mh_parser/vol_split/12 - 2Kings/Chapter 12.xml

<div2 id="iiKi.xiii" n="xiii" next="iiKi.xiv" prev="iiKi.xii" progress="67.36%" title="Chapter XII">
<h2 id="iiKi.xiii-p0.1">S E C O N D   K I N G S</h2>
<h3 id="iiKi.xiii-p0.2">CHAP. XII.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="iiKi.xiii-p1">This chapter gives us the history of the reign of
Joash, which does not answer to that glorious beginning of it which
we had an account of in the foregoing chapter; he was not so
illustrious at forty years old as he was at seven, yet his reign is
to be reckoned one of the better sort, and appears much worse in
Chronicles (<scripRef id="iiKi.xiii-p1.1" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.24.1-2Chr.24.27" parsed="|2Chr|24|1|24|27" passage="2Ch 24:1-27">2 Chron.
xxiv.</scripRef>) than it does here, for there we find the blood of
one of God's prophets laid at his door; here we are only told, I.
That he did well while Jehoiada lived, <scripRef id="iiKi.xiii-p1.2" osisRef="Bible:2Kgs.12.1-2Kgs.12.3" parsed="|2Kgs|12|1|12|3" passage="2Ki 12:1-3">ver. 1-3</scripRef>. II. That he was careful and
active to repair the temple, <scripRef id="iiKi.xiii-p1.3" osisRef="Bible:2Kgs.12.4-2Kgs.12.16" parsed="|2Kgs|12|4|12|16" passage="2Ki 12:4-16">ver.
4-16</scripRef>. III. That after a mean compact with Hazael
(<scripRef id="iiKi.xiii-p1.4" osisRef="Bible:2Kgs.12.17-2Kgs.12.18" parsed="|2Kgs|12|17|12|18" passage="2Ki 12:17,18">ver. 17, 18</scripRef>) he died
ingloriously, <scripRef id="iiKi.xiii-p1.5" osisRef="Bible:2Kgs.12.19-2Kgs.12.21" parsed="|2Kgs|12|19|12|21" passage="2Ki 12:19-21">ver.
19-21</scripRef>.</p>
<scripCom id="iiKi.xiii-p0.1_1" osisRef="Bible:2Kgs.12" parsed="|2Kgs|12|0|0|0" passage="2Ki 12" type="Commentary"/>
<scripCom id="iiKi.xiii-p0.2_1" osisRef="Bible:2Kgs.12.1-2Kgs.12.3" parsed="|2Kgs|12|1|12|3" passage="2Ki 12:1-3" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:2Kgs.12.1-2Kgs.12.3">
<h4 id="iiKi.xiii-p1.8">The Reign of Joash, King of
Judah. (<span class="smallcaps" id="iiKi.xiii-p1.9">b. c.</span> 878.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="iiKi.xiii-p2">1 In the seventh year of Jehu Jehoash began to
reign; and forty years reigned he in Jerusalem. And his mother's
name <i>was</i> Zibiah of Beer-sheba.   2 And Jehoash did
<i>that which was</i> right in the sight of the <span class="smallcaps" id="iiKi.xiii-p2.1">Lord</span> all his days wherein Jehoiada the priest
instructed him.   3 But the high places were not taken away:
the people still sacrificed and burnt incense in the high
places.</p>
<p class="indent" id="iiKi.xiii-p3">The general account here given of Joash is,
1. That he reigned forty years. As he began his reign when he was
very young, he might, in the course of nature, have continued much
longer, for he was cut off when he was but forty-seven years old,
<scripRef id="iiKi.xiii-p3.1" osisRef="Bible:2Kgs.12.1" parsed="|2Kgs|12|1|0|0" passage="2Ki 12:1"><i>v.</i> 1</scripRef>. 2. That he did
that which was right as long as Jehoiada lived to instruct him,
<scripRef id="iiKi.xiii-p3.2" osisRef="Bible:2Kgs.12.2" parsed="|2Kgs|12|2|0|0" passage="2Ki 12:2"><i>v.</i> 2</scripRef>. Many young men
have come too soon to an estate—have had wealth, and power, and
liberty, before they knew how to use them—and it has been of bad
consequence to them; but against this danger Joash was well guarded
by having such a good director as Jehoiada was, so wise, and
experienced, and faithful to him, and by having so much wisdom as
to hearken to him and be directed by him, even when he was grown
up. Note, It is a great mercy to young people, and especially to
young princes, and all young men of consequence, to be under good
direction, and to have those about them that will instruct them to
do <i>that which is right in the sight of the Lord;</i> and they
then do wisely and well for themselves when they are willing to be
counselled and ruled by such. <i>A child left to himself brings his
mother to shame,</i> but a child left to such a tuition may bring
himself to honour and comfort. 3. That the <i>high places were not
taken away,</i> <scripRef id="iiKi.xiii-p3.3" osisRef="Bible:2Kgs.12.3" parsed="|2Kgs|12|3|0|0" passage="2Ki 12:3"><i>v.</i>
3</scripRef>. Up and down the country they had altars both for
sacrifice and incense, to the honour of the God of Israel only, but
in competition with, and at least in tacit contempt of, his altar
at Jerusalem. These private altars, perhaps, had been more used in
the late bad reigns than formerly, because it was not safe to go up
to Jerusalem, nor was the temple-service performed as it should
