Monday, October 13, 2025
17 Now after the death of Jehoiada the princes of Judah came and paid homage to the king. Then the king listened to them. 18 And they abandoned the house of the LORD, the God of their fathers, and served the Asherim and the idols. And wrath came upon Judah and Jerusalem for this guilt of theirs. 19 Yet he sent prophets among them to bring them back to the LORD. These testified against them, but they would not pay attention.
Joash’s Treachery
20 Then the Spirit of God clothed Zechariah the son of Jehoiada the priest, and he stood above the people, and said to them, “Thus says God, ‘Why do you break the commandments of the LORD, so that you cannot prosper? Because you have forsaken the LORD, he has forsaken you.’” 21 But they conspired against him, and by command of the king they stoned him with stones in the court of the house of the LORD. 22 Thus Joash the king did not remember the kindness that Jehoiada, Zechariah’s father, had shown him, but killed his son. And when he was dying, he said, “May the LORD see and avenge!”1
Joash Assassinated
23 At the end of the year the army of the Syrians came up against Joash. They came to Judah and Jerusalem and destroyed all the princes of the people from among the people and sent all their spoil to the king of Damascus. 24 Though the army of the Syrians had come with few men, the LORD delivered into their hand a very great army, because Judah2 had forsaken the LORD, the God of their fathers. Thus they executed judgment on Joash.
25 When they had departed from him, leaving him severely wounded, his servants conspired against him because of the blood of the son3 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. 26 Those who conspired against him were Zabad the son of Shimeath the Ammonite, and Jehozabad the son of Shimrith the Moabite. 27 Accounts of his sons and of the many oracles against him and of the rebuilding4 of the house of God are written in the Story5 of the Book of the Kings. And Amaziah his son reigned in his place.
Footnotes
[1] 24:22
[2] 24:24
[3] 24:25
[4] 24:27
[5] 24:27
(ESV)
Daily Devotion Guideline
- Start with a prayer asking God to speak to you through the passage.
- Read today’s passage until you are familiar with the story or the principal points of the text.
- Try picking out a key verse of the passage and giving your own title to the text that in your opinion best summarizes the main point.
- Try answering the question “Who is God/Jesus like?” from today’s passage.
- Prayerfully try to answer “What lesson is God teaching me from today’s devotion?”
- End with a prayer of thanksgiving and asking God “How can I apply today’s teachings?”