(21) For Jozachar . . . smote him.--Rather, And Jozachar . . . it was that smote him. The names are different in Chronicles. (See the Note on 2Chronicles 24:26.) Thenius notices the curious coincidence of the names as given here with the last words of the murdered Zechariah, "Jehovah see, and avenge!" The prophet was avenged by Jozachar ("Jehovah remembers"), the son of shimeath ("hearing"), and Jehozabad ("Jehovah bestows"), the son of Shomer ("watcher").

With his fathers--i.e., in the city of David; but "not in the sepulchres of the kings 2)" Chron. 24:25).

Verse 21. - For Jozachar the son of Shimeath; called in Chronicles "Zabad," probably through a corruption of the text. His mother, Shimeath, was, according to Chronicles (2 Chronicles 24:26), an Ammonitess. And Jehozabad the son of Shomer. For "Shomer" we have in Chronicles "Shim-rith," which is the feminine form of "Shomer," and we are told that she was a Moabitess. The Jews were at all times fond of taking wives from Moab and Ammon (Ruth 1:4; 1 Kings 11:1; Ezra 9:1, 2; Nehemiah 13:23), despite the prohibition of mixed marriages in the Law (see Deuteronomy 7:3). His servants, smote him, and he died (for their motives, see the introductory paragraph), and they buried him with his fathers in the city of David. Some critics (as Thenius and Dean Stanley) see a contradiction between this statement and that of 2 Chronicles 24:25, that he was "not buried in the sepulchers of the kings;" but, as Bertheau, Keil, and Bahr observe. "the two statements are not irreconcilable," since he may have been regarded as "buried with his fathers," if his grave was anywhere in Jerusalem, even though he was excluded from the royal burying-place. And Amaziah his son reigned in his stead. (For the reign of Amaziah, see 2 Kings 14:1-20.)

12:17-21 Let us review the character of Jehoash, and consider what we may learn from it. When we see what a sad conclusion there was to so promising a beginning, it ought to make us seek into our spiritual declinings. If we know any thing of Christ as the foundation of our faith and hope, let us desire to know nothing but Christ. May the work of the blessed Spirit on our souls be manifest; may we see, feel, and be earnest, in seeking after Jesus in all his fulness, suitableness, and grace, that our souls may be brought over from dead works to serve the living and true God.For Jozachar the son of Shimeath,.... Said to be an Ammonitess, and this man's name Zabad, 2 Chronicles 24:26,

and Jehozabad the son of Shomer, his servants; who is said in the same place to be the son of Shimrith a Moabitess:

these smote him, and he died; justly did he fall by the hands of such persons for his idolatry:

and they buried him with his fathers in the city of David; but not in the sepulchres of the kings, because of his idolatry and murder of a priest of the Lord:

and Amaziah his son reigned in his stead; the conspirators not seeking the kingdom, but vengeance on him for his sins, which, whether right in them to do, was suffered by the Lord.