2 Kings - Chapters 11-12

The Amazing Bible. Book Club

These chapters focus of the southern tribes of Judah. After Jehu killed Ahaziah, king of Judah, his mother Athaliah, killed off everyone from the family, and she became king for six years. Thankfully she did not kill off everyone, for Ahaziah's sister, hid her baby brother, Joash, also known as Jehoash. She took him and his nurse to the temple of the Lord to hide until it was time. When he became seven years old, the priest, Jehoiada, first revealed him to the commanders, then during the changing of the guard, when the one group was to leave, they stayed as well and all the soldiers stood around the king and protected him. They were to kill anyone who approached the king. Jehoiada the priest, put the crown on his head, gave him a copy of the covenant, and proclaimed him king. The people rejoiced greatly. When Queen Athaliah heard the noise, she ran to the temple, and saw the king, plus the people's response, and she cried out, "Treason! Treason!" The soldiers removed her from the temple complex and then killed her, and anyone following her. The young king was then taken to the palace and placed on his throne. One of the great things that king Joash did was repair the temple. When it was in the hands of the priests to do it, it didn't get done, so after twenty-three years, when he was 30, he put the royal secretary and the high priest in charge of the money raised, and it went directly to the workers of the temple.
We also learned that since Hazael had taken over the eastern land of Israel, he now planned to take Jerusalem, but King Joash, gave him the silver and gold from the temple treasury and from the palace. Joash reigned for 40 years, and was killed by his officials, and was buried in the City of David with his fathers. His son, Amaziah succeeded him.