2 Chronicles 24 25

2 Chronicles 24:25 kjv

And when they were departed from him, (for they left him in great diseases,) his own servants conspired against him for the blood of the sons of Jehoiada the priest, and slew him on his bed, and he died: and they buried him in the city of David, but they buried him not in the sepulchres of the kings.

2 Chronicles 24:25 nkjv

And when they had withdrawn from him (for they left him severely wounded), his own servants conspired against him because of the blood of the sons of Jehoiada the priest, and killed him on his bed. So he died. And they buried him in the City of David, but they did not bury him in the tombs of the kings.

2 Chronicles 24:25 niv

When the Arameans withdrew, they left Joash severely wounded. His officials conspired against him for murdering the son of Jehoiada the priest, and they killed him in his bed. So he died and was buried in the City of David, but not in the tombs of the kings.

2 Chronicles 24:25 esv

When they had departed from him, leaving him severely wounded, his servants conspired against him because of the blood of the son of Jehoiada the priest, and killed him on his bed. So he died, and they buried him in the city of David, but they did not bury him in the tombs of the kings.

2 Chronicles 24:25 nlt

The Arameans withdrew, leaving Joash severely wounded. But his own officials plotted to kill him for murdering the son of Jehoiada the priest. They assassinated him as he lay in bed. Then he was buried in the City of David, but not in the royal cemetery.

2 Chronicles 24 verses

2 Chronicles 24 25 Meaning

2 Chronicles 24:25 details the assassination of King Joash by his own servants. This occurred after the Aramaean army departed, leaving Joash severely ill. The primary motivation for the conspiracy was the king's egregious act of shedding the innocent blood of Zechariah, the son of Jehoiada the priest, who had saved Joash's life and mentored him. The verse thus narrates a fulfillment of divine judgment, demonstrating the immediate and tragic consequences of apostasy and ingratitude.

2 Chronicles 24 25 Context

Chapter 24 details the reign of King Joash (Jehoash) of Judah. He became king as a child, saved from the massacre by his aunt Jehosheba and her husband Jehoiada, the high priest. Under Jehoiada's guidance, Joash began his reign righteously, repairing the temple and restoring its services (2 Chr 24:1-14). However, after Jehoiada's death, Joash yielded to the counsel of Judah's princes, forsaking the Lord and serving idolatrous Asherim and idols (2 Chr 24:15-19). Prophets were sent, including Zechariah, Jehoiada's own son, who rebuked the king and the people for their transgressions. Instead of repenting, Joash commanded that Zechariah be stoned to death in the court of the house of the Lord (2 Chr 24:20-22). Zechariah's dying words were a cry for divine justice: "May the Lord look upon it and avenge!" (2 Chr 24:22). As a result of their abandonment of God, the Lord allowed the Aramaeans to invade Judah. Though numerically inferior, they soundly defeated Judah's vast army, specifically executing judgment upon Joash himself, leaving him greatly weakened and ill. Verse 25 follows directly from this, presenting the culmination of God's promised retribution as Joash's own inner circle conspire to end his life.

