Joash

Joash, also known as Jehoash, was the king of Israel and the son of Jehoahaz. He reigned for sixteen years (2 Kings 13:10; 14.23) and, like his predecessors, did evil in the sight of the Lord (2 Kings 13:11). During his reign, the prophet Elisha fell ill and died, but not before prophesying that Joash would defeat the Arameans three times (2 Kings 13:14–19).

Joash successfully recaptured cities from the Arameans that had been lost during his father's reign (2 Kings 13:25). He also engaged in a war with Amaziah, king of Judah, after Amaziah challenged him to battle (2 Kings 14:8–14; 2 Chronicles 25:17–24). Joash defeated Amaziah, captured him, and broke down a portion of the wall of Jerusalem.

The reigns of Joash and his son Jeroboam II were marked by military successes and the restoration of Israel's borders (2 Kings 14:23–27). However, despite these victories, the biblical text emphasizes that Joash and the kings of Israel continued in the sins of Jeroboam I, leading to the eventual downfall of the northern kingdom (2 Kings 14:24). The prophets Hosea and Amos prophesied during the time of Joash (Hosea 1:1; Amos 1:1), warning of the consequences of Israel's disobedience.