15. Jehoiada grew old. He had lived many years. Then he died when he was 130 years old.
16. Jehoiada was buried in Jerusalem with the kings. He was buried there because he had done much good in Israel for God and his Temple.
17. After Jehoiada died, the officers of Judah came and bowed down to King Joash. The king listened to them.
18. The king and these leaders stopped worshiping in the Temple of the Lord. He is the God their ancestors obeyed. The king and the officers began to worship the Asherah idols and other idols. Because they did wrong, God was angry with the people of Judah and Jerusalem.
19. The Lord sent prophets to the people to turn them back to him. The prophets warned them, but the people refused to listen.
20. Then the Spirit of God entered Zechariah son of Jehoiada the priest. Zechariah stood before the people and said, “This is what God says: ‘Why do you disobey the Lord’s commands? You will not be successful. You have left the Lord. So the Lord has also left you.’”
21. But the king and his officers made plans against Zechariah. The king commanded them to kill Zechariah. So they threw stones at him in the Temple courtyard until he died.
22. King Joash did not remember Jehoiada’s kindness to him. So Joash killed Zechariah, Jehoiada’s son. Before Zechariah died, he said, “May the Lord see what you are doing and punish you.”