Chapter 12

Joash is also spelled Jehoash.  In any case, this is the 7 year old son of Ahaziah, and King of Judah.  Joash is the son of Ahaziah, and the grandson of Athaliah, making him a great grandson of Ahab.  This was also in the 7th year of Jehu, a son of Jehoshaphat, King of Israel. So now we are fixed in time and know the major players.

Jehoash reigned 40 years, and with the help of Jehoiada, was a good king.  But the high places still remained.  Seems no King wanted to pull those down.  Maybe because they were all isolated and attended by the rural people, so the urban Kings let it go to keep the peace?

Jehoash insists that the priests use the money from the assessments and offerings to repair the house of the Lord.  This process is delayed by the priests, who just don't seem to do it, but 23 years into his reign, that is, when Joash is 30, he insists, and instead of keeping the money, the priests give it to workman and repairs of all kinds are made to the temple.  It is at least partially restored to its former glory.  This is still Solomon's temple.   

Hazael goes to war with Gath, apparently takes it, and then decides to take Jerusalem on the way home.  To prevent this, Jehoash pays him tribute of the vessels and holy things in the Temple.  Including all the gold that was found in the Temple.  He just buys off Hazael, who takes the loot and heads on home.  It says a lot about the state of Judah at this time that they don't even muster an army and challenge Hazael.  No one cares enough to do so.  They just give him loot - from the Temple itself, which may have been the only place there was enough of value to be sent as loot - and hide, and wait.  Judah must have been very "downtrodden" by this time, if they could find no one to defend the country, and no one had enough money even to contribute to the buy off of Hazael.

Johoash's reign ends when he is struck down by two of his servants and killed.  Kind of an ignominious end, and we may read more about it in the Chronicles text.  2 Kings makes little of it.  Amaziah his son reigns in his place.