The Second Book of the Kings

Chapter 12

Jehoash reigns well all the days of Jehoiada, 1-3. He gives order for the repair of the temple, 4-16. Hazael is diverted from Jerusalem by a present of the hallowed treasures, 17, 18. Jehoash being slain, Amaziah succeeds him, 19-21.

1 In the seventh year of Jehu, Jehoash began to reign, and he reigned forty years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Zibiah of Beer-sheba. 2 And Jehoash did that which was right in the sight of the LORD all his days wherein Jehoiada the priest instructed him. 3 But the high places were not taken away. The people still sacrificed and burnt incense in the high places.

4 And Jehoash said to the priests, "All the money of the dedicated things that is brought into the house of the LORD, even the money of everyone who passes the account, the money that every man is set at, and all the money that comes into any man's heart to bring into the house of the LORD, 5 Let the priests take it to them, each from his acquaintance, and let them repair the breaches of the house wherever any breach is found."

6 But it was so, that in the twenty-third year of king Jehoash the priests had not repaired the breaches of the house. 7 Then king Jehoash called for Jehoiada the priest and the other priests and said to them, "Why do you not repair the breaches of the house? Now therefore, receive no more money from your acquaintance, but deliver it for the breaches of the house." 8 And the priests consented to receive no more money from the people, neither to repair the breaches of the house.

9 But Jehoiada the priest took a chest, bored a hole in its lid, and set it beside the altar, on the right side as one comes into the house of the LORD. And the priests who kept the door put in it all the money that was brought into the house of the LORD. 10 And it was so, when they saw that there was much money in the chest, that the king's scribe and the high priest came up, and they put it up in bags and counted the money that was found in the house of the LORD. 11 And they gave the money, being counted, into the hands of those who did the work, who had the oversight of the house of the LORD. And they laid it out to the carpenters and builders who wrought upon the house of the LORD, 12 And to masons and hewers of stone, and for buying timber and hewed stone to repair the breaches of the house of the LORD, and for all that was laid out for the house to repair it. 13 Yet, there were not made for the house of the LORD bowls of silver, snuffers, basins, trumpets, any vessels of gold, or vessels of silver of the money that was brought into the house of the LORD. 14 But they gave that to the workmen, and repaired with it the house of the LORD. 15 Moreover, they did not reckon with the men, into whose hand they delivered the money to be bestowed on workmen, for they dealt faithfully. 16 The trespass-money and sin-money was not brought into the house of the LORD. It was the priests'.

17 Then Hazael king of Syria went up and fought against Gath and took it. And Hazael set his face to go up to Jerusalem. 18 And Jehoash king of Judah took all the hallowed things that Jehoshaphat, Jehoram, and Ahaziah, his fathers, kings of Judah, had dedicated, his own hallowed things, and all the gold that was found in the treasures of the house of the LORD and in the king's house, and sent it to Hazael king of Syria. And he went away from Jerusalem.

19 And the rest of the acts of Joash and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? 20 And his servants arose and made a conspiracy and slew Joash in the house of Millo, which goes down to Silla. 21 For Jozachar the son of Shimeath and Jehozabad the son of Shomer, his servants, smote him, and he died. And they buried him with his fathers in the city of David. And Amaziah his son reigned in his stead.

Commentary

Matthew Henry Commentary - 2nd Kings, Chapter 12[➚]

Notes

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