2 Chronicles 24

JOash was seven years old A great part of this Chapter is explained on 2 Kings 12. when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years in Jerusalem: his mothers name also was Zibeah of Beer-sheba.

And Joash did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, all the days of Jehojada the priest.

And Jehojada took for him two wives, and he begat sons and daughters.

And it came to pass after this, that Joash was minded to repair the house of the LORD.

And he gathered together the priests and the Levites, and said to them, Go out unto the cities of Judah, and gather of all Israel i. e. Of all the Israelites that were in the Kingdom of Judah. See Ch. 15. 17. and 21. 2., money to repair the house of your God from year to year Either 1. repair part of it every year till the reparations be perfected: Or 2. gather it from year to year, you get such a sum as may suffice for the work; for he supposed one or two years collection would not suffice for the work, whether it were that collection of half a shekel for every man, of which see Exod. 30. 12, 13. 2 Kings 12. 14. Or a voluntary contribution required for the present exigence of the Temple by virtue of the command and example of Moses, who made such a collection for the building of the Tabernacle, Exod. 35. 5. See also Nehem. 10. 32. which he thought would not be any great sum, because of the great iniquity and impiety which yet had reigned for many years, and yet continued in the generality of the people of the Land, the Levites not excepted, as the last clause of this Verse shows., and see that ye haste the matter. Howbeit the Levites hastned it not.

And the king called for Jehojada the chief It is observable, that he is not called the Chief Priest, or High Priest, but only the Chief, or the Head, which he might be in many other respects, either by reason of his near relation to the Royal Family: or because he was the Chief of one of the 24 Families, or because he had been the chief man in the contriving and bringing about of this great change, and the General of the Forces employed about it. And the High Priest seems to be mentioned as a distinct person from Jehojadah here, 2 Kings 12. 9, 10 All which make it questionable, whether Jehojadah was the High-Priest or no., and said unto him, Why hast thou not required of the Levites to bring in out of Judah and out of Jerusalem, the collection, according to the commandment of Moses Heb. the Collection of Moses, i. e. such an one as he commanded or made in the like case: of which see on v. 5. In like manner we read of the Sins of Manasseh, 2 Kings 24. 3. and of the Sin of Ieroboam frequently. the servant of the LORD, and of the congregation of Israel, for the tabernacle of witness?

For the sons of Athaliah To wit, Ahaziah, and his Brethren before they were carried away captive, ch. 21. 17. who did this by her instigation, as this phrase implies., that wicked woman, had broken up the house of God Both broken up the Treasuries, and defaced the House it self., and also all the dedicate things of the house of the LORD did they bestow upon Baalim.

And at the kings commandment they made a chest, and set it without at the gate of the house of the LORD i. e. Of the Court of the people, whether all manner of persons might come to offer..

And they made a proclamation through Judah and Jerusalem, to bring in to the LORD the collection that Moses the servant of God laid upon Israel in the wilderness i. e. A Collection answerable to it; as they are said to be guilty of the errour of Balaam and gainsaying of Core, Jud. v. 11. who fell into sins of the same kind..

And all the princes, and all the people rejoyced, and brought in, and cast into the chest, until they had made an end.

Now it came to pass, that at what time the chest was brought unto the kings office From the gate of the Court into one of the Chambers belonging to the Temple, which was appointed by the King for this office., by the hand of the Levites, and when they saw that there was much money: the kings scribe, and the high priests officer came and emptied the chest, and took it, and carried it to his place again. Thus they did day by day, and gathered money in abundance.

And the king and Jehojada gave it to such as did the work of the service of the house of the LORD, and hired masons and carpenters to repair the house of the LORD, and also such as wrought iron and brass to mend the house of the LORD.

So the workmen wrought, and the work was perfected by them, and they set the house of God in his state, and strengthned it.

And when they had finished it, they brought the rest of the money before the king and Jehojada, whereof were made vessels for the house of the LORD Because Athaliah and her Sons had taken the old away, v. 7., even vessels to minister, and to offer withal, and spoons, and vessels of gold and silver: and they offered burnt-offerings in the house of the LORD continually, all the days of Jehojada.

