“And Jehoiada took for him two wives; and he begat sons and daughters.”
Him. Joas, as Protestants (Haydock) and most interpreters understand it, with the Syriac, &c. Joiada was too old to think of marrying again, as the Rabbins would explain the Hebrew, conformably to the Septuagint and Arabic, “himself.” (Calmet) — Joas did not probably marry two at once. (Salien, the year of the world 3766.) — Amasias was born of Joadan, chap, xxv. 1. (Menochius) — The high priest considered Joas as his son, being married to his aunt. (Haydock)
“And he gathered together the priests and the Levites, and said to them, Go out unto the cities of Judah, and gather of all Israel money to repair the house of your God from year to year, and see that ye hasten the matter. Howbeit the Levites hastened it not.”
Money. The half sicle, (Exodus xxx. 13., and 4 Kings xii. 4.; Calmet) which at first was required for the tabernacle, and afterwards for the repairs of the temple. (Worthington)
“And the king called for Jehoiada the chief, and said unto him, Why hast thou not required of the Levites to bring in out of Judah and out of Jerusalem the collection, according to the commandment of Moses the servant of the LORD, and of the congregation of Israel, for the tabernacle of witness?”
Chief “priest,” (ver. 11,) where he is called the first. Hebrew, “the head priest.”
“For the sons of Athaliah, that wicked woman, had broken up the house of God; and also all the dedicated things of the house of the LORD did they bestow upon Baalim.”
Children. All but Ochozias had been slain by the Arabs. The plural is often put for the singular. St. Jerome (Trad.) explains it of the priests of the idols, whom Athalia cherished as her own offspring.
“And all the princes and all the people rejoiced, and brought in, and cast into the chest, until they had made an end.”
That, &c. Hebrew, “till it was done,” according to the law. (Pagnin)
“Now it came to pass, that at what time the chest was brought 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 officer came and emptied the chest, and took it, and carried it to his place again. Thus they did day by day, and gathered money in abundance.”
From day. Literally, “every day,” (Haydock) when the chest was replenished. (Menochius)
“And when they had finished it, they brought the rest of the money before the king and Jehoiada, whereof were made vessels for the house of the LORD, even vessels to minister, and to offer withal, and spoons, and vessels of gold and silver. And they offered burnt offerings in the house of the LORD continually all the days of Jehoiada. to offer: or, pestils”
And for. Hebrew, “and to offer,” such as (Haydock) “mortars,” Proverbs xxvii. 22. Eali is thus translated. (Calmet) — Protestants, “and spoons and vessels.”
“And they buried him in the city of David among the kings, because he had done good in Israel, both toward God, and toward his house.”
Israel, particularly to those of the kingdom of Juda. (Haydock) — His, David’s, house, (Menochius) as he had restored the crown to his offspring.
“Now after the death of Jehoiada came the princes of Judah, and made obeisance to the king. Then the king hearkened unto them.”
Worshipped. Hebrew, “bowed down to the king, and he hearkened to them.” (Haydock) — The Jews say that the princes flattered him with the title of god, as he had been educated in the temple. (Estius) — But this is improbable. (Calmet) — They petitioned for leave to re-establish the worship of Baal, (Menochius) and paid greater honours to the king than were becoming. (Du Hamel)
“And they left the house of the LORD God of their fathers, and served groves and idols: and wrath came upon Judah and Jerusalem for this their trespass.”
Idols. Hebrew, “sorrows.” Septuagint, “the Astartes and idols.” (Calmet)
“Yet he sent prophets to them, to bring them again unto the LORD; and they testified against them: but they would not give ear.”
Them. Calling heaven and earth to witness (Calmet) the unity of God. (Haydock) — These prophets might have been performing their sacred commission ever since the reign of Josaphat; during which time Eliseus, Micheas, Jehu, and others, lived, chap. xx. 14., and xviii. 27. (Calmet)
“And the Spirit of God came upon Zechariah the son of Jehoiada the priest, which stood above the people, and said unto them, Thus saith God, Why transgress ye the commandments of the LORD, that ye cannot prosper? because ye have forsaken the LORD, he hath also forsaken you. came: Heb. clothed”
Priest, refers to Zacharias. Septuagint, “Azarias.” (Haydock) — It is not certain whether this was the person whom Jesus Christ speaks, (Matthew xxiii. 35.; Calmet) as St. Jerome believes; (Matthew xxiii. 35.) or our Saviour alludes to one of the minor prophets, (Tirinus) or to the father of John the Baptist. [Luke i.] (Baronius) (Haydock) — Sight. Hebrew, “above,” perhaps on the steps between the two courts. (Calmet) — To make. Hebrew, “therefore hath he forsaken you.”
“Thus Joash the king remembered not the kindness which Jehoiada his father had done to him, but slew his son. And when he died, he said, The LORD look upon it, and require it.”
Require it.. I commit my cause into his hands. (Menochius) — The vengeance of the Lord was not slack. (Haydock)
“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 Damascus. at the: Heb. in the revolution of the year Damascus: Heb. Darmesek”
Damascus. Hazael had before invaded Jerusalem, 4 Kings xii. 17. The Syrian army, which routed Juda, was comparatively small. (Calmet) — The idolatrous princes now received the due punishment of their crimes, ver. 17.
“For 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 forsaken the LORD God of their fathers. So they executed judgment against Joash.”
Shameful, is not expressed in Hebrew. But the putting a king to the torture, (ver. 25.) and upbraiding him with his ingratitude and perfidy, was a great indignity. (Haydock) — He had probably entered into engagements with Hazael, when he prevailed on him to depart, the year before. (Calmet) — Nabuchodonosor treated Sedecias in like manner, 4 Kings xxv. 6. The author of the Hebrew Trad. among the works of St. Jerome, (Haydock) asserts that the children of Joas were slain before his eyes, while the Syrians reproached him for the unjust murder of Zacharias. (Calmet)
“And when they were departed from him, (for they left him in great diseases,) his own servants conspired against him for the blood of 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.”
Servants. By whom the man is slain, who had murdered his spiritual father. (Worthington) — Son. Hebrew, “sons.” See ver. 7. Some think that the brothers of Zacharias were slain, that they might not attempt to revenge his death. — Kings. These sepulchres are amazingly beautiful and spacious. The doors are six feet high, and formed, like the rest, of solid stone, cut in the most elegant manner. (Doubdan 26.) (Calmet)
“And these are they that conspired against him; Zabad the son of Shimeath an Ammonitess, and Jehozabad the son of Shimrith a Moabitess. Zabad: or, Jozacher Shimrith: or, Shomer”
Moabitess. Septuagint read, “the Ammonite….and Moabite.” See 4 Kings xii. 21. (Haydock)
“Now concerning his sons, and the greatness of the burdens laid upon him, and the repairing of the house of God, behold, they are written in the story of the book of the kings. And Amaziah his son reigned in his stead. repairing: Heb. founding story: or, commentary”
And. Septuagint, “And all his sons: for five came upon him,” with the rest of the conspirators. (Haydock) — They have read differently. (Calmet) — Sum. Hebrew, “the greatness of the burden on him,” (Haydock) imposed by the Syrians, (ver. 24) or denounced by the prophets. Mossa is often taken for a prophetic menace. (Calmet) — More. Hebrew, “in the researches.” Protestants, “story of the book.” Addo entitled his book Modross, chap. xxii. 22. (Haydock) — Only some extracts from these works have come down to us. Esdras had them before him. The abridgments have occasioned their loss, as has been the case with many other excellent works. This was the more easy, as writing was not then so common. (Calmet)