1
It was in the seventh year of Yehu that Y'ho'ash began to rule, and he ruled forty years in Yerushalayim. His mother's name was Tzivyah, from Be'er-Sheva.
2
Y'ho'ash did what was right from ADONAI's perspective throughout the lifetime of Y'hoyada the cohen, who instructed him.
3
Nevertheless the high places were not taken away; the people still sacrificed and presented offerings on the high places.
4
Y'ho'ash said to the cohanim, "All the funds for sacred purposes which are brought to the house of ADONAI - the half-shekel tax, the taxes on persons in a man's household, and all the offerings anyone voluntarily brings to the house of ADONAI -
5
the cohanim are to receive from whoever personally makes contributions to them; and they are to use these funds to repair the damaged parts of the house, wherever damage is found.
6
But twenty-three years into the reign of King Y'ho'ash, the cohanim had still not repaired the damaged places in the house.
7
So King Y'ho'ash summoned Y'hoyada the cohen and the other cohanim and said to them, "Why aren't you repairing the damaged places in the house? Therefore, you are no longer to take money from those who contribute it personally to you; you must hand it over to be used for repairing the damage in the house."
8
The cohanim agreed not to receive money from the people, and they would no longer be responsible for repairing the damage to the house.
9
Then Y'hoyada the cohen took a chest, drilled a hole in its lid and set it by the altar, on the right, as one enters the house of ADONAI; and the cohanim in charge of the entry put in it all the money brought into the house of ADONAI.
10
When they saw that there was a large amount of money in the chest, the king's secretary and the cohen hagadol would come up, count the money found in the house of ADONAI and put it in bags.