2 Kings 12 Commentary

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Chart from recommended resource Jensen's Survey of the OT - used by permission
1 Kings Chart from Charles Swindoll

THE DOWNWARD SPIRAL

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Ryrie Study Bible - Borrow
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(NOTE: Many consider Amaziah and Hezekiah as "good" kings)
SEE ALSO:
ESV chart - kings of Israel - more information
ESV chart - kings of Judah - more information
Another Chart with Variable Dates for Reigns of Kings

Source: ConformingtoJesus.com

2 Kings 12:1 In the seventh year of Jehu, Jehoash became king, and he reigned forty years in Jerusalem; and his mother’s name was Zibiah of Beersheba.

• the seventh: 2Ki 9:27 11:1,3,4,21 2Ch 24:1-14 
• Jehoash: 2Ki 11:2 1Ch 3:11, Joash

In the seventh year of Jehu, Jehoash became king, and he reigned forty years in Jerusalem; and his mother’s name was Zibiah of Beersheba.

Jehoash (Joash) was only seven years old when he was made king; therefore, he needed a capable advisor. Jehoiada, who had already protected and anointed him, served in this capacity. To Jehoiada must go most of the credit for the fine record of Jehoash's early years. So long as Jehoiada continued as high priest, Jehoash remained a true follower of God. But when Jehoiada died, the king began to listen to new advisors who were more sympathetic to Baal worship (2 Chr. 24:17, 18).

Jehoash served the Lord as long as Jehoiada lived to instruct him (2 Chron. 24:2). 

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QUESTION - Who was King Joash in the Bible? | GotQuestions.org

ANSWER - There are two kings with the name Joash (or Jehoash) in the Bible: one a king of Judah (reigned 835–796 BC) and the other a king of Israel (reigned 798–782 BC).

The story of King Joash of Judah starts with that of King Jehu of Israel. Anointed king of Israel by Elisha, Jehu was tasked with destroying King Ahab’s descendants and wiping out Baal worship in the land (2 Kings 9). First Kings 21:25–26 gives the reason for the judgment: “There was never anyone like Ahab, who sold himself to do evil in the eyes of the Lord, urged on by Jezebel his wife. He behaved in the vilest manner by going after idols, like the Amorites the Lord drove out before Israel.” God had told Ahab, through Elijah, “I am going to bring disaster on you. I will wipe out your descendants and cut off from Ahab every last male in Israel—slave or free, . . . because you have aroused my anger and have caused Israel to sin” (1 Kings 21:21–22). Ahab responded to the prophecy with mourning and in humility, so God relented, saying that He would not bring the disaster in Ahab’s time but during his son’s reign. Jehu was God’s instrument to fulfill the prophecy.

After Jehu was anointed king over Israel, he set out against Joram, a son of Ahab and the current king of Israel. Ahaziah (different from the other son of Ahab who initially succeeded him) was king of Judah at the time and was with Joram. Judah’s Ahaziah, however, “followed the ways of the house of Ahab and did evil in the eyes of the Lord, as the house of Ahab had done, for he was related by marriage to Ahab’s family” (2 Kings 8:27). Jehu killed both Ahaziah and Joram; executed Ahab’s wife, Jezebel; killed Ahab’s descendants; and “wiped out Baal from Israel” (2 Kings 10:28, ESV). Unfortunately, Jehu himself did not walk in the ways of God, but, since he had been faithful to God’s call to rid Israel of Baal worship, God promised that four generations of his line would be king of Israel (2 Kings 10:30).

King Joash of Judah first comes on the scene when Athaliah, the mother of King Ahaziah, whom Jehu had killed, took charge of Judah. Athaliah killed all of the royal family she could find in Judah in order to secure the throne for herself. However, Athaliah missed one of her grandsons—the infant Joash. The evil queen’s daughter (or possibly step-daughter) rescued young Joash and his nurse, and the child was hidden for six years in the temple while Athaliah reigned in Judah (2 Kings 11:1–3). In the seventh year, the priest Jehoiada revealed Joash to the captains of the guards. The priest made an agreement with them to provide protection to the temple and the rightful king, and Jehoiada brought Joash out into public and anointed him as king (2 Kings 11:4–12). The people of Judah rejoiced over Joash’s appointment. Upon hearing the noise of the ceremony, Queen Athaliah rushed to the temple, crying, "Treason! Treason!” By Jehoiada’s command, Athaliah was captured by the guards, removed from the temple, and put to death (2 Kings 11:13–16). “Jehoiada then made a covenant between the Lord and the king and people that they would be the Lord’s people. He also made a covenant between the king and the people” (2 Kings 11:17). The people tore down the temple of Baal, watchmen were set over the Lord’s temple, and, at the age of seven, Joash took the throne (2 Kings 11:18–21).

