Jehoash in Easton's Bible Dictionary
Jehovah-given. (1.) The son of King Ahaziah. While yet an
infant, he was saved from the general massacre of
the family by
his aunt Jehosheba, and was apparently the only
surviving
descendant of Solomon (2 Chr. 21:4, 17). His uncle,
the high
priest Jehoiada, brought him forth to public notice
when he was
eight years of age, and crowned and anointed him
king of Judah
with the usual ceremonies. Athaliah was taken by
surprise when
she heard the shout of the people, "Long live the
king;" and
when she appeared in the temple, Jehoiada commanded
her to be
led forth to death (2 Kings 11:13-20). While the
high priest
lived, Jehoash favoured the worship of God and
observed the law;
but on his death he fell away into evil courses, and
the land
was defiled with idolatry. Zechariah, the son and
successor of
the high priest, was put to death. These evil deeds
brought down
on the land the judgement of God, and it was
oppressed by the
Syrian invaders. He is one of the three kings
omitted by Matthew
(1:8) in the genealogy of Christ, the other two
being Ahaziah
and Amaziah. He was buried in the city of David (2
Kings 12:21).
(See JOASH -T0002078 [4].)
(2.) The son and successor of Jehoahaz, king of
Israel (2
Kings 14:1; comp. 12:1; 13:10). When he ascended the
throne the
kingdom was suffering from the invasion of the
Syrians. Hazael
"was cutting Israel short." He tolerated the worship
of the
golden calves, yet seems to have manifested a
character of
sincere devotion to the God of his fathers. He held
the prophet
Elisha in honour, and wept by his bedside when he
was dying,
addressing him in the words Elisha himself had used
when Elijah
was carried up into heaven: "O my father, my father,
the chariot
of Israel and the horsemen thereof." He was
afterwards involved
in war with Amaziah, the king of Judah (2 Chr.
25:23-24), whom
he utterly defeated at Beth-shemesh, on the borders
of Dan and
Philistia, and advancing on Jerusalem, broke down a
portion of
the wall, and carried away the treasures of the
temple and the
palace. He soon after died (B.C. 825), and was
buried in Samaria
(2 Kings 14:1-17, 19, 20). He was succeeded by his
son. (See
JOASH -T0002078 [5.].)
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