TRV
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Commentary on 2 Kings 12 verses 4–16
We have here an account of the repairing of the temple in the reign of Joash.
I. It seems, the temple had gone out of repair. Though Solomon built it very strong, of the best materials and in the best manner, yet in time it went to decay, and there were breaches found in it (Kg2 12:5), in the roofs, or walls, or floors, the ceiling, or wainscoting, or windows, or the partitions of the courts. Even temples themselves are the worse for the wearing; but the heavenly temple will never wax old. Yet it was not only the teeth of time that made these breaches, the sons of Athaliah had broken up the house of God (Ch2 24:7), and, out of enmity to the service of the temple, had damaged the buildings of it, and the priests had not taken care to repair the breaches in time, so that they went worse and worse. Unworthy were those husbandmen to have this valuable vineyard let out to them upon such easy terms who could not afford to keep the winepress in due and tenantable repair, Mat 21:33. Justly did their great Lord sue them for this permissive waste, and by his judgments recover locum vastatum - for dilapidations (as the law speaks), when this neglected temple was laid even with the ground.
II. The king himself was (as it should seem) the first and forwardest man that took care for the repair of it. We do not find that the priests complained of it or that Jehoiada himself was active in it, but the king was zealous in the matter, 1. Because he was king, and God expects and requires from those who have power that they use it for the maintenance and support of religion, the redress of grievances, and reparation of decays, for the exciting and engaging of ministers to do their part and people theirs. 2. Because the temple had been both his nursery and his sanctuary when he was a child, in a grateful remembrance of which he now appeared zealous for the honour of it. Those who have experienced the comfort and benefit of religious assemblies will make the reproach of them their burden (Zep 3:18), the support of them their care, and the prosperity of them their chief joy.
III. The priests were ordered to collect money for these repairs, and to take care that the work was done. The king had the affairs of his kingdom to mind, and could not himself inspect this affair, but he employed the priests to manage it, the fittest persons, and most likely, one would think, to be hearty in it. 1. He gave them orders for the levying of the money of the dedicated things. They must not stay till it was paid in, but they must call for it where they knew it was due, in their respective districts, as redemption-money (by virtue of the law, Lev 27:2, Lev 27:3), or as a free-will offering, Kg2 12:4. This they were to gather every man of his acquaintance, and it was supposed that there was no man but had acquaintance with some or other of the priests. Note, We should take the opportunity that God gives us of exciting those we have a particular acquaintance with to that which is good. 2. He gave them orders for laying out the money they had levied in repairing the breaches of the house, Kg2 12:5.
IV. This method did not answer the intention, Kg2 12:6. Little money was raised. Either the priests were careless, and did not call on the people to pay in their dues, or the people had so little confidence in the priests' management that they were backward to pay money into their hands; if they were distrusted without cause, it was the people's shame; if with, it was more theirs. But what money was raised was not applied to the proper use: The breaches of the house were not repaired; the priests thought it might serve as well as it had done, and therefore put off repairing from time to time. Church work is usually slow work, but it is a pity that churchmen, of all men, should be slow at it. Perhaps what little money they raised they thought it necessary to use for the maintenance of the priests, which must needs fall much short when ten tribes had wholly revolted and the other two were wretchedly corrupted.
V. Another method was therefore taken. The king had his heart much set upon having the breaches of the house repaired, Kg2 12:7. His apostasy, at last, gives us cause to question whether he had as good an affection for the service of the temple as he had for the structure. Many have been zealous for building and beautifying churches, and for other forms of godliness, who yet have been strangers to the power of it. However, we commend his zeal, and blame him not for reproving even his tutor Jehoiada himself when he saw him remiss; and so convincing was his reproof that the priests owned themselves unworthy to be any longer employed, and consented to the taking of some other measures, and the giving up of the money they had received into other hands, Kg2 12:8. It was honestly done, when they found they had not spirit to do it themselves, not to hinder other people from doing it. Another course was taken,
1.For raising money, Kg2 12:9, Kg2 12:10. The money was not paid into private hands, but put into a public chest, and then people brought it in readily and in great abundance, not only their dues, but their free-will offerings for so good a work. The high priest and the secretary of state counted the money out of the chest, and laid it by in specie for the use to which it was appropriated. When public distributions are made faithfully public contributions will be made cheerfully. The money that was given, (1.) Was dropped into the chest through a hole in the lid, past recall, to intimate that what has been once resigned to God must never be resumed. Every man, as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give. (2.) The chest was put on the right hand as they went in, which, some think, is alluded to in that rule of charity which our Saviour gives, Let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth. But, while they were getting all they could for the repair of the temple, they did not break in upon that which was the stated maintenance of the priests, Kg2 12:16. The trespass-money and the sin-money (which were given to them by that law, Lev 5:15, Lev 5:16) were reserved to them. Let not the servants of the temple be starved under colour of repairing the breaches of it.
