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2 Kings Chapter
Twelve
New King James Version (NKJV)
INTRODUCTION TO 2 KINGS 12
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 how
urgent he was to have the temple repaired
and what methods were taken for that
purpose
2 Kings 12:4
how
meanly
as well as impiously
he behaved
when the king of Syria was about to
come up to Jerusalem and besiege it
2 Kings 12:17
and
the chapter is closed with an account of his death
and the manner of it
2 Kings 12:19.
2 Kings 12:1 In
the seventh year of Jehu
Jehoash[a] became
king
and he reigned forty years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was
Zibiah of Beersheba.
YLT
1In the seventh year of Jehu
reigned hath Jehoash
and forty years he hath reigned in Jerusalem
and the
name of his mother [is] Zibiah of Beer-Sheba
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 Beersheba; a city in the
tribe of Simeon
in the extreme part of the land of Canaan southward; her name
in the Chaldee dialect is Tabitha
the same with Dorcas in Greek
Acts 9:36.
2 Kings 12:2 2 Jehoash did what was
right in the sight of the Lord all the days in which Jehoiada
the priest instructed him.
YLT
2and Jehoash doth that which
is right in the eyes of Jehovah all his days in which Jehoiada the priest
directed him
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; for to that period "all his days must be limited"; for after
his death he was seduced by the princes of Judah to idolatry
and lived
scandalously
and died ignominiously; see 2 Chronicles 24:2.
2 Kings 12:3 3 But the high places were
not taken away; the people still sacrificed and burned incense on the high
places.
YLT
3only
the high places have
not turned aside
still are the people sacrificing and making perfume in high
places.
But the high places were not taken away
.... Used
before the temple was built
or set up in Rehoboam's time
1 Kings 14:23
contrary to the law of God
which required that sacrifices should only be
offered in the place the Lord chose to dwell in
Deuteronomy 12:4
the people still sacrificed and burnt incense in the high places; as they had
done in the times of Athaliah
and though the pure worship of God was restored
at Jerusalem; and indeed this they did in all preceding reigns; nor was it in
the power of the best of kings
at least they did not think it safe to attempt
to remove them till Hezekiah's time; so fond were the people of them because of
their antiquity and supposed sanctity
and for the sake of ease.
2 Kings 12:4 4 And Jehoash said to the
priests
“All the money of the dedicated gifts that are brought into the house
of the Lord—each
man’s census money
each man’s assessment money[b]—and
all the money that a man purposes in his heart to bring into the house of the Lord
YLT
4And Jehoash saith unto the
priests
`All the money of the sanctified things that is brought in to the
house of Jehovah
the money of him who is passing over
each the money of his
valuation
all the money that it goeth up on the heart of a man to bring in to
the house of Jehovah
And Jehoash said to the priests
.... Being minded or
having it in his heart
to repair the temple
as in 2 Chronicles 24:4
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 that is brought into the
house of the Lord: or rather
"that is to be brought"
as De Dieu
and
others render it
the particulars of which follow:
even the money of everyone that passeth the account; or that
passeth among them that are numbered
as in Exodus 30:13 that
were upwards of twenty years of age
and bound to pay the half shekel for the
ransom of their souls; and it is called the collection or burden Moses laid on
them in the wilderness
2 Chronicles 24:6.
the money that every man is set at; the price the priest set
upon or estimated a man at
or whomsoever that belonged to him
that he devoted
to the Lord
which by the law he was bound to pay for his redemption
and
till
that was done
he and they were not his
but the Lord's
of which see Leviticus 27:1 and
here the Targum calls it
the money of the redemption of souls
which is the
gift of a man for the redemption of his soul:
and all the money that cometh into any man's heart to bring into
the house of the Lord: vows and freewill offerings made of their own accord.
2 Kings 12:5 5 let the priests take it
themselves
each from his constituency; and let them repair the damages of the
temple
wherever any dilapidation is found.”
YLT
5do the priests take to
them
each from his acquaintance
and they strengthen the breach of the house
in all [places] where there is found a breach.'
Let the priests take it to them
every man of his acquaintance
.... 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 into all
the cities
some to one and some to another
where they were most acquainted
to collect money
both what was due by law
and what the people should freely
give
see 2 Chronicles 24:5.
and let them repair the breaches of the house
wheresoever any
breach shall be found: that is
of the temple
which
according to the Jewish
chronologyF9Seder Olam Rabba
c. 18.
had been built but one
hundred and fifty five years; and being built very strong
would have needed no
considerable repairs as yet
but that it had been broken up and misused by
Athaliah and her sons
2 Chronicles 24:7.
2 Kings 12:6 6 Now it was so
by the
twenty-third year of King Jehoash
that the priests had not repaired the
damages of the temple.
YLT
6And it cometh to pass
in
the twenty and third year of king Jehoash
the priests have not strengthened
the breach of the house
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
either in collecting the money
or in using it as they were directed.
2 Kings 12:7 7 So King Jehoash called
Jehoiada the priest and the other priests
and said to them
“Why have
you not repaired the damages of the temple? Now therefore
do not take more
money from your constituency
but deliver it for repairing the damages of the
temple.”