2 Chronicles 24 25 Word analysis

• "When they departed from him": This refers to the Aramaean (Syrian) army, led by Hazael, after their victory over Judah and collecting tribute from Jerusalem (2 Chr 24:23-24). Their departure marked the end of the immediate external military threat, but not the end of God's judgment upon Joash.
• "(for they left him very ill)": This parenthetical phrase explains Joash's vulnerable state. His illness was a direct result of the Aramaean invasion, which itself was a divine judgment for his apostasy (2 Chr 24:24). It highlights God's hand in his downfall, preparing him for the final judgment by making him weak and helpless.
• "his own servants": This emphasizes betrayal from within his inner circle, not an external enemy. The 2 Kings 12:20 parallel identifies two servants, Zabad (also called Jozacar) and Jehozabad (also called Jozachar), confirming the internal nature of the plot. Betrayal by one's own staff or friends signifies deep personal and systemic corruption, often highlighting a loss of divine protection.
• "conspired against him": The Hebrew term is qāšar (קָשַׁר), meaning to bind, plot, conspire. It indicates a deliberate and secret agreement to overthrow or kill the king. This act, while wicked on the part of the servants, became God's instrument for executing His justice.
• "for the blood of the sons of Jehoiada the priest": This is the explicitly stated motive for the assassination, underscoring God's exact retribution. While Zechariah is specifically mentioned as the slain prophet in 2 Chronicles 24:20-22, "sons" here could imply the family line or encompass any other immediate descendants who may have suffered. However, the prominent act of injustice was clearly Zechariah's murder, suggesting "sons" acts as a collective singular, referring primarily to him, or emphasizing the violation of the covenant and lineage associated with Jehoiada's family. The murder of Jehoiada's son, Zechariah, was a monumental act of ingratitude and injustice, as Jehoiada had saved Joash and was his guardian and mentor.
• "and struck him down on his bed": This detail indicates a cowardly, ignominious attack in his private chambers, while he was in his most vulnerable state due of his illness. This contrasts with a dignified or heroic death, further highlighting the severity of the judgment against him.
• "and he died": The ultimate consequence. Joash's reign ended abruptly and tragically, a direct fulfillment of Zechariah's dying curse and a clear manifestation of God's divine justice and an example of reaping what one sows.

2 Chronicles 24 25 Bonus section

• Chronicler's Emphasis: Unlike the Book of Kings which offers a briefer account of Joash's assassination (2 Kings 12:20-21) and does not mention Zechariah's murder as a direct motive, the Chronicler deliberately includes and emphasizes Zechariah's stoning and the curse he pronounced. This highlights the Chronicler's theological agenda: direct and swift divine retribution for a king's moral and religious failures, particularly for desecrating sacred spaces or violating justice concerning God's faithful.
• Lex Talionis (Law of Retribution): Joash commanded the shedding of innocent blood (Zechariah's) and, in turn, his own blood was shed by conspirators. This tragic end often points to a fulfillment of the principle "measure for measure" or lex talionis at a theological level, demonstrating that divine justice ensures fitting consequences for one's actions.
• Paradox of Human Agency and Divine Sovereignty: The conspiracy by Joash's servants (a wicked act in itself) becomes the means by which God executes His righteous judgment. This illustrates that God can use even the sinful actions of men to accomplish His sovereign purposes, fulfilling prophecy and demonstrating justice without endorsing sin.

2 Chronicles 24 25 Commentary

The death of King Joash in 2 Chronicles 24:25 is a profoundly theological moment in the Chronicler's narrative, illustrating the immediate and devastating consequences of spiritual decline and injustice. Joash's reign began with promise under Jehoiada's pious guidance, signifying a restoration of proper worship. However, his abandonment of God after Jehoiada's death and, more heinously, his command to murder the prophet Zechariah, Jehoiada's own son, constituted a blatant betrayal of his covenant with God and a monumental act of ingratitude. This verse shows God's faithfulness to His own justice. Zechariah's cry for vengeance was not in vain; it was answered by God, not immediately by divine fire or a visible act, but through the common treachery of human conspiracy. The king, already weakened by the Aramaean attack (a previous act of judgment), was left vulnerable to those around him, ironically his own trusted servants. Their motive, specified as "for the blood of the sons of Jehoiada," serves as both a political and a divine explanation, reflecting either a genuine outrage by loyalists to Jehoiada or a popular understanding that this act would appease God's wrath. Joash's inglorious end, assassinated on his sickbed by his own people, vividly demonstrates that a ruler who dishonors God and sheds innocent blood will face just recompense, even through the hands of the wicked. It underlines the Chronicler's central message: immediate divine retribution for disobedience, even for kings, confirming that "what you sow, that you will also reap."