What Can We Learn from King Joash of Judah in the Bible?

King Joash is one of the Old Testament’s most interesting kings. Since he’s one of Judah’s later kings, generations away from David and Solomon, many people don’t know details about his life. Yet his story is extraordinary. Joash endured political violence, tragedy, and intrigue from a young age. The biblical account of his life has a great deal to teach us today.

Does Joash Have More than One Name in the Bible?

The name Joash (pronounced “Yehoash” in Hebrew) means “Yahweh has given” or “God has bestowed.” This name reflects the divine providence and favor associated with his birth and reign.

Reading Joash’s story can be confusing, however, since he’s called by two names. He is sometimes called Joash (2 Kings 11:2, 2 Chronicles 22:11), and other times Jehoash (2 Kings 12:1, 2 Chronicles 24:1). Both names are essentially the same: “Jehoash” is the longer form featuring the prefix Yeho (short for Yahweh).

Variations in language, translation, and cultural contexts mean that several Old Testament kings have multiple names. For example, King Uzziah is also called Azariah—2 Kings 15:1-7 calls him Azariah, while 2 Chronicles 26:1-23 calls him Uzziah. This discrepancy likely comes from different scribes, possibly in different traditions, recording his name differently.

Similarly, King Jehoiachin of Judah (famous for being exiled after Babylon II captured Jerusalem) is also called Jeconiah and Coniah. 2 Kings 24:8-17 calls him Jehoiachin, while Jeremiah 22:24-30 calls him Coniah.

Sometimes, kings get different names for political reasons. King Zedekiah was originally named Mattaniah, but when Nebuchadnezzar II appointed him as king of Judah, he changed his name to Zedekiah (2 Kings 24:17). If the goal was to control the king by renaming him (like Daniel and his friends were giving Babylonian names), it didn’t work: Zedekiah rebelled against Babylon, and Nebuchadnezzar responded by destroying Jerusalem.

These differing names reflect the complexity of transcribing and translating Bible passages, which requires considering how scribes in various traditions handled historical records.

More important than Joash’s names are the details of his life. His powerful story speaks to the importance of faithfulness and the consequences of straying from God’s commandments.

What Does the Bible Tell Us about Joash?

Joash was born into the royal line of Judah: He was the son of King Ahaziah. His life began in turmoil when his grandmother, Athaliah, seized the throne and tried to kill all potential heirs. This would have also eliminated the line of David—prophesied to produce the Messiah one day. However, Jehosheba bravely saved her nephew by taking him to the temple, where the high priest Jehoida hid him for six years (2 Kings 11:2-3). Jehoiada orchestrated a coup against Athaliah when Joash was seven years old. He crowned Joash in the temple, and Athaliah was promptly executed when she tried to interfere.

Jehoiada played a crucial role in Joash’s early reign, guiding him in God’s ways and helping restore Judah to worshipping the true God (2 Kings 11:4-21). He also influenced Joash to hold a fundraising campaign to restore the temple that Athaliah had neglected. Joash ensured the priests and Levites gathered funds from the people and supervised the repairs to completion (2 Kings 12:4-15). This project kickstarted revival, refreshing the people’s adherence to their covenant with Yahweh.

However, Joash’s reign took a negative turn after Jehoiada’s death. Corrupt officials led Joash away from God. He allowed the people to fall into idolatry, forsaking the covenant and provoking God's anger.

The departure from God had severe consequences, which became clear when Zechariah, the son of Jehoiada, appeared. While he was not the prophet Zechariah, he fulfilled a similar prophetic role. Filled with God’s Spirit, Zechariah rebuked the people for their unfaithfulness, warning about impending judgment. Joash ordered Zechariah to be stoned in the temple court (2 Chronicles 24:20-22). The act—killing Jehoida’s son near where Jehoida had killed Athalia—contrasted sharply with his mentor’s actions, showing Joash’s moral decline.

Joash’s sin meant that his reign ended in turmoil. The invaded Arameans defeated his forces. After being severely wounded, Joash’s officials assassinated him (2 Kings 12:20-21, 2 Chronicles 24:23-27).

How Long Does Joash Reign As King?

Joash was crowned as a child and reigned for 40 years—approximately 835 to 796 BC.

Judah experienced a tumultuous period following Joash’s death: cycles of reform and apostasy, leading to the Babylonian exile. Joash’s son, Amaziah, succeeded him, but his reign ended in assassination after a military defeat and a lapse into idolatry (2 Chronicles 25). His son, Uzziah (also known as Azariah), enjoyed a long and prosperous reign marked by military successes and fortifications. However, Uzziah’s pride led to his downfall when he unlawfully entered the temple to burn incense, resulting in leprosy (2 Chronicles 26).

