---
title: "Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible -  2 Kings 12"
description: "CHAPTER 12   :-. JEHOASH
REIGNS WELL
WHILE JEHOIADA
LIVED. 2. Jehoash did that which was right
in the sight of the Lord—so far as related to his outward
a"
image: "/images/missing.jpg"
url: "https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/commentary-critical-and-explanatory-on-the-whole-bible/2-kings/12"
---

CHAPTER 12

. JEHOASH
REIGNS WELL
WHILE JEHOIADA
LIVED.

**2. Jehoash did that which was right
in the sight of the Lord**—so far as related to his outward
actions and the policy of his government. But it is evident from the
sequel of his history that the rectitude of his administration was
owing more to the salutary influence of his preserver and tutor,
Jehoiada, than to the honest and sincere dictates of his own mind.

**3. But the high places were not
taken away**—The popular fondness for the private and disorderly
rites performed in the groves and recesses of hills was so inveterate
that even the most powerful monarchs had been unable to accomplish
their suppression; no wonder that in the early reign of a young king,
and after the gross irregularities that had been allowed during the
maladministration of Athaliah, the difficulty of putting an end to
the superstitions associated with "the high places" was
greatly increased.

**4. Jehoash said to the priests,**
&c.—There is here given an account of the measures which the
young king took for repairing the temple by the levying of taxes: 1.
"The money of every one that passeth the account," namely,
half a shekel, as "an offering to the Lord" (). 2. "The money that every man is set at," that
is, the redemption price of every one who had devoted himself or any
thing belonging to him to the Lord, and the amount of which was
estimated according to certain rules (). 3. Free will or voluntary offerings made to the
sanctuary. The first two were paid annually (see ).

**7-10. Why repair ye not the breaches
of the house?**—This mode of collection not proving so productive
as was expected (the dilatoriness of the priests was the chief cause
of the failure), a new arrangement was proposed. A chest was placed
by the high priest at the entrance into the temple, into which the
money given by the people for the repairs of the temple was to be put
by the Levites who kept the door. The object of this chest was to
make a separation between the money to be raised for the building
from the other moneys destined for the general use of the priests, in
the hope that the people would be more liberal in their contributions
when it was known that their offerings would be devoted to the
special purpose of making the necessary repairs. The duty of
attending to this work was no longer to devolve on the priests, but
to be undertaken by the king.

**11, 12. they gave the money, being
told, into the hands of them that did the work**—The king sent
his secretary along with an agent of the high priest to count the
money in the chest from time to time (), and deliver the amount to the overseers of the building,
who paid the workmen and purchased all necessary materials. The
custom of putting sums of certain amount in bags, which are labelled
and sealed by a proper officer, is a common way of using the currency
in Turkey and other Eastern countries.

**13-16. Howbeit there were not made .
. . bowls,** c.—When the repairs of the temple had been
completed, the surplus was appropriated to the purchase of the temple
furniture. The integrity of the overseers of the work being
undoubted, no account was exacted of the way in which they applied
the money given to them, while other moneys levied at the temple were
left to the disposal of the priests as the law directed ([Leviticus 5:16](../../../kjv/leviticus/5/16)
[Numbers 5:8](../../../kjv/numbers/5/8)).

**17, 18. Then Hazael . . . fought
against Gath**—(See on ).
. HE IS
SLAIN.

**20. his servants arose . . . and
slew Joash in the house of Millo**—(See on ).

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