2 Kings 12:18

18 Joash king of Judah countered by gathering up all the sacred memorials - gifts dedicated for holy use by his ancestors, the kings of Judah, Jehoshaphat, Jehoram, and Ahaziah, along with the holy memorials he himself had received, plus all the gold that he could find in the temple and palace storerooms - and sent it to Hazael king of Aram. Appeased, Hazael went on his way and didn't bother Jerusalem.

2 Kings 12:18 Meaning and Commentary

2 Kings 12:18

And Jehoash king of Judah took all the hallowed things
that Jehoshaphat, and Jehoram, and Ahaziah, his fathers, kings of
Judah, had dedicated
To sacred uses, and had laid up in the temple:

and his own hallowed things:
which he had devoted to the same uses:

and all the gold [that was] found in the treasures of the house of the
Lord:
which were gifts and presents from divers persons for sacred services:

and sent it to Hazael king of Syria, and he went away from Jerusalem;
to bribe him, that he might desist from his purpose; which showed a meanness of spirit, and was the effect of his idolatry and apostasy, having forsaken the Lord, and being forsaken by him; in whom should have been his trust and confidence, and then he need not have been afraid to meet the king of Syria.

2 Kings 12:18 In-Context

16 Offerings designated for Compensation Offerings and Absolution Offerings didn't go into the building project - those went directly to the priests.
17 Around this time Hazael king of Aram ventured out and attacked Gath, and he captured it. Then he decided to try for Jerusalem.
18 Joash king of Judah countered by gathering up all the sacred memorials - gifts dedicated for holy use by his ancestors, the kings of Judah, Jehoshaphat, Jehoram, and Ahaziah, along with the holy memorials he himself had received, plus all the gold that he could find in the temple and palace storerooms - and sent it to Hazael king of Aram. Appeased, Hazael went on his way and didn't bother Jerusalem.
19 The rest of the life and times of Joash and all that he did are written in The Chronicles of the Kings of Judah.
20 At the last his palace staff formed a conspiracy and assassinated Joash as he was strolling along the ramp of the fortified outside city wall.
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.