2 Kings 12
World English Bible
WEB1Jehoash began to reign in the seventh year of Jehu, and he reigned forty years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Zibiah of Beersheba. 2Jehoash did that which was right in Yahweh’s eyes all his days in which Jehoiada the priest instructed him. 3However, the high places were not taken away. The people still sacrificed and burned incense in the high places. 4Jehoash said to the priests, “All the money of the holy things that is brought into Yahweh’s house, in current money, the money of the people for whom each man is evaluated, and all the money that it comes into any man’s heart to bring into Yahweh’s house, 5let the priests take it to them, each man from his donor; and they shall repair the damage to the house, wherever any damage is found.” 6But it was so, that in the twenty-third year of King Jehoash the priests had not repaired the damage to the house. 7Then King Jehoash called for Jehoiada the priest, and for the other priests, and said to them, “Why aren’t you repairing the damage to the house? Now therefore take no more money from your treasurers, but deliver it for repair of the damage to the house.” 8The priests consented that they should take no more money from the people, and not repair the damage to the house. 9But Jehoiada the priest took a chest and bored a hole in its lid, and set it beside the altar, on the right side as one comes into Yahweh’s house; and the priests who kept the threshold put all the money that was brought into Yahweh’s house into it. 10When they saw that there was much money in the chest, the king’s scribe and the high priest came up, and they put it in bags and counted the money that was found in Yahweh’s house. 11They gave the money that was weighed out into the hands of those who did the work, who had the oversight of Yahweh’s house; and they paid it out to the carpenters and the builders who worked on Yahweh’s house, 12and to the masons and the stone cutters, and for buying timber and cut stone to repair the damage to Yahweh’s house, and for all that was laid out for the house to repair it. 13But there were not made for Yahweh’s house cups of silver, snuffers, basins, trumpets, any vessels of gold or vessels of silver, of the money that was brought into Yahweh’s house; 14for they gave that to those who did the work, and repaired Yahweh’s house with it. 15Moreover they didn’t demand an accounting from the men into whose hand they delivered the money to give to those who did the work; for they dealt faithfully. 16The money for the trespass offerings and the money for the sin offerings was not brought into Yahweh’s house. It was the priests’. 17Then Hazael king of Syria went up and fought against Gath, and took it; and Hazael set his face to go up to Jerusalem. 18Jehoash king of Judah took all the holy things that Jehoshaphat and Jehoram and Ahaziah, his fathers, kings of Judah, had dedicated, and his own holy things, and all the gold that was found in the treasures of Yahweh’s house, and of the king’s house, and sent it to Hazael king of Syria; and he went away from Jerusalem. 19Now the rest of the acts of Joash, and all that he did, aren’t they written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? 20His servants arose and made a conspiracy, and struck Joash at the house of Millo, on the way that goes down to Silla. 21For Jozacar the son of Shimeath, and Jehozabad the son of Shomer, his servants, struck him, and he died; and they buried him with his fathers in David’s city; and Amaziah his son reigned in his place.
World English Bible, 2020 stable text edition. Public domain; “World English Bible” is a trademark of eBible.org. eBible.org
Overview
2 Kings Chapter 12 recounts the reign of King #Joash (or #Jehoash) of Judah, who ascended to the throne at the tender age of seven after the death of his father, King #Ahaziah. The chapter begins by noting that Joash reigned for forty years in Jerusalem, and it emphasizes his commitment to doing what was right in the eyes of the Lord, particularly during the guidance of the high priest #Jehoiada. This highlights the importance of godly leadership and mentorship in the life of a young ruler. Joash's reign is marked by a significant effort to restore the temple of the Lord, which had fallen into disrepair due to neglect and idolatry during the previous reigns. Joash initiates a collection to fund the repairs, demonstrating a proactive approach to restoring proper worship and reverence for God in Judah.
As the chapter progresses, we see the implementation of a system for collecting funds for the temple repairs, which includes a tax imposed on the people. The priests are instructed to use these funds wisely for the restoration work. However, as the narrative unfolds, it becomes clear that the priests were not using the funds appropriately, leading Joash to take decisive action. He calls for accountability and ultimately decides to appoint workmen to carry out the repairs directly, ensuring that the temple is restored according to God's standards. The chapter concludes with a brief mention of Joash's military actions against #Hazael, the king of #Syria, and his eventual assassination, which serves as a reminder of the challenges faced by those who seek to lead righteously in a world often opposed to God's ways.
Referenced by
- 2 Kings 14:3v22 Kings 14:3 notes that Amaziah did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, similar to his father Joash, as mentioned in 2 Kings 12:2. Both kings are noted for their partial obedience, as they did not remove the high places.
- 2 Kings 15:19v172 Kings 15:19 mentions Pul, king of Assyria, coming against the land, leading Menahem to pay tribute. This is similar to the earlier event in 2 Kings 12:17-18, where Jehoash of Judah paid tribute to Hazael of Aram to avoid conflict.
- 2 Chronicles 24:2v2Both passages describe how Joash did what was right in the eyes of the Lord during the lifetime of Jehoiada the priest, highlighting the influence of godly mentorship.
Topics in this chapter
- Stewardship
- Temple
- Worship
- Leadership
- Accountability
- Covenant
- Faithfulness
- Generosity
- Hazael
- Integrity
- Jehoiada
- Temple Repairs
- Trusting God
- High Priest
- Jerusalem
- Joash
- Judah
- Offerings
- Renewal
- Righteousness
- Temple Restoration
- Apostasy
- Aram
- Assassination
- Biblical Art
- Community
- Conflict
- Consequences
- Covenant Renewal
- Davidic Covenant
- Dedication
- Divine Deliverance
- Divine Justice
- Faith
- Faithful Leadership
- Genesis 1
- Giving
- God's Work
- Godly Counsel
- Holiness
- House of the Lord
- Human Fallibility
- Jehoash
- King of Aram
- Kings of Judah
- Levitical Priesthood
- Mediation
- Mentorship
- Messianic Line
- Moral Guidance in the Bible
- Obedience
- Political Alliances in the Bible
- Priest
- Relationship with God
- Resource Management in the Bible
- Restoration
- Righteous Leadership
- Sacred Spaces
- Service
- Sovereignty of God
- Threat
- Transparency
- Warnings in the Bible
Related chapters
- 2 Chronicles 24JehoiadaJoashGodly Counsel
- 2 Kings 11JehoiadaJoashHouse of the Lord
- 2 Kings 14JehoashAssassinationKings of Judah
- 1 Kings 6House of the LordDedication
- 2 Kings 13HazaelJehoashKing of Aram
- 2 Chronicles 23JehoiadaJoashHouse of the Lord
- 2 Kings 8HazaelKing of AramAram
- Exodus 35GivingOfferingsGenerosity
- 2 Kings 16Political Alliances in the BibleAramApostasy
- 2 Chronicles 29Temple RestorationRighteous LeadershipGod's Work
- Leviticus 8God's WorkMediationGenesis 1
- 2 Chronicles 34Temple RestorationRighteous LeadershipCovenant Renewal
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