Joash reigned as king of Judah for 40 years and whilst priest Jehoiada was alive Joash lived correctly before God and Jehoiada chose him 2 wives. Then Joash decided to restore the temple and instructed the Levites and priests to collect the temple tax to this end, but they heard but didn't act, and the damage caused by Athaliah's sons remained. So the king placed a collection chest at the gate of the temple to collect the temple tax and the people gave gladly to the Lord. With this income the workers were paid to repair the temple and they repaired the temple according to its original design and all the temple's articles were restored. Thus as long as Jehoiada was alive burnt offerings were presented before God, but things changed once he died at the age of 130.
Then the temple was abandoned, God was forgotten and Asherah poles and idols were worshipped. So the spirit of God came upon Jehoiada's son Zechariah who declared that because Joash had forsaken God he had forsaken Joash, so they stoned the prophet to death. Hence the Aramean army came with a few men, killed Joash, invaded Jerusalem and Judah and killed all the leaders. Amaziah, Joash's son, succeeded him as king.
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