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英文原文
We have here the history of the reign of Joash, the progress of which, and especially its termination, were not of a piece with its beginning, nor shone with so much lustre. How wonderfully he was preserved for the throne, and placed in it, we read before; now here we are told how he began in the spirit, but ended in the flesh. I. In the beginning of his time, while Jehoiada lived, he did well; particularly, he took care to put the temple in good repair, 2Ch 24:1-14. II. In the latter end of his time, after Jehoiada's death, he apostatized from God, and his apostasy was his ruin. 1. He set up the worship of Baal again (2Ch 24:15-18), though warned to the contrary, 2Ch 24:19. 2. He put Zechariah the prophet to death because he reproved him for what he had done, 2Ch 24:20-22. 3. The judgments of God came upon him for it. The Syrians invaded him, 2Ch 24:23,24. He was struck with sore diseases; his own servants conspired against him and slew him; and, as a mark of infamy upon him, he was not buried in the burying-place of the kings, 2Ch 24:25-27.
1-14
The Temple Repaired (855 BC)
聖殿的修繕（主前 855 年）
¹ 約阿施登基的時候年七歲，在耶路撒冷作王四十年。他母親名叫西比亞，是別是巴人。 ² 祭司耶何耶大在世的日子，約阿施行耶和華眼中看為正的事。 ³ 耶何耶大為他娶了兩個妻子；他就生了兒女。 ⁴ 此後，約阿施有意重修耶和華的殿。 ⁵ 他便召集祭司和利未人來，對他們說：「你們要出到猶大各城，從全以色列收銀子，每年修理你們神的殿，又當趕緊辦理這事。」只是利未人不趕緊去辦。 ⁶ 王召了大祭司耶何耶大來，對他說：「從前耶和華的僕人摩西，和以色列的會眾，為法櫃的帳幕所定的捐項，你為何不向利未人要求，從猶大和耶路撒冷帶來呢？」 ⁷ 因為那惡婦亞他利雅的兒子們曾拆毀神的殿，又將耶和華殿裡一切分別為聖的物拿去獻給巴力。 ⁸ 於是王下令，他們就造了一個箱子，放在耶和華殿的門外。 ⁹ 又在猶大和耶路撒冷宣告，要將神的僕人摩西從前在曠野向以色列人所定的捐項，奉到耶和華那裡。 ¹⁰ 眾首領和眾百姓都歡歡喜喜地帶來，投在箱子裡，直到捐完。 ¹¹ 利未人把箱子抬到王那裡的時候，王見銀子很多，王的書記和大祭司的官長就來倒空箱子，抬回原處。他們日日如此，銀子收得極多。 ¹² 王與耶何耶大把銀子交給耶和華殿裡辦事的人，他們就雇了石匠、木匠，重修耶和華的殿；又雇了鐵匠、銅匠，把耶和華的殿修好。 ¹³ 於是工人作工，工程漸漸完成；他們把神的殿恢復原狀，加以堅固。 ¹⁴ 工程完畢，他們就把所餘的銀子帶到王和耶何耶大面前，用以製造耶和華殿中的器具——就是事奉獻祭所用的器皿、調羹，以及金銀的器皿。耶何耶大在世的日子，眾人常在耶和華殿裡獻燔祭。
約阿施這美好開頭的記載，與此處所記相同，見於王下十二1～21等；不過本章後半關於他背道的記載，在列王紀中則少有提及。人身上的好處，我們當抓住一切機會談論，並且常常重複；人身上的惡，我們當簡略提及，只說必要的話。我們在此只觀察以下幾點：1. 年輕人剛入世時，能受智慧、良善、忠信之人的指導，乃是有福的事——正如約阿施在耶何耶大的影響之下，「在耶何耶大在世的日子行耶和華眼中看為正的事」。年輕人當看為一種福分——而不是一種負擔和約束——身邊有人會警告他們遠離惡事、又勸勉激發他們行善；又當看為不是軟弱和受轄管的記號，而是智慧和明達的記號，去聽從這樣的人。不肯受勸的人不能得幫助。年輕人在婚姻上特別當接受指教，正如約阿施所作的——他把擇妻之事交給他的監護人，因為耶洗別和亞他利雅曾成了那樣的禍患（代下二十四3）。這是人生中一個常成為年輕人成敗關鍵的轉折，因此當格外用心。2. 人可以在宗教外表的實行上走得很遠，並堅持很久，只是出於教育的力量和親友的影響，而心中對屬神之事並無真情，對之也無內在的愛好。外來的推動可以使人在善事上前行，而心中卻沒有活潑的恩典原則作動力。3. 在敬虔的外在表現上，那些只有敬虔形式的人，可能超過那些有敬虔實質的人。約阿施對修理聖殿比耶何耶大本人更為關切、更為熱心——他甚至責備耶何耶大在這事上的怠慢（代下二十四6）。建造聖殿比成為神的殿容易。4. 修理教堂乃是一件善工，人人都當在自己的地位上促進，使敬拜的聚會得著端莊和便利。學者們告訴我們，在古代的基督教會中，十分之一的一部分就是用於此途的。5. 許多如今未作的善工，若是有幾個熱心的人推動、推進，就必作成。約阿施見銀子不如他所預期的那樣在一種方法中收進，他就試另一種方法，而那方法果然達到了目的。許多人有足夠的誠實去跟從，卻沒有足夠的熱心去帶頭行善。把銀子投進一個箱子，從蓋子上的洞口投進去，這是前所未用的方法；也許正因這事的新奇，使它成為募款的成功之計：投進了許多，而且是帶著極大的歡喜投進的：「他們都歡歡喜喜」（代下二十四10）。有時迎合人性的新奇設計，能使人盡本分。在這事上，「智慧使有智慧的人得益處」。6. 忠心是受託管理公眾財物或辦理公眾事務之人最大的稱讚，也是他們最大的安慰。王和耶何耶大忠心地將銀子付給工人，工人也忠心地作工（代下二十四12、13）。
英文原文
The Temple Repaired (855 BC)
¹ Joash was seven years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years in Jerusalem. His mother's name also was Zibiah of Beer-sheba.
