Joash's life, as the writer narrated it, proves again the principles that Chronicles stresses. God was faithful to His promise to provide rulers over His people from David's descendants. Each king's success depended on his submission to God's authority as expressed in the Law of Moses and the announcements of the prophets. The writer evaluated each king's success and measured it by his attitude toward prescribed worship that centered at the temple.
"His rule . . . serves as a characterization in miniature for the historical course of his entire nation."64
The use of boxes or baskets to receive the gifts of the people was common in the ancient Near East.65Coined money did not exist before the seventh century B.C., so the people evidently brought their contributions in the form of refined or unrefined metals.
The priests were to instruct the kings in God's Law. As long as Joash listened to this instruction, he succeeded. When he stopped listening, he began to fail. He began to lead the people away from God.
Nevertheless God did not abandon His people because they had abandoned Him. He sent at least one prophet to warn them to return to Him or experience discipline (v. 20). When the people refused to respond properly, judgment followed (vv. 21-27). The way of repentance was still open to the people (cf. 6:24-25; Jer. 18:7-10).
The murder of Zechariah was especially heinous. He died in the very courtyard where "Jehoiada and his sons"(23:11) had anointed his executioner, Joash, as king.66Ironically Jehoiada sought to protect the sanctity of the temple from murder (23:14-15), but his own son was murdered there.67
In this chapter in particular the people's response to the temple clearly reflects their response to God (vv. 4, 5, 13, 18, 20, 24). This is always the case in Chronicles.
