King Jehoash, also known as Joash, of Judah reigned for forty years after a tumultuous beginning. Hidden in the Temple for six years during the unlawful reign of his grandmother Athaliah, he was crowned king at the age of seven by his uncle, Jehoiada the priest, who also had Athaliah put to death. At that time, the people of Judah tore down the temple of Baal, broke its altars and images, and killed the priest of Baal. God's summary of Jehoash's reign reveals that he did what was right in the sight of the LORD all the days in which Jehoiada instructed him, yet the high places were not taken away, and the people still sacrificed and burned incense on them. Jehoash accomplished good deeds, such as overcoming obstacles to repair the Temple, and was not swayed by the wicked ways of his grandmother or the family of Ahab, proving to be a more moral king than his father or grandfather. However, the high places constructed during their reigns remained, as Jehoash lacked the resolve to destroy these spiritual stumbling blocks. Jehoiada, as the moral force behind Jehoash, re-instituted the covenant, reminding the people of their obligations and motivating them to rid the land of Baal-worship. Upon Jehoiada's death, however, Jehoash's uprightness ceased. God raised up Jehoiada's son, Zechariah, to reprove Jehoash for transgressing the commandments of the LORD, warning that because he had forsaken the LORD, He had also forsaken him. In response, Jehoash commanded that Zechariah be stoned in the Temple courtyard, disregarding both God and the kindness shown by Zechariah's father. Consequently, Jehoash's servants conspired against him and killed him; though buried in Jerusalem, he was not laid to rest with the other kings. Jehoash's spiritual strength depended on the presence of a godly influence. While under Jehoiada's guidance, he aligned himself with the priest's moral direction, but after Jehoiada's death, he succumbed to foolish advice, re-instituting idolatry and aligning with other leaders of Judah who shaped the kingdom to their own desires. Thus, while he did what was right in the sight of God under a moral father figure, the high places remained, as they were not personally abhorrent to him, and he lacked the character to oppose the prevailing influences in Judah.

Jehoash, also known as Joash, was a king of Judah who did what was right in the sight of the LORD during his reign, yet he failed to remove the high places from the kingdom. In his youth, he had the guidance of a strong and moral priest, but after the priest's death, Jehoash revealed a lack of personal character. He succumbed to idolatry and ultimately died without honor. His initial righteous path deteriorated over time, marking a spiritual regression that contributed to his downfall and negatively impacted those under and after his rule.

King Jehoash, also known as Joash, of the southern kingdom of Judah did what was right in the sight of the LORD, but only during the lifetime of Jehoiada the priest. Despite surpassing the righteousness of his father and grandfather, he failed to remove the pagan high places from Judah. After Jehoiada's death, he succumbed to the influence of other leaders in Judah, leading him into idolatry. His reign ended in disgrace, as he was assassinated by his servants and buried apart from the other kings.