1. Joash began to rule during Jehu’s seventh year as king of Israel. Joash ruled 40 years in Jerusalem. His mother was named Zibiah of Beersheba.
2. For as long as he lived, Joash did what the Lord considered right. He did what Jehoiada the priest taught him.
3. But he did not destroy the high places. The people still made sacrifices and burned incense at those places of worship.
4-5. Joash said to the priests, “There is much money in the Lord’S Temple. People have given things to the Temple and have paid the Temple tax when they were counted. And they have given money simply because they wanted to. You priests should take that money and repair the Lord’S Temple. Each priest should use the money he gets from the people he serves. He should use that money to repair the damage to the Temple.”
6. In the 23rd year that Joash was king, the priests still had not repaired the Temple,
7. so King Joash called for Jehoiada the priest and the other priests. Joash said to them, “Why haven’t you repaired the Temple? Stop taking money from the people you serve. That money must be used to repair the Temple.”