1. Joash was only seven years old when he became king of Judah, and he ruled forty years from Jerusalem. His mother Zibiah was from the town of Beersheba.
2. While Jehoiada the priest was alive, Joash obeyed the Lord by doing right.
3. Jehoiada even chose two women for Joash to marry so he could have a family.
4. Some time later, Joash decided it was time to repair the temple.
5. He called together the priests and Levites and said, “Go everywhere in Judah and collect the annual tax from the people. I want this done straight away—we need that money to repair the temple.”But the Levites were in no hurry to follow the king's orders.
6. So he sent for Jehoiada the high priest and asked, “Why didn't you send the Levites to collect the taxes? The Lord's servant Moses and the people agreed long ago that this tax would be collected and used to pay for the upkeep of the sacred tent.
7. And now we need it to repair the temple because the sons of that evil woman Athaliah came in and wrecked it. They even used some of the sacred objects to worship the god Baal.”