1. In the seventh year of the reign of King Jehu of Israel, Joash became king of Judah, and he ruled in Jerusalem for forty years. His mother was Zibiah from the city of Beersheba.
2. Throughout his life he did what pleased the Lord, because Jehoiada the priest instructed him.
3. However, the pagan places of worship were not destroyed, and the people continued to offer sacrifices and burn incense there.
4. Joash called the priests and ordered them to save up the money paid in connection with the sacrifices in the Temple, both the dues paid for the regular sacrifices and the money given as freewill gifts.
5. Each priest was to be responsible for the money brought by those he served, and the money was to be used to repair the Temple, as needed.
6. But by the 23rd year of Joash's reign the priests still had not made any repairs to the Temple.
7. So he called in Jehoiada and the other priests and asked them, “Why aren't you repairing the Temple? From now on you are not to keep the money you receive; you must hand it over, so that the repairs can be made.”
8. The priests agreed to this and also agreed not to make the repairs in the Temple.