1Joash reigneth well all the days of Jehoiada. 4His care and orders for the repairs of the temple. 15Jehoiada's death and honourable burial. 17Joash seduced by the flattering homage of his princes falleth away to idolatry, and putteth to death Zechariah the son of Jehoiada for reproving him by the Spirit of God. 23Joash is spoiled by the Syrians, and slain by a conspiracy of his servants. 27Amaziah succeedeth him.
1JOASH was 1sevena years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years in Jerusalem. His mother's name also was Zibiah of Beer-sheba.
1 Hebr. a son of seven years. See 2 Chron. 23 on verse 1.
a 2 Kings 12:1.
2And Joash did that which was right in the sight of the LORD 2all the days of Jehoiada the priest.
2 That is, as long as Jehoiada was alive, who ceased not to instruct him in the ways of the Lord, 2 Kings 12:2.
3And Jehoiada 3took for him two wives; and he begat sons and daughters.
3 That is, he chose two wives for him, whom he sought out in due manner, and joined them to him in wedlock.
4¶And it came to pass after this, 4that Joash was minded to 5repair the house of the LORD.
4 That is, that it was in the heart of Joash, or had intended. Also 1 Kings 8:17, 18; see the annotation.
5 That is, to repair or to mend what was broken, or decayed, or split, rent and ripped in it. Hebr. to renew.
5And he gathered together the priests and the Levites, and said to them, Go out unto the cities of Judah, and gather of all 6Israel money to 7repair the house of your God 8from year to year, and see that ye hasten 9the matter. Howbeit the Levites hastened it not.
6 Understand the Israelites who were under the jurisdiction of Judah. See 2 Chron. 15 on verse 17; 2 Chron. 21 on verse 2.
7 Hebr. to strengthen, that is, to renew, as verse 4. Also 2 Kings 12:5, 6, and below verse 12.
8 Because it could not be repaired in one year; or, that it was to be repaired every year.
9 Hebr. unto this word.
6And the king called for Jehoiada 10the chief, and said unto him, Why hast thou not 11required of the Levites to bring in out of Judah and out of Jerusalem the 12collection, according to the commandment of Mosesb the servant of the LORD, and of the congregation of Israel, 13for the tabernacle of witness?
10 Namely, of the priests, that is, the chief priest. The word priest is added thereto in verse 11. See also Neh. 12:7.
11 Or, not made search.
12 Or, levy, tax, charge. Understand such as Moses had commanded for the making of the tabernacle in the wilderness, Exod. 30:12, 13; 38:24, 25, which happened not yearly, but as necessity required. Compare the annotation on Exod. 30:12. Others suppose that this collection was ordinary, and was made duly every year, for the maintaining of the worship of God, and its appurtenances.
b Exod. 30:11, 12, 13.
13 See Num. 1 on verse 50.
714For 15the sons of Athaliah, that wicked woman, had broken up the house of God; and also 16all the 17dedicated things of the house of the LORD did they bestow upon 18Baalim.
14 Other, The sons of Athaliah, that wicked woman, had, etc. Hebr. For Athaliah dealing wickedly, her sons had, etc.
15 Namely, Ahaziah with some of his next kinsmen. See 2 Chron. 21:16, 17. For, the rest of her sons were carried away captive in the lifetime of Joram, her husband. Otherwise the plural number would have been used here for the singular, as Gen. 21:7, unless we would say that Athaliah’s sons had done the thing here mentioned before their captivity.
16 That is, all manner, or, the greatest part.
17 See Lev. 16 on verse 4.
18 That is, idols. See Judges 2 on verse 11.
8And at the king’s 19commandment they made a chest, and set it without 20at the gate of the house of the LORD.
19 Hebr. said, that is here, he commanded, namely, by the advice of Jehoiada the high priest, as may be gathered from 2 Kings 12:9.
20 Namely, of the people’s court; on the right hand, as they entered into the temple of the Lord. See 2 Kings 12:9, and the annotation thereon.
9And 21they made a proclamation through Judah and Jerusalem, to bring in to the LORD the 22collection that Moses the servant of God laid 23upon Israel in the wilderness.
21 Hebr. And they gave a voice in Judah, etc. that is, they caused proclamation to be made. Of the word proclamation for voice see Exod. 36:6, and the annotation; likewise Ezra 1:1.
