Jehoash the Ill-Advised

Reading:   2 Kings 12

The tale of King Jehoash (aka Joash) is somewhat short, especially considering the great pomp and circumstance surrounding his birth (2 Kings 11).  In his forty years as king, Jehoash did manage to repair the much dilapidated temple of Solomon and taught the priests therein an important lesson in humility.  He was an honest God-fearing man and king, well, that is while Jehoiada, his aged advisor, teacher, tutor, prophet and councillor, was alive, then, not-so-much...

2 KINGS 12:2

2 And Jehoash did that which was right in the sight of the Lord all his days wherein Jehoiada the priest instructed him. 

After reading chapter 12 of 2 Kings, it is easy to deem the works of Jehoash good, and they were, but, the rest of the story is revealed in 2 Chronicles 24.  It seems that after the death of Jehoiada, the good king lost his way and began listening to the advise of the not-so-wise kind; even to the point where he ordered the stoning of a prophet who spoke for The Lord (a prophet who was also the son of Jehoiada)...

2 CHRONICLES 24:21-22

21 And they conspired against him, and stoned him with stones at the commandment of the king in the court of the house of the Lord. 

22 Thus Joash the king remembered not the kindness which Jehoiada his father had done to him, but slew his son. And when he died, he said, The Lord look upon it, and require it. 

Shortly thereafter, Jehoash was conspired against and murdered by his own servants.  So, yes, Jehoash did do "...that which was right in the sight of The Lord all his days..." but the second part of the verse must be understood.  Jehoash only did that which was right while "...Jehoiada the priest instructed him."  When Jehoash lost his prophetic councillor he also lost his way and his salvation - forty-six years of righteousness, one act of wickedness, done!

~Kipling