YLT
7and king Jehoash calleth to
Jehoiada the priest
and to the priests
and saith unto them
`Wherefore are ye
not strengthening the breach of the house? and now
receive no money from your
acquaintances
but for the breach of the house give it.'
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 money
and they might not choose to begin the repairs until
they had got it all in
or at least what was sufficient to carry them through
them:
now therefore receive no more money of your acquaintance; suspecting
that what they had received they kept for their own use:
but deliver it for the breaches of the house; into other
hands for that use
and so dismissed them at once from collecting the money
and being concerned in the repairs of the temple.
2 Kings 12:8 8 And the priests agreed
that they would neither receive more money from the people
nor repair
the damages of the temple.
YLT
8And the priests consent not
to receive money from the people
nor to strengthen the breach of the house
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.
2 Kings 12:9 9 Then Jehoiada the priest
took a chest
bored a hole in its lid
and set it beside the altar
on the
right side as one comes into the house of the Lord; and the
priests who kept the door put there all the money brought into the house of the
Lord.
YLT
9and Jehoiada the priest
taketh a chest
and pierceth a hole in its lid
and putteth it near the altar
on the right side
as one cometh in to the house of Jehovah
and the priests
keeping the threshold have put there all the money that is brought in to the
house of Jehovah.
But Jehoiada the priest took a chest
.... By the
commandment of the king
2 Chronicles 24:8
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 altar; the altar of burnt
offering
in the court:
on the right side
as one cometh into the house of the Lord; that is
on
the north; for the entrance into the temple was at the east: in 2 Chronicles 24:8
it is said to be set without at the gate of the house; which Dr. LightfootF11Prospect
of the Temple
ch. 30. p. 20
22. thinks respects another time
and that either
another chest was made
or the same that was first placed by the altar
in the
court of the priests
and so in their hands
and the money not coming in apace
was removed without the court at the entrance of it
whither the people brought
it readily:
and the priests that kept the door; the door of the outward
court
the levites
the porters
or rather
as the Targum
the priests
the
treasurers
who were appointed to this service in the room of the others
dismissed; and so Kimchi and other Jewish commentators interpret this of the
keepers of the vessels of the sanctuary
and not of the doors of it:
these put therein all the money that was brought into the house of
the Lord; by the people from the several parts of the country
who
by
proclamation
were required so to do
and very readily did
2 Chronicles 24:9.
2 Kings 12:10 10 So it was
whenever they
saw that there was much money in the chest
that the king’s scribe and
the high priest came up and put it in bags
and counted the money that was
found in the house of the Lord.
YLT
10And it cometh to pass
at
their seeing that the money [is] abundant in the chest
that there goeth up a
scribe of the king
and of the high priest
and they bind [it] up
and count
the money that is found [in] the house of Jehovah
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 king's secretary with him
that the money might be
taken out of the chest
and told in the presence of them both: in 2 Chronicles 24:11
instead of the "high priest"
it is the "high priest's
officer"
which the Targum there calls the Sagan of the high priest
or
his deputy
who
perhaps
attended when the high priest could not:
and they put up in bags
and told the money that was found in the
house of the Lord; that is
they poured the money out of the chest
or emptied it
as in 2 Chronicles 24:11
and counted it
and very likely set down the sum in writing
and put it up in
bags
very probably sealed.
2 Kings 12:11 11 Then they gave the money
which had been apportioned
into the hands of those who did the work
who had
the oversight of the house of the Lord; and they paid it out to
the carpenters and builders who worked on the house of the Lord
YLT
11and have given the weighed
money into the hands of those doing the work
those inspecting the house of
Jehovah
and they bring it out to those working in the wood
and to builders
who are working in the house of Jehovah
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
.... 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 concern
in the repairs: this money "told"
Kimchi interprets of its being
coined; he supposes money coined and uncoined to be brought
which was put in
separate bags; and that
which was not coined
they coined it before they
delivered it to the overseers to pay the workmen with:
and they laid it out to the carpenters and builders that wrought
upon the house of the Lord; paid them with it
some that wrought in
cutting the timber
and others in building with it.
2 Kings 12:12 12 and to masons and
stonecutters
and for buying timber and hewn stone
to repair the damage of the
house of the Lord
and for all that was paid out to repair the temple.
YLT
12and to those [repairing]
the wall
and to hewers of stone
and to buy wood and hewn stones to strengthen
the breach of the house of Jehovah
and for all that goeth out on the house
to
strengthen it.
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 all that was laid out for the house to repair it; in whatsoever
else it needed
as iron and brass to mend it
2 Chronicles 24:12.
2 Kings 12:13 13 However there were not
made for the house of the Lord basins of silver
trimmers
sprinkling-bowls
trumpets
any articles of gold or articles of
silver
from the money brought into the house of the Lord.
