Father of King Joash in 2 Kings 11
The king Joash mentioned in 2 Kings 11:21 (also known as Jehoash) was the son of Ahaziah, king of Judah [7]. Joash was seven years old when he began his reign [1, 2]. His mother was Zibiah of Beersheba [4, 5].
The narrative in 2 Kings 11 describes how Joash came to the throne. After King Ahaziah's death, his mother Athaliah seized power and attempted to destroy all the royal offspring of Judah [9, 10]. However, Jehosheba, King Ahaziah's half-sister, rescued the infant Joash, who was just one year old at the time [13]. Jehosheba hid Joash and his nurse in the temple for six years while Athaliah reigned over the land [10].
After six years, Jehoiada the high priest orchestrated a plan to install Joash as king. He gathered the captains of the guards and the Carites and the guards, bringing them into the temple. He showed them the king's son and made a covenant with them, swearing them to an oath. Jehoiada then armed them and placed guards around the temple and the young king [10]. Joash was then brought out, crowned, and anointed, and the people clapped their hands and shouted, "Long live the king!" [10]. Upon hearing the commotion, Athaliah came to the temple, saw the new king, and cried "Treason! Treason!" She was subsequently seized, led out of the temple, and put to death [10]. Following this, Jehoiada made a covenant between the Lord, the king, and the people, and between the king and the people [9].
It is important to distinguish this Joash, king of Judah, from another king named Joash (or Jehoash) who reigned over Israel [7, 8]. This second Joash was the son of Jehoahaz and grandson of Jehu [15]. He began to reign over Israel in Samaria in the thirty-seventh year of Joash king of Judah [12]. Some commentators suggest that this Joash of Israel may have reigned for two or three years in co-regency with his father, Jehoahaz, before his father's death [11, 12, 14]. Josephus notes that this Joash of Israel was a "good man," which appears to contradict the biblical account in 2 Kings 13:11 that states he "did evil in the sight of the Lord" [6].
The Joash who became king of Judah at age seven "did what was right in the eyes of the LORD" for much of his reign, though not to the same extent as King David. He followed the example of his father, Joash, in his conduct [3].
Sources
- II Kings “II Kings 11:21 (BSB) — Joash was seven years old when he became king.”
- 2 Kings “2 Kings 11:21 (NASB) — Jehoash was seven years old when he became king.”
- II Kings “II Kings 14:3 (BSB) — And he did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, but not as his father David had done. He did everything as his father Joash had done.”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Zibiah — The mother of King Joash (2 Kings 12:1; 2 Chr. 24:1).”
- Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Zibiah — (roe), a native of Beersheba and mother of King Joash. (2 Kings 12:1; 2 Chronicles 24:1) (B.C. 876)”
- Project Gutenberg “Flavius Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews, CHAPTER 14, section 8: son of Jehoahaz, that "he was a good man, and in his disposition not at all like to his father," seems a direct contradiction to our ordinary copies, which say [2 Kings 13:11] that "he did evil in the sight of the Lord; and that he departed not from all the sins of Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin: he walked therein." Which copies are here the truest it is hard positively to determine. If Josephus's be true, this Joash is the single instance of a good king over the ten tribes; if the other be true, we have not ”
- Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Jehoash — (given by the Lord), the uncontracted form of Joash. + The eighth king of Judah; son of Ahaziah. (2 Kings 11:21; 12:1,2,4,6,7,18; 14:13) [[681]Joash, 1] + The twelfth king of Israel; son of Jehoahaz. (2 Kings 13:10,25; 14:8,9,11,13,15,16,17) [[682]Joash, 2]”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Joash — Whom Jehovah bestowed. (1.) A contracted form of Jehoash, the father of Gideon (Judg. 6:11, 29; 8:13, 29, 32). (2.) One of the Benjamite archers who joined David at Ziklag (1 Chr. 12:3). (3.) One of King Ahab's sons (1 Kings 22:26). (4.) King of Judah (2 Kings 11:2; 12:19, 20). (See [318]JEHOASH [1].) (5.) King of Israel (2 Kings 13:9, 12, 13, 25). (See [319]JEHOASH [2].) (6.) 1 Chr. 7:8. (7.) One who had charge of the royal stores of oil under David and Solomon (1 Chr. 27:28).”
- 2 Kings (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on 2 Kings 11 (introduction): INTRODUCTION TO 2 KINGS 11 This chapter relates how that Joash the son of Ahaziah, king of Judah, being hid and preserved, when his grandmother murdered all the seed royal, after six years was produced, Kg2 11:1, when Jehoiada the priest set a sufficient guard about him, and the king's house, and anointed him king, Kg2 11:4, and Athaliah his grandmother, who had reigned six years, was put to death by the order of the priest, Kg2 10:13, and then a covenant was made between the Lord, and the king, and the people, and between the king and the people; and ”
- 2 Kings (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on 2 Kings 11 (introduction): Athaliah destroys all that remain of the seed royal of Judah, Kg2 11:1. Jehosheba hides Joash the son of Ahaziah, and he remains hidden in the house of the Lord six years; and Athaliah reigns over the land, Kg2 11:2, Kg2 11:3. Jehoiada, the high priest, calls the nobles privately together into the temple, shows them the kings son, takes an oath of them, arms them, places guards around the temple, and around the young king's person; they anoint and proclaim him, Kg2 11:4-12. Athaliah is alarmed, comes into the temple, is seized, carried forth, and slain”
- 2 Kings (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on 2 Kings 14:1: In the second year of Joash - This second year should be understood as referring to the time when his father Jehoahaz associated him with himself in the kingdom: for he reigned two years with his father; so this second year of Joash is the first of his absolute and independent government. - See Calmet.”
- 2 Kings (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on 2 Kings 13:10: In the thirty and seventh year of Joash king of Judah, began Jehoash the son of Jehoahaz to reign over Israel in Samaria,.... But inasmuch as his father began to reign in the twenty third of Joash, and reigned seventeen years, Kg2 13:1 this king must begin to reign in the thirty ninth or fortieth of Joash; for the reconciling of which it may be observed, that two of the years of his reign may be supposed to be imperfect; or rather that his son reigned two or three years in his lifetime, being raised up before his father's death to be a saviour of Israel from the Syr”
- 2 Kings (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on 2 Kings 11:2: 11:2 Jehosheba was probably born to Jehoram by a wife other than Athaliah and was therefore Ahaziah’s half-sister (cp. Josephus, Antiquities 9.7.1). • The infant Joash was born to Zibiah of Beersheba (2 Chr 24:1), perhaps a lesser wife of Ahaziah. The baby’s birth might therefore have escaped Athaliah’s notice.”
- 2 Kings (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on 2 Kings 13:10: In the thirty and seventh year - Joash, the son of Jehoahaz, was associated with his father in the government two years before his death. It is this association that is spoken of here. He succeeded him two years after, a little before the death of Elisha. Joash reigned sixteen years, which include the years he governed conjointly with his father. - Calmet.”
- 2 Kings (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on 2 Kings 13:10: We have here Jehoash, or Joash, the son of Jehoahaz and grandson of Jehu, upon the throne of Israel. Probably the house of Jehu intended some respect to the house of David when they gave this heir-apparent to the crown the same name with him that was then king of Judah. I. The general account here given of him and his reign is much the same with what we have already met with, and has little in it remarkable, Kg2 13:10-13. He was none of the worst, and yet, because he kept up that ancient and politic idolatry of the house of Jeroboam, it is said, He did that whic”