² And Joash did that which was right in the sight of the LORD all the days of Jehoiada the priest.
³ And Jehoiada took for him two wives; and he begat sons and daughters.
⁴ And it came to pass after this, that Joash was minded to repair the house of the LORD.
⁵ And he gathered together the priests and the Levites, and said to them, Go out unto the cities of Judah, and gather of all Israel money to repair the house of your God from year to year, and see that ye hasten the matter. Howbeit the Levites hastened it not.
⁶ And the king called for Jehoiada the chief, and said unto him, Why hast thou not required of the Levites to bring in out of Judah and out of Jerusalem the collection, according to the commandment of Moses the servant of the LORD, and of the congregation of Israel, for the tabernacle of witness?
⁷ For the sons of Athaliah, that wicked woman, had broken up the house of God; and also all the dedicated things of the house of the LORD did they bestow upon Baalim.
⁸ And at the king's commandment they made a chest, and set it without at the gate of the house of the LORD.
⁹ And they made a proclamation through Judah and Jerusalem, to bring in to the LORD the collection that Moses the servant of God laid upon Israel in the wilderness.
¹⁰ And all the princes and all the people rejoiced, and brought in, and cast into the chest, until they had made an end.
¹¹ Now it came to pass, that at what time the chest was brought unto the king's office by the hand of the Levites, and when they saw that there was much money, the king's scribe and the high priest's officer came and emptied the chest, and took it, and carried it to his place again. Thus they did day by day, and gathered money in abundance.
¹² And the king and Jehoiada gave it to such as did the work of the service of the house of the LORD, and hired masons and carpenters to repair the house of the LORD, and also such as wrought iron and brass to mend the house of the LORD.
¹³ So the workmen wrought, and the work was perfected by them, and they set the house of God in his state, and strengthened it.
¹⁴ And when they had finished it, they brought the rest of the money before the king and Jehoiada, whereof were made vessels for the house of the LORD, even vessels to minister, and to offer withal, and spoons, and vessels of gold and silver. And they offered burnt offerings in the house of the LORD continually all the days of Jehoiada.
