2 Kings
Chapter 12
Joash of Judah (835-796)
Joash was seven years old when he began his reign.
It was then the seventh year of the reign of Jehu, and he reigned for forty years in Jerusalem. His mother was Zibiah of Beer-sheba.
Joash did what was right in the eyes of the Lord as long as the priest Jehoiada guided him.
Still, he did not demolish the Sanctuaries on the hillsides where people continued offering sacrifices and burning incense.
Joash said to the priest: “All the money from the sacred contributions which the people bring to offer in the house of the Lord, the cash, that which is offered as personal assessment, and that which is freely and voluntarily given in the house of the Lord—
By the twenty-third year of the reign of Joash, the priests had not yet carried out the repairs needed in the house of the Lord.
So the king summoned Jehoiada, the priest, and the other priests and said: “Why have you not done the house repairs yet? From now on, you will no longer keep any money during your service but shall set it aside for the repair of the house.”
The priests agreed that henceforth, they would not accept money from the people and would not be in charge of the repair of the house.
So Jehoiada, the priest, had a box made with a hole in its cover. He placed this by the altar, to the right side of those entering the house of the Lord, and the priests who were at the gates put all the money offered in the house of the Lord.
Whenever they saw that the box was full, a king’s secretary would come, and together with the high priest, they would take and count the money.
Then they would turn the amount over into the hands of those responsible for the work of the house, who would, in turn, pay with this money the carpenters and bricklayers doing the repairs.
From this amount, they also bought the stones, wood, and everything necessary for the repair of the house of the Lord.
But of this money given for the house of the Lord, they did not make any silver cups, or cutting tools, or water jars, or trumpets, or any golden or silver objects,
but all the money was used to pay those who were repairing the house of the Lord.
Accounts were not asked from those responsible for paying the laborers since they acted with great honor.
Only the money offered to expiate sins was for the priests.
At that time, Hazael, king of Aram, went up to fight against Gath. He captured it and was heading for Jerusalem.
So Joash, king of Judah, took all the precious things that his fathers, Jehoshaphat, Jehoram, and Ahaziah, kings of Judah, had consecrated, with all that he had consecrated, and all the gold he could find in the treasury of the house of the Lord and those of the king’s house. Then he sent them to Hazael, king of Aram, who left Jerusalem with them.
Now, the rest regarding Joash and all he did is written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah.
Some of his officials plotted a conspiracy against him, and they killed him in Beth-Millo as he was going to Silla.
Jozacar, son of Shimeath, and Jehozabad, son of Shomer, struck him down, and he died. He was buried with his fathers in the city of David, and his son Amaziah reigned in his place.
Commentaries
Joash of Judah.
Joash begins his reign as a child. The Deuteronomist records his positive assessment: “He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord” (3), but also notes that idol worship in the high places continued, where sacrifices and incense offerings took place (4). Israel was supposed to eliminate this practice upon entering the land of Canaan (cf. Nm 33:52; Dt 12:2), so its ongoing presence always drew criticism and condemnation from the prophets. Despite Joash’s long reign, the only thing the narrator highlights is his effort to remodel the Temple. Joash is eventually assassinated by his courtiers, likely because he used funds from the Temple’s remodeling to defend Jerusalem from the Syrian king.