have been; and, it may be, Jehoiada connived at them, because some
well-meaning people were glad of them when they could not have
better, and he hoped that the reforming of the temple, and putting
things into a good posture there, would by degrees draw people from
their high places and they would dwindle of themselves; or perhaps
neither the king nor the priest had zeal enough to carry on their
reformation so far, nor courage and strength enough to encounter
such an inveterate usage.</p>
</div><scripCom id="iiKi.xiii-p0.3" osisRef="Bible:2Kgs.12.4-2Kgs.12.16" parsed="|2Kgs|12|4|12|16" passage="2Ki 12:4-16" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:2Kgs.12.4-2Kgs.12.16">
<h4 id="iiKi.xiii-p3.5">The Repairing of the Temple. (<span class="smallcaps" id="iiKi.xiii-p3.6">b. c.</span> 853.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="iiKi.xiii-p4">4 And Jehoash said to the priests, All the money
of the dedicated things that is brought into the house of the <span class="smallcaps" id="iiKi.xiii-p4.1">Lord</span>, <i>even</i> the money of every one
that passeth <i>the account,</i> the money that every man is set
at, <i>and</i> all the money that cometh into any man's heart to
bring into the house of the <span class="smallcaps" id="iiKi.xiii-p4.2">Lord</span>,
  5 Let the priests take <i>it</i> to them, every man of his
acquaintance: and let them repair the breaches of the house,
wheresoever any breach shall be found.   6 But it was <i>so,
that</i> in the three and twentieth 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 <i>other</i>
priests, and said unto them, Why repair ye not the breaches of the
house? now therefore receive no <i>more</i> money of your
acquaintance, but deliver it for the breaches of the house.  
8 And the priests consented to receive no <i>more</i> money of the
people, neither to repair the breaches of the house.   9 But
Jehoiada the priest took a chest, and bored a hole in the lid of
it, and set it beside the altar, on the right side as one cometh
into the house of the <span class="smallcaps" id="iiKi.xiii-p4.3">Lord</span>: and the
priests that kept the door put therein all the money <i>that
was</i> brought into the house of the <span class="smallcaps" id="iiKi.xiii-p4.4">Lord</span>.   10 And it was <i>so,</i> when they
saw that <i>there was</i> much money in the chest, that the king's
scribe and the high priest came up, and they put up in bags, and
told the money that was found in the house of the <span class="smallcaps" id="iiKi.xiii-p4.5">Lord</span>.   11 And they gave the money, being
told, into the hands of them that did the work, that had the
oversight of the house of the <span class="smallcaps" id="iiKi.xiii-p4.6">Lord</span>:
and they laid it out to the carpenters and builders, that wrought
upon the house of the <span class="smallcaps" id="iiKi.xiii-p4.7">Lord</span>,  
12 And to masons, and hewers of stone, and to buy timber and hewed
stone to repair the breaches of the house of the <span class="smallcaps" id="iiKi.xiii-p4.8">Lord</span>, and for all that was laid out for the
house to repair <i>it.</i>   13 Howbeit there were not made
for the house of the <span class="smallcaps" id="iiKi.xiii-p4.9">Lord</span> bowls of
silver, snuffers, basons, trumpets, any vessels of gold, or vessels
of silver, of the money <i>that was</i> brought into the house of
the <span class="smallcaps" id="iiKi.xiii-p4.10">Lord</span>:   14 But they gave
that to the workmen, and repaired therewith the house of the <span class="smallcaps" id="iiKi.xiii-p4.11">Lord</span>.   15 Moreover they reckoned not
with the men, into whose hand they delivered the money to be
bestowed on workmen: for they dealt faithfully.   16 The
trespass money and sin money was not brought into the house of the
<span class="smallcaps" id="iiKi.xiii-p4.12">Lord</span>: it was the priests'.</p>
<p class="indent" id="iiKi.xiii-p5">We have here an account of the repairing of
the temple in the reign of Joash.</p>
<p class="indent" id="iiKi.xiii-p6">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 <i>breaches found in it</i> (<scripRef id="iiKi.xiii-p6.1" osisRef="Bible:2Kgs.12.5" parsed="|2Kgs|12|5|0|0" passage="2Ki 12:5"><i>v.</i> 5</scripRef>), 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 <i>broken up the house of God</i> (<scripRef id="iiKi.xiii-p6.2" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.24.7" parsed="|2Chr|24|7|0|0" passage="2Ch 24:7">2 Chron. xxiv. 7</scripRef>), 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, <scripRef id="iiKi.xiii-p6.3" osisRef="Bible:Matt.21.33" parsed="|Matt|21|33|0|0" passage="Mt 21:33">Matt. xxi. 33</scripRef>.