This account of Joash's good beginnings we had as it stands here 2Ki 12:1-21, etc., though the latter part of this chapter, concerning his apostasy, we had little of there. What is good in men we should take all occasions to speak of and often repeat it; what is evil we should make mention of but sparingly, and no more than is needful. We shall here only observe, 1. That it is a happy thing for young people, when they are setting out in the world, to be under the direction of those that are wise and good and faithful to them, as Joash was under the influence of Jehoiada, during whose time he did that which was right. Let those that are young reckon it a blessing to them, and not a burden and check upon them, to have those with them that will caution them against that which is evil and advise and quicken them to that which is good; and let them reckon it not a mark of weakness and subjection, but of wisdom and discretion, to hearken to such. He that will not be counselled cannot be helped. It is especially prudent for young people to take advice in their marriages, as Joash did, who left it to his guardian to choose him his wives, because Jezebel and Athaliah had been such plagues, 2Ch 24:3. This is a turn of life which often proves either the making or marring of young people, and therefore should be attended to with great care. 2. Men may go far in the external performances of religion, and keep long to them, merely by the power of their education and the influence of their friends, who yet have no hearty affection for divine things nor any inward relish of them. Foreign inducements may push men on to that which is good who are not actuated by a living principle of grace in their hearts. 3. In the outward expressions of devotion it is possible that those who have only the form of godliness may out-strip those who have the power of it. Joash is more solicitous and more zealous about the repair of the temple than Jehoiada himself, whom he reproves for his remissness in that matter, 2Ch 24:6. It is easier to build temples than to be temples to God. 4. The repairing of churches is a good work, which all in their places should promote, for the decency and conveniency of religious assemblies. The learned tell us that in the Christian church, anciently, part of the tithes were applied that way. 5. Many a good work would be done that now lies undone if there were but a few active men to stir in it and to put it forward. When Joash found the money did not come in as he expected in one way he tried another way, and that answered the intention. Many have honesty enough to follow that have not zeal enough to lead in that which is good. The throwing of money into a chest, through a hole in the lid of it, was a way that had not been used before, and perhaps the very novelty of the thing made it a successful expedient for the raising of money; a great deal was thrown in and with a great deal of cheerfulness: they all rejoiced, 2Ch 24:10. An invention to please people's humour may sometimes bring them to their duty. Wisdom herein is profitable to direct. 