2 Kings 12 Commentary

“And Jehoash said to the priests, All the money of the dedicated things that is brought into the house of the LORD, even the money of every one that passeth the account, the money that every man is set at, and all the money that cometh into any man's heart to bring into the house of the LORD, dedicated things: or, holy things: Heb. holinesses that every: Heb. of the souls of his estimation cometh: Heb. ascendeth upon the heart of a man”

Sanctified. That is, dedicated to God’s service. (Challoner) — Literally, “of the holy” sanctorum. (Haydock) — For the use of the sanctuary. — Pass, as strangers, (3 Kings viii. 41.) desiring sacrifice to be offered, (Grotius) or who pass in the roll of those who have attained their 20th year, and are obliged to pay half a sicle, Exodus xx. 13, 14. This was the first fund which had been turned to a different purpose by the priests, (Calmet) under the wicked kings. (Haydock) — Soul. that is, the ordinary oblation, which every soul was to offer by the law, Exodus xxx. (Challoner) — Or, this was a second fund arising from the redemption of vows, Leviticus xxvii. 2. — Lord. Voluntary contributions, like that of the widow, (Luke xxi. 2.) were also recommended; and Joas sent Levites throughout the land, every year, to collect what they could, for the reparation of the temple, 2 Paralipomenon xxiv. 5.

“Let the priests take it to them, every man of his acquaintance: and let them repair the breaches of the house, wheresoever any breach shall be found.”

Order. Hebrew, “acquaintance.” Let them receive the contributions on the spot where they reside; or, let those who are on duty in the temple take them. (Calmet) — Thing. Hebrew, “breach,” badek, a term which the Septuagint retain. (Haydock)

“But it was so, that in the three and twentieth year of king Jehoash the priests had not repaired the breaches of the house. three: Heb. twentieth year and third year”

Temple. It is not known when the king gave his orders; but they were executed with negligence, as they seemed to interfere (Calmet) with the emoluments assigned by the law to the Levites, 2 Paralipomenon xxiv. 5. (Haydock) — The latter Jews were obliged to pay half a sicle towards the repairs of the temple. (Tirinus)

“Then king Jehoash called for Jehoiada the priest, and the other priests, and said unto them, Why repair ye not the breaches of the house? now therefore receive no more money of your acquaintance, but deliver it for the breaches of the house.”

The man, against whom thou hast pronounced sentence, and who has treated thy neighbour with still less pity. (Haydock)

“And the priests consented to receive no more money of the people, neither to repair the breaches of the house.”

Forbidden. Hebrew, Septuagint, &c., “And the priests consented to take no,” &c. They were also obliged to restore what they had already received. (Calmet)

“But Jehoiada the priest took a chest, and bored a hole in the lid of it, and set it beside the altar, on the right side as one cometh into the house of the LORD: and the priests that kept the door put therein all the money that was brought into the house of the LORD. door: Heb. threshold”

By the altar, yet without the enclosure, that any person might freely put in what he thought proper, 2 Paralipomenon xxiv. 8. Priests were still appointed to watch, that no fraud was committed: and they counted the money which the law ordained to be paid. Josephus (Jewish Wars vi. 5.) speaks of many coffers; one might be near the altar, and another out of the door. (Menochius)

“And it was so, when they saw that there was much money in the chest, that the king's scribe and the high priest came up, and they put up in bags, and told the money that was found in the house of the LORD. scribe: or, secretary put: Heb. bound up”

Priest, or his deputy. (Paralipomenon) (Calmet) — Out. Protestants, “put it up in bags,” (Haydock) or tied and afterwards weighed it.

