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, 2 Kings 12:1–3 how urgent he was to have the temple repaired, and what methods were taken for that purpose, 2 Kings 12:4–16, how meanly, as well as impiously,…

In the seventh year of Jehu Jehoash began to reign So that he reigned twenty one or twenty two years contemporary with Jehu’s reign, for Jehu reigned twenty eight years: and forty years reigned he in Jerusalem; the same number of years David and Solomon reigned: and his mother’s name was Zibiah of…

And Jehoash did that which was right in the sight of the Lord all his days Worshipping the only true God, and ruling and walking according to the law of God: wherein Jehoiada the priest instructed him; and so long as he observed his instructions, and as long as that priest lived, he reigned well;…

But the high places were not taken away Used before the temple was built, or set up in Rehoboam’s time, contrary to the law of God, which required that sacrifices should only be offered in the place the Lord chose to dwell in, (Deut. 12:4, Deut.

And Jehoash said to the priests Being minded or having it in his heart, to repair the temple, as in not only because it was the sanctuary of the Lord, though that chiefly, but because it had been a sanctuary to him, where he was hid and preserved six years: all the money of the dedicated things…

Let the priests take it to them, every man of his acquaintance, &c.] Of those that were most known by them; for the priests had cities assigned them in several parts of the land, and they that dwelt with them in them, or in the parts adjacent to them, were best known by them; and they were sent…

But it was so, that in the twenty and third year of King Jehoash, the priests had not repaired the breaches of the house. ] Either the people being backward to pay in the money, or the priests converted it to their own use: or, however, were negligent of doing the work enjoined them by the king,…

Then King Jehoash called for Jehoiada the priest, and the other priests The common priests, Jehoiada being high priest: and said unto them, why repair ye not the breaches of the house? in which they appeared to him very dilatory; the reason might be, the people were not forward to pay in their…

And the priests consented to receive no more money of the people And delivered up what they had: neither to repair the breaches of the house; being very willing to be stop both services, and especially since they seemed to be suspected.

But Jehoiada the priest took a chest By the commandment of the king, , to put the money collected into, to prevent any fraud, or suspicion of any: and bored a hole in the lid of it; to drop the money into, by which means it could not be taken out without taking off the lid: and set it beside the…

And it was so, when they saw that there was much money in the chest Which might easily be guessed at by the number of the people which contributed: that the king’s and the high priest came up; to the temple; the high priest did not choose to come alone, lest he should be suspected, but to have the…

And they gave the money, being told, into the hands of them that did the work, that had the oversight of the house of the Lord, &c.] Who were appointed overseers of the workmen employed in the repairs of the temple; which overseers were laymen, and not priests, they being discharged from any…

And to masons, and hewers of stone Which they cut out of the mountain, and the masons repaired the stone walls with: and to buy timber; felled in Lebanon: and hewed stone; fitted for building with: to repair the breaches of the house of the Lord; where both timber and stone were wanting: and for…

Howbeit there were not made for the house of the Lord, bowls of silver Either to hold the blood of the sacrifices, or the drink offerings of wine: snuffers; to trim the lamps; or, as Jarchi and other writers, both Jewish and Christian, musical instruments: basins; vessels to sprinkle the blood…

But they gave that to the workmen, and repaired therewith the house of the Lord. ] They took care that the workmen should first be paid for the repairs of the temple.

Moreover, they reckoned not with the men into whose hand they delivered the money to be bestowed on the workmen That is, the king’s secretary and the high priest, or his officer, never called to account the overseers of the workmen, to whom they committed the money to pay them with; never examined…

The trespass money and sin money was not brought into the house of the Lord Which was the money persons at a distance sent for their trespass and sin offerings instead of cattle, with which the sacrifices were bought; and what remained of the money was not brought into the temple, and made use of…

Then Hazael king of Syria went up and fought against Gath, and took it When Jehoiada was dead, and Jehoash was become an apostate, the Lord suffered the king of Syria to be a scourge to him; who first attacked Gath, and took it, which was formerly one of the principalities of the Philistines, but…

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…

And the rest of the acts of Jehoash, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? ] In the registers and annals of those princes; some of them are to be met with in .

And his servants arose This was after he had slain Zechariah the son of Jehoiada, who reproved him for his idolatry; and after a second expedition of the king of Syria, who came to Jerusalem, and spoiled it, and left Jehoash diseased, as is recorded in , and made a conspiracy; not to get the…

For Jozachar the son of Shimeath Said to be an Ammonitess, and this man’s name Zabad, , and Jehozabad the son of Shomer, his servants; who is said in the same place to be the son of Shimrith a Moabitess: these smote him, and he died; justly did he fall by the hands of such persons for his idolatry:…