6. Faithfulness is the greatest praise and will be the greatest comfort of those that are entrusted with public treasure or employed in public business. The king and Jehoiada faithfully paid the money to the workmen, who faithfully did the work, 2Ch 24:12,13.
15-27
Joash Slain by His Servants (845 BC)
約阿施被臣僕所殺（主前 845 年）
¹⁵ 耶何耶大年紀老邁，日子滿足而死；死的時候年一百三十歲。 ¹⁶ 他們將他葬在大衛城諸王的墳墓裡，因為他在以色列中行了善事，又對 神、和他的殿。 ¹⁷ 耶何耶大死後，猶大的眾首領來朝拜王；王就聽從他們。 ¹⁸ 他們離棄耶和華他們列祖的 神的殿，去事奉木偶和偶像；因為這罪，耶和華的怒氣就臨到猶大和耶路撒冷。 ¹⁹ 但 神仍差遣先知到他們那裡，要引導他們歸向耶和華；先知就警戒他們，他們卻不肯聽。 ²⁰ 那時， 神的靈感動祭司耶何耶大的兒子撒迦利亞；他站在上頭對百姓說：「 神如此說：『你們為何干犯耶和華的誡命，以致不能亨通呢？因為你們離棄了耶和華，他也離棄了你們。』」 ²¹ 眾人一同謀害他，照王的命令在耶和華殿的院內用石頭打他。 ²² 這樣，約阿施王不想念他父親耶何耶大向自己所施的恩，竟殺了他的兒子。他死的時候說：「願耶和華鑒察伸冤！」 ²³ 年底，亞蘭的軍隊上來攻擊他；他們來到猶大和耶路撒冷，從民中殺了眾民的一切首領，將他們的一切擄物送到大馬色王那裡。 ²⁴ 因為亞蘭的軍隊帶著一小隊人來，耶和華卻將極大的軍隊交在他們手中，因為他們離棄了耶和華他們列祖的 神。他們就這樣向約阿施施行審判。 ²⁵ 他們離開他的時候（因為他們留下他患重病），他的臣僕因祭司耶何耶大眾子的血，就同謀背叛他，在床上殺了他；他就死了。他們將他葬在大衛城裡，只是不葬在諸王的墳墓裡。 ²⁶ 同謀背叛他的是：亞捫婦人示米的兒子撒拔，和摩押婦人示米利的兒子約薩拔。 ²⁷ 至於他的兒子，和那加在他身上的許多重擔，並 神殿的修造，都寫在列王紀的史書上。他兒子亞瑪謝接續他作王。
此處我們看見約阿施敗壞與背道的可悲記述。 神曾為他行了大事；他也曾為 神略盡心力；但如今他向他的 神忘恩，違背了他對自己所立的承諾。「黃金何其失光！純金何其變色！」此處我們看見：
一、他背道的緣由。他「行耶和華眼中看為正的事」，只是「心不誠實」。他從不真誠，從不按原則行事，只是討好耶何耶大——那人曾幫助他得冠冕，曾在聖殿中保護他，並在偶像崇拜的廢墟上興起；所以風向一轉，他也隨之而轉。1. 他的好謀士離開了他，被死亡奪去。耶何耶大活得如此長久——一百三十歲（代下 24:15）——對他和他的國都是恩慈；由此看來他生於所羅門的時候，此時之前已活過六個完整的王朝。耶何耶大死時所得的尊榮，正是鼓勵他繼續在耶何耶大所教導的善道上前進：「他們把他葬在諸王之中」，並附上這可敬的讚辭（也許是墓碑上的部分銘文）：「他在以色列中行了善事」。猶大被稱為以色列，因為其他支派既已背道於 神，惟獨他們才是真以色列人。請注意：在自己的世代中行善，是最大的尊榮；凡「行善的，必得同一類的稱讚」。他向 神行了善——不是說人的善能及於他，而是他向他的殿行了善，復興了聖殿的事奉（代下 23:8）。請注意：那些在自己的崗位上致力推進宗教的，是對本國作了最大的善事。耶何耶大以尊榮結束了他的人生路程；但約阿施所有的少許宗教都埋在他的墳墓裡了，他死之後，王與王國都悲慘地敗壞了。請看一個首腦能支撐多少；敬虔、熱心、有用之人的死，對任何君王或百姓都是何等大的審判。請看正如我們的主所說，我們「自己裡面」有鹽，憑內在的原則在宗教上行事，是何等必要——這原則能帶領我們經過各樣變遷。那麼失去父母、失去傳道人、失去朋友，並不意味著失去我們的宗教。2. 惡謀士圍住他，潛入他的感情，哄他、諂媚他、「朝拜」他，並非哀悼他老師的死，反倒為之祝賀——說他從此脫離了多年所受的管教，那管教本不配作一個男子、一個王的身分。他們告訴他不可再受教士擺佈，如今他已脫離「嚴厲的教訓和約束」，可以任意而行；（你可想到麼？）猶大的眾首領就是如此殷勤地敗壞他的人（代下 24:17）。他的父親和祖父被亞哈家所敗壞——那原不足為奇。但猶大的首領竟作王的引誘者，實在可悲。但凡是傾向「惡人計謀」的，從不缺少不敬虔的謀士。他們「向王朝拜」，諂媚他以為他有大權，應許支持他，使他的御意和喜好成為律法，任何 神聖的誡命或設立都可不管。他就聽從他們：他們的話合他心意，比耶何耶大的指示更悅耳。君王和百姓許多次就是這樣被應許給他們自由和尊嚴的人所諂媚，以致敗亡；其實那些人反而把他們帶入最大的奴役和羞辱。
二、背道本身：「他們離棄了 神 的殿，去事奉木偶和偶像」（代下 24:18）。眾首領大概向王有個請求，他們說耶何耶大在世之時不敢提；但如今盼望不會冒犯：就是要在他的治期之初重新設立那些被拆毀的木偶和偶像，因為他們不願被永遠限制在聖殿那沉悶、老舊的事奉裡。他不但允許他們自己如此行，更與他們同夥。王和眾首領不久前還在修殿，如今卻離棄聖殿；那些曾拆毀木偶和偶像的人，如今竟去事奉它們。人是何等反覆無常，又是何等不可信賴！
三、這背道的加重因素，以及罪上加罪。 神「差遣先知到他們那裡」（代下 24:19），責備他們的惡行，告訴他們這事的結局，並要「引導他們歸向耶和華」。傳道人的工作，是把人帶到 神面前——不是帶到自己面前——把那些偏離他的人重新帶回。在最敗壞的時代， 神仍「為自己留下見證」；他們雖然虛假地對待了 神，他仍差遣先知去勸戒教導他們，並保證他們若肯歸回，仍可得恩；因為他情願罪人「回轉而活」，不願他們「繼續而死」，那些滅亡的人必被撇下、無可推諉。先知盡了他們的本分：「他們警戒他們」；但「少有人接受他們的見證」。
