2 Kings 13:10

A BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE REIGN OF JOASH IN ISRAEL

"In the thirty and seventh year of Joash king of Judah began Jehoash the son of Jehoahaz to reign over Israel in Samaria, and reigned sixteen years. And he did that which was evil in the sight of Jehovah; he departed not from all the sins of Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, wherewith he made Israel to sin; but he walked therein. Now the rest of the acts of Joash, and all that he did, and his might wherewith he fought against Amaziah king of Judah, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel? And Joash slept with his fathers; and Jeroboam sat upon his throne: and Joash was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel."

Many scholars consider the balance of this chapter as a kind of afterthought on the part of the author, because he suddenly remembered these important particulars connected with the life and death of Elisha. The sacred verdict on the life of Joash king of Israel was simple enough. "He did that which was evil in the sight of Jehovah." It is interesting that Josephus flatly declared that, "Joash was a good man,"[16] an opinion that Josephus might have formed from the kindness Joash showed to Elisha in his terminal illness (2 Kings 13:14ff). We do not believe that Josephus' opinion was correct; but if it should be allowed, then Joash is the only one of the kings of Northern Israel who was ever so-called a "good man."

King Jehoash is called "Joash" in 2 Kings 13:12; and thus we have a king Joash in both Israel and Judah. "These two kings Joash were contemporary for a period of about three years."[17] Facts like this add to the confusion one encounters in trying to keep the records of all these kings in the proper perspective.