Joash as an infant from Athaliah's purge and protected him. Under Jehoiada's influence, Joash acted righteously and undertook a significant renovation of the Temple. However, following Jehoiada’s death at an old age—a highly revered figure buried among the kings—Joash allowed himself to be swayed by the ungodly counsel of the princes of Judah. They abandoned the LORD's covenant, leading the people into idolatry and worship of Asherim. God sent prophets to call them back, but they refused to listen. This defiance culminated in Zechariah, Jehoiada’s son and a prophet of God, being filled with the Spirit and directly rebuking the king and the people for their transgression. Instead of repenting, Joash commanded that Zechariah be stoned to death in the Temple court. Verse 22 records this heinous act and Zechariah’s dying declaration, which served as a prophetic indictment against Joash, signaling imminent divine retribution.

2 Chronicles 24 22 Word analysis

• Thus (וְכֵן, veken): Implies a direct consequence or result. It signals a shift in Joash’s character and reign, stemming from his ungodly choices after Jehoiada's passing.

• Joash (יוֹאָשׁ, Yoash): Meaning "Yahweh has supported" or "the Lord has given." This name highlights the bitter irony, as he was literally supported and given his throne by Jehoiada's faithfulness, yet he betrayed the very source of his well-being.

• the king (הַמֶּלֶךְ, hammelekh): Emphasizes his high position of authority. His sin was not just a personal one, but an abuse of his God-given power, setting a grave example for the nation and polluting the land from the highest office.

• did not remember (לֹא זָכַר, lo zakhar): More than a mere oversight, this implies a willful act of forgetfulness or a deliberate refusal to acknowledge and be grateful for past kindness. It points to a profound ingratitude and a hardened heart. In Hebrew thought, "remembering" involves action, not just cognition. Thus, "not remembering" signifies active disregard for covenantal obligations and loyalty.

• the kindness (הַחֶסֶד, hakhesed): This is a crucial term. Chesed (often translated as "loyal love," "steadfast love," "mercy," or "faithfulness") refers to a profound, unwavering commitment rooted in covenantal relationship. Jehoiada displayed chesed in saving Joash, protecting him, training him, and overseeing his rise to the throne. Joash’s failure to "remember" this chesed means he actively broke this bond of loyalty and obligation.

• that Jehoiada his father (יְהוֹיָדָע אָבִיו, Yehoyada aviv): "His father" is used here in a spiritual or parental sense, not biological. Jehoiada was Joash's protector, mentor, and guardian from infancy. This filial bond magnifies the horror of Joash's treachery.

• had shown him (עָשָׂה עִמּוֹ, asah immo): Literally, "had done with him." Refers to the numerous acts of protection, provision, and instruction that Jehoiada performed for Joash throughout his life, ensuring his very existence and reign.

• but killed (וַיַּהֲרֹג, vayyaharog): A stark and brutal word indicating a deliberate act of murder. This wasn't accidental; it was an ordered execution of an innocent man.

• his son (אֶת־בְּנוֹ, et-beno): Refers to Zechariah. Killing the son of the man who saved you underscores the profound betrayal and moral depravity of Joash's act.

• And when he died (וּבְמוֹתוֹ, uv'moto): This indicates that Zechariah's declaration was his final, prophetic utterance as he succumbed to his injuries. Last words, especially of a prophet, were considered divinely potent.

• he said (וַיֹּאמֶר, vayyomer): Indicates the utterance of a solemn and significant statement, particularly in a context of spiritual authority.

• The Lord look on it (יְהוָה יִרְאֶה, YHWH yireh): An appeal directly to God, asking Him to witness and take notice of the injustice. It implies that God is the ultimate beholder of all actions, and His sight brings divine accountability. It’s a call for God's omniscience to lead to justice.

• and avenge! (וְיִדְרֹשׁ, v'yidrosh): Literally, "and require it" or "seek it out." It is a plea for God to hold those responsible accountable for the innocent blood shed. This is not a personal curse driven by hatred, but a prophetic imprecation appealing to God's attribute as a righteous judge who defends the innocent and avenges their blood. It echoes the concept that innocent blood cries out from the earth for justice (Gen 4:10).

• Words-group Analysis:

  • "did not remember the kindness that Jehoiada his father had shown him": This phrase epitomizes profound ingratitude and covenantal betrayal. Joash's sin isn't merely forgetting a favor, but a willful rejection of the lifelong hesed—steadfast loyalty and love—shown by Jehoiada, which was the very foundation of Joash's existence and kingship. This breach of loyal reciprocity reveals the depth of his moral decay.
  • "but killed his son": This concise statement encapsulates the ultimate act of betrayal and apostasy. Killing Zechariah, a righteous prophet and the biological son of his surrogate father and savior, marks the extreme nature of Joash's fall from grace and the sacredness of his office. It was an affront not only to humanity but directly to God in the very precincts of His Temple.
  • "The Lord look on it and avenge!": Zechariah's dying plea is a powerful prophetic pronouncement of judgment. It highlights God's attributes as the all-seeing Witness and the righteous Judge who will inevitably demand an account for innocent blood shed. This cry elevates the event from a mere act of murder to a divinely noticed injustice requiring ultimate retribution, implying the swiftness and certainty of God's response.

2 Chronicles 24 22 Bonus section

The murder of Zechariah "in the court of the house of the LORD" (2 Chr 24:21) made Joash's crime particularly heinous. It was a sacrilege, defiling holy ground with innocent blood, which had dire implications for the purity of worship and the land. Zechariah, unlike his father Jehoiada who was buried among the kings due to his loyalty to God and the king, was likely denied an honorable burial due to the manner of his death, adding to the insult. This incident serves as a significant parallel, echoed by Jesus in Matthew 23:35 and Luke 11:51, when He referred to Zechariah as the last prophet whose righteous blood was shed, a poignant commentary on Israel’s persistent rejection of God's messengers, sealing the judgment on that generation. The immediate and clear retribution against Joash—defeated by a weak enemy, afflicted with disease, and then murdered by his own servants—is highlighted by the Chronicler as a direct fulfillment of Zechariah's cry, demonstrating God's immediate response to such injustice. This tragic episode also contrasts vividly with Jehoiada's well-remembered and honored death (2 Chr 24:16), reinforcing the Chronicler's theology of divine retribution and blessing based on obedience and disobedience.

2 Chronicles 24 22 Commentary

2 Chronicles 24:22 captures the pinnacle of King Joash's moral descent and an extreme example of ingratitude and apostasy in Judah's kingship. His decision to murder Zechariah, the son of the priest who had literally saved his life and fostered his kingdom, starkly contrasts with Jehoiada's lifelong devotion. This act, committed against a Spirit-filled prophet within the sacred precincts of the Temple, represented a blatant rejection of divine counsel and a profound abuse of royal power. Zechariah's dying cry for divine justice was a prophetic declaration that God Himself would take notice and avenge the innocent blood. This imprecation was swiftly and directly fulfilled; Joash suffered defeat by a small Syrian army, a severe affliction, and ultimately assassination by his own servants (2 Chr 24:23-25). The verse therefore illustrates the severe consequences of abandoning God, rejecting His prophets, and shedding innocent blood, reinforcing the principle that divine justice is unfailing and inevitable, and that acts of gross injustice will not go unpunished. It underscores the Chronicler’s recurring theme that kings who follow God prosper, while those who defy Him face judgment.