Aesop’s famous fable “The Tortoise and the Hare” reminds us that someone who starts well in a race is not guaranteed to finish first. The quickness and arrogance of the much faster hare are no match for the slow steadfastness of the tortoise. Unfortunately, the reign of Joash more closely resembles the hare than the tortoise. He began his rule with excitement for the restoration of the house of the Lord (vv. 4–5). He called for the Levites to gather quickly Moses’ required offering from all the people. When they did not respond in haste, the king acted to see that the tithes came in. In contrast to the shocking desecration of the temple perpetrated by Athaliah and her sons, Joash had zeal to restore the temple and the worship of God. But Joash’s heart for the Lord did not remain steadfast after the death of Jehoiada the priest. “As long as Jehoiada lived, burnt offerings were presented continually in the temple of the Lord” (v. 14). But then Joash listened to other advisors, abandoned worship, committed idolatry, and ignored the prophets. His descent away from God culminated in the murder of Jehoiada’s son (vv. 21–22). Charles Spurgeon wrote, “It was a crime most foul to murder the son of Jehoiada, one of those who had helped to put the crown upon the head of the king. To do this evil deed in the court of God’s house, when the prophet was engaged in his Master’s business, and delivering a divine message, was to heap sin upon sin.” Joash reaped the reward of his sin, being murdered in his own bed and denied a burial in the tombs of the kings (v. 25).