Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 2 Kings 12:6
But it was [so, that] in the three and twentieth year of king Jehoash the priests had not repaired the breaches of the house.
6. In the three and twentieth year of king Jehoash ] By which time he must have attained the age of thirty and was able to act with decision. According to the Chronicler the first order had been, ‘See that ye hasten the matter. Howbeit the Levites hastened it not’. That account also makes Jehoiada more personally responsible than he is here represented to have been. ‘The king called for Jehoiada the chief, and said unto him, Why hast thou not required of the Levites to bring in out of Judah and out of Jerusalem the collection?’
the priests had not repaired the breaches ] We are not told why this was so, though the king asked the question. They had evidently been receiving the money, for the king’s order in the next verse is ‘Take no more money’.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
No money had for some time been brought in (marginal reference g). Perhaps it was difficult for the priests and Levites to know exactly what proportion of the money paid to them was fairly applicable to the temple service and to their own support; and what, consequently, was the balance which they ought to apply to the repairs.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 6. In the three and twentieth year] In what year Jehoash gave the orders for these repairs, we cannot tell; but the account here plainly intimates that they had been long given, and that nothing was done, merely through the inactivity and negligence of the priests; see 2Ch 24:6.
It seems that the people had brought money in abundance, and the pious Jehoiada was over the priests, and yet nothing was done! Though Jehoiada was a good man, he does not appear to have had much of the spirit of an active zeal; and simple piety, without zeal and activity, is of little use when a reformation in religion and manners is necessary to be brought about. Philip Melancthon was orthodox, pious, and learned, but he was a man of comparative inactivity. In many respects Martin Luther was by far his inferior, but in zeal and activity he was a flaming and consuming fire; and by him, under God, was the mighty Reformation, from the corruptions of popery, effected. Ten thousand Jehoiadas and Melancthons might have wished it in vain; Luther worked, and God worked by him, in him, and for him.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Either because the people were generally corrupt and backward to the worship of God, especially where it cost them any thing; or because the persons employed in making the collections were negligent, or unfaithful, perverting the money received to their own uses, as may seem probable from the contrary character of other persons, of whom it is noted that they dealt faithfully, below, 2Ki 12:15; or because the people did not like this way of collection, and had no good opinion of the collectors faithfulness.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
But it was so, that in the twenty and third year of King Jehoash, the priests had not repaired the breaches of the house. Either the people being backward to pay in the money, or the priests converted it to their own use: or, however, were negligent of doing the work enjoined them by the king, either in collecting the money, or in using it as they were directed.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
But when the twenty-third year of the reign of Joash arrived, and the dilapidations had not been repaired, the king laid the matter before the high priest Jehoiada and the priests, and directed them not to take the money any more from their acquaintance, but to give it for the dilapidations of the temple; “and the priests consented to take no money, and not to repair the dilapidations of the house,” i.e., not to take charge of the repairs. We may see from this consent how the command of the king is to be understood. Hitherto the priests had collected the money to pay for the repairing of the temple; but inasmuch as they had not executed the repairs, the king took away from them both the collection of the money and the obligation to repair the temple. The reason for the failure of the first measure is not mentioned in our text, and can only be inferred from the new arrangement made by the king (2Ki 12:9): “Jehoiada took a chest-of course by the command of the king, as is expressly mentioned in 2Ch 24:8, – bored a hole in the door (the lid) thereof, and placed it by the side of the altar (of burnt-offering) on the right by the entrance of every one into the house of Jehovah, that the priests keeping the threshold might put thither (i.e., into the chest) all the money that was brought into the house of Jehovah.”
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
Temple Repair Commentary on 2Ki 12:6-16 AND 2Ch 24:6-16
There is no indication of the age of Joash when he first commanded the repair of the temple, but this passage shows that in the twenty-third year of his reign the work had still not been done. At that time the king would have been still a young man of thirty years, but his reign would have been more than half completed. He then called Jehoiada and the other priests and demanded why they had not done the work as commanded. He referred to the commandment of Moses concerning such funds as authority to have so used the money (see Exo 30:11-16).