2.For laying out the money that was raised.
(1.)They did not put it into the hands of the priests, who were not versed in affairs of this nature, having other work to mind, but into the hands of those that did the work, or at least had the oversight of it, Kg2 12:11. Those were fittest to be entrusted with this business whose employment lay that way. Tractant fabrilia fabri - Every artist has his trade assigned; but let not those who are called to war the holy warfare entangle themselves in the affairs of this life. Those that were thus entrusted did the business, [1.] Carefully, purchasing materials and paying workmen, Kg2 12:12. Business is done with expedition when those are employed in it that understand it and know which way to go about it. [2.] Faithfully; such a reputation they got for honesty that there was no occasion to examine their bills or audit their accounts. Let all that are entrusted with public money, or public work, learn hence to deal faithfully, as those that know God will reckon with them, whether men do or no. Those that think it is no sin to cheat the government, cheat the country, or cheat the church, will be of another mind when God shall set their sins in order before them.
(2.)They did not lay it out in ornaments for the temple, in vessels of gold or silver, but in necessary repairs first (Kg2 12:13), whence we may learn, in all our expenses to give that the preference which is most needful, and, in dealing for the public, to deal as we would for ourselves. After the repairs were finished we find the overplus turned into plate for the service of the temple, Ch2 24:14.
“Therefore King Joash summoned the priest Jehoiada with the other priests and said to them, ‘Why are you not repairing the house?’ ” The reason why king Joash and the high priest Jehoiada called a meeting to discuss the repairing of the house of God is revealed in the second book of the Annals with these words: “Athaliah instructed the children of iniquity, and undermined the house of the Lord and drove all the priests who were in the house of the Lord to the worship of the idols.” And it is not surprising that Athaliah, a woman endowed with audacity and shrewdness, made that attempt in order to aspire to power and take hold of the kingdom. Therefore, when everything was under her control and the king Ahaziah himself obeyed her blindly, nothing was neglected by her in order to draw the Jews away from the divine worship and to drive them to the ancient religion of the Sidonians. For this reason, while the temple of the true God remained abandoned after the introduction of the foreign cult, it had begun to be in ruin in many spots and was in danger of collapsing because of that. So the king, in order to remedy this serious situation, together with the authority of the high priest, gathered a large sum of money freely offered by the people and entrusted with it some priests elected to accomplish that task. But later on, when he realized that they were not making the progress he had hoped for in the task they had received, he transferred the care of the temple to other men of certain integrity who could work on that assignment with the highest perseverance and dedication. From the allegorical point of view you can recognize here a type of the saints who, after receiving from God the gift of knowledge, set out to repair that same house shaken by vain cults and various crimes.
