2 Chronicles 24

NEW JERUSALEM	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 Joash was seven years old when he came to the throne and he reigned for forty years in Jerusalem.His mother's name was Zibiah of Beersheba.	1 Joash was seven years old when he became king, and he reigned forty years in Jerusalem. His mother, named Zibiah, was from Beer-sheba.
2 Joash did what Yahweh regards as right throughout the lifetime of Jehoiada the priest.	2 Joash did what was pleasing to the LORD as long as Jehoiada the priest lived.
3 Jehoiada found him two wives and he fathered several sons and daughters.	3 Jehoiada provided him with two wives, and he became the father of sons and daughters.
4 Later, Joash made up his mind to repair the Temple of Yahweh.	4 After some time, Joash decided to restore the LORD'S temple.
5 Calling the priests and the Levites together, he said, 'Go out to the towns of Judah and collect moneyfrom al Israel for annual repairs to the Temple of Yahweh. Do this quickly.' But the Levites were in no hurry,	5 He called together the priests and Levites and said to them: "Go out to all the cities of Judah and collect money from all Israel that you may repair the house of your God over the years. You must hasten this affair." But the Levites did not hasten.
6 so the king summoned Jehoiada the chief priest and said, 'Why have you not insisted on the Levites'bringing in the tax from Judah and Jerusalem for the Tent of Witness, as imposed by Moses servant of Yahwehand the community of Israel?' --	6 Then the king summoned Jehoiada, who was in charge, and said to him: "Why have you not required the Levites to bring in from Judah and Jerusalem the tax levied by Moses, the servant of the LORD, and by the assembly of Israel, for the tent of the testimony?"
7 Athaliah and her sons, whom she corrupted, despoiled the Temple of God and even assigned al thesacred revenues of the Temple of Yahweh to Baal.	7 For the wicked Athaliah and her sons had damaged the house of God and had even turned over to the Baals the dedicated resources of the LORD'S temple.
8 So, at the king's order, a chest was made and put outside the gate of the Temple of Yahweh,	8 At the king's command, therefore, they made a chest, which they put outside the gate of the LORD'S temple.
9 and a proclamation was issued throughout Judah and Jerusalem that the tax, which Moses servant ofGod had imposed on Israel in the desert, was to be brought to Yahweh.	9 They had it proclaimed throughout Judah and Jerusalem that the tax which Moses, the servant of God, had imposed on Israel in the desert should be brought to the LORD.
10 Then al the officials and all the people gladly brought in their contributions, depositing them in thechest until the payment was complete.	10 All the princes and the people rejoiced; they brought what was asked and cast it into the chest until it was filled.
11 Whenever the chest was brought by the Levites for royal inspection and found to contain a large sumof money, the king's secretary and the chief priest's representative would come and empty the chest and thenhave it returned to its place. This was done day after day and a great deal of money was col ected.	11 Whenever the chest was brought to the royal officials by the Levites and they saw that it contained much money, the royal scribe and an overseer for the high priest came, emptied the chest, then took it back and returned it to its place. This they did day after day until they had collected a large sum of money.
12 The king and Jehoiada handed it over to the foreman attached to the Temple of Yahweh, and thehired masons and carpenters set about repairing the Temple of Yahweh; and iron-workers and bronze-workerslaboured to repair the Temple of Yahweh.	12 Then the king and Jehoiada gave it to the workmen in charge of the labor on the LORD'S temple, who hired masons and carpenters to restore the temple, and also iron-and bronze-smiths to repair it.
13 The workmen got on with the task -- the repair work made good progress at their hands -- until theyhad restored the Temple of God to its former state and reconditioned it.	13 The workmen labored, and the task of restoration progressed under their hands. They restored the house of God according to its original form, and reinforced it.
14 When they had finished, they brought the balance of the money to the king and Jehoiada, and withthis vessels were made for the Temple of Yahweh, vessels for the liturgy and for the burnt offerings, bowls andother gold and silver vessels. And the perpetual burnt offering was offered in the Temple of Yahweh throughoutJehoiada's lifetime.	14 After they had finished, they brought the rest of the money to the king and to Jehoiada, who had it made into utensils for the LORD'S temple, utensils for the service and the holocausts, and basins and other gold and silver utensils. They offered holocausts in the LORD'S temple continually throughout the lifetime of Jehoiada.