“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: and they laid it out to the carpenters and builders, that wrought upon the house of the LORD, laid: Heb. brought it forth”

And they. The king and the high priest conjointly. (Paralipomenon)

“And to masons, and hewers of stone, and to buy timber and hewed stone to repair the breaches of the house of the LORD, and for all that was laid out for the house to repair it. was: Heb. went forth”

Sun, publicly, chap. xvi. 22. How abominable soever this conduct of an unnatural son must have been to God, he says, I will do this; because, when he might have prevented it by a more powerful grace, or by the death of the delinquent, he suffered him to carry his infernal project into execution. (Haydock)

“Howbeit there were not made for the house of the LORD bowls of silver, snuffers, basons, trumpets, any vessels of gold, or vessels of silver, of the money that was brought into the house of the LORD:”

Bowls. Chaldean, “silver chalices.” The precise import of the Hebrew term is not well known. (Menochius) — Lord. After the repairs were finished, the remaining money, which was very considerable, was however employed for these purposes, 2 Paralipomenon xxiv. 14. (Calmet) (Menochius)

“But they gave that to the workmen , and repaired therewith the house of the LORD.”

Occasion. Literally, “made” almost, in the same sense, as God threatened to do, what was effected by Absalom, ver. 12. David did not co-operate with the malice of infidels; but he was responsible for it: in as much as he had committed an unlawful action, which gave them occasion to blaspheme God, as if he had not been able to foresee this scandalous transaction. Thus God and religion are often vilified, on account of the misconduct of those who have the happiness to be well informed, but do not live up to their profession: but this mode of argumentation is very fallacious and uncandid. It ought, however, to be a caution to the servants of the true God, never to do any thing which may have such fatal consequences; and alienate the minds of weak men from the truth. — Die. Thus infidels would see, that God did not suffer David to pass quite unpunished. (Haydock)

“Moreover they reckoned not with the men, into whose hand they delivered the money to be bestowed on workmen: for they dealt faithfully.”

Faithfully, and corresponded with the trust reposed in them. (Haydock)

“The trespass money and sin money was not brought into the house of the LORD: it was the priests'.”

Sins. These terms seem to be synonymous, though they may be distinguished, Leviticus iv. 2., and v. 15. If any one forgot to pay tithes, he was bound to make full reparation to the priests; (Tostat) and the money which was given to them by strangers, to offer sacrifice, was not taken from them. (Calmet)

“Then Hazael king of Syria went up, and fought against Gath, and took it: and Hazael set his face to go up to Jerusalem.”

Then. After the death of Joiada, the king gave way to the greatest excesses of idolatry, and even murdered the son of his greatest benefactor. Hereupon the justice of God fell heavy upon him; Geth was taken, Jerusalem only saved by giving up all the sacred treasures, &c.: yea, the very next year, Hazael returned, routed the forces of Juda, and wounded the king, who on his return to the palace was murdered by conspirators, (Calmet) to revenge the death of Zacharias, 2 Paralipomenon xxiv. 25. (Josephus, [Antiquities?] ix. 8.)

“And Jehoash king of Judah took all the hallowed things that Jehoshaphat, and Jehoram, and Ahaziah, his fathers, kings of Judah, had dedicated, and his own hallowed things, and all the gold that was found in the treasures of the house of the LORD, and in the king's house, and sent it to Hazael king of Syria: and he went away from Jerusalem. went: Heb. went up”

Joram, &c. These are accused of plundering the temple, 2 Paralipomenon xxiv. 7. But they might make some presents, through ostentation. How many rob the poor, while they erect magnificent altars to the God of the poor! (Calmet)

“And his servants arose, and made a conspiracy, and slew Joash in the house of Millo , which goeth down to Silla. the house: or, Bethmillo”

Sella. A flight of steps leading to the temple. (Haydock) — The palace was at the bottom of it, and had been built by Solomon. Here Joas was slain in his bed. (Paralipomenon)

“For Jozachar the son of Shimeath, and Jehozabad the son of Shomer, his servants, smote him, and he died; and they buried him with his fathers in the city of David: and Amaziah his son reigned in his stead.”