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SUMMARY
Second Kings 12:8 marks a pivotal moment in King Joash's Temple restoration project, revealing the priests' reluctant agreement to relinquish their direct control over both the collection of repair funds and the execution of the repair work itself. This verse signals a necessary shift in administrative responsibility, born out of the priests' failure to initiate the much-needed repairs despite having received designated contributions, thereby paving the way for a more effective and transparent system of Temple maintenance.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
The passage employs several literary devices to convey its message. There is a strong element of Irony present, as those who were divinely appointed as custodians of God's house—the priests—are the very ones who failed in their duty to maintain it, necessitating external intervention. This highlights the human fallibility even within sacred offices. The narrative also uses Contrast, juxtaposing the initial, ineffective system of priestly management with the new, king-initiated, and ultimately successful method of repair. This contrast underscores the importance of effective administration and accountability. Furthermore, the detailed description of the Temple's "breaches" serves as a form of Symbolism, representing not only the physical decay but perhaps also a spiritual decline or lack of diligence within the religious leadership, which required a "repair" of its own.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
The failure of the priests in 2 Kings 12:8 to diligently steward the funds and oversee the Temple repairs speaks to a perennial theological concern: the responsibility of those entrusted with sacred duties and resources. This incident underscores that divine appointment does not negate the need for human accountability and faithful execution of duties. The king's intervention, though secular in origin, serves as a divine instrument to restore order and integrity to the worship of God. It reminds us that God desires His dwelling place, whether a physical temple or the spiritual body of believers, to be honored and maintained with diligence and transparency. The narrative implicitly critiques spiritual complacency and financial mismanagement, affirming that true worship requires integrity in all aspects, including the practical and financial.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
The account of the Temple repairs under King Joash and the priests' initial failure offers profound lessons for believers today. It calls us to examine our own stewardship—not just of financial resources, but of time, talents, and spiritual gifts. Are we diligently using what God has entrusted to us for His purposes, or are we allowing "breaches" to form in our spiritual lives, our ministries, or our communities due to neglect or mismanagement? This passage challenges leaders, particularly in the church, to embrace transparency and accountability in all matters, especially financial, to maintain the trust of the congregation and the integrity of the ministry. It also reminds us that true spiritual health often requires proactive "repair" and reform, addressing areas of decay or inefficiency with decisive action, just as Joash did. Our "house"—whether our personal walk with God, our family, or our church—requires constant attention and faithful upkeep to remain a vibrant dwelling place for God's Spirit.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Why did the priests fail to repair the Temple despite collecting money?
Answer: The text does not explicitly state the reasons for the priests' failure, but several possibilities can be inferred. It could have been due to a lack of diligence or motivation, perhaps a general spiritual malaise that led to neglect of their duties. It's also possible there was mismanagement of funds, where the collected money was diverted for other purposes or simply not utilized efficiently for the repairs. Some scholars suggest a lack of proper administrative structure or even corruption, where the funds were not held in trust for their intended use. King Joash's subsequent actions, establishing a new system that bypassed the priests' direct handling of money and repairs, as detailed in 2 Kings 12:9-12, strongly suggest a breakdown in their accountability and a failure to fulfill their sacred trust.
What was the new system for Temple repairs that replaced the priests' method?
Answer: The new system, implemented by King Joash, was designed to ensure direct and transparent use of funds for the Temple repairs. Instead of the priests collecting money, a chest was placed at the Temple gate where people could deposit their contributions directly, as described in 2 Kings 12:9. The money collected in this chest was counted by the king's scribe and the high priest, then given directly to the workmen, overseers, and craftsmen involved in the repairs, as outlined in 2 Kings 12:10-12. This method bypassed the priests' direct financial administration, ensuring that the money went straight to those performing the work, thereby enhancing accountability and efficiency.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
The narrative of the Temple's repair under Joash, particularly the failure of the priests and the subsequent establishment of a more effective system, finds its ultimate fulfillment and transformation in Jesus Christ. The physical Temple, with its "breaches" and need for repair, foreshadows the spiritual condition of humanity and the need for a perfect High Priest and a new covenant. While the earthly priests failed in their stewardship, Jesus Christ is the faithful High Priest who perfectly executes His divine commission, as affirmed in Hebrews 4:14-15. He is not only the one who repairs the "breaches" of sin and brokenness in our lives, but He is the new and living Temple, the ultimate dwelling place of God among humanity, as He Himself declared in John 2:19-21. Through His sacrificial death and resurrection, Christ has made it possible for believers to become living stones, built into a spiritual house, a truth beautifully articulated in 1 Peter 2:5, and a holy temple in the Lord, as described in Ephesians 2:21-22. The shift from a physical structure requiring human maintenance to a spiritual reality sustained by Christ's finished work underscores the profound truth that in Him, all things are made new, and the ultimate "breaches" between God and humanity are eternally mended by His perfect and faithful ministry, as powerfully conveyed in Hebrews 9:11-14.