17. After the death of Jehoiada the officials of Judah came and paid homage to the king. At that time the king listened to them.
18. Then they abandoned the house of the Lord and God of their fathers, and they served the Asherah poles and idols. And divine wrath was on Judah and Jerusalem because of this guilt.
19. And God sent prophets to return them to the Lord. These warned the people, but they would not listen.
20. Then the Spirit of God clothed Zechariah the son of Jehoiada the priest, and he stood above the people saying, “Thus says God: Why are you transgressing the commandments of the Lord so that you all will not be successful? Because you all have abandoned the Lord, He has abandoned you.”
21. But they plotted against him, and at the command of the king they all stoned him in the court of the house of the Lord.