Jotham, Uzziah’s son, maintained stability and godliness. His successor, Ahaz, turned Judah back to idolatry and sought alliances with Assyria, leading to moral and political decline (2 Chronicles 28). Ahaz’s son, Hezekiah, brought significant religious reforms, restored temple worship, and trusted God to deliver Judah from Assyrian threats (2 Kings 18-20).

Manasseh, Hezekiah’s son, reversed his father’s reforms, leading Judah into its most sinful period with rampant idolatry and bloodshed. Late in life, Manasseh repented, but the damage was extensive (2 Chronicles 33). His son, Amon, continued in idolatry but was quickly assassinated. Josiah initiated extensive reforms and renewed the covenant with Yahweh after discovering the Book of the Law in the temple (2 Kings 22-23).

Despite Josiah’s righteous efforts, his successors failed to maintain these reforms. Jehoahaz, Jehoiakim, Jehoiachin, and Zedekiah, the last kings of Judah, all succumbed to political instability and idolatry. Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon eventually besieged Jerusalem, leading to its fall in 586 BCE, the temple’s destruction, and the Babylonian exile of the people (2 Kings 24-25).

Why Are Joash’s Ancestors So Evil?

Given the fact that his grandmother tried to kill him, we may wonder what kind of family Joash came from. In fact, the evil started even earlier than Athaliah.

Athaliah was the daughter of Ahab and Jezebel—the infamous king and queen of Israel. Jezebel was known for her devotion to the Canaanite god Baal, for relentlessly persecuting Yahweh’s prophets (1 Kings 18:4), and for orchestrating Naboth’s to seize his vineyard for Ahab (1 Kings 21:1-24). Ahab’s personality is less striking: he is remembered for his weak character, blaming others (Elijah and other prophets) for his reign going poorly, and for always following Jezebel’s lead. After marrying her, Ahab allowed Baal worship to spread throughout Israel. Elijah repeatedly warned about the corruption that Ahab was allowing into his kingdom (1 Kings 16:31-33).

Athaliah continued her parents’ corruption and spread it further: her marriage to Jehoram spread the evil influence to another kingdom. As a result, her son Ahaziah walked in the ways of Ahab’s house, continuing the legacy of idolatry and evil (2 Kings 8:27). Her actions after Ahaziah’s death showed even more graphically how she continued in her parents’ footsteps.

These ancestors profoundly impacted Joash’s life and his nation’s spiritual climate.

What Can We Learn from Joash’s Reign Today?

Christians today can learn several valuable lessons—about mentoring, faith, and unfaithfulness—from King Joash’s reign.

First, God keeps his promises. The Lord established a covenant with David to produce the Christ, an eternal king. God protected Judah's royal line despite Athaliah’s violent and evil plans. We’ve been given promises and an inheritance through Christ. God tells us everything works together for good for those who love him and are called according to his purpose and will (Romans 8:28). Just as God protected the royal line, we can trust him to do what he promised.

Second, godly mentorship and guidance make a significant difference. Joash became king at a young age, and his early success relied on Jehoiada’s influence (2 Kings 12:2). We all need wise, godly mentors who can provide direction and support. Often, we must seek these mentors out (especially after a past mentor has died or moved away) and prioritize the relationships. When we make those priorities, our spiritual lives flourish.

Third, negative associations that turn us away from God’s guidance will have dark consequences we don’t anticipate. After Jehoiada’s death, Joash fell under the influence of corrupt officials. Remaining steadfast in our faith requires being cautious about the company we keep. Just as we need positive mentors, we need to reject negative influences.

Fourth, our faith shouldn’t solely rely on outside influence. We must develop our own personal commitment to faith. While Joash followed God’s ways under Jehoiada’s influence, his faith wasn’t deeply rooted enough to continue when new influences entered his life. Growing into maturity means ensuring our foundation rests on Christ alone, not on other’s faith. A personal commitment helps us remain steadfast even when temptations arrive, and mentors aren’t present to help us fight back.

Finally, Joash’s downfall highlights the severe consequences of unfaithfulness. He ignored Zechariah’s warning, but silencing his critic didn’t change the consequences of his actions. Death still resulted from his apostasy. We must heed God’s word and remain obedient even when correction sounds harsh. The Father leads us through the Spirit to keep us from death and destruction, all from his great love for us.

Photo Credit: Public domain photo via Wikimedia Commons.

Britt Mooney lives and tells great stories. As an author of fiction and non-fiction, he is passionate about teaching ministries and nonprofits the power of storytelling to inspire and spread truth. Mooney has a podcast called Kingdom Over Coffee and is a published author of We Were Reborn for This: The Jesus Model for Living Heaven on Earth as well as Say Yes: How God-Sized Dreams Take Flight.

This article is part of our People from the Bible Series featuring the most well-known historical names and figures from Scripture. We have compiled these articles to help you study those whom God chose to set before us as examples in His Word. May their lives and walks with God strengthen your faith and encourage your soul.

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