2 Kings 12

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 Beersheba.

2 And Jehoash did that which was right in the sight of the LORD all the time that Jehoiada, the priest, instructed him.

3 But with all this, 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 sanctified things that is brought into the house of the LORD, the money of the redemptions of each one that passes the account, the money of each soul according to the estimation of each one, and all the money that comes into any man’s heart to bring into the house of the LORD,

5 let the priests receive it, each man of his kinsmen; and let them repair the breaches of the house, wherever any breach shall be found.

6 But it was so that, in the year twenty-three 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 unto them, Why do ye not repair the breaches of the house? Now, therefore, receive no more money of your kinsmen, but deliver it to repair the breaches of the house.

8 And the priests consented to receive no more money from the people, neither to be responsible to repair the breaches of the house.

9 Then Jehoiada, the priest, took an ark and bored a hole in the lid of it and set it beside the altar, on the right side of the entrance to the house of the LORD; and the priests that kept the door put all the money that was brought into the house of the LORD in it.

10 And when they saw that there was much money in the ark, the king’s scribe and the high priest came up and counted the money that was found in the house of the LORD and guarded it.

11 And they gave sufficient money into the hands of those that did the work and of those that had the responsibility of the house of the LORD; and they laid it out to the carpenters and builders that repaired the house of the LORD,

12 and to the masons and hewers of stone and to buy 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 But of that money that was brought into the house of the LORD, they did not make bowls of silver nor snuffers nor basins nor trumpets nor any vessels of gold or vessels of silver for the house of the LORD

14 because they gave it to the workmen and repaired the house of the LORD with it.

15 Moreover they did not require accounts from the men into whose hands they delivered the money to be bestowed on workmen, for they dealt faithfully.

16 The guilt money and sin money was not brought into the house of the LORD, for 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 against Jerusalem.

18 And Jehoash, king of Judah, took all the holy things that Jehoshaphat and Jehoram and Ahaziah, his fathers, kings of Judah, had dedicated and his own holy things and all the gold that was found in the treasury 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 slaves arose and made a conspiracy and slew Joash in the house of Millo, as he was going down to Silla.

21 For Jozachar, the son of Shimeath, and Jehozabad, the son of Shomer, his slaves, 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.

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.

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.