16 He was buried with the kings in the City of David, because of the good he had done in Israel for God and his temple.

The Wickedness of Joash

17 After the death of Jehoiada, the officials of Judah came and paid homage to the king, and he listened to them. 18 They abandonedu the temple of the Lord, the God of their ancestors, and worshiped Asherah poles and idols.v Because of their guilt, God’s angerw came on Judah and Jerusalem. 19 Although the Lord sent prophets to the people to bring them back to him, and though they testified against them, they would not listen.x

20 Then the Spirity of God came on Zechariahz son of Jehoiada the priest. He stood before the people and said, “This is what God says: ‘Why do you disobey the Lord’s commands? You will not prosper.a Because you have forsaken the Lord, he has forsakenb you.’ ”

21 But they plotted against him, and by order of the king they stonedc him to deathd in the courtyard of the Lord’s temple.e 22 King Joash did not remember the kindness Zechariah’s father Jehoiada had shown him but killed his son, who said as he lay dying, “May the Lord see this and call you to account.”f