Joash Repairs the Temple
1Joash was seven years old when he became king. He ruled in Jerusalem for 40 years. His mother’s name was Zibiah. She was from Beersheba. 2Joash did what was right in the eyes of the Lord. Joash lived that way as long as Jehoiada the priest was alive. 3Jehoiada chose two wives for Joash. They had sons and daughters by Joash.
4Some time later Joash decided to make the Lord’s temple look like new again. 5He called together the priests and Levites. He said to them, “Go to the towns of Judah. Collect the money that the nation of Israel owes every year. Use it to repair the temple of your God. Do it now.” But the Levites didn’t do it right away.
6So the king sent for Jehoiada the chief priest. He said to him, “Why haven’t you required the Levites to bring in the tax from Judah and Jerusalem? It was set up by the Lord’s servant Moses and the whole community of Israel. It was used for the tent where the tablets of the covenant law were kept.”
7The children of that evil woman Athaliah had broken into God’s temple. They had used even its sacred objects for the gods that were named Baal.
8King Joash commanded that a wooden chest be made. It was placed outside near the gate of the Lord’s temple. 9Then a message went out in Judah and Jerusalem. It said that the people should bring the tax to the Lord. God’s servant Moses had required Israel to pay that tax when they were in the desert. 10All the officials and people gladly brought their money. They dropped it into the chest until it was full. 11The chest was brought in by the Levites to the king’s officials. Every time the officials saw there was a large amount of money in the chest, it was emptied out. The royal secretary and the officer of the chief priest came and emptied it. Then they carried it back to its place. They did it regularly. They collected a great amount of money. 12The king and Jehoiada gave it to the people who were doing the work on the Lord’s temple. They hired people who could lay the stones and people who could work with wood. They also hired people who could work with iron and bronze. They hired all of them to repair the temple.
13The men in charge of the work did their best. The repairs went very well under them. They rebuilt God’s temple. They did it in keeping with its original plans. They made the temple even stronger. 14So they finished the work. Then they brought the rest of the money to the king and Jehoiada. It was used to pay for the objects that were made for the Lord’s temple. The objects were used for serving at the temple. They were also used for the burnt offerings. The objects included dishes and other things made out of gold and silver. As long as Jehoiada lived, burnt offerings were sacrificed continually at the Lord’s temple.
15Jehoiada had become very old. He died at the age of 130. 16He was buried with the kings in the City of David. That’s because he had done so many good things in Israel for God and his temple.
The Evil Things Joash Did
17After Jehoiada died, the officials of Judah came to King Joash. They bowed down to him. He listened to them. 18They turned their backs on the temple of the Lord, the God of their people. They worshiped poles made to honor the female god named Asherah. They also worshiped statues of other gods. Because Judah and Jerusalem were guilty of sin, God became angry with them. 19The Lord sent prophets to the people to bring them back to him. The prophets told the people what they were doing wrong. But the people wouldn’t listen.
20Then the Spirit of God came on Zechariah the priest. He was the son of Jehoiada. Zechariah stood in front of the people. He told them, “God says, ‘Why do you refuse to obey my commands? You will not have success. You have deserted me. So I have deserted you.’ ”
21But the people made evil plans against Zechariah. The king ordered them to kill Zechariah by throwing stones at him. They did it in the courtyard of the Lord’s temple. 22King Joash didn’t remember how kind Zechariah’s father Jehoiada had been to him. So he killed Jehoiada’s son. As Zechariah was dying he said, “May the Lord see this. May he hold you responsible.”
23In the spring, the army of Aram marched into Judah and Jerusalem against Joash. They killed all the leaders of the people. They took a large amount of goods from Judah. They sent it to their king in Damascus. 24The army of Aram had come with only a few men. But the Lord allowed them to win the battle over a much larger army. Judah had deserted the Lord, the God of their people. That’s why the Lord punished Joash. 25The army of Aram pulled back. They left Joash badly wounded. His officials planned to do evil things to him. That’s because he murdered the son of Jehoiada the priest. They killed Joash in his bed. So he died. He was buried in the City of David. But he wasn’t placed in the tombs of the kings.