2 Kings 12:1–3 says that Joash “reigned in Jerusalem forty years. . . . Joash did what was right in the eyes of the Lord all the years Jehoiada the priest instructed him.” 2 Kings 12 goes on to describe various financial dealings of Joash. King Joash’s main achievement was making repairs to the temple (2 Kings 12:4–16). He also used a monetary gift to dissuade King Hazael of Aram (Syria) from attacking Jerusalem (2 Kings 12:17–18).

The tragedy of King Joash of Judah is that, after his mentor and guardian, Jehoiada, died, he began listening to wicked advisers. Joash revived Baal and Asherah worship in Judah (2 Chronicles 24:17–19). God sent prophets to warn Joash, but he did not listen to them. Finally, the prophet Zechariah, son of the priest Jehoiada, brought God’s word to Joash, but the king callously ordered the son of his old friend to be stoned to death (verses 19–22). Joash’s reign did not end peacefully: “His officials conspired against him and assassinated him at Beth Millo, on the road down to Silla” (2 Kings 12:20). Joash’s son Amaziah took over the throne, and Amaziah “did what was right in the eyes of the Lord,” but, the Bible notes, he was more like his father Joash than his ancestor David (2 Kings 14:3–4). Interestingly, Amaziah interacted with the other King Joash in the Bible.

King Joash of Israel began his reign in the thirty-seventh year of the reign of King Joash of Judah, so there was some overlap. King Amaziah started ruling Judah in the second year of King Joash of Israel. Amaziah of Judah battled against the Edomites and then challenged Joash of Israel to battle (2 Kings 14:7–8). Joash refused, essentially telling Amaziah he was needlessly stirring up trouble (2 Kings 14:9–10). Amaziah did not heed the warning, and Joash of Israel defeated Judah in battle. Second Chronicles 25:20 says that Judah’s defeat was “because they sought the gods of Edom.”

Second Kings records another of Joash of Israel’s military victories. When Joash’s father, Jehoahaz, was reigning, King Hazael of Aram (the same king that Joash of Judah had kept from attacking Jerusalem) oppressed Israel (2 Kings 13:22). “But the Lord was gracious to them and had compassion and showed concern for them because of his covenant with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. To this day he has been unwilling to destroy them or banish them from his presence” (2 Kings 13:23). When the prophet Elisha was sick and near to death, King Joash of Israel visited the prophet, apparently disconcerted over the military situation in Israel (2 Kings 13:14). Elisha instructed Joash to shoot arrows out of the open window. The prophet then proclaimed, “The Lord’s arrow of victory, the arrow of victory over Aram! . . . You will completely destroy the Arameans at Aphek” (2 Kings 13:17). Elisha next instructed Joash to strike the ground with the arrows. Joash did so but stopped after three strikes. “The man of God was angry with him and said, ‘You should have struck the ground five or six times; then you would have defeated Aram and completely destroyed it. But now you will defeat it only three times’” (2 Kings 13:19). When Hazael died and his son, Ben-hadad, took over, Joash did defeat him three times. Israel was able to recover cities that previously had been taken from them (2 Kings 13:24–25).

King Joash of Israel ruled for sixteen years and “did evil in the eyes of the Lord and did not turn away from any of the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, which he had caused Israel to commit; he continued in them” (2 Kings 13:11). After he died, Joash of Israel was succeeded by his son Jeroboam II (2 Kings 14:16).

2 Kings 12:2 Jehoash did right in the sight of the LORD all his days in which Jehoiada the priest instructed him.

• 2Ki 14:3 2Ch 24:2,17-22 25:2 26:4 

Jehoash did right in the sight of the LORD all his days in which Jehoiada the priest instructed him.

2 Kings 12:3 Only the high places were not taken away; the people still sacrificed and burned incense on the high places.

