1 Tinha Joás sete anos quando começou a reinar, e reinou quarenta anos em Jerusalém. Sua mãe chamava-se Zíbia de Berseba.2 Joás fez o que era reto aos olhos de Jeová todos os dias do sacerdote Joiada.3 Tomou-lhe Joiada duas mulheres, das quais teve filhos e filhas.4 Depois disto resolveu Joás restaurar a casa de Jeová.5 Congregou os sacerdotes e os levitas e disse-lhes: Saí pelas cidades de Judá, e levantai de todo o Israel dinheiro para reparardes a casa de vosso Deus de ano em ano, e fazei isto depressa. Contudo os levitas não o fizeram depressa.6 O rei mandou chamar o sacerdote Joiada, e perguntou-lhe: Por que não tens obrigado os levitas a trazerem de Judá e de Jerusalém o imposto que Moisés, servo de Jeová, pôs sobre a congregação de Israel, para a tenda do testemunho?7 Pois os filhos de Atália, essa mulher ímpia, tinham arruinado a casa de Deus; e usaram todas as coisas sagradas da casa de Jeová no serviço dos Baalins.8 Mandou o rei, e fizeram um cofre, e puseram-no do lado de fora à porta da casa de Jeová.9 Publicou-se em Judá e em Jerusalém que trouxessem para Jeová o imposto que Moisés, servo de Deus, tinha lançado sobre Israel no deserto.10 Regozijaram-se todos os príncipes e todo o povo, e trouxeram o imposto e o lançaram no cofre, até ficar cheio.11 Quando o cofre era levado para o rei examiná-lo por meio dos levitas, na ocasião em que estes viam que havia muito dinheiro, vinham o escrivão do rei e o deputado do sumo sacerdote e esvaziavam o cofre e, tomando-o, tornaram a levá-lo para o seu lugar. Assim faziam dia após dia, e ajuntaram dinheiro em abundância.12 O rei e Joiada deram-no aos que estavam encarregados do serviço da casa de Jeová, os quais alugaram pedreiros e carpinteiros para restaurarem a casa de Jeová, bem como os que trabalhavam em ferro e em bronze para repararem a casa de Jeová.13 Assim trabalhavam os oficiais, e por eles a obra era levada à perfeição, e restituíram a casa de Deus ao seu estado, e a consolidaram.14 Tendo eles acabado a obra, trouxeram ao rei e ao Joiada o resto do dinheiro, de que se fizeram vasos para a casa de Jeová, vasos para se usar no ministério e nas ofertas, e colheres, e vasos de ouro e de prata. Ofereceram holocaustos continuamente na casa de Jeová durante todos os dias de Joiada.15 Joiada, porém, envelheceu e, cheio de dias, morreu. Tinha ele cento e trinta anos quando morreu.16 Sepultaram-no com os reis na cidade de Davi, porque tinha feito o bem em Israel, e para com Deus e sua casa.17 Ora depois da morte de Joiada, vieram os príncipes de Judá, e prostraram-se diante do rei. Então o rei lhes deu ouvidos.18 Abandonaram a casa de Jeová, Deus de seus pais, e serviram aos aserins e os ídolos; e por esta sua culpa veio grande ira sobre Judá e sobre Jerusalém.19 Contudo Jeová lhes enviou profetas para os reconduzir a si; estes protestaram contra eles, que não lhes quiseram, porém, dar ouvidos.20 O espírito de Deus apoderou-se de Zacarias, filho do sacerdote Joiada, que se pôs em pé acima do povo, e lhe disse: Assim diz Deus: Por que transgredis vós os mandamentos de Jeová, de modo que não possais prosperar? porque abandonastes a Jeová, ele também vos abandonará.21 Conspiraram contra ele, e por ordem do rei o apedrejaram no átrio da casa de Jeová.22 Assim o rei Joás não se lembrou da bondade que Joiada, pai de Zacarias, lhe mostrara, mas matou-lhe o filho. Este quando expirava, disse: Veja-o Jeová, e o retribua.23 Decorrido o ano, subiu contra ele o exército dos siros; e vindo a Judá e a Jerusalém, destruíram dentre o povo a todos os seus príncipes, cujo despojo remeteram todo ao rei de Damasco.24 Veio o exército dos siros composto de poucos homens; mas Jeová entregou-lhes nas mãos um exército mui grande, porque tinham deixado a Jeová, Deus de seus pais. Assim executaram juízos sobre Joás.25 Quando os siros se retiraram dele (pois o deixaram muito doente), conspiraram contra ele os seus servos por causa do sangue dos filhos do sacerdote Joiada, e o mataram no seu leito, e ele morreu. Sepultaram-no na cidade de Davi, porém não o sepultaram nos sepulcros dos reis.26 Estes são os que conspiraram contra ele: Zebade, filho de Simeate amonita, e Jozabade, filho de Sinrete moabita.27 Ora quanto a seus filhos, e ao número das profecias de que foi objeto, e à restauração da casa de Deus, eis que estão escritos no comentário do livro dos reis. Em seu lugar reinou seu filho Amazias.