The temple must have been in very disreputable condition, for it is mentioned that it had been broken up by Athaliah and its vessels used in her Baal worship. Yet it had been twenty-three years since her execution, and it is certainly remarkable that the good Jehoiada would not have been diligent to make the needed repairs. Yet God’s people regularly become too satisfied with things as they are and are lax in going forward in His work (Tit 3:1). It seems also that the priests may have felt the money belonged to them for their personal use, for the king commanded that they were to take no more such from their acquaintances.
Jehoiada cooperated with the renewed effort to raise the money for repair of the temple. He took a chest, bored a hole in the lid, and placed it by the door at the entrance of the temple. Here the people coming in with their monetary offerings would find it. The priests who had their station at the door would take this offering from the people and put it into the chest. The proclamation also went throughout the land that the money should be brought in according to the manner in which the Israelites in the wilderness brought their offerings for the construction of the tabernacle (see above citation). The effort was received by the people with rejoicing, and they contributed much as had their forefathers in the name of Moses.
Every time the chest was filled the king would send his scribe and the high priest would send his chief officer. They would take the chest, empty its contents, bag the money and return it to its place by the door before the altar. When a sufficient amount had been accumulated the work was begun. Carpenters, masons, stoneworkers and the other artificers were employed to repair the breaches of the temple. All the money was used to pay the workmen and to purchase materials needed. None of it was melted down to fashion basons, bowls, and other utensils until all the other work was done. The people were so wholeheartedly behind the work that there was no dishonest dealing. It was unnecessary to have an accounting of the money spent (see Rom 12:17).
The priests did not suffer loss, for the money collected through the trespass and sin offerings was sufficient for their needs (Php_4:19). In the end there was money left over from which they made vessels of gold and silver to replace those stolen and defiled by the wicked Athaliah. The offerings were resumed according to the Levitical directions and so continued for as long as Jehoiada lived. Jehoiada lived to be an extremely old man, dying at the age of a hundred and thirty years. He was so honored and revered the people buried him in the tombs of the kings in the city of David. His epitaph was, “He did good in Israel, both toward God, and toward his house.” Though he was a Levite priest, not in the lineage of David, he conducted his life in the manner of the great king (see Act 13:36).
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
(6) In the three and twentieth year.Jenoash may have ordered the restoration in his twentieth year, when he came of age. It is noticeable that he and not Jehoiada takes the initiative in the matter. The chronicler states that the king had ordered the priests and the Levites to hasten the matter, but that the Levites hastened it not.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
2Ki 12:6 But it was [so, that] in the three and twentieth year of king Jehoash the priests had not repaired the breaches of the house.
Ver. 6. The priests had not repaired. ] Perhaps because themselves should have no benefit thereby; they should have but their labour for their pains; receiving the money with one hand and paying it out with another. We love to see somewhat coming toward us of our labour; which else hath little life in it.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
three and twentieth year: Heb. twentieth year and third year
the priests: 1Sa 2:29, 1Sa 2:30, 2Ch 29:34, Isa 56:10-12, Mal 1:10, Phi 2:21, 1Pe 5:2
Reciprocal: 2Ch 24:5 – Howbeit
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
2Ki 12:6-8. In the three and twentieth year of Jehoash, the priests had not repaired, &c. They were both dilatory and careless in collecting the money, 2Ch 24:5; and did not bring in what they had gathered to begin the work, whereupon the king revoked his former order, and intrusted other men, as it here follows, with this work. Thus are things seldom done well that are committed to the care of many. Now therefore receive no more money, &c. Jehoash ordered two things, 1st, That they should gather no more money of the people. 2d, That they should not have the care of seeing the temple repaired, but pay what had been collected into other hands. The priests consented They submitted to the kings new orders, and wholly committed the business to those whom he thought fit to employ. But it does not appear that they restored the money which they had received for twenty-three years past.