YLT
13Only
there is not made for
the house of Jehovah basins of silver
snuffers
bowls
trumpets
any vessel of
gold
and vessel of silver
out of the money that is brought into the house of
Jehovah;
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 with
as the word signifies:
trumpets; silver ones
to call the assembly
blow over the sacrifices
&c.
any vessels of gold
or vessels of silver; for any other
use: these were not made
of the money that was brought into the house of the Lord; yet
in 2 Chronicles 24:14
it is said they were
which is to be reconciled thus; they did not make any of
those things at first
until the house was repaired
and the charges of it defrayed;
and then of what remained they made vessels for the house
which were wanting
that Athaliah had bestowed on Baalim
2 Chronicles 24:7.
2 Kings 12:14 14 But they gave that to the
workmen
and they repaired the house of the Lord with it.
YLT
14for to those doing the work
they give it
and they have strengthened with it the house of Jehovah
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.
2 Kings 12:15 15 Moreover they did not
require an account from the men into whose hand they delivered the money to be
paid to workmen
for they dealt faithfully.
YLT
15and they do not reckon with
the men into whose hand they give the money to give to those doing the work
for in faithfulness they are dealing.
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 how they laid it out
and for what:
for they dealt faithfully; they saw they acted such
an honest and upright part
and such an high opinion had they of them
that
they never examined their accounts
or called for their bills.
2 Kings 12:16 16 The money from the
trespass offerings and the money from the sin offerings was not brought into
the house of the Lord.
It belonged to the priests.
YLT
16The money of a
trespass-offering
and the money of sin-offerings is not brought in to the
house of Jehovah -- for the priests it is.
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 in the above manner:
it was the priest's; the overplus of it
and
such of the sacrifices which by the law were appropriated to them.
2 Kings 12:17 17 Hazael king of Syria went
up and fought against Gath
and took it; then Hazael set his face to go up to
Jerusalem.
YLT
17Then go up doth Hazael king
of Aram
and fighteth against Gath
and captureth it
and Hazael setteth his
face to go up against Jerusalem;
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 was subdued by David
and had been in the hands of the
Israelites ever since; the king of Syria began with this
as nearest to him
to
open the way for what he had further in view:
and Hazael set his face to go up to Jerusalem; he made such
preparations
and took such measures
as plainly indicated what his design was.
2 Kings 12:18 18 And Jehoash king of Judah
took all the sacred things that his fathers
Jehoshaphat and Jehoram and
Ahaziah
kings of Judah
had dedicated
and his own sacred things
and all the
gold found in the treasuries of the house of the Lord and in the
king’s house
and sent them to Hazael king of Syria. Then he went away
from Jerusalem.
YLT
18and Jehoash king of Judah
taketh all the sanctified things that Jehoshaphat
and Jehoram
and Ahaziah
his fathers
kings of Judah
had sanctified
and his own sanctified things
and
all the gold that is found in the treasures of the house of Jehovah and of the
house of the king
and sendeth to Hazael king of Aram
and he goeth up from off
Jerusalem.
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 treasures of the
house of the Lord: which were gifts and presents from divers persons for sacred
services:
and sent it to Hazael king of Syria
and he went away from
Jerusalem; to bribe him
that he might desist from his purpose; which
showed a meanness of spirit
and was the effect of his idolatry and apostasy
having forsaken the Lord
and being forsaken by him; in whom should have been
his trust and confidence
and then he need not have been afraid to meet the king
of Syria.
2 Kings 12:19 19 Now the rest of the acts
of Joash
[c] and all
that he did
are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the
kings of Judah?
YLT
19And the rest of the matters
of Joash
and all that he did
are they not written on the book of the
Chronicles of the kings of Judah?
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 2 Chronicles 24:1.
2 Kings 12:20 20 And his servants arose and
formed a conspiracy
and killed Joash in the house of the Millo
[d] which goes
down to Silla.
YLT
20And his servants rise
and
make a conspiracy
and smite Joash in the house of Millo
that is going down to
Silla:
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 2 Chronicles 24:23
and made a conspiracy; not to get the kingdom
into their hands
for his son succeeded him
but to avenge the death of
Zechariah:
and slew Jehoash in the house of Millo
which goeth down to Silla; these are
both names of places; perhaps the latter is mentioned
to distinguish this
Bethmillo from Millo in Zion; or rather that itself is meant
and described by
the descent from it to a causeway
as Silla may signify
which led to the royal
palace.
2 Kings 12:21 21 For Jozachar[e] the son of
Shimeath and Jehozabad the son of Shomer
[f] his
servants
struck him. So he died
and they buried him with his fathers in the
City of David. Then Amaziah his son reigned in his place.
YLT
21yea
Jozachar son of
Shimeath
and Jehozabad son of Shemer
his servants
have smitten him
and he
dieth
and they bury him with his fathers in the city of David
and reign doth
Amaziah his son
in his stead.
For Jozachar the son of Shimeath
.... Said to be an
Ammonitess
and this man's name Zabad
2 Chronicles 24:26
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:
and they buried him with his fathers in the city of David; but not in
the sepulchres of the kings
because of his idolatry and murder of a priest of
the Lord:
and Amaziah his son reigned in his stead; the conspirators
not seeking the kingdom
but vengeance on him for his sins
which
whether
right in them to do
was suffered by the Lord.
──《John Gill’s
Exposition of the Bible》
New King James
Version (NKJV)