26Those who made the plans against Joash were Zabad and Jehozabad. Zabad was the son of Shimeath. She was from Ammon. Jehozabad was the son of Shimrith. She was from Moab. 27The story of the sons of Joash is written in the notes on the records of the kings. The many prophecies about him are written there too. So is the record of how he made God’s temple look like new again. Joash’s son Amaziah became the next king after him.
Yoas Siesie Asɔredan No
1Yoas dii ɔhene no, na wadi mfeɛ nson, na ɔdii adeɛ Yerusalem mfirinhyia aduanan. Na ne maame din de Sibia a ɔfiri Beer-Seba. 2Yoas yɛɛ deɛ ɛsɔ Awurade ani, ɔsɔfoɔ Yehoiada nkwa nna nyinaa. 3Yehoiada maa Yoas ɔyerenom baanu a ɔne wɔn wowoo mmammarima ne mmammaa.
4Akyire no, Yoas yɛɛ nʼadwene sɛ ɔbɛsiesie Awurade Asɔredan no. 5Enti, ɔfrɛfrɛɛ asɔfoɔ ne Lewifoɔ ka kyerɛɛ wɔn sɛ, “Monkɔ Yuda nkuro nyinaa so ntɛm, na monkɔgyegye afirinhyiatoɔ, sɛdeɛ yɛbɛtumi asiesie mo Onyankopɔn Asɔredan no. Monntwentwɛn koraa.” Nanso, Lewifoɔ no ankɔ prɛko pɛ.
6Na ɔhene no frɛɛ ɔsɔfopanin Yehoiada bisaa no sɛ, “Adɛn enti na wommisaa Lewifoɔ no deɛ enti a wɔnkɔɔ Yuda nkuro so ne Yerusalem nkɔgyegyee Asɔredan ho toɔ no? Mose, Awurade ɔsomfoɔ, gyegyee ɔman Israel saa toɔ yi, sɛdeɛ ɛbɛyɛ a, ɔbɛtumi asiesie Apam Ntomadan no.”
7Mfeɛ pii mu no, otirimuɔdenfoɔ Atalia akyidifoɔ bɔ wuraa Onyankopɔn Asɔredan mu, na nneɛma a wɔahyira so wɔ Awurade Asɔredan no mu no nyinaa, wɔfa de somm Baal ahoni.
8Enti, afei, Yoas hyɛɛ sɛ wɔnyɛ adaka bi mfa nsi ɛkwan a ɛkɔ Awurade Asɔredan no akyi. 9Enti, wɔde too Yudafoɔ ne Yerusalemfoɔ anim sɛ, wɔmfa ɛtoɔ a Mose, Onyankopɔn ɔsomfoɔ gyegyee Israelfoɔ wɔ ɛserɛ so no mmrɛ Awurade. 10Ntuanofoɔ no ne ɔmanfoɔ no penee so, enti wɔde anigyeɛ de wɔn sika bɛhyɛɛ adaka no ma. 11Ɛberɛ biara a adaka no bɛyɛ ma no, Lewifoɔ no soa de kɔma ɔhene mpanimfoɔ. Na asɛnniiɛ twerɛfoɔ ne ɔsɔfopanin ananmusini bi akan sika no, na wɔasane de adaka no akɔsi Asɔredan no ɛpono ano bio. Wɔyɛɛ saa daa, na wɔnyaa sika bebree. 12Ɔhene no ne Yehoiada de sika no maa adansie sohwɛfoɔ, ma wɔfaa adansifoɔ ne nnua dwumfoɔ, ma wɔsiesiee Awurade Asɔredan no. Afei, wɔfaa nnadeɛ adwumfoɔ maa wɔde nnadeɛ ne kɔbere mfrafraeɛ yɛɛ Awurade Asɔredan no ho nneɛma.
13Na mmarima a wɔhwɛ ɛdan no nsiesie so no yɛɛ adwumaden ma adwuma no kɔɔ so sɛdeɛ ɛfata. Wɔsii Onyankopɔn Asɔredan no wɔ ne tebea dada no sɛso na wɔhyɛɛ mu den. 14Wɔwiee nsiesie no, wɔde sika no nkaeɛ brɛɛ ɔhene no ne Yehoiada. Wɔde yɛɛ nneɛma ahodoɔ a wɔde bi som, de bi bɔ ɔhyeɛ afɔdeɛ a nkwankoraa ne atam ahodoɔ a wɔde sikakɔkɔɔ ne dwetɛ ayɛ nso ka ho. Na wɔde kɔguu Awurade asɔredan no mu. Ɛberɛ a na ɔsɔfoɔ Yehoiada te ase no, na wɔtaa bɔ ɔhyeɛ afɔdeɛ wɔ Awurade Asɔredan mu hɔ.