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他們輕忽眾先知；不肯聽，與偶像如此奇異地結合，以致任何責備、警告、威脅，或先知所用來勸服他們的各樣方法，都不能挽回他們。少數人肯聽，更少數人肯留意，但肯信、肯受教的更是少之又少。
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他們殺了其中最傑出的一位——「祭司耶何耶大的兒子撒迦利亞」，或許還有別人。關於他，請注意：
（1）他在 神的名裡向他們所傳的信息（代下 24:20）。百姓聚集在聖殿的院中（因為他們並未完全離棄它），大概是在某個莊嚴的節期之時；這位撒迦利亞既被預言之靈充滿，又被（大概）認出是先知，便站在祭司院中某個講臺上，極其坦白卻毫無激怒之言地，向百姓指出他們的罪和罪的後果。他並未控告任何特定的人，也未預言任何特定的審判（先知有時如此行），而是盡可能不冒犯人地提醒他們律法上所記的話。讓他們翻開聖經，就必在那裡找到：［1］他們所違的誡命：「你們干犯耶和華的誡命——你們知道在事奉木偶和偶像之事上你們正是如此。為何如此得罪 神、又損害自己呢？」［2］他們所招的刑罰：「你們知道， 神的話若真實，你們在這惡道上不能亨通；不可指望行惡而得福。不，你們已經發現『因為你們離棄了耶和華，他也離棄了你們』——正如他曾告訴你們他必如此行」（申 29:25，31:16–17）。這是傳道人的工作——藉著 神的話如燈如光，揭露人的罪，解明 神的護理。
（2）他因傳這信息的仁慈與忠心而受他們野蠻的對待（代下 24:21）。因眾首領或其一黨的同謀，並「王的命令」——他認為這公平的警告冒犯了自己——他們立即用石頭把他打死，不是依法律程序控他為褻瀆者、叛逆者或假先知，而是在民間暴動中，「在耶和華殿的院內」——這或許是我們在列王歷史中所讀最可怖的惡行之一。其人是聖的——祭司；其地是聖的——聖殿的院內（內院，「在廊子和祭壇中間」）；其信息更為神聖；我們有理由相信他們知道它是出於預言之靈。責備公允，警告公正，皆有聖經為證，傳遞的方式又極其溫柔懇切；然而他們如此放膽地公然藐視 神自己，除了先知的血之外，再無別物可滿足他們對預言的憤怒。「天哪，要驚奇；地啊，要戰慄！」竟然有人、有以色列人犯下如此惡行——藐視並違背一切公義、尊榮、聖潔之事——一個王、一個與 神立約的王，竟下令謀殺一個本是他職責所要保護和尊榮的人！猶太人說這事包含七項罪行：他們殺了祭司、先知、士師；他們流了無辜之人的血；他們污穢了聖殿的院、安息日和贖罪日——因為按他們的傳統，這事正是發生在贖罪日。
（3）這罪的加重因素：這位撒迦利亞——他因忠於 神和他的國而殉道——是耶何耶大的兒子；耶何耶大在以色列中行了如此多的善事，特別是待約阿施如同父親（代下 24:22）。此事對 神的冒犯、對宗教的輕視，並未如對耶何耶大記念的忘恩那樣被特別提及。他不記念父親的恩情，卻因兒子盡了本分——是父親若在世也必如此行的事——而把他殺了。稱一個人忘恩，便已是最壞的稱呼。
（4）這位殉道者臨終時對殺他之人所發預言性的咒詛：「願耶和華鑒察伸冤！」這不是出於報復之靈，而是出於預言之靈：「他必伸冤。」他們所流之血必如此不斷呼喊，如亞伯的血向該隱呼喊：「讓那屬報應的 神 以血還血。他必如此行，因他是公義的。」這寶貴之血很快就在臨到這位背道君王的審判中被算賬；日後也在迦勒底人毀滅耶路撒冷之時被算入——他們虐待先知，正是招致無可挽救之毀滅的緣由（代下 36:16）；不但如此，我們的主更使他和他福音的逼迫者，為這撒迦利亞的血負責——可見殉道者之血的呼聲何等響亮、何等長久（太 23:35）。祭壇底下之靈魂的呼聲也是如此（啟 6:10）：「你要等到幾時才為我們伸冤呢？」因為這血不會永遠不得伸冤。
四、約阿施因這加重之惡行而招致的 神之審判。1. 一小隊敘利亞人便制伏了耶路撒冷，殺了眾首領，劫掠全城，把擄物送到大馬色（代下 24:23–24）。 神的百姓在與 神相親之時，常在仇敵佔人數優勢之時仍是得勝者；但如今相反，一小撮無足輕重的敘利亞人竟擊潰了「極大的一隊以色列人」，因為他們「離棄了耶和華他們列祖的 神」，於是他們不但與仇敵立於同等地位，更以極大的劣勢對抗；因為他們的 神不但離開他們，更「轉過來作他們的仇敵，與他們爭戰」。敘利亞人被用作 神手中的器皿，向約阿施「施行審判」，雖然他們自己並未如此想（賽 10:6–7；參申 32:30）。2. 神以重病擊打他——身體、心靈、或二者兼有——或如他祖父那樣（代下 21:18），或如掃羅那樣有從 神來的惡魔擾亂他。他在受敘利亞人鞭打之時，心想只要能擺脫他們就必好了。但在他們還沒有離開他之前， 神就以疾病擊打他。報復若追趕人，一個患難的結束不過是另一個患難的開始。3. 他自己的臣僕同謀背叛他。或許他開始指望他的病會得治——他不過中年人，或可康復；但「從坑中上來的，必落在網羅裡」。當他以為可逃避病死之時，卻遇見刀死。他們在床上殺了他，「因為祭司耶何耶大眾子的血」——看來他不僅殺了撒迦利亞，更為他的緣故殺了耶何耶大的其他兒子。或許殺他的人「有意」為那血報仇；但無論他們是否有意，這卻是 神允許他們殺他之意。喝聖徒之血的人，必被賜自己的血喝，因為他們是該當的。這些弒君者此處被記名（代下 24:26），值得注意的是他們二人母親都是外邦人——一個亞捫人，一個摩押人。拜偶像的王或許鼓勵那些為防止拜偶像而被律法禁止的婚姻；請看它們的結果竟是自己的毀滅。4. 他的百姓不肯把他葬在諸王的墳墓裡，因為他以惡政玷污了自己的尊榮。「願他們不與義人同被記錄」（詩 69:28）。這些審判被稱為「加在他身上的重擔」（代下 24:27），因為 神的烈怒是重擔，重得無人能擔。或許也是指先知向他宣告的威脅，因為那些也被稱為「重擔」。通常 神在今世就對背道者加上他特別不悅的記號，作為對所有人的警戒：「當記念羅得的妻子」。
英文原文
Joash Slain by His Servants (845 BC)
¹⁵ But Jehoiada waxed old, and was full of days when he died; a hundred and thirty years old was he when he died.
