Jehoash
    Jehovah-given. (1.) The son of King Ahaziah. While yet an
    infant, he was saved from the general massacre of the family by
    his aunt Jehosheba, and was apparently the only surviving
    descendant of Solomon (2 Chr. 21:4, 17). His uncle, the high
    priest Jehoiada, brought him forth to public notice when he was
    eight years of age, and crowned and anointed him king of Judah
    with the usual ceremonies. Athaliah was taken by surprise when
    she heard the shout of the people, "Long live the king;" and
    when she appeared in the temple, Jehoiada commanded her to be
    led forth to death (2 Kings 11:13-20). While the high priest
    lived, Jehoash favoured the worship of God and observed the law;
    but on his death he fell away into evil courses, and the land
    was defiled with idolatry. Zechariah, the son and successor of
    the high priest, was put to death. These evil deeds brought down
    on the land the judgement of God, and it was oppressed by the
    Syrian invaders. He is one of the three kings omitted by Matthew
    (1:8) in the genealogy of Christ, the other two being Ahaziah
    and Amaziah. He was buried in the city of David (2 Kings 12:21).
    (See JOASH [4].)

      (2.) The son and successor of Jehoahaz, king of Israel (2
    Kings 14:1; comp. 12:1; 13:10). When he ascended the throne the
    kingdom was suffering from the invasion of the Syrians. Hazael
    "was cutting Israel short." He tolerated the worship of the
    golden calves, yet seems to have manifested a character of
    sincere devotion to the God of his fathers. He held the prophet
    Elisha in honour, and wept by his bedside when he was dying,
    addressing him in the words Elisha himself had used when Elijah
    was carried up into heaven: "O my father, my father, the chariot
    of Israel and the horsemen thereof." He was afterwards involved
    in war with Amaziah, the king of Judah (2 Chr. 25:23-24), whom
    he utterly defeated at Beth-shemesh, on the borders of Dan and
    Philistia, and advancing on Jerusalem, broke down a portion of
    the wall, and carried away the treasures of the temple and the
    palace. He soon after died (B.C. 825), and was buried in Samaria
    (2 Kings 14:1-17, 19, 20). He was succeeded by his son. (See
    JOASH [5.].)



 Jehoash, fire of the Lord