15Yehoiada nyinii yie, ɔwuiɛ no na wadi mfirinhyia ɔha ne aduasa. 16Wɔsiee no ahemfo asieeɛ wɔ Dawid kurom, ɛfiri sɛ, na wayɛ adwuma pa wɔ Israel, ama Onyankopɔn ne nʼAsɔredan no.
Yehoiada Ɔsom Nhyehyɛeɛ No Sesa
17Yehoiada owuo akyi no, Yuda ntuanofoɔ bɛkotoo ɔhene Yoas anim, srɛɛ no sɛ ɔntie wɔn afotuo. 18Wɔyɛɛ wɔn adwene sɛ wɔbɛgya Awurade, wɔn agyanom Onyankopɔn Asɔredan no, na wɔasom Asera afɔrebukyia no ne ahoni no mmom. Na Onyankopɔn abufuo baa Yuda ne Yerusalem so wɔ wɔn bɔne enti. 19Awurade somaa adiyifoɔ sɛ wɔnkɔfa wɔn mmrɛ no, nanso nnipa no ampene.
20Afei, Onyankopɔn Honhom baa ɔsɔfoɔ Yehoiada babarima Sakaria so. Ɔgyinaa nnipa no anim kaa sɛ, “Sɛdeɛ Onyankopɔn seɛ nie: Adɛn enti na monni Awurade ahyɛdeɛ so? Morennya nkɔsoɔ ɛfiri sɛ, moagya Awurade ama ɔno nso agya mo!”
21Na ntuanofoɔ no yɛɛ apam wɔ Sakaria ho sɛ wɔbɛkum no. Na ɔhene Yoas ankasa hyɛ ma wɔsii no aboɔ, kumm no wɔ Awurade Asɔredan no adihɔ hɔ. 22Na ɔhene Yoas ankae adɔeɛ a nʼagya Yehoiada de yɛɛ no no, na ɔkumm ne babarima. Sakaria rewuo no, nsɛm a ɔka twaa toɔ ne sɛ, “Awurade nhunu deɛ wɔreyɛ na ɔmma wɔmmu ho akonta!”
Yoas Adedie Awieeɛ
23Afe no ahyɛaseɛ no, Aram akodɔm bɔɔ nsra baa Yoas so. Wɔkaa Yuda ne Yerusalem hyɛeɛ, kunkumm ntuanofoɔ a wɔwɔ ɔman no mu nyinaa. Na wɔfaa asadeɛ a wɔnyaeɛ nyinaa, de kɔmaa wɔn ɔhene wɔ Damasko. 24Ɛwom sɛ Aram dɔm a wɔkɔto hyɛɛ wɔn so no sua deɛ, nanso, Awurade boaa wɔn maa wɔdii Yuda akodɔm kɛseɛ no so nkonim. Yudafoɔ gyaa Awurade, wɔn agyanom Onyankopɔn, ɛno enti Awurade buu atɛn tiaa Yoas. 25Aramfoɔ twee wɔn ho na wɔgyaa Yoas a na wapira yie no hɔ. Nanso, ɔno ankasa mpanimfoɔ dwenee ho sɛ, ɛsiane sɛ ɔkumm ɔsɔfoɔ Yehoiada babarima enti, wɔbɛkum no. Wɔkumm no wɔ ɛberɛ a ɔda mpa so. Na wɔsiee no Dawid kurom a wɔankɔsie no wɔ adehyeɛ amusieeɛ.
26Na awudifoɔ no yɛ Yosabat a ɔyɛ Amonni baa Simeat babarima, ne Somer a ɔyɛ Moabni baa Simrit babarima. 27Wɔatwerɛ nsɛm a ɛfa Yoas mmammarima, ne ho nkɔmhyɛ, ne Onyankopɔn Asɔredan no nsiesie wɔ Ahene nwoma nkyerɛmu no mu. Yoas wuiɛ no, ne babarima Amasia dii nʼadeɛ sɛ ɔhene.
