The big picture
2 Kings 12 opens in verse 1 with “In the seventh year of Jehu Jehoash began to reign; and forty years reigned he in…”, reaches its middle movement near verse 11 with “And they gave the money, being told, into the hands of them that did the work, that had…”, and closes in verse 21 with “For Jozachar the son of Shimeath, and Jehozabad the son of Shomer, his servants, smote…” Repeated or prominent terms include house, LORD, money, priests, breaches. Together, those details trace this chapter’s own movement from its opening to its conclusion.
Scripture beside the summary
2 Kings · King James Version · 212 Kings 12:1-7
1–7: In the seventh year of Jehu Jehoash began to reign; and forty years…
2 Kings 12:1–7 opens with “In the seventh year of Jehu Jehoash began to reign; and forty years reigned he in Jerusalem. And…” and reaches “Then king Jehoash called for Jehoiada the priest, and the other priests, and said unto them, Why…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on 2 Kings 12 develops its own movement around house, LORD, money, priests, breaches, with particular weight carried by house, Jehoash, money.
Context that brings the passage to life
This block contains 1 explicit questions. They are more than punctuation: they reveal where a voice is searching, challenging, afraid, or trying to understand.
“In the seventh year of Jehu Jehoash began to reign; and forty years reigned he in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was…” The number forty makes the report concrete. Ask whether it measures time, people, distance, repetition, or completeness before deciding what weight it carries.
“And Jehoash did that which was right in the sight of the LORD all his days wherein Jehoiada the priest instructed him.” Naming Jehoash and Jehoiada keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
2 Kings 12:1-7
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.
2 Kings 12:8-14
8–14: The priests consented to receive no more money of the people, neither to…
2 Kings 12:8–14 opens with “And the priests consented to receive no more money of the people, neither to repair the breaches…” and reaches “But they gave that to the workmen, and repaired therewith the house of the LORD .” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on 2 Kings 12 develops its own movement around house, LORD, money, priests, breaches, with particular weight carried by house, LORD, money.
Context that brings the passage to life
“And the priests consented to receive no more money of the people, neither to repair the breaches of the house.” The line’s distinctive content terms include breaches, consented, house. Its relationship to verses 9 shows what work it does in this passage.
“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…” The number one makes the report concrete. Ask whether it measures time, people, distance, repetition, or completeness before deciding what weight it carries.
“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…” The line’s distinctive content terms include money, bags, chest. Its relationship to verses 9 and 11 shows what work it does in this passage.
2 Kings 12:8-14
King James Version8And the priests consented to receive no more money of the people, neither to repair the breaches of the house.
9But 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 .
2 Kings 12:15-21
15–21: Moreover they reckoned not with the men, into whose hand they delivered…
2 Kings 12:15–21 opens with “Moreover they reckoned not with the men, into whose hand they delivered the money to be bestowed…” and reaches “For Jozachar the son of Shimeath, and Jehozabad the son of Shomer, his servants, smote him, and…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on 2 Kings 12 develops its own movement around house, LORD, money, priests, breaches, with particular weight carried by house, Hazael, Judah.
Context that brings the passage to life
This block contains 1 explicit questions. They are more than punctuation: they reveal where a voice is searching, challenging, afraid, or trying to understand.
“Moreover they reckoned not with the men, into whose hand they delivered the money to be bestowed on workmen: for they…” Naming Moreover keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
“The trespass money and sin money was not brought into the house of the LORD : it was the priests’.” The line’s distinctive content terms include money, house, LORD. Its relationship to verses 15 and 17 shows what work it does in this passage.
2 Kings 12:15-21
King James Version15Moreover 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’.
17Then 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.
19And 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.
Who is meant to benefit from Abram's call?
All families of the earth, according to verse 3. Election carries an outward purpose.
How does the Egypt episode complicate a hero story?
Abram acts from fear, while Pharaoh recognizes and challenges the wrong done.
KJV words made clear
- unto
- to
Text first
Where readers differ
The chapter summary begins with what the passage says and how its parts fit together. It does not assume one denomination has already settled every question. Where a conclusion depends on a tradition, literary theory, or historical reconstruction, that dependence is named openly.
The KJV text is presented first. Interpretive conclusions are labeled, and differences are introduced only when they help a reader understand why serious communities do not always reach the same answer.
Comparative interpretive notes for this chapter are in preparation. Until reviewed notes are ready, this page separates the KJV text from summary and application without claiming that serious readers agree on every question.