1 Joas was seven years old when he began to reign: and he reigned forty years in Jerusalem : the name of his mother was Sebia of Bersabee.2 And he did that which is good before the Lord all the days of Joiada the priest.3 And Joiada took for him two wives, by whom he had sons and daughters.4 After this Joas had a mind to repair the house of the Lord.5 And he assembled the priests, and the Levites, and said to them: Go out to the cities of Juda, and gather of all Israel money to repair the temple of your God, from year to year: and do this with speed: but the Levites were negligent.6 And the king called Joiada the chief, and said to him: Why hast thou not taken care to oblige the Levites to bring in out of Juda and Jerusalem the money that was appointed by Moses the servant of the Lord for all the multitude of Israel to bring into the tabernacle of the testimony?7 For that wicked woman Athalia, and her children have destroyed the house of God, and adorned the temple of Baal with all the things that had been dedicated in the temple of the Lord.8 And the king commanded, and they made a chest: and set it by the gate of the house of the Lord on the outside.9 And they made a proclamation in Juda and Jerusalem, that every man should bring to the Lord the money which Moses the servant of God appointed for all Israel, in the desert.10 And all the princes, and all the people rejoiced: and going In they contributed and cast so much into the chest of the Lord, that it was filled.11 And when it was time to bring the chest before the king by the hands of the Levites, (for they saw there was much money,) the king's scribe, and he whom the high priest had appointed went in: and they poured out the money that was in the chest: and they carried back the chest to its place: and thus they did from day to day, and there was gathered an immense sum of money.12 And the king and Joiada gave it to those who were over the works of the house of the Lord: but they hired with it stonecutters, and artificers of every kind of work to repair the house of the Lord: and such as wrought in iron and brass, to uphold what began to be falling.13 And the workmen were diligent, and the breach of the walls was closed up by their hands, and they set up the house of the Lord in its former state, and made it stand firm.14 And when they had finished all the works, they brought the rest of the money before the king and Joiada: and with it were made vessels for the temple for the ministry, and for holocausts and bowls, and other vessels of gold and silver : and holocausts were offered in the house of the Lord continually all the days of Joiada.15 But Joiada grew old and was full of days, and died when he was a hundred and thirty years old.16 And they buried him in the city of David among the kings, because he had done good to Israel, and to his house.17 And after the death of Joiada, the princes of Juda went in, and worshipped the king: and he was soothed by their services and hearkened to them.18 And they forsook the temple of the Lord the God of their fathers, and served groves and idols, and wrath came upon Juda and Jerusalem for this sin.19 And he sent prophets to them to bring them back to the Lord, and they would not give ear when they testified against them.20 The spirit of God then came upon Zacharias the son of Joiada the priest, and he stood in the sight of the people, and said to them: Thus saith the Lord God: Why transgress you the commandment of the Lord which will not be for your good, and have forsaken the Lord, to make him forsake you?21 And they gathered themselves together against him, and stoned him at the king's commandment in the court of the house of the Lord.22 And king Joas did not remember the kindness that Joiada his father had done to him, but killed his son. And when he died, he said: The Lord see, and require it.23 And when a year was come about, the army of Syria came up against him: and they came to Juda and Jerusalem, end killed all the princes of the people, and they sent all the spoils to the king of Damascus.24 And whereas there came a very small number of the Syrians, the Lord delivered into their hands an infinite multitude, because they had forsaken the Lord the God of their fathers: and on Joas they executed shameful judgments.25 And departing they left him in diseases: and his servants rose up him, for revenge of the blood of the son of Joiada the priest, and they slew him in his bed, and he died: and they buried him in the city of David, but not in the sepulchres of the kings.26 Now the men that conspired against him were Zabad the son of Semmaath an Ammonitess, and Jozabad the son of Semarith a Moabitess.27 And concerning his sons, and the sum of money which was gathered under him, and the repairing the house of God; they are written more diligently in the book of kings: and Amasias his son reigned in his stead.