121 In the seventh year of Jehu, Jehoash began to reign; and he reigned forty years in Jerusalem; and his mother's name was Zibiah of Beer-sheba. 2 And Jehoash did what was right in the sight of Jehovah, all the days wherein Jehoiada the priest instructed him. 3 Only, the high places were not removed: the people still sacrificed and burned incense on the high places.
4 And Jehoash said to the priests, All the money of the hallowed things that is brought into the house of Jehovah, the money of every one that passes [the account], the money at which every man is valued, [and] all the money that comes into any man's heart to bring into the house of Jehovah, 5 let the priests take it, every man of his acquaintance; and let them repair the breaches of the house, wherever any breach is found. 6 And it was [so that] in the twenty-third year of king Jehoash, the priests had not repaired the breaches of the house. 7 Then king Jehoash called for Jehoiada the priest, and the priests, and said to them, Why have ye not repaired the breaches of the house? And now receive no money of your acquaintances, but give it for the breaches of the house. 8 And the priests consented to receive no money of the people, and that they should only repair the breaches of the house. 9 And Jehoiada the priest took a chest, and bored a hole in the lid, and set it beside the altar, on the right side as one comes into the house of Jehovah; and the priests that kept the door put into it all the money brought into the house of Jehovah. 10 And it came to pass when they saw that there was much money in the chest, that the king's scribe and the high priest came up, and they tied up and counted the money that was found in the house of Jehovah. 11 And they gave the money, weighed out into the hands of them that did the work, who were appointed over the house of Jehovah; and they laid it out to the carpenters and builders that wrought upon the house of Jehovah, 12 and to masons, and hewers of stone, and to buy timber and hewn stone to repair the breaches of the house of Jehovah, and for all that had to be laid out on the house for repairs. 13 However there were not made for the house of Jehovah basons of silver, knives, bowls, trumpets, nor any utensil of gold or utensil of silver, of the money that was brought [into] the house of Jehovah; 14 but they gave that to the workmen, and repaired the house of Jehovah with it. 15 And they did not reckon with the men into whose hand they gave the money to be bestowed on workmen; for they dealt faithfully. 16 The money of trespass-offerings, and the money of sin-offerings, was not brought into the house of Jehovah: it was for the priests.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on 2 Kings 12:1-16
Commentary on 2 Kings 12:1-16
(Read 2 Kings 12:1-16)
It is a great mercy to young people, especially to all young men of rank, like Jehoash, to have those about them who will instruct them to do what is right in the sight of the Lord; and they do wisely and well for themselves, when willing to be counselled and ruled. The temple was out of repair; Jehoash orders the repair of the temple. The king was zealous. God requires those who have power, to use it for the support of religion, the redress of grievances, and repairing of decays. The king employed the priests to manage, as most likely to be hearty in the work. But nothing was done effectually till the twenty-third year of his reign. Another method was therefore taken. When public distributions are made faithfully, public contributions will be made cheerfully. While they were getting all they could for the repair of the temple, they did not break in upon the stated maintenance of the priests. Let not the servants of the temple be starved, under colour of repairing the breaches of it. Those that were intrusted did the business carefully and faithfully. They did not lay it out in ornaments for the temple, till the other work was completed; hence we may learn, in all our expenses, to prefer that which is most needful, and, in dealing for the public, to deal as we would for ourselves.