¹⁶ And they buried him in the city of David among the kings, because he had done good in Israel, both toward God, and toward his house.
¹⁷ Now after the death of Jehoiada came the princes of Judah, and made obeisance to the king. Then the king hearkened unto them.
¹⁸ And they left the house of the LORD God of their fathers, and served groves and idols: and wrath came upon Judah and Jerusalem for this their trespass.
¹⁹ Yet he sent prophets to them, to bring them again unto the LORD; and they testified against them: but they would not give ear.
²⁰ And the Spirit of God came upon Zechariah the son of Jehoiada the priest, which stood above the people, and said unto them, Thus saith God, Why transgress ye the commandments of the LORD, that ye cannot prosper? because ye have forsaken the LORD, he hath also forsaken you.
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.
²³ And it came to pass at the end of the year, that the host of Syria came up against him: and they came to Judah and Jerusalem, and destroyed all the princes of the people from among the people, and sent all the spoil of them unto the king of Damascus.
²⁴ For the army of the Syrians came with a small company of men, and the LORD delivered a very great host into their hand, because they had forsaken the LORD God of their fathers. So they executed judgment against Joash.
²⁵ And when they were departed from him, (for they left him in great diseases,) his own servants conspired against him for the blood of the sons of Jehoiada the priest, and slew him on his bed, and he died: and they buried him in the city of David, but they buried him not in the sepulchres of the kings.
²⁶ And these are they that conspired against him; Zabad the son of Shimeath an Ammonitess, and Jehozabad the son of Shimrith a Moabitess.
²⁷ Now concerning his sons, and the greatness of the burdens laid upon him, and the repairing of the house of God, behold, they are written in the story of the book of the kings. And Amaziah his son reigned in his stead.
We have here a sad account of the degeneracy and apostasy of Joash. God had done great things for him; he had done something for God; but now he proved ungrateful to his God and false to the engagements he had laid himself under to him. How has the gold become dim, and the most fine gold changed! Here we find,
I. The occasions of his apostasy. When he did that which was right it was not with a perfect heart. He never was sincere, never acted from principle, but in compliance to Jehoiada, who had helped him to the crown, and because he had been protected in the temple and rose upon the ruins of idolatry; and therefore, when the wind turned, he turned with it. 1. His good counsellor left him, and was by death removed from him. It was a mercy to him and his kingdom that Jehoiada lived so long-130 years (2Ch 24:15), by which it appears that he was born in Solomon's time, and had lived six entire reigns before this. It was an encouragement to him to go on in that good way which Jehoiada had trained him up in to see what honour was done to Jehoiada at his death: They buried him among the kings, with this honourable encomium (perhaps it was part of the inscription on his grave-stone), that he had done good in Israel. Judah is called Israel, because, the other tribes having revolted from God, they only were Israelites indeed. Note, It is the greatest honour to do good in our generations, and those who do that which is good shall have praise of the same. He had done good towards God; not that any man's goodness can extend unto him, but he had done good towards his house, in reviving the temple service, 2Ch 23:8. Note, Those do the greatest good to their country that lay out themselves in their places to promote religion. Well, Jehoiada finished his course with honour; but the little religion that Joash had was all buried in his grave, and, after his death, both king and kingdom miserably degenerated. See how much one head may sustain, and what a great judgment to any prince or people the death of godly, zealous, useful men is. See how necessary it is that, as our Saviour speaks, we have salt in ourselves, that we act in religion from an inward principle, which will carry us on through all changes. Then the loss of a parent, a minister, a friend, will not involve the loss of our religion. 2. Bad counsellors got about him, insinuated themselves into his affections, wheedled him, flattered him, made obeisance to him, and, instead of condoling, congratulated him upon the death of his old tutor, as his release from the discipline he had been so long under, unworthy a man, a king. They tell him he must be priest-ridden no longer, he is now discharged from grave lessons and restraints, he may do as he pleases: and (would you think it?) the princes of Judah were the men that were so industrious to debauch him, 2Ch 24:17. His father and grandfather were corrupted by the house of Ahab, from whom no better could be expected. But that the princes of Judah should be seducers to their king was very sad. But those that incline to the counsels of the ungodly will never want ungodly counsellors. They made obeisance to the king, flattered him into an opinion of his absolute power, promised to stand by him in making his royal will and pleasure pass for a law, any divine precept or institution to the contrary in any wise notwithstanding. And he hearkened to them: their discourse pleased him, and was more agreeable than Jehoiada's dictates used to be. Princes and inferior people have been many a time thus flattered into their ruin by those who have promised them liberty and dignity, but who have really brought them into the greatest servitude and disgrace.