22 See on verse 6.
23 That is, charged upon Israel by God, and imposed upon them by Moses.
10And all the princes and all the people rejoiced, and brought in, and cast into the chest, until they 24had made an end.
24 Namely, of repairing the house of the Lord. See verse 14. Other, until it became full.
11Now it came to pass, that 25at what time the chest was 26brought unto the king's office by the hand of the Levites, and when they saw that there was much money, the king's scribe and the high priest’s 27officer came and emptied the chest, and took it, and carried it to 28his place again. Thus they did 29day by day, and gathered money in abundance.
25 Namely, by Jehoiada the high priest.
26 Namely, out of the place where it stood in one of the chambers that were in the temple, to take out the money there, to purse it, and to count it. Compare 2 Kings 12:10, and the annotation.
27 That is, those who were appointed for this work by the high priest. In their stead the high priest himself is mentioned, 2 Kings 12:10, for, a man may be said to do that himself which he does by another. See Gen. 40 on verse 22.
28 See of this place on verse 8.
29 Or, day unto day; that is, until the chest was full.
12And the king and Jehoiada gave it to such as 30did the work of the service of the house of the LORD, and hired 31masons and 32carpenters to repair the house of the LORD, and also such as wrought iron and brass to mend the house of the LORD.
30 Hebr. that did the work, etc., that is, took care of it. And understand thereby the most important overseers over the work, that it be given by them to the workmen; for, there were more than one overseer. See 2 Kings 12 on verse 11.
31 The Hebrew word signifies as well hewers of stone as hewers of wood. See 1 Kings 5 on verse 15.
32 The word which is used in the original is indeed ascribed to sundry artificers or handy craftsmen, as appears Exod. 35:35; 38:23; 1 Chron. 22:15; Isa. 45:16, etc., and here in the following words of this verse, but that it is to be understood here of carpenters, may here be truly gathered from the foregoing and following words.
13So the workmen wrought, and the work was 33perfected by them, and they set the house of God in his 34state, and strengthened it.
33 Hebr. health. The sense is, that the work of building by the diligent care of the overseers came to a good state and form. The Hebrew word is likewise taken as such, 1 Kings 18:30; Neh. 4:7.
34 The Hebrew word signifies here a well-ordered form, or a right-fashioned or regular structure, having its due proportion, shape and dimension.
14And when they had 35finished it, 36they brought the rest of the money before the king and Jehoiada, whereof 37were made vessels for the house of the LORD, even vessels to minister, and to 38offer withal, and spoons, and vessels of gold and silver. 39And they offered burnt offerings in the house of the LORD continually 40all the days of Jehoiada.
35 Namely, the repairing and mending of the temple.
36 Namely, the providers and overseers of the work, who were entrusted by the king and Jehoiada to spend this money aright, verse 12.
37 Namely, by the king.
38 Other, to mortar.
39 After the temple was repaired, the pure worship of God, according to the law of Moses, was restored and maintained.
40 That is, as long as Jehoiada lived; also verse 2.
15¶But Jehoiada waxed old, and was 41full of days when he died; an hundred and thirty years old 42was he when he died.
41 See Gen. 25:8, and the annotation; likewise Gen. 35:29; 1 Chron. 23:1; 29:28.
42 Hebr. a son of an hundred and thirty years.
16And they buried him in the city of David among the kings, because he had 43done good in 44Israel, both toward 45God, and toward 46his house.
43 Namely, safeguarded the young king from the cruel and murderous Athaliah, brought him up well, and instructed him, set him upon the royal throne, put to death wicked Athaliah, repaired the temple and restored the pure worship of God.
44 That is, in the land of Judah and that which appertained to it, which was a part of Israel, this name being taken generally. See 2 Chron. 21 on verse 2.
45 In restoring His worship, 2 Chron. 23:18 and here verse 14.
46 Understand His temple, which was repaired by the advice and management of Jehoiada.
17Now after the death of Jehoiada came the princes of Judah, and 47made obeisance to the king. Then the king 48hearkened unto them.
47 Namely, requesting him that they might bring in idolatry again into the land, as may be gathered from the following verse.
48 That is, he granted their request.
18And they left the house of the LORD God of their fathers, and served groves and 49idols: and 50wrath came upon Judah and Jerusalem for this their trespass.
