The big picture
Jehoash, king of Judah, the southern kingdom, has grown up under the guidance of Jehoiada, a priest. Jerusalem, the capital, still contains a temple needing repair. The king orders funds to be used for the work, but years pass without completion. A new collection system gets the repairs moving. Later a foreign army threatens the city. The reign ends with both the loss of sacred treasure and a plot within the king's own household.
In this chapter
- The Repair Plan Has Stalled 2 Kings 12:1-8
Jehoash rules for forty years and does what God approves while Jehoiada instructs him.
- A Collection Chest Funds the Work 2 Kings 12:9-16
Jehoiada makes a hole in a chest's lid and sets it near the altar.
- Treasure Buys Relief from Attack 2 Kings 12:17-18
Hazael, king of Syria, captures Gath, a town west of Judah, then turns towards Jerusalem.
- Servants Kill the King 2 Kings 12:19-21
The account points to fuller records for the rest of Jehoash's acts, then describes his death.
Central truth
Jehoash repairs the temple through a better use of funds, then pays its treasure away under threat of attack.
Scripture beside the summary
2 Kings · King James Version · 212 Kings 12:1-8
The Repair Plan Has Stalled
Jehoash rules for forty years and does what God approves while Jehoiada instructs him. Hilltop worship nevertheless continues. The king tells the priests to use money brought to the temple for repairs. The funds include required payments and willing gifts. By his twenty-third year, the damage is still not repaired. He calls the priests to account and stops the earlier arrangement. They agree to cease taking the money themselves and to hand over responsibility for the work. A good intention needs a working method.
In everyday life
A historic library patron asks why the leaking ceiling remains after years of donations. The librarian brings out the old collection records, and they agree to transfer the repair fund to a dedicated project team. Money received has not become work completed. Jehoash is directing funds given to God's temple.
Notice
2 Kings 12:6 The twenty-third year shows that the delay has lasted a long time. The king's challenge answers an unresolved failure, not a brief pause in building work.
2 Kings 12:1-8
King James Version1In the seventh year of Jehu Jehoash began to reign; and forty years reigned he in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Zibiah of Beer-sheba.
2And Jehoash did that which was right in the sight of the LORD all his days wherein Jehoiada the priest instructed him.
3But the high places were not taken away: the people still sacrificed and burnt incense in the high places.
4And 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,
5Let 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.
6But it was so, that in the three and twentieth year of king Jehoash the priests had not repaired the breaches of the house.
7Then 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.
8And the priests consented to receive no more money of the people, neither to repair the breaches of the house.
2 Kings 12:9-16
A Collection Chest Funds the Work
Jehoiada makes a hole in a chest's lid and sets it near the altar. Priests place the money brought in there. When it fills, a royal scribe and the high priest count and bag the funds. The money goes to supervisors who pay builders and buy timber and stone. It is used for repairs rather than new gold or silver vessels. The supervisors are trusted because they act honestly. Certain payments connected with sin offerings remain the priests' income, separate from this repair fund.
In everyday life
The village hall treasurer empties a locked donation box with a second officer and pays the roofers from the counted funds. Decorative purchases wait until the damaged beams are sound. Clear handling connects each gift to the promised work. The temple also keeps some offering payments separately for the priests.
Notice
2 Kings 12:13 The repair money is not spent on new precious-metal vessels. The immediate need is the building's damaged fabric, so more impressive objects wait.
2 Kings 12:9-16
King James Version9But 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.
10And 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.
11And 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,
12And 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.
13Howbeit 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:
14But they gave that to the workmen, and repaired therewith the house of the LORD.
15Moreover they reckoned not with the men, into whose hand they delivered the money to be bestowed on workmen: for they dealt faithfully.
16The trespass money and sin money was not brought into the house of the LORD: it was the priests’.
2 Kings 12:17-18
Treasure Buys Relief from Attack
Hazael, king of Syria, captures Gath, a town west of Judah, then turns towards Jerusalem. Jehoash gathers the sacred gifts dedicated by earlier kings and by himself. He adds the gold held in both temple and palace treasuries and sends it to Hazael. The enemy then withdraws from Jerusalem. The city avoids the attack, but its holy and royal stores pay the price. The king who arranged temple repairs now removes its wealth to secure a costly peace under threat.
In everyday life
The island port accountant transfers the island's reserve funds to settle an urgent threat to its supply contract. The boats keep moving, but the account meant for future needs is emptied. Relief today carries a visible cost. Jehoash gives sacred treasure to an invading king to turn him away from Jerusalem.
Notice
2 Kings 12:18 Jehoash uses gifts made by earlier rulers as well as his own. The payment consumes wealth gathered for worship across several reigns, not one personal store.
2 Kings 12:17-18
King James Version17Then Hazael king of Syria went up, and fought against Gath, and took it: and Hazael set his face to go up to Jerusalem.
18And 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.
2 Kings 12:19-21
Servants Kill the King
The account points to fuller records for the rest of Jehoash's acts, then describes his death. His own servants form a plot and kill him at the house of Millo, on the way to Silla. Two servants are named as the attackers. He is buried with his ancestors in the old royal district of Jerusalem. His son Amaziah succeeds him. The account gives no motive here for the conspiracy. A reign that began with careful protection ends through violence from within the royal service.
In everyday life
An estate administrator locks the late owner's desk after learning that trusted staff were involved in his death. Familiar names on the payroll now carry a terrible weight. She cannot explain the motive from the records before her. Jehoash's account names his killers but leaves their reason unstated here.
Notice
2 Kings 12:21 The killers are identified as the king's servants, not foreign attackers. The final threat comes from inside his household after the outside army has withdrawn.
2 Kings 12:19-21
King James Version19And the rest of the acts of Joash, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?
20And his servants arose, and made a conspiracy, and slew Joash in the house of Millo, which goeth down to Silla.
21For 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.
Details worth noticing
The opening image
2 Kings 12:1 begins with “In the seventh year of Jehu Jehoash began to reign; and forty years reigned he in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Zibiah of Beer-sheba.”
Where the chapter turns
2 Kings 12:9 forms a natural hinge: “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…”
The final note
2 Kings 12:21 leaves the reader with “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…”
A word trail through the chapter
The words house, LORD, money, priests, breaches, Jehoash help reveal the chapter’s repeated concerns.
KJV words made clear
- breaches
- Broken or damaged parts of the building that need repair.
- told the money
- Counted the money before placing it in bags for the work.
Music and video connected to the passage
Related media appears when its Scripture reference overlaps this study. Music and video can illuminate a theme while the biblical text remains the foundation.
