2 Kings 12

Joas reigneth well as long as Jojada liveth, vers.1. &c. He giveth order for repairing of the Temple, 4. He turneth away Hazael from Jerusalem, giving him the treasures of the temple, 17. He is slain by his servants, and Amazia his son reigneth in his stead, 20.

1. In the seventh year of Jehu [King of Israel; of whom see above chap.9 and 10.] Joas [Heb. Jehoasah] became King, and reigned fourty years at Jerusalem: And his mothers name was Zibia [Heb. Tsibia] of Berseba [see of this city gen.21.on v.31.]

2. And Joas did that which was right in the eyes of the LORD, all his days; wherein Jojada the Priest instructed him. [But after the death of Jojada the high Priest, whose good doctrine he forgot, fell to false worship, and was also punished for it. See 2 Chron.24. ver.17,18.]

3. Only the high places were not taken away: The people still offered, and burnt incense on the high places.

4. And Joas unto Priests, all the money of the dedicated things, [Heb. holinesses: that is, that are hallowed unto the LORD, and dedicated to his service, and no were to be employed about the building and repairing of the Temple. Of these certain kinds are here mentioned, as the following words do shew] that shall be brought into the house of the LORD, (to wit) the money of him that passeth over (to them that are numbered); [These words are here inserted out of Exod.30.13. Heb. of the passer by, or goer over: to wit, among, or to those that are numbered: that is, who was counted among those that were to be taxed. These now are all those that were twenty years old and upward, who when the numbering was made, were to give every man half a shekel for his head, or person, Exod.30.13. This was the first sort or kind of consecrated things] the money of every one of the persons [Heb. souls. This word is here taken for persons, or men. See Gen. 12.on v.5.] (according to) of his taxing; that is, the money wherewith the Priest taxed a man that had made a vow unto the LORD, that he might redeem and free himself. See the law concerning this, Lev.27.2. This was the second kind of consecrated things] (and) all the money that cometh [Heb. cometh up, or ascendeth] into the house of the LORD; [the third sort or kind of consecrated things was, which any man offered most freely and willingly unto the LORD, without being compelled thereunto by any law, but indeed stirred up by exhortation, 2 Chron.24.v.5,6. Compare Exod.35,5.]

5. Shall the Priests take to themselves every man of his acquaintance: and they shall repair [Heb. strengthen, fortify: and so in the sequel] the breaches of the house, according to all that shall there (to be a) breach. [understand whatsoever was rent, split, wasted away, or decayed through antiquity of building, or demolished and destroyed by wicked Athalia. See 2 Chron.24.7.]

6. But it came to pass in the three and twentieth year of King Joas; that the Priests had not repair the breaches of the house.

7. Then King Joas called Jojada the Priest, and the (other) Priests, and said unto them; why repair ye not the breaches of the house? Now then take no money of your acquaintance, [As ye did before, see v.4.5.] that ye should give it for the breaches of the house. [as ye indeed promised, but did not perform.]

8. And the Priests consented to take no money of the people, neither to repair the breaches of the house.

9. But the Priest Jojada took a chest, [With the consent and at the command of the King, 2 Chron.24.8.] and bored a hole in the lid [Heb. door] of it, and set it by the altar on the right hand when any man came into the house of the LORD; [understand at the post, to beside the door, where they entered into the Court of the Priests, where the altar of burnt offering stood, at the end of the great Court: for so far might all Israel come, as the Levites there kept the watch at the threshold of this door, Num.18.4. Such an offering-chest was also yet in the Temple in Christ time. See Mark 11.41. Luke 21:1.] and the Priests that kept the threshold, [to wit, of the gate of the Priests court, and that according to the Lords prescript, Numb.18.4.] put therein all the money that was brought into the house of the LORD.

10. Now it came to pass, when they saw that (there) was much money in the chest, that the Kings Scribe, [i.e. Notary, or Secretary. So below cha.19.9. and 22.3. also 2 Sam.8.17.] came up with the high Priest, and bound oit together, [to wit, in bundles or bags] and told the money that was found in the house of the LORD.

