2 Chronicles 24

2 Chronicles 24:1-3

Ch. 2 Chronicles 24:1-3 (= 2 Kings 11:21 to 2 Kings 12:3). Joash begins to Reign 3. And Jehoiada, etc.] This ver. is not in Kings. It was the duty of a Jewish father to provide his son with a wife; Jehoiada standing in loco parentis does this for Joash.

2 Chronicles 24:4

4–14 (= 2 Kings 12:4-16). The Restoration of the Temple 4. to repair] R.V. to restore, Heb. “to renew.” Cp. 2 Chronicles 24:12.

2 Chronicles 24:5

5. and the Levites] Not in Kings; cp. 2 Chronicles 23:2 (note). Go out unto the cities of Judah] Nothing is said in Kings about collecting money outside Jerusalem, but the restoration fund was to consist of a poll tax (paid at the Temple at the Great Feasts, Exodus 23:14-17) and of free-will offerings paid in money. hastened it not] In Kings, “in the three and twentieth year of king Jehoash the priests had not repaired the breaches of the house.”

2 Chronicles 24:6

6. of the Levites] See note on 2 Chronicles 24:5. the collection, according to the commandment of Moses] R.V. the tax of Moses; cp. Exodus 30:14-16; Exodus 38:25-26. the taberna43cle of Witness] R.V. the tent of the testimony. “The testimony” refers to the Ten Commandments, which contained the substance of God’s testimony (protestation) to Israel. The two tables of stone were called “tables of the testimony” (Exodus 31:18, R.V.); the ark which contained them was called the “ark of the testimony” (Exodus 25:22); the vail which hung before the ark was the “vail of the testimony” (Leviticus 24:3); the tent which contained the ark was either the “tabernacle (Heb. miskan) of the testimony” (Exodus 38:21, R.V.) or the “tent (Heb. ôhel) of the testimony” (Numbers 9:15). The tabernacle, with all its contents, was to be a standing protest to Israel that Jehovah was with His people according to covenant, and that every breach of the covenant would call forth punishment. Cp. Deuteronomy 4:25-26; Deuteronomy 8:19, etc.

2 Chronicles 24:7

7. the sons of Athaliah] To be understood figuratively, “the adherents of Athaliah.” So “a son of the apothecaries” (Nehemiah 3:8; cp. A.V. with R.V.) is “a member of the apothecaries’ guild” and “the sons of the prophets” (2 Kings 2:15 etc.) are “the adherents (or ‘scholars’) of the prophets.” So again in Psalms 137:8 Edom is called “daughter of Babylon” as having attached herself to the Chaldeans at the destruction of Jerusalem. had broken up] Rather, had broken into. all the dedicate things] Cp. 2 Chronicles 15:18; 1 Chronicles 18:10-11. Probably gold, silver and brass. did they bestow upon Baalim] Or, did they make into images of Baal. Cp. Hosea 2:8, R.V. mg.

2 Chronicles 24:8

8. And at the king’s commandment] R.V. So the king commanded, and.…a chest] Heb. a single chest (to receive all contributions).

2 Chronicles 24:9

9. to the Lord the collection] R.V. for the LORD the tax. Kings has nothing corresponding to this ver.; cp. 2 Chronicles 24:5 (note).

2 Chronicles 24:11

11. at what time … by the hand of the Levites] This clause is not in Kings. the chief priest’s officer] According to Kings the high priest was present himself.

2 Chronicles 24:12

12. to repair] R.V. to restore (as 2 Chronicles 24:4). to mend] R.V. to repair.

2 Chronicles 24:13

13. they set] R.V. they set up. in its state] i.e. according to its former state.

2 Chronicles 24:14

14. the rest of the money] Thus expressed this ver. does not directly conflict with 2 Kings 12:13-14, which states that the money gathered was not spent on gold and silver vessels for the Temple but was given to the workmen who repaired the house. continually] Perhaps primarily in allusion to the morning and evening daily sacrifice (Numbers 28:3-6), but having also a wider reference to the whole round of sacrifices.

2 Chronicles 24:15

15–19 (no parallel in 2 Kin.). The Apostasy of Joash 15. when he died] R.V. and he died. an hundred and thirty years] The age of Jacob (Genesis 47:9).

2 Chronicles 24:16

16. among the kings] Cp. 2 Chronicles 24:25 and 2 Chronicles 21:20.

2 Chronicles 24:17

17. made obeisance] Obeisance foreshadowed a request; cp. 1 Kings 1:16.

2 Chronicles 24:18

18. they left the house of the Lord] Cp. 2 Chronicles 29:6, “[they] have turned away their faces from the habitation of the Lord.” These phrases are a kind of euphemism meaning “to commit apostasy.” served groves and idols] R.V. served the Asherim and the idols; cp. 2 Chronicles 14:3 (note). wrath] Heb. qeçeph; cp. 2 Chronicles 19:2 (note). wrath came] Cp. 2 Chronicles 24:25-26. their trespass] R.V. their guiltiness; cp. 2 Chronicles 19:10 (A.V. and R.V.).

2 Chronicles 24:19

19. he sent prophets] Cp. 2 Chronicles 36:15. to them] Rather, among them.

2 Chronicles 24:20-22

20–22 (no parallel in 2 Kin.). The Martyrdom of Zechariah This martyrdom is referred to by our Lord in Luke 11:51, “from the blood of Abel unto the blood of Zachariah who perished between the altar and the house,” i.e. “the temple” (cp. Matthew 23:35). As Chronicles is reckoned last in the Jewish Canon, “From Abel to Zachariah” practically includes the whole Old Testament. In the text of Matt. Zachariah is called “son of Barachiah” by a confusion with Zechariah the contemporary of Haggai.

2 Chronicles 24:22

22. The Lord look upon it, and require it] Cp. 2Ma 14:45-46, and contrast Acts 7:60.

2 Chronicles 24:23-24

23, 24 (cp. 2 Kings 12:17-18). The Syrian Invasion In 2 Kin. the invasion is not represented as a judgment on Joash, for no sin is mentioned for which this could be the punishment. As regards the campaign itself 2 Kin. simply says that the Syrians were bought off with a heavy bribe from attacking Jerusalem; nothing is said of the amount of damage done during the invasion. The Chronicler on the contrary says nothing of the cause of the withdrawal of the Syrians, but simply says that a small force of them inflicted great loss and took much spoil. The two accounts supplement rather than contradict each other.

2 Chronicles 24:25

25–27 (2 Kings 12:19-21). The End of Joash 25. for the blood of the sons of Jehoiada] No reason is alleged for the conspiracy in Kings. sons] LXX. and Vulg. “son”; cp. 2 Chronicles 24:20. on his bed] In Kings it is simply “smote Joash at the house of Millo, on the way that goeth down to Silla” (R.V.).

2 Chronicles 24:26

26. Zabad … a Moabitess] In Kings “Jozacar the son of Shimeath, and Jehozabad the son of Shomer” (nothing being said of the nationality of the murderers). The Chronicler’s object no doubt is to trace a connexion between the apostasy of Joash and its punishment, between the king’s foreign worship and his murder by men of foreign descent.

2 Chronicles 24:27

27. the burdens laid upon him] Render (with R.V. mg.), the burdens uttered against him. Cp. 2 Chronicles 24:19. The Heb. text of the first half of the verse is uncertain. the repairing] R.V. the rebuilding. the story] R.V. the commentary (Heb. midrash). Cp. Introduction, § 5.