The big picture
2 Chronicles 24 opens in verse 1 with “Joash was seven years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years in…”, reaches its middle movement near verse 14 with “And when they had finished it, they brought the rest of the money before the king and…”, and closes in verse 27 with “Now concerning his sons, and the greatness of the burdens laid upon him, and the…” Repeated or prominent terms include LORD, house, Jehoiada, king, Judah. Together, those details trace this chapter’s own movement from its opening to its conclusion.
Scripture beside the summary
2 Chronicles · King James Version · 272 Chronicles 24:1-7
1–7: Joash was seven years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty…
2 Chronicles 24:1–7 opens with “Joash was seven years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years in Jerusalem. His…” and reaches “For the sons of Athaliah, that wicked woman, had broken up the house of God; and also all the…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on 2 Chronicles 24 develops its own movement around LORD, house, Jehoiada, king, Judah, with particular weight carried by house, LORD, Jehoiada.
Context that brings the passage to life
This block contains 1 explicit questions. They are more than punctuation: they reveal where a voice is searching, challenging, afraid, or trying to understand.
“Joash was seven years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name also was…” The number seven makes the report concrete. Ask whether it measures time, people, distance, repetition, or completeness before deciding what weight it carries.
“And Joash did that which was right in the sight of the LORD all the days of Jehoiada the priest.” Naming Jehoiada and Joash keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
2 Chronicles 24:1-7
King James Version1Joash was seven years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name also was Zibiah of Beer-sheba.
2And Joash did that which was right in the sight of the LORD all the days of Jehoiada the priest.
3And Jehoiada took for him two wives; and he begat sons and daughters.
4And it came to pass after this, that Joash was minded to repair the house of the LORD .
5And he gathered together the priests and the Levites, and said to them, Go out unto the cities of Judah, and gather of all Israel money to repair the house of your God from year to year, and see that ye hasten the matter. Howbeit the Levites hastened it not.
6And the king called for Jehoiada the chief, and said unto him, Why hast thou not required of the Levites to bring in out of Judah and out of Jerusalem the collection, according to the commandment of Moses the servant of the LORD , and of the congregation of Israel, for the tabernacle of witness?
7For the sons of Athaliah, that wicked woman, had broken up the house of God; and also all the dedicated things of the house of the LORD did they bestow upon Baalim.
2 Chronicles 24:8-14
8–14: At the king’s commandment they made a chest, and set it without at the…
2 Chronicles 24:8–14 opens with “And at the king’s commandment they made a chest, and set it without at the gate of the house of…” and reaches “And when they had finished it, they brought the rest of the money before the king and Jehoiada…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on 2 Chronicles 24 develops its own movement around LORD, house, Jehoiada, king, Judah, with particular weight carried by house, LORD, chest.
Context that brings the passage to life
“And at the king’s commandment they made a chest, and set it without at the gate of the house of the LORD .” The line’s distinctive content terms include chest, commandment, gate. Its relationship to verses 9 shows what work it does in this passage.
“And they made a proclamation through Judah and Jerusalem, to bring in to the LORD the collection that Moses the…” Naming Israel keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
“And all the princes and all the people rejoiced, and brought in, and cast into the chest, until they had made an end.” The line’s distinctive content terms include chest, people, princes. Its relationship to verses 9 and 11 shows what work it does in this passage.
“Now it came to pass, that at what time the chest was brought unto the king’s office by the hand of the Levites, and…” Naming Levites keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
2 Chronicles 24:8-14
King James Version8And at the king’s commandment they made a chest, and set it without at the gate of the house of the LORD .
9And they made a proclamation through Judah and Jerusalem, to bring in to the LORD the collection that Moses the servant of God laid upon Israel in the wilderness.
10And all the princes and all the people rejoiced, and brought in, and cast into the chest, until they had made an end.
11Now it came to pass, that at what time the chest was brought unto the king’s office by the hand of the Levites, and when they saw that there was much money, the king’s scribe and the high priest’s officer came and emptied the chest, and took it, and carried it to his place again. Thus they did day by day, and gathered money in abundance.
12And the king and Jehoiada gave it to such as did the work of the service of the house of the LORD , and hired masons and carpenters to repair the house of the LORD , and also such as wrought iron and brass to mend the house of the LORD .
13So the workmen wrought, and the work was perfected by them, and they set the house of God in his state, and strengthened it.