11. And they delivered the money well weighed into the hands of those that took care of that work, [Heb. Doers of that work. So below chap.22.5. That is, that were appointed as Overseers over this work of the Temple] who were appointed over the house of the LORD: and they laid it out to the Carpenters, [Heb. Artificers, or Workmen of the wood] and to the Builders that repaired the house of the LORD.

12. And to the Bricklayers, [The Hebrew word signifieth generally those that make stone walls, wooden walls and fences. So below chap.22.6. Isa.58.12. Ezek.22.30. Hence it is taken for Bricklayers] and to the Masons, and to buy wood and hewed stones, [Heb. stones of hewing out, or cutting. That is, that are hewed out of the ground, and after that must be squared and fashioned by hewing, or cutting for certain use] to repair the breaches of the house of the LORD: and for all that was given out for the house, to repair (that). [Heb. that went, etc. i.e. that was disbursed or otherewise laid out, toward the repairing of the Temple.]

13. Howbeit, (there) were not made for the house of the LORD silver bowels, flesh-books, spink-basons, trumpets, [See of these vessels 1 Kings 7:50.] (nor) any golden vessel, or silver vessel, of the money that was brought into the house of the LORD. [that is, they furthered the building of the Temple so much, that they made not the vessels belonging to the worship of God, until the whole building or fabric was finished: but after that they made also all manner of vessels of the residue or remainder of the money. See 2 Chron.24.14.]

14. But they gave that to those that did the work: and they repaired therewith the house of the LORD.

15. Besides, they demanded no account of the men, [Or caused not the men to make any account, or reckoned not with them] into whose hands they delivered that money, to give (it) to those that did the work: for they dealt faithfully. [Heb. in truth, or faithfulness, that is, in good faith. The meaning is; as the money was trusted to their honesty, so did they likewise faithfully bestow it and lay it out.]

16. The money of trespass-offering, and the money of sin-offerings was not brought into the house of the LORD: it was for the Priests.

17. Than Hazael King of Syria marched up, [Namely, after that Jojada was dead, and Joas had corrupted his ways, 2 Chron.24. v.22,23.] and warred against Gath, [see 1 Kings 2.on vers.39.] and took it; after that Hazael set his face, [to set ones face towards any thing, is to attempt, or undertake a thing earnestly. See 2 Chron.20.3. Jerem.42.15. Ezek.21.2. Dan.9.3. Luke 9:51.] to marched up against Jerusalem.

18. But Joas the King of Juda took all the hallowed things, which Josaphat and Ioram, and Ahazia his Fathers, the Kings of Juda had hallowed, and his (own) hallowed things, [Heb. holinesses; as above v.4. See Lev.5.on v.15.] and all the gold that was found in the treasures of the house of the LORD, and of the Kings house, and sent it to Hazael King of Syria: then he marched away from Jerusalem.

19. Now the rest of the acts of Joas, and all that he did, is that not written in the book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Juda.

20. And his servants arose, and made a conspiracy, and smote Joas in the house of Millo, [Oth. Beth-millo. See Judg.9.on v.6.] which goeth down to Silla. [the name of a place. By the propriety of the word some conjecture, that this was a certain raised way which Salomon made, for to go from the city of David into the temple, 2 Chron.9.11. Others conceive that Silla was the name of a city, lying not far from the house of Millo]

21. For Jozacar [Otherwise called Zabad, 2 Chron.14.6.] the son of Simeath, [the name of an Ammonitish woman, 2 Chron.24.26.] and Jozabad [Heb. Jehozabad] the son of Somer, [oth. called Simrith. This was 2 Moabitish woman, 2 Chron.24.26.] his servants smote him, that he died; and they him with his Fathers in the city of David: [buy not in the Sepulchre of the Kings of Juda, 2 Chron.24.25.] and Amazia his son became King in his stead.