17 Now after the death of Jehoiada the leaders of Judah came and bowed down to the king. And the king listened to them. 18 Therefore they left the house of the Lord God of their fathers, and served nwooden images and idols; and owrath came upon Judah and Jerusalem because of their trespass. 19 Yet He psent prophets to them, to bring them back to the Lord; and they testified against them, but they would not listen.

20 Then the Spirit of God 1came upon qZechariah the son of Jehoiada the priest, who stood above the people, and said to them, “Thus says God: r‘Why do you transgress the commandments of the Lord, so that you cannot prosper? sBecause you have forsaken the Lord, He also has forsaken you.’ ” 21 So they conspired against him, and at the command of the king they tstoned him with stones in the court of the house of the Lord. 22 Thus Joash the king did not remember the kindness which Jehoiada his 2father had done to him, but killed his son; and as he died, he said, “The Lord look on it, and urepay!”