2 Kings 12

Judah's King Joash

1 In the seventh year of Jehu, Joash became king; he reigned 40 years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Zibiah, who was from Beer-sheba.

2 Throughout the time Jehoiada the priest instructed him, Joash did what was right in the Lord's sight.

3 Yet the high places were not taken away; the people continued sacrificing and burning incense on the high places.^[a]

Repairing the Temple

4 Then Joash said to the priests, "All the dedicated money brought to the Lord's temple, census money, money from vows,^[b] and all money voluntarily given for the Lord's temple,

5 each priest is to take from his assessor^[c] and repair whatever damage to the temple is found.^[d]

6 But by the twenty-third year [of the reign] of King Joash, the priests had not repaired the damage^[e] to the temple.

7 So King Joash called Jehoiada the priest and the other priests and said, "Why haven't you repaired the temple's damage? Since you haven't, don't take any money from your assessors; instead, hand it over for the repair of the temple."

8 So the priests agreed they would not take money from the people and they would not repair the temple's damage.

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 Lord's temple; in it the priests who guarded the threshold put all the money brought into the Lord's temple.

10 Whenever they saw there was a large amount of money in the chest, the king's secretary and the high priest would go to the Lord's temple and count the money found there and tie it up in bags.

11 Then they would put the counted money into the hands of those doing the work-those who oversaw the Lord's temple. They [in turn] would pay it out to those working on the Lord's temple-the carpenters, the builders,

12 the masons, and the stonecutters-and [would use it] to buy timber and quarried stone to repair the damage to the Lord's temple^[f] and for all spending for temple repairs.^[g]

13 However, no silver bowls, wick trimmers, sprinkling basins, trumpets, or any articles of gold or silver were made for the Lord's temple from the money brought into the temple.

14 Instead, it was given to those doing the work, and they repaired the Lord's temple with it.

15 No accounting was required from the men who received the money to pay those doing the work, since they worked with integrity.^[h]

16 The money from the restitution offering and the sin offering was not brought to the Lord's temple since it belonged to the priests.^[i]

Aramean Invasion of Judah

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

18 So King Joash of Judah took all the consecrated items that his ancestors-Judah's kings Jehoshaphat, Jehoram, and Ahaziah-had consecrated, along with his own consecrated items and all the gold found in the treasuries of the Lord's temple and in the king's palace, and he sent [them] to Hazael king of Aram.^[j] Then Hazael withdrew from Jerusalem.^[k]

Joash Assassinated

19 The rest of the events of Joash's [reign], along with all his accomplishments, are written about in the Historical Record of Judah's Kings.

20 Joash's servants conspired against him and killed him at Beth-millo [on the road that] goes down to Silla.

21 His servants Jozabad son of Shimeath and Jehozabad son of Shomer struck him down, and he died. Then they buried him with his fathers in the city of David, and his son Amaziah became king 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.

Footnotes

• [a]. 2 Ch 24:1-4
• [b]. Ex 30:12-16; Lv 27:2-8,14-20
• [c]. Hb obscure
• [d]. Lit repair the breach of the house wherever there is found a breach
• [e]. Lit breach in 2 Kg 12:5-12
• [f]. 2 Kg 22:5-6
• [g]. 2 Ch 24:5-12
• [h]. 2 Kg 22:7; 2 Ch 34:12
• [i]. Lv 7:7
• [j]. 2 Kg 16:8; 18:15-16
• [k]. 2 Ch 24:23
• [l]. Many Hb mss, LXX read Jozacar; 2 Ch 24:26 reads Zabad
• [m]. 2 Ch 24:25-27

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.