Josachar, or Zabad, the son of Semmaath, an Ammonitess, and Jozabad, the son of Semarith, a Moabitess. (Paralipomenon) Both their mothers were of foreign extraction. (Calmet) — People have frequently two names. — Somer is the father of Jozabad. (Menochius) — David. Achaz was treated in like manner. The fear of this infamy might tend to keep the kings in awe. After death, the kings of Egypt might be accused, and deprived of sepulture, if their crimes deserved it: as many of them were. (Diodorus i. p. 46.) (Calmet) — Thus Joas was covered with eternal infamy, after he had begun so well. Finis coronat opus. (Haydock)

To me. No instance of any one being raised from the dead had yet occurred; though David did not disbelieve its possibility. (Menochius)

Wife. She had partaken in his affliction and repentance. The Jews say that David told her the divine oracle, which is mentioned [in] 3 Kings i. 13, 17., that her next son should succeed to the throne. Salien (the year of the world 3000) supposes that he was conceived in May, two months after the death of Bethsabee’s first-born, and came into the world about the time of the Passover. — Solomon, “the pacific.” See 1 Paralipomenon xxii. 9. (Menochius)

Amiable to the Lord. Or beloved of the Lord. In Hebrew, Yedideya. (Challoner) — Loved him, is not expressed in Hebrew, “because of the Lord.” (Haydock) — Theodotion, “in the word, or agreeably to, the order of the Lord.” Solomon never went by the name which God here gives him, (Calmet) except in this place. (Menochius) — It shews the gratuitous predilection which God had for him; but affords no proof of his predestination to glory, of which there is too much reason to doubt. (Calmet)

The city of waters. Rabbath, the royal city of the Ammonites, was called the city of waters, from being encompassed with waters. (Challoner) See chap. v. 8. — The Hebrew in the preceding verse seems to insinuate, (Haydock) that “he had taken the royal city.” But he was only on the point of doing it, or had, perhaps, made himself master of some part of it. Here the Hebrew, “I have taken,” may be explained in the same sense, unless the city of waters were the lower part of Rabbath, lying on the Jaboc. Junius translates, “He cut off the waters, which entered the city;” and Josephus favours this explanation. It seems the siege lasted about two years. (Calmet) — Antiochus took this city, by depriving the inhabitants of water. (Polybius v.)

Take it. The higher, and more impregnable part; which honour Joab reserved for David.

King. Hebrew, Malcam, “their king.” Moloc, “king,” or the chief idol of the Ammonites. It was forbidden to use the ornaments of the idols on Chanaan, but not of other nations. This crown might be worth a talent, on account of the gold and precious stones; (1 Paralipomenon xx. 2.; Sanchez; Bochart,) or it might weigh so much as almost 87 pounds, (Calmet) or above 113 pounds English. (Haydock) — Such immence crowns were sometimes suspended for ornament, over the throne; as Benjamin of Tudela says was done by the emperor Commenes. Pliny describes one of nine pounds; and Athenĉus (v. 8,) another of 80 cubits, or 40 yards (Haydock) in circumference. (Calmet) — The idol, or the king of Ammon, (Menochius) might have one of the like nature, suspended. The Rabbins say David caused it to hand in the air by means of a load-stone; as if it would attract gold! (Calmet)

Sawed. Hebrew, “he put them under saws, and under rollers of iron, and under knives,” &c. (Haydock) — The Jews say that Isaias was killed by being sawed asunder; to which punishment St. Paul alludes, Hebrews xi. 37. (Menochius) — Brick-kilns, or furnaces, Psalm xx. 10. (Muis) — Daniel and his companions were thrown into the fiery furnace, Daniel iii. 6, 11., and Esther xiii. 7. (Calmet) — Some condemn David of excessive cruelty on this occasion. (Tirinus; Sanctius) — But the Scripture represents his conduct as irreproachable, except in the affair of Urias; (3 Kings xv. 5,) and at this distance of time, we know not the motives which might have actuated him to treat his enemy with such severity. The Ammonites had probably exercised similar cruelties on his subjects. See 1 Kings xi. 2., and Amos i. 13. (Calmet) — They had shamefully violated the law of nations, and had stirred up various kings against David. (Menochius) — Salien blames Joab for what may seem too cruel. But, though he was barbarous and vindictive, we need not condemn him on this occasion, no more than his master; as we are not to judge of former times by our own manners. (Haydock) — War was then carried on with great cruelty. (Calmet)