But Jehojada waxed old, and was full of days when he died, an hundred and thirty years old was he when he died.

And they buried him in the city of David among the kings, because he had done good in Israel i. e. In Judah, which was an eminent part of Israel, and the only part of it which owned God, or was owned by God as his Israel, to whom therefore he oft appropriates this name, thereby signifying that the other Tribes were unworthy of that honourable title, and had forfeited all their right in it to Judah. on ch. 21. 2., both towards God, and towards his house.

Now after the death of Jehojada, came the princes of Judah, and made obeisance to the King In that posture presenting their requests to him, that they might not be confined to unnecessary and troublesom journeys in coming to Jerusalem to worship, but might have the liberty, which their Fore-fathers enjoyed, of worshipping God in the High-places. Which liberty, when once they had obtained, they knew they could then worship Idols without observation or disturbance: which was the thing at which they aimed. And for the prevention of such abuses, God obliged all to worship him in one place.: then the King hearkned unto them.

And they left the house of the LORD God of their fathers, and served groves and idols: and wrath came upon Judah and Jerusalem for this their trespass By Hazael King of Syria: of which see 2 Kings 12. 17, 18..

Yet he sent prophets to them, to bring them again unto the LORD, and they testified against them: but they would not give ear.

And the spirit of God came upon Zechariah the son of Jehojada the priest, which stood above the people In an higher place, that his voice and message might be the better heard., and said unto them, Thus says God, Why transgress ye the commandments of the LORD, that cannot prosper? because ye have forsaken the LORD, he has also forsaken you.

And they i. e. The people to whom he preached, who were easily corrupted by the examples of their Apostate King and Princes. conspired against him, and stoned him with stones at the commandment of the king, in the court of the house of the LORD.

Thus Joash the king remembred not the kindness which Jehojada his father had done to him, but slew his son: And when he died, he said, The LORD look upon it, and require it i. e. Make inquisition for my innocent blood. Which he did not wish from any desire of private revenge, with which so wise and good a man would never be willing to die; but partly from a zeal to publick Justice and the punishment of such gross wickedness; and partly to deter them, if possible, from compleating their murderous intentions. But these words may as well be rendred indicatively as optatively, The Lord will look upon it, and require it, i. e. He will examine this action, and require satisfaction from you for it..

And it came to pass at the end of the year So soon did God hear the cry of this holy Prophets blood, and revenge it., that the host of Syria came up against him: and they came to Judah and Jerusalem, and destroyed all the princes of the people from among the people That it might appear they were sent and directed by God to single out to destruction the first beginners and chief promoters of this general Apostacy., and sent all the spoil of them unto the king of Damascus To Hazael the king of that part of Syria called Syria Damascena, from its capital City Damascus..

For the army of the Syrians came with a small company of men, and the LORD delivered a very great host into their hand, because they had forsaken the LORD God of their fathers. So they executed Judgment against Joash.

And when they were departed from him, (for they lest him in great diseases) his own servants conspired against him, for the blood of the sons i. e. Of Zachariah his son: the plural number Sons, put for the singular Son, as it is frequently both in Scripture, as Gen. 46. 7.. 26. 42. and in Cicero and other profane Authors. Or he might kill other sons of Jehojadah with him, either because they owned him in what he had said; or lest they should revenge his death. of Jehojada the priest, and slew him on his bed, and he died: and they buried him in the city of David, but they buried him not in the sepulchres of the kings.

And these are they that conspired against him; Zabad the son of Shimeath an Ammonitess, and Jehozabad the son of Shimrith a Moabitess.

Now concerning his sons, and the greatness of the * burdens laid upon him Either the severe prophecies against him, which are oft called Burdens; of which one instance is recorded, and there might be others that are not recorded: or the great Judgments of God upon him, both by the Syrians, v. 23, 24. and by great dis... ses, v. 25., and the † repairing of the house of God, behold, they are written in the ‖ story of the book of the kings. And Amaziah his son reigned in his stead.