Jehoiada

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A priest during the reigns of Ahaziah, Athaliah, and Joash in Judah. When king Ahaziah died, the queen mother, Athaliah seized power and ordered a massacre of the royal family. But Ahaziah's sister Jehosheba hid the kings infant son Joash, and gave him to the care of her husband, a priest Jehoiada.

Joash was hidden for six years before Jehoiada gathered up a armed guard, had the wicked Athaliah killed and publicly crowned Joash as the rightful king of Judah. Jehoiada served as an advisor to Joash during his youth. Under his oversight, the temple of Baal was torn down, and Jehoiada and king Joash restored the Temple of the Lord to its former glory.

Jehoiada served the king until he "grew old and full of days" (2 Chron. 24:15). He died at the age of 130. His good deeds earned him a burial in the royal tombs "because he had done good in Israel, both towards God and his house" (2 Chron. 24:15-16). While Jehoiada was alive, Joash "did what was right in the eyes of the Lord all the days of Jehoiada the priest" (2 Chron. 24:2). But king Joash's character deteriorated in the years following Jehoiada's death.

The name Jehoiada means "God has known."

Next person in the Bible: Jehoiakim, King of Judah

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