121 In the seventh year of Jehu, Joash began his kingly rule. He was king for forty years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Gazelle. She was from Beersheba. 2 Taught and trained by Jehoiada the priest, Joash did what pleased God for as long as he lived. 3 (Even so, he didn't get rid of the sacred fertility shrines - people still frequented them, sacrificing and burning incense.)
4 Joash instructed the priests: "Take the money that is brought into The Temple of God for holy offerings - both mandatory offerings and freewill offerings - 5 and, keeping a careful accounting, use them to renovate The Temple wherever it has fallen into disrepair." 6 But by the twenty-third year of Joash's rule, the priests hadn't done one thing - The Temple was as dilapidated as ever. 7 King Joash called Jehoiada the priest and the company of priests and said, "Why haven't you renovated this sorry-looking Temple? You are forbidden to take any more money for Temple repairs - from now on, hand over everything you get." 8 The priests agreed not to take any more money or to be involved in The Temple renovation. 9 Then Jehoiada took a single chest and bored a hole in the lid and placed it to the right of the main entrance into The Temple of God. All the offerings that were brought to The Temple of God were placed in the chest by the priests who guarded the entrance. 10 When they saw that a large sum of money had accumulated in the chest, the king's secretary and the chief priest would empty the chest and count the offerings. 11 They would give the money accounted for to the managers of The Temple project; they in turn would pay the carpenters, construction workers, 12 masons, stoneworkers, and the buyers of timber and quarried stone for the repair and renovation of The Temple of God - any expenses connected with fixing up The Temple. 13 But none of the money brought into The Temple of God was used for liturgical "extras" (silver chalices, candle snuffers, trumpets, various gold and silver vessels, etc.). 14 It was given to the workmen to pay for their repairing God's Temple. 15 And no one even had to check on the men who handled the money given for the project - they were honest men. 16 Offerings designated for Compensation Offerings and Absolution Offerings didn't go into the building project - those went directly to 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.