15 But Jehoiada, growing old, had his fil of days and died. He died at the age of a hundred and thirtyyears,	15 Jehoiada lived to a ripe old age; he was a hundred and thirty years old when he died.
16 and was buried with the kings in the City of David because he had served Israel and God and hisTemple well.	16 He was buried in the City of David with the kings, because he had done good in Israel, in particular with respect to God and his temple.
17 After Jehoiada's death the officials of Judah came to pay court to the king, and the king listened totheir advice,	17 After the death of Jehoiada, the princes of Judah came and paid homage to the king, and the king then listened to them.
18 and they abandoned the Temple of Yahweh, God of their ancestors, for the worship of sacred polesand idols. Judah and Jerusalem incurred wrath because of this guilt of theirs.	18 They forsook the temple of the LORD, the God of their fathers, and began to serve the sacred poles and the idols; and because of this crime of theirs, wrath came upon Judah and Jerusalem.
19 He sent their prophets to lead them back to Yahweh; these put the case against them, but theywould not listen.	19 Although prophets were sent to them to convert them to the LORD, the people would not listen to their warnings.
20 The spirit of God then invested Zechariah son of Jehoiada the priest. He stood up before the peopleand said, 'God says this, "Why transgress Yahweh's commands to your certain ruin? For if you abandonYahweh, he will abandon you."	20 Then the spirit of God possessed Zechariah, son of Jehoiada the priest. He took his stand above the people and said to them: "God says, 'Why are you transgressing the LORD'S commands, so that you cannot prosper? Because you have abandoned the LORD, he has abandoned you.'"
21 They then plotted against him and, at the king's order, stoned him in the court of the Temple ofYahweh.	21 But they conspired against him, and at the king's order they stoned him to death in the court of the LORD'S temple.
22 Thus King Joash, forgetful of the devotion which Jehoiada father of Zechariah had displayed on hisbehalf, murdered his son, who cried out as he died, 'Yahweh wil see this and avenge it!'	22 Thus King Joash was unmindful of the devotion shown him by Jehoiada, Zechariah's father, and slew his son. And as he was dying, he said, "May the LORD see and avenge."
23 At the turn of the year, the Aramaean army made war on Joash. When they reached Judah andJerusalem, they massacred al the nation's government officials and sent al their booty to the king of Damascus.	23 At the turn of the year a force of Arameans came up against Joash. They invaded Judah and Jerusalem, did away with all the princes of the people, and sent all their spoil to the king of Damascus.
24 Although the invading Aramaean army was only a smal body of men, Yahweh al owed them todefeat a very large army because they had abandoned Yahweh, God of their ancestors; thus they executedjudgement on Joash. After they had retired -- for they left him seriously wounded-	24 Though the Aramean force came with few men, the LORD surrendered a very large force into their power, because Judah had abandoned the LORD, the God of their fathers. So punishment was meted out to Joash.
25 his own retainers plotted against him to avenge the blood of the son of Jehoiada the priest andmurdered him in his bed. When he died he was buried in the City of David, but not in the tombs of the kings.	25 After the Arameans had departed from him, leaving him in grievous suffering, his servants conspired against him because of the murder of the son of Jehoiada the priest. They killed him on his sickbed. He was buried in the City of David, but not in the tombs of the kings.
26 These were the conspirators: Zabad son of Shimeath the Ammonite and Jehozabad son of Shimriththe Moabite.	26 These conspired against him: Zabad, son of Shimeath from Ammon, and Jehozabad, son of Shimrith from Moab.
27 As regards his sons, the heavy tribute imposed on him, and the restoration of the Temple of God,this is recorded in the Commentary on the Book of the Kings. His son Amaziah succeeded him.	27 Of his sons, and the great tribute imposed on him, and of his rebuilding of the house of God, there is a written account in the midrash of the book of the kings. His son Amaziah succeeded him as king.