II. The apostasy itself: They left the house of God, and served groves and idols, 2Ch 24:18. The princes, it is likely, had a request to the king, which they tell him they durst not offer while Jehoiada lived; but now they hope it will give no offence: it is that they may set up the groves and idols again which were thrown down in the beginning of his reign, for they hate to be always confined to the dull old-fashioned service of the temple. And he not only gave them leave to do it themselves, but he joined with them. The king and princes, who, a little while ago, were repairing the temple, now forsook the temple; those who had pulled down groves and idols now themselves served them. So inconstant a thing is man and so little confidence is to be put in him!
III. The aggravations of this apostasy and the additions of guilt to it. God sent prophets to them (2Ch 24:19) to reprove them for their wickedness, and to tell them what would be in the end thereof, and so to bring them again unto the Lord. It is the work of ministers to bring people, not to themselves, but to God—to bring those again to him who have gone a whoring from him. In the most degenerate times God left not himself without witness; though they had dealt very disingenuously with God, yet he sent prophets to them to convince and instruct them, and to assure them that they should find favour with him if yet they would return; for he would rather sinners should turn and live than go on and die, and those that perish shall be left inexcusable. The prophets did their part: they testified against them; but, few or none received their testimony.
1. They slighted all the prophets; they would not give ear, were so strangely wedded to their idols that no reproofs, warnings, threatenings, nor any of the various methods which the prophets took to convince them would reclaim them. Few would hear them, fewer would heed them, but fewest of all would believe them or be governed by them.
2. They slew one of the most eminent, Zechariah the son of Jehoiada, and perhaps others. Concerning him observe,
(1.) The message which he delivered to them in the name of God, 2Ch 24:20. The people were assembled in the court of the temple (for they had not quite left it), probably on occasion of some solemn feast, when this Zechariah, being filled with the spirit of prophecy, and known (it is likely) to be a prophet, stood up in some of the desks that were in the court of the priests, and very plainly, but without any provoking language, told the people of their sin and what would be the consequences of it. He did not impeach any particular persons, nor predict any particular judgments, as sometimes the prophets did, but as inoffensively as possible reminded them of what was written in the law. Let them but look into their Bibles, and there they would find, [1.] The precept they broke: "You transgress the commandments of the Lord, you know you do so, in serving groves and idols: and why will you so offend God and wrong yourselves?" [2.] The penalty they incurred: "You know, if the word of God be true, you cannot prosper in this evil way; never expect to do ill and fare well. Nay, you find already that because you have forsaken the Lord he hath forsaken you, as he told you he would," De 29:25,31:16,17. This is the work of ministers, by the word of God, as a lamp and a light, to expose the sin of men and expound the providences of God.
(2.) The barbarous treatment they gave him for his kindness and faithfulness in delivering this message to them, 2Ch 24:21. By the conspiracy of the princes, or some of their party, and by the commandment of the king, who thought himself affronted by this fair warning, they stoned him to death immediately, not under colour of law, accusing him as a blasphemer, a traitor, or a false prophet, but in a popular tumult, in the court of the house of the Lord—as horrid a piece of wickedness as perhaps any we read of in all the history of the kings. The person was sacred—a priest, the place sacred—the court of the temple (the inner court, between the porch and the altar), the message yet more sacred, and we have reason to think that they knew it came from the spirit of prophecy. The reproof was just, the warning fair, both backed with scripture, and the delivery very gentle and tender; and yet so impudently and daringly do they defy God himself that nothing less than the blood of the prophet can satisfy their indignation at the prophecy. Be astonished, O heavens! at this, and tremble, O earth! that ever such villany should be committed by men, by Israelites, in contempt and violation of every thing that is just, honourable, and sacred—that a king, a king in covenant with God, should command the murder of one whom it was his office to protect and countenance! The Jews say there were seven transgressions in this; for they killed a priest, a prophet, a judge, they shed innocent blood, and polluted the court of the temple, the sabbath, and the day of expiation: for on that day, their tradition says, this happened.