• 2Ki 14:4 18:4 1Ki 15:14 22:43 2Ch 31:4 Jer 2:20 

Only the high places were not taken away; the people still sacrificed and burned incense on the high places

2 Kings 12:4 Then Jehoash said to the priests, “All the money of the sacred things which is brought into the house of the LORD, in current money, both the money of each man’s assessment and all the money which any man’s heart prompts him to bring into the house of the LORD,

• said to the priests: 2Ki 22:4 2Ch 29:4-11 35:2 
• the money: 2Ki 12:18 1Ki 7:1 1Ch 18:11 2Ch 15:18 31:12 
• dedicated things: or, holy things, Heb. holiness, Lev 5:15,16 27:12-27,31 
• even the money: 2Ki 22:4 Ex 30:12-16 2Ch 24:9,10 
• that every man is set at: Heb. of the souls of his estimation, Lev 27:2-8 
• and all the money: Ex 25:1,2 35:5,22,29 36:3 1Ch 29:3-9,17 Ezr 1:6 2:69 7:16 Ezr 8:25-28 Lu 21:4 

Then Jehoash said to the priests, “All the money of the sacred things which is brought into the house of the LORD, in current money, both the money of each man’s assessment and all the money which any man’s heart prompts him to bring into the house of the LORD,

Ryrie - To repair the Temple (2 Chron. 24:7) Jehoash decided to use money from three sources: (1) the census half-shekel every male over 20 had to pay (see note on Ex. 30:11-16); (2) money from vows (see note on Lev. 27:2); (3) money from freewill offerings (Lev. 23:18-23). But the amount was insufficient, so Jehoash instituted a different plan by which the people could bypass the priests and give directly to repairing the Temple (vv. 7-12). 

2 Kings 12:5 let the priests take it for themselves, each from his acquaintance; and they shall repair the damages of the house wherever any damage may be found.”  

• Let the priests: 2Ch 24:5 
• let them repair: 2Ki 12:12 22:5,6 1Ki 11:27 2Ch 24:7 Isa 58:12 

let the priests take it for themselves, each from his acquaintance; and they shall repair the damages of the house wherever any damage may be found

The temple had been badly damaged by the sons of Athaliah (2 Chr. 24:7).

2 Kings 12:6 But it came about that in the twenty-third year of King Jehoash the priests had not repaired the damages of the house.

• three and twentieth year: Heb. twentieth year and third year
• the priests: 1Sa 2:29,30 2Ch 29:34 Isa 56:10-12 Mal 1:10 Php 2:21 1Pe 5:2 

But it came about that in the twenty-third year of King Jehoash the priests had not repaired the damages of the house.

 We are not told how long before the twenty-third year the collection had begun. 

2 Kings 12:7 Then King Jehoash called for Jehoiada the priest, and for the other priests and said to them, “Why do you not repair the damages of the house? Now therefore take no more money from your acquaintances, but pay it for the damages of the house.”

• king Jehoash: 2Ch 24:5,6-14 
• Jehoiada: 2Ki 12:2 11:4 2Ch 23:1 24:16 
• Why repair ye: 1Ch 21:3 

Then King Jehoash called for Jehoiada the priest, and for the other priests and said to them, “Why do you not repair the damages of the house? Now therefore take no more money from your acquaintances, but pay it for the damages of the house

Ryrie - Vs. 12:7-15  from your acquaintances. Assessors who fixed the value of the offerings. Because the project had been delayed, the king took it out of the hands of the priests, ordering instead that the money be placed in a chest (v. 9) and paid directly to those who repaired the Temple (v. 11). 
 

2 Kings 12:8 So the priests agreed that they would take no more money from the people, nor repair the damages of the house.  

So the priests agreed that they would take no more money from the people, nor repair the damages of the house.  

2 Kings 12:9 But Jehoiada the priest took a chest and bored a hole in its lid and put it beside the altar, on the right side as one comes into the house of the LORD; and the priests who guarded the threshold put in it all the money which was brought into the house of the LORD.

• took a chest: 2Ch 24:8-14 Mk 12:41 
• beside: 2Ch 24:10 
• the priests: 2Ki 22:4 23:4 25:18 1Ch 15:18,24 Jer 35:4 52:24 
• door: Heb. threshold, Ps 84:10

But Jehoiada the priest took a chest and bored a hole in its lid and put it beside the altar, on the right side as one comes into the house of the LORD; and the priests who guarded the threshold put in it all the money which was brought into the house of the LORD.

2 Kings 12:10 When they saw that there was much money in the chest, the king’s scribe and the high priest came up and tied it in bags and counted the money which was found in the house of the LORD.

• the king's: 2Ki 19:2 22:3,12 2Sa 8:17 20:25 
• scribe: or, secretary
• put up: Heb. bound up, 2Ki 5:23 
• in bags: Sir J. Chardin informs us, "it is a custom of Persia always to seal up bags of money; and the money of the king's treasure is not told, but is received by bags sealed up."  These are what are called in the East purses; each of which, as Maillet informs us, contains money to the amount of 1,500 livres, or about 63#. of our money.  The money thus collected for the reparation of the temple, seems, in like manner, to have been reckoned in bags of equal value to each other; as we can scarcely imagine the placing it in bags would otherwise have been mentioned.  The value of a Jewish purse is unknown; but the bags mentioned in ch. 5:23, amounted to a talent.

