2 Kings 12

Joash Repairs the Temple

1 In the seventh year of Jehu, Joash ^[a] became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem forty years. His mother’s name was Zibiah; she was from Beersheba. ¹

2 And Joash did what was right in the eyes of the LORD all the days he was instructed by Jehoiada the priest.

3 Nevertheless, the high places were not removed; the people continued sacrificing and burning incense there.

4 Then Joash said to the priests, “Collect all the money brought as sacred gifts into the house of the LORD—the census money, the money from vows, and the money brought voluntarily into the house of the LORD.

5 Let every priest receive it from his constituency, and let it be used to repair any damage found in the temple.”

6 By the twenty-third year of the reign of Joash, however, the priests had not yet repaired the damage to the temple.

7 So King Joash called Jehoiada and the other priests and said, “Why have you not repaired the damage to the temple? Now, therefore, take no more money from your constituency, but hand it over for the repair of the temple.”

8 So the priests agreed that they would not receive money from the people and that they would not repair the temple themselves.

9 Then Jehoiada the priest took a chest, bored a hole in its lid, and set it beside the altar on the right side as one enters the house of the LORD. There the priests who guarded the threshold put all the money brought into the house of the LORD.

10 Whenever they saw that there was a large amount of money in the chest, the royal scribe and the high priest would go up, count the money brought into the house of the LORD, and tie it up in bags.

11 Then they would put the counted money into the hands of those who supervised the work on the house of the LORD, who in turn would pay those doing the work—the carpenters, builders,

12 masons, and stonecutters. They also purchased timber and dressed stone to repair the damage to the house of the LORD, and they paid the other expenses of the temple repairs.

13 However, the money brought into the house of the LORD was not used for making silver basins, wick trimmers, sprinkling bowls, trumpets, or any articles of gold or silver for the house of the LORD.

14 Instead, it was paid to those doing the work, and with it they repaired the house of the LORD.

15 No accounting was required from the men who received the money to pay the workmen, because they acted with integrity.

16 The money from the guilt offerings and sin offerings was not brought into the house of the LORD; it belonged to the priests.

The Death of Joash

17 At that time Hazael king of Aram marched up and fought against Gath and captured it. Then he decided to attack Jerusalem. ²

18 So King Joash of Judah took all the sacred objects dedicated by his fathers—Jehoshaphat, Jehoram, and Ahaziah, the kings of Judah—along with his own consecrated items and all the gold found in the treasuries of the house of the LORD and the royal palace, and he sent them to Hazael king of Aram. So Hazael withdrew from Jerusalem.

19 As for the rest of the acts of Joash, along with all his accomplishments, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah?

20 And the servants of Joash rose up and formed a conspiracy and killed him at Beth-millo, on the road down to Silla.

21 His servants Jozabad ^[b] son of Shimeath and Jehozabad son of Shomer ^[c] struck him down, and he died. And they buried him with his fathers in the City of David, and his son Amaziah reigned in his place.

2 Kings 12 Commentary

Chapter 12

Jehoash orders the repair of the temple. (1-16) He is slain by his servants. (17-21)

Verses 1-16 It is a great mercy to young people, especially to all young men of rank, like Jehoash, to have those about them who will instruct them to do what is right in the sight of the Lord; and they do wisely and well for themselves, when willing to be counselled and ruled. The temple was out of repair; Jehoash orders the repair of the temple. The king was zealous. God requires those who have power, to use it for the support of religion, the redress of grievances, and repairing of decays. The king employed the priests to manage, as most likely to be hearty in the work. But nothing was done effectually till the twenty-third year of his reign. Another method was therefore taken. When public distributions are made faithfully, public contributions will be made cheerfully. While they were getting all they could for the repair of the temple, they did not break in upon the stated maintenance of the priests. Let not the servants of the temple be starved, under colour of repairing the breaches of it. Those that were intrusted did the business carefully and faithfully. They did not lay it out in ornaments for the temple, till the other work was completed; hence we may learn, in all our expenses, to prefer that which is most needful, and, in dealing for the public, to deal as we would for ourselves.

Verses 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.

Cross References

• 1. (2 Chronicles 24:1–14)
• 2. (2 Chronicles 24:23–27)

Footnotes

• [a]. Hebrew Jehoash, a variant of Joash (son of Ahaziah); also in verses 2, 4, 6, 7, and 18; see 2 Kings 11:2.
• [b]. Hebrew; LXX and Syriac Jozacar
• [c]. Shomer is a variant of Shimrith; see 2 Chronicles 24:26.

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO 2 KINGS 12

In this chapter some account is given of the reign of Jehoash, that it was long, and the beginning of it good, during the life of Jehoiada, 2Ki 12:1-3 how urgent he was to have the temple repaired, and what methods were taken for that purpose, 2Ki 12:4-16, how meanly, as well as impiously, he behaved, when the king of Syria was about to come up to Jerusalem and besiege it, 2Ki 12:17,18, and the chapter is closed with an account of his death, and the manner of it, 2Ki 12:19-21.