49 Hebr. sorrows. See 1 Sam. 31 on verse 9.
50 Namely, of God. See 2 Chron. 28 on verse 13.
19Yet he sent prophets to them, to bring them again unto the LORD; and they 51testified against them: but they would not give ear.
51 That is, called heaven and earth to witness against them.
20And the Spirit of God 52came upon Zechariah the son of Jehoiada the priest, 53which stood above the people, and said unto them, Thus saith God, Why transgress ye the commandments of the LORD, thatc ye cannot prosper? because ye have forsaken the LORD, he hath also forsaken you.
52 Or, clothed, that is, the Spirit of the Lord came upon him, and arrayed him as a garment. See Judges 6 on verse 34.
53 That is, in a place that was higher than the place wherein the people were assembled; from which place Zechariah spoke, that he might be heard better.
c 2 Chron. 15:2.
21And they conspired against him, and stonedd him with stones at the commandment of the king in the 54court of the house of the LORD.
d Mat. 23:35.
54 Namely, in the people’s court, as some perceive. Others understand this of the priests’ court, so that this murder would have been committed between the altar and the porch of the temple, namely, as it were before the face of the Lord. The opinion of many is that the Lord Jesus Christ has respect to this passage, Mat. 23:35, and that Jehoiada is called there Barachias.
22Thus Joash the king remembered not the 55kindness which Jehoiada his father had done to him, but slew his son. And when he died, he said, The LORD look upon it, and 56require it.
55 Of which see 2 Chronicles 23.
56 Namely, my blood at the hands of these murderers, and at the hand of him who commanded the murder to be done. That is, God will punish and avenge it. See Gen. 9:5; 42:22, and the annotations. Other, the Lord seeth it, and will require it. Or, the Lord look upon it, and require it.
23¶And it came to pass at the end of the year, that the host of Syria came up against him: and they came to Judah and Jerusalem, and destroyed all the princes of the people from among the people, and sent all the spoil of them unto the king of 57Damascus.
57 Hebr. Darmesek. Understand the capital city of Syria. See Gen. 14 on verse 15.
24For the army of the Syrians came with a small company of men, and the LORD delivered a very great host into their hand, because they had 58forsaken the LORD God of their fathers. So 59they executed 60judgment against Joash.
58 Compare the annotation at 2 Chron. 12 on verse 1.
59 Namely, the Syrians.
60 That is, the punishments of God, which he had deserved in forsaking the pure worship of God, and in murdering Zechariah; for, it seems likewise by the following verse that the Syrians had wounded him.
25And when they were departed from him, (for they left him in great diseases,) his own servants 61conspired against him for the 62blood 63of the sons of Jehoiada the priest, and slew him on his bed, and he died: and they buried him in the city of David, but they buried him not in the sepulchres of the kings.
61 See the annotation 1 Kings 15 on verse 27.
62 Hebr. bloods, that is, for the murder committed on Zechariah. See 1 Kings 2 on verse 33.
63 That is, of Zechariah the son of Jehoiada the priest; the plural number being here put for the singular. See verse 7 and the annotation. Unless we would say that Jehoiada had more sons who were put to death, or, at least by sons are here to be meant the sons of Zechariah, because children seem to have been sometimes destroyed with their fathers. Compare 2 Kings 9:26; 2 Chron. 25:4.
26And thesee are they that conspired against him; 64Zabad the son of Shimeath an Ammonitess, and Jehozabad the son of 65Shimrith a Moabitess.
e 2 Kings 12:21.
64 Also called Jozachar, 2 Kings 12:21.
65 Otherwise called Shomer, 2 Kings 12:21.
27¶Now concerning his 66sons, and the greatness 67of the burdens laid upon him, and 68the repairing of the house of God, behold, they are written in the 69story of the book of the kings. And Amaziah his son reigned in his stead.
66 Whom he had, or also left behind.
67 That is, of the taxation, wherewith he was charged or burdened to redeem the plundering and spoiling of Jerusalem by Hazael, 2 Kings 12:18. Others understand this of the collections or taxes which he laid upon the people, toward the building and repairing of the temple.
68 Hebr. the ground-work or foundation; that is, the building on the house of God.
69 The Hebrew word midrasch has its name from seeking, because in it the acts and deeds of kings were diligently searched out, gathered together and recorded. Also 2 Chron. 13:22.