1. Joash was seven years old when he became king. And he ruled 40 years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Zibiah. She was from Beersheba.
2. Joash did what the Lord said was right as long as Jehoiada the priest was alive.
3. Jehoiada chose two wives for Joash. And Joash had sons and daughters.
4. Later, Joash decided to repair the Temple of the Lord.
5. He called the priests and the Levites together. He said to them, “Go to the towns of Judah. Gather the money all the Israelites have to pay every year. Use it to repair the Temple of your God. Do this now.” But the Levites did not hurry.
6. So King Joash called Jehoiada the leading priest. Joash said to him, “Why haven’t you made the Levites bring in the tax money from Judah and Jerusalem? Moses the Lord’s servant and the people of Israel used that money for the Holy Tent.”
7. In the past the sons of wicked Athaliah had broken into the Temple of God. They had used its holy things for worshiping the Baal idols.
8. King Joash commanded that a box for contributions be made. It was to be put outside, at the gate of the Temple of the Lord.