When they saw that there was much money in the chest, the king’s scribe and the high priest came up and tied it in bags and counted the money which was found in the house of the LORD.

Precious metals, for coinage had not yet been invented. 

2 Kings 12:11 They gave the money which was weighed out into the hands of those who did the work, who had the oversight of the house of the LORD; and they paid it out to the carpenters and the builders who worked on the house of the LORD;

• gave the money: 2Ki 22:5,6 2Ch 24:11,12 34:9-11 
• laid it out: Heb. brought it forth

They gave the money which was weighed out into the hands of those who did the work, who had the oversight of the house of the LORD; and they paid it out to the carpenters and the builders who worked on the house of the LORD

2 Kings 12:12 and to the masons and the stonecutters, and for buying timber and hewn stone to repair the damages to the house of the LORD, and for all that was laid out for the house to repair it.

• masons: 1Ki 5:17,18 Ezr 3:7 5:8 Lu 21:5 

and to the masons and the stonecutters, and for buying timber and hewn stone to repair the damages to the house of the LORD, and for all that was laid out for the house to repair it.

2 Kings 12:13 But there were not made for the house of the LORD silver cups, snuffers, bowls, trumpets, any vessels of gold, or vessels of silver from the money which was brought into the house of the LORD;

• there were not: That is, there were no vessels made for the service of the temple till all the outward repairs were completed; but, when this was done, "they brought the rest of the money before the king and Jehoiada, whereof were made vessels of gold and silver," (2 Ch 24:14,) to replace those which had been taken away by Athaliah and her sons. 2Ch 24:14 
• bowls: Nu 7:13,14 1Ki 7:48-50 Ezr 1:9-11 
• trumpets: Nu 10:2 

But there were not made for the house of the LORD silver cups, snuffers, bowls, trumpets, any vessels of gold, or vessels of silver from the money which was brought into the house of the LORD;

After the Temple was repaired, the surplus money was used for these furnishings (2 Chron. 24:14). 
 

2 Kings 12:14 for they gave that to those who did the work, and with it they repaired the house of the LORD.

for they gave that to those who did the work, and with it they repaired the house of the LORD.

2 Kings 12:15 Moreover, they did not require an accounting from the men into whose hand they gave the money to pay to those who did the work, for they dealt faithfully.

• they reckoned: 2Ki 22:7 
• for they dealt: 2Ch 34:12 Ne 7:2 Mt 24:45 Lu 16:1,10,11 1Co 4:2,3 3Jn 1:5 

Moreover, they did not require an accounting from the men into whose hand they gave the money to pay to those who did the work, for they dealt faithfully.

2 Kings 12:16 The money from the guilt offerings and the money from the sin offerings was not brought into the house of the LORD; it was for the priests.  

• trespass money: Lev 5:15-18 7:7 Nu 5:8-10 18:8,9 Ho 4:8 

Related Passages: 

Leviticus 5:15-18 “If a person acts unfaithfully and sins unintentionally against the LORD’S holy things, then he shall bring his guilt offering to the LORD: a ram without defect from the flock, according to your valuation in silver by shekels, in terms of the shekel of the sanctuary, for a guilt offering. 16 “He shall make restitution for that which he has sinned against the holy thing, and shall add to it a fifth part of it and give it to the priest. The priest shall then make atonement for him with the ram of the guilt offering, and it will be forgiven him.  17 “Now if a person sins and does any of the things which the LORD has commanded not to be done, though he was unaware, still he is guilty and shall bear his punishment. 18 “He is then to bring to the priest a ram without defect from the flock, according to your valuation, for a guilt offering. So the priest shall make atonement for him concerning his error in which he sinned unintentionally and did not know it, and it will be forgiven him.

The money from the guilt offerings and the money from the sin offerings was not brought into the house of the LORD; it was for the priests

2 Kings 12:17 Then Hazael king of Aram went up and fought against Gath and captured it, and Hazael set his face to go up to Jerusalem.

• Hazael: 2Ki 8:12-15 
• against Gath: 1Sa 27:2 1Ki 2:39,40 1Ch 8:13 18:1 
• set his face: Jer 42:15 Lu 9:51,53 
• to Jerusalem: 2Ch 24:23,24 

Then Hazael king of Aram went up and fought against Gath and captured it, and Hazael set his face to go up to Jerusalem.

The cruel Syrian king Hazael, as well as his predecessor Ben-Hadad, are both mentioned by name in several archaeological inscriptions, mostly of Assyrian origin and all of them consistent with the Biblical references to these men.

