2 Kings 12

“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.

“But the high places were not taken away: the people still sacrificed and burnt incense in the high places.” The line’s distinctive content terms include high, places, burnt. Its relationship to verses 2 and 4 shows what work it does in this passage.

“And Jehoash said to the priests, All the money of the dedicated things that is brought into the house of the LORD …” The number one makes the report concrete. Ask whether it measures time, people, distance, repetition, or completeness before deciding what weight it carries.

“Let the priests take it to them, every man of his acquaintance: and let them repair the breaches of the house…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

“But it was so, that in the three and twentieth year of king Jehoash the priests had not repaired the breaches of the…” The number three makes the report concrete. Ask whether it measures time, people, distance, repetition, or completeness before deciding what weight it carries.

“Then king Jehoash called for Jehoiada the priest, and the other priests, and said unto them, Why repair ye not the…” The question slows the passage down. Notice who is being pressed to answer, what the question assumes, and whether the next lines provide a response.

“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.

“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 line’s distinctive content terms include house, LORD, builders. Its relationship to verses 10 and 12 shows what work it does in this passage.

“And to masons, and hewers of stone, and to buy timber and hewed stone to repair the breaches of the house of the LORD…” The line’s distinctive content terms include house, repair, stone. Its relationship to verses 11 and 13 shows what work it does in this passage.

“Howbeit there were not made for the house of the LORD bowls of silver, snuffers, basons, trumpets, any vessels of…” Naming Howbeit keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“But they gave that to the workmen, and repaired therewith the house of the LORD .” The line’s distinctive content terms include gave, house, LORD. Its relationship to verses 13 shows what work it does in this passage.

“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.

“Then Hazael king of Syria went up, and fought against Gath, and took it: and Hazael set his face to go up to…” Naming Hazael and Gath keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“And Jehoash king of Judah took all the hallowed things that Jehoshaphat, and Jehoram, and Ahaziah, his fathers, kings…” Naming Judah and Ahaziah keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“And the rest of the acts of Joash, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the…” The question slows the passage down. Notice who is being pressed to answer, what the question assumes, and whether the next lines provide a response.

“And his servants arose, and made a conspiracy, and slew Joash in the house of Millo, which goeth down to Silla.” Naming Joash and Millo keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“For Jozachar the son of Shimeath, and Jehozabad the son of Shomer, his servants, smote him, and he died; and they…” This line supplies a reason, result, or conclusion. It should stay attached to the claim or action that gives it meaning.