(3.) The aggravation of this sin, that this Zechariah, who suffered martyrdom for his faithfulness to God and his country, was the son of Jehoiada, who had done so much good in Israel, and particularly had been as a father to Joash, 2Ch 24:22. The affront done by it to God, and the contempt put on religion, are not so particularly taken notice of as the ingratitude there was in it to the memory of Jehoiada. He remembered not the kindness of the father, but slew the son for doing his duty, and what the father would have done if he had been there. Call a man ungrateful, and you can call him no worse.
(4.) The dying martyr's prophetic imprecation of vengeance upon his murderers: The Lord look upon it, and require it! This came not from a spirit of revenge, but a spirit of prophecy: He will require it. This would be the continual cry of the blood they shed, as Abel's blood cried against Cain: "Let the God to whom vengeance belongs demand blood for blood. He will do it, for he is righteous." This precious blood was quickly reckoned for in the judgments that came upon this apostate prince; it came into the account afterwards in the destruction of Jerusalem by the Chaldeans—their misusing the prophets was that which brought upon them ruin without remedy (2Ch 36:16); nay, our Saviour makes the persecutors of him and his gospel answerable for the blood of this Zechariah; so loud, so long, does the blood of the martyrs cry. See Mt 23:35. Such as this is the cry of the souls under the altar (Re 6:10), How long ere thou avenge our blood? For it shall not always go unrevenged.
IV. The judgments of God which came upon Joash for this aggravated wickedness of his. 1. A small army of Syrians made themselves masters of Jerusalem, destroyed the princes, plundered the city, and sent the spoil of it to Damascus, 2Ch 24:23,24. God's people, while they kept in with God, had often been conquerors when the enemy had the advantage of the greater number; but now, on the contrary, an inconsiderable handful of Syrians routed a very great host of Israelites, because they had forsaken the Lord God of their fathers, and then they were not only put upon the level with their enemies, but opposed them with the utmost disadvantage; for their God not only departed from them, but turned to be their enemy and fought against them. The Syrians were employed as instruments in God's hand to execute judgments against Joash, though they little thought so, Isa 10:6,7, and see De 32:30. 2. God smote him with great diseases, of body, or mind, or both, either like his grandfather (2Ch 21:18), or, like Saul, an evil spirit from God troubling him. While he was plagued with the Syrians he thought that, if he could but get clear of them, he should do well enough. But, before they departed from him, God smote him with diseases. If vengeance pursue men, the end of one trouble will but be the beginning of another. 3. His own servants conspired against him. Perhaps he began to hope his disease would be cured—he was but a middle-aged man and might recover it; but he that cometh up out of the pit shall fall into the snare. When he thought he should escape death by sickness he met it by the sword. They slew him in his bed for the blood of the sons of Jehoiada, by which it should seem that he did not only slay Zechariah, but others of the sons of Jehoiada for his sake. Perhaps those that slew him intended to take vengeance for that blood; but, whether they did or not, this was what God intended in permitting them to slay him. Those that drink the blood of the saints shall have their own blood given them to drink, for they are worthy. The regicides are here named (2Ch 24:26), and it is observable that the mothers of them both were foreigners, one an Ammonitess and the other a Moabitess. The idolatrous kings, it is likely, countenanced those marriages which the law prohibited for the prevention of idolatry; and see how they resulted in their own destruction. 4. His people would not bury him in the sepulchres of the kings because he had stained his honour by his mal-administration. Let him not be written with the righteous, Ps 69:28. These judgments are called the burdens laid upon him (2Ch 24:27), for the wrath of God is a heavy burden, too heavy for any man to bear. Or it may be meant of the threatenings denounced against him by the prophets, for those are called burdens. Usually God sets some special marks of his displeasure upon apostates in this life, for warning to all to remember Lot's wife.
此處記載的是約阿施在位的歷史。其執政的發展，尤其是結局，與開端並不相稱，也沒有那樣光輝。他如何奇妙地被保全性命、得登王位，我們先前已讀過；如今我們在此看到，他「靠聖靈入門，卻靠肉體成全」。一、在他執政初期，耶何耶大在世之時，他行得正，特別是他用心修繕聖殿，代下二十四1～14。二、在他執政後期，耶何耶大死後，他背道離棄神，而他的背道就成了他的毀滅。1. 他又重新設立巴力的崇拜（代下二十四15～18），雖有人警告他不可如此行，代下二十四19。2. 他因先知撒迦利亞責備他所行的事，便將他處死，代下二十四20～22。3. 神的審判因此臨到他。亞蘭人來犯，代下二十四23、24。他患了重病；自己的臣僕同謀背叛他，將他殺害；並且作為他蒙羞的記號，他沒有被葬在列王的陵墓中，代下二十四25～27。