14And when they had finished it, they brought the rest of the money before the king and Jehoiada, whereof were made vessels for the house of the LORD , even vessels to minister, and to offer withal, and spoons, and vessels of gold and silver. And they offered burnt offerings in the house of the LORD continually all the days of Jehoiada.
2 Chronicles 24:15-21
15–21: Jehoiada waxed old, and was full of days when he died; an hundred and…
2 Chronicles 24:15–21 opens with “But Jehoiada waxed old, and was full of days when he died; an hundred and thirty years old was…” and reaches “And they conspired against him, and stoned him with stones at the commandment of the king in the…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on 2 Chronicles 24 develops its own movement around LORD, house, Jehoiada, king, Judah, with particular weight carried by LORD, house, Jehoiada.
Context that brings the passage to life
This block contains 1 explicit questions. They are more than punctuation: they reveal where a voice is searching, challenging, afraid, or trying to understand.
“But Jehoiada waxed old, and was full of days when he died; an hundred and thirty years old was he when he died.” The number hundred makes the report concrete. Ask whether it measures time, people, distance, repetition, or completeness before deciding what weight it carries.
“And they buried him in the city of David among the kings, because he had done good in Israel, both toward God, and…” Naming David keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
2 Chronicles 24:15-21
King James Version15But Jehoiada waxed old, and was full of days when he died; an hundred and thirty years old was he when he died.
16And they buried him in the city of David among the kings, because he had done good in Israel, both toward God, and toward his house.
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 .
2 Chronicles 24:22-27
22–27: Thus Joash the king remembered not the kindness which Jehoiada his…
2 Chronicles 24:22–27 opens with “Thus Joash the king remembered not the kindness which Jehoiada his father had done to him, but…” and reaches “Now concerning his sons, and the greatness of the burdens laid upon him, and the repairing of…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on 2 Chronicles 24 develops its own movement around LORD, house, Jehoiada, king, Judah, with particular weight carried by LORD, buried, conspired.
Context that brings the passage to life
“Thus Joash the king remembered not the kindness which Jehoiada his father had done to him, but slew his son. And when…” Naming Jehoiada and Joash keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
“And 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…” This familiar narrative signal moves the clock forward. What follows is a new scene, consequence, or answer to an earlier tension.
“For the army of the Syrians came with a small company of men, and the LORD delivered a very great host into their…” This line supplies a reason, result, or conclusion. It should stay attached to the claim or action that gives it meaning.
2 Chronicles 24:22-27
King James Version22Thus 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.
25And 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.
26And these are they that conspired against him; Zabad the son of Shimeath an Ammonitess, and Jehozabad the son of Shimrith a Moabitess.
27Now concerning his sons, and the greatness of the burdens laid upon him, and the repairing of the house of God, behold, they are written in the story of the book of the kings. And Amaziah his son reigned in his stead.
Details worth noticing
The opening image
2 Chronicles 24:1 begins with “Joash was seven years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name also was Zibiah of Beer-sheba.”
Where the chapter turns
2 Chronicles 24:15 forms a natural hinge: “But Jehoiada waxed old, and was full of days when he died; an hundred and thirty years old was he when he died.”
The final note
2 Chronicles 24:27 leaves the reader with “Now concerning his sons, and the greatness of the burdens laid upon him, and the repairing of the house of God, behold, they are written in the story of…”
A word trail through the chapter
The words LORD, house, Jehoiada, king, Judah, Jerusalem help reveal the chapter’s repeated concerns.
What does Rebekah contribute beyond family eligibility?
Energy, hospitality and a direct decision to make the journey.
Why is the servant's retelling so long?
It presents the sequence to the family and explains why he sees divine guidance in it.
KJV words made clear
- behold
- look, or pay close attention
- begat
- became the father of
- unto
- to
- thou
- you
- hath
- has
Text first
Where readers differ
The chapter summary begins with what the passage says and how its parts fit together. It does not assume one denomination has already settled every question. Where a conclusion depends on a tradition, literary theory, or historical reconstruction, that dependence is named openly.
The KJV text is presented first. Interpretive conclusions are labeled, and differences are introduced only when they help a reader understand why serious communities do not always reach the same answer.
Comparative interpretive notes for this chapter are in preparation. Until reviewed notes are ready, this page separates the KJV text from summary and application without claiming that serious readers agree on every question.