- 24-
The Book of Chronicles traces his fate to the murder of "the son [grandson]*** of
Jehoiada" - not, indeed, in the sense of this having been the motive of the conspirators,
but as marking the real cause of his tragic end.
- The expression, "as one goeth down to Silla" (2 Kings 12:20), probably marks a
locality, but is difficult of explanation.
** The difference in the names in 2 Kings 12:21 and 2 Chronicles 24:26 is easily
explained. The first name in 2 Kings, Jozachar, is in 2 Chronicles Zabad, the initial "Jo" -
Jehovah - being (as easily perceived) dropped, and the Zachar ( rkz ) becoming, by a
clerical error, Zabad ( dbz ). The name of the mother of the second of the murderers is
given in Chronicles in the fuller form of Shimrith. We owe to the account in Chronicles
the notice of the nationality of the two mothers.
*** The plural, "sons of Jehoiada," in 2 Chronicles 24:25, is evidently a clerical error -
ynb for öb. So also the LXX. and Vulg.
No doubt the conspiracy itself was due to the unpopularity which the king had incurred in
consequence of the successive national disasters which marked the close of his reign.
And even those who had most wished to see the sternness of Jehovah-worship relaxed in
favor of the service of Baal must have felt that all the national calamities had been
connected with the murder of Zechariah in the Temple, which they would impute to the
king. Thus, not only religion, but superstition also, would be arrayed against Joash. Even
his murder produced no revulsion in popular feeling. Joash was indeed buried "in the city
of David," but "not in the sepulchers of the kings."*
- Rabbinic writings note the strict accordance between the fate of Joash and his conduct.
He cast off the yoke of the kingdom of God, so did his servants cast off the yoke of his
rule; Joash forgot what he owed to Jehoiada, so did his servants what they owed to their
lord; Joash killed, and he was killed; Joash heeded not the dignity of his victim, nor did
his servants heed that he was a king, the son of a king.
(^)