This invasion may be dated tentatively to 813 B.C., after the death of Jehu (13:1-3). Gath formerly had belonged to the Philistines, but Rehoboam included it in a list of cities which he fortified. This indicates that at this time these cities probably belonged to Judah (2 Chr. 11:8).

2 Kings 12:18 Jehoash king of Judah took all the sacred things that Jehoshaphat and Jehoram and Ahaziah, his fathers, kings of Judah, had dedicated, and his own sacred things and all the gold that was found among the treasuries of the house of the LORD and of the king’s house, and sent them to Hazael king of Aram. Then he went away from Jerusalem.

• took all the hallowed: He dearly bought, by such unhallowed means, a peace which was of short duration; for the next year Hazael returned, and Jehoash having no more treasures, was obliged to hazard a battle, which he lost, and the principal part of his nobility, so that Judah was totally ruined, and Jehoash soon after slain in his bed by his own servants. 2Ki 18:15,16 1Ki 15:18 2Ch 16:2 

Jehoash king of Judah took all the sacred things that Jehoshaphat and Jehoram and Ahaziah, his fathers, kings of Judah, had dedicated, and his own sacred things and all the gold that was found among the treasuries of the house of the LORD and of the king’s house, and sent them to Hazael king of Aram. Then he went away from Jerusalem.

2 Kings 12:19 Now 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?

• the rest: 2Ki 8:23 1Ki 11:41 14:19,29 

 

Now 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?

2 Kings 12:20 His servants arose and made a conspiracy and struck down Joash at the house of Millo as he was going down to Silla.

• his servants: 2Ki 14:5 2Ch 24:24,25 25:27 33:24 
• the house of Millo: or, Beth-millo, Judges 9:6 2Sa 5:9 1Ki 11:27 

Related Passages: 

2 Chronicles 24:17-26 But after the death of Jehoiada the officials of Judah came and bowed down to the king, and the king listened to them. 18They abandoned the house of the LORD, the God of their fathers, and served the Asherim and the idols; so wrath came upon Judah and Jerusalem for this their guilt. 19Yet He sent prophets to them to bring them back to the LORD; though they testified against them, they would not listen. 20Then the Spirit of God came on Zechariah the son of Jehoiada the priest; and he stood above the people and said to them, “Thus God has said, ‘Why do you transgress the commandments of the LORD and do not prosper? Because you have forsaken the LORD, He has also forsaken you.’” 21So they conspired against him and at the command of the king they stoned him to death in the court of the house of the LORD. 22Thus Joash the king did not remember the kindness which his father Jehoiada had shown him, but he murdered his son. And as he died he said, “May the LORD see and avenge!” 23Now it happened at the turn of the year that the army of the Arameans came up against him; and they came to Judah and Jerusalem, destroyed all the officials of the people from among the people, and sent all their spoil to the king of Damascus. 24Indeed the army of the Arameans came with a small number of men; yet the LORD delivered a very great army into their hands, because they had forsaken the LORD, the God of their fathers. Thus they executed judgment on Joash.  25When they had departed from him (for they left him very sick), his own servants conspired against him because of the blood of the son of Jehoiada the priest, and murdered him on his bed. So he died, and they buried him in the city of David, but they did not bury him in the tombs of the kings. 26Now these are those who conspired against him: Zabad the son of Shimeath the Ammonitess, and Jehozabad the son of Shimrith the Moabitess.

His servants arose and made a conspiracy and struck down Joash at the house of Millo as he was going down to Silla.

The details as to why Joash's servants conspired against him are recorded in 2 Chron. 24:17-26. the house of Millo. A fortress in the wall of Jerusalem. 
 

2 Kings 12:21 For Jozacar the son of Shimeath and Jehozabad the son of Shomer, his servants, struck him and he died; and they buried him with his fathers in the city of David, and Amaziah his son became king in his place.

• Jozachar: This person is called Zabad in Chronicles, and Shimeath his mother is said to be an Ammonitess; and Jehozabad is said to be the son, not of Shomer, but of Shimrith, a Moabitess.  Who the fathers of these two persons were we know not; they were probably foreigners and aliens.  Some suppose that they belonged to the king's chamber, and therefore could have easy access to him. 2Ch 24:26, Zabad
• Shomer: 2Ch 24:26, Shimrith
• Amaziah his son: 2Ch 24:27 

For Jozacar the son of Shimeath and Jehozabad the son of Shomer, his servants, struck him and he died; and they buried him with his fathers in the city of David, and Amaziah his son became king in his place.