2 Kings 12:17 - Meaning and Application

When Joash turned away from God and became both an idol worshiper and a persecutor, the hand of the Lord came out against him. His last condition became worse than his first.

His wealth and honor then became easy prey for his neighbors. Hazael, after he had disciplined Israel (2 Kings 10:32), threatened Judah and Jerusalem as well. He captured Gath, a strong city (2 Kings 12:17), and planned to march with his army against Jerusalem, the royal city and the holy city, whose protection had departed because of sin. Joash had neither courage nor strength to stand against him, so he gave Hazael all the dedicated things, along with all the gold found in the royal treasury and in the treasures of the temple (2 Kings 12:18), to persuade him to go another way.

If this was lawful for the sake of public safety, it was better to give up the temple gold than to let the temple itself be exposed. Even so, three things stand out. First, if Joash had not abandoned God and lost his protection, his affairs would never have come to this desperate point, and he might have forced Hazael to retreat. Second, he lowered himself and made himself seem very small, losing the honor of a prince, a soldier, and an Israelite by giving away things set apart for God. Third, he impoverished both himself and his kingdom. Fourth, he encouraged Hazael to return, since he could carry off such a rich prize without fighting for it. That is what happened, for the next year the Syrian army came up against Jerusalem, killed the princes, and plundered the city (2 Chronicles 24:23-24).

His life also became easy prey to his own servants. They plotted against him and killed him (2 Kings 12:20-21). They were not trying to take the kingdom, since they did not stop his son from succeeding him. Their purpose was to avenge some wrong he had done, and 2 Chronicles says that the murder of Jehoiada’s son, the prophet, was the reason for their anger. Whatever injustice they meant in this act, vengeance belonged to God alone, not to them. Still, God was right in judging Joash, and this was not the only time he showed kings that it was dangerous to harm his chosen servants and his prophets. When God comes to call blood to account, the blood of prophets weighs heavily in that account.

So Joash fell, the man who began in the Spirit and ended in the flesh. God often marks apostates, those who turn away after once knowing him, with signs of his displeasure even in this life, because among all sinners they bring the greatest shame on the Lord.