Justly did their great Lord sue them for this permissive waste, and
by his judgments recover <i>locum vastatum—for dilapidations</i>
(as the law speaks), when this neglected temple was laid even with
the ground.</p>
<p class="indent" id="iiKi.xiii-p7">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 (<scripRef id="iiKi.xiii-p7.1" osisRef="Bible:Zeph.3.18" parsed="|Zeph|3|18|0|0" passage="Zep 3:18">Zeph. iii. 18</scripRef>), the support of them their
care, and the prosperity of them their chief joy.</p>
<p class="indent" id="iiKi.xiii-p8">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,
<scripRef id="iiKi.xiii-p8.1" osisRef="Bible:Lev.27.2-Lev.27.3" parsed="|Lev|27|2|27|3" passage="Le 27:2,3">Lev. xxvii. 2, 3</scripRef>), or as a
free-will offering, <scripRef id="iiKi.xiii-p8.2" osisRef="Bible:2Kgs.12.4" parsed="|2Kgs|12|4|0|0" passage="2Ki 12:4"><i>v.</i>
4</scripRef>. 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 <i>repairing the
breaches of the house,</i> <scripRef id="iiKi.xiii-p8.3" osisRef="Bible:2Kgs.12.5" parsed="|2Kgs|12|5|0|0" passage="2Ki 12:5"><i>v.</i>
5</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="iiKi.xiii-p9">IV. This method did not answer the
intention, <scripRef id="iiKi.xiii-p9.1" osisRef="Bible:2Kgs.12.6" parsed="|2Kgs|12|6|0|0" passage="2Ki 12:6"><i>v.</i> 6</scripRef>.
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: <i>The breaches of the house were not repaired;</i> 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.</p>
<p class="indent" id="iiKi.xiii-p10">V. Another method was therefore taken. The
king had his heart much set upon having <i>the breaches of the
house repaired,</i> <scripRef id="iiKi.xiii-p10.1" osisRef="Bible:2Kgs.12.7" parsed="|2Kgs|12|7|0|0" passage="2Ki 12:7"><i>v.</i>
7</scripRef>. 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,
<scripRef id="iiKi.xiii-p10.2" osisRef="Bible:2Kgs.12.8" parsed="|2Kgs|12|8|0|0" passage="2Ki 12:8"><i>v.</i> 8</scripRef>. 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,</p>
<p class="indent" id="iiKi.xiii-p11">1. For raising money, <scripRef id="iiKi.xiii-p11.1" osisRef="Bible:2Kgs.12.9-2Kgs.12.10" parsed="|2Kgs|12|9|12|10" passage="2Ki 12:9,10"><i>v.</i> 9, 10</scripRef>. 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 <i>in specie</i> 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. <i>Every man, as he purposeth in his heart, so
let him give.</i> (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, <i>Let not thy left hand know what thy
right hand doeth.</i> 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, <scripRef id="iiKi.xiii-p11.2" osisRef="Bible:2Kgs.12.16" parsed="|2Kgs|12|16|0|0" passage="2Ki 12:16"><i>v.</i> 16</scripRef>. The trespass-money and the
sin-money (which were given to them by that law, <scripRef id="iiKi.xiii-p11.3" osisRef="Bible:Lev.5.15-Lev.5.16" parsed="|Lev|5|15|5|16" passage="Le 5:15,16">Lev. v. 15, 16</scripRef>) were reserved to them. Let
not the servants of the temple be starved under colour of repairing
the breaches of it.</p>
<p class="indent" id="iiKi.xiii-p12">2. For laying out the money that was
raised.</p>
<p class="indent" id="iiKi.xiii-p13">(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 <i>into the hands of those that did the
work,</i> or at least <i>had the oversight of it,</i> <scripRef id="iiKi.xiii-p13.1" osisRef="Bible:2Kgs.12.11" parsed="|2Kgs|12|11|0|0" passage="2Ki 12:11"><i>v.</i> 11</scripRef>. Those were fittest to
be entrusted with this business whose employment lay that way.
<i>Tractant fabrilia fabri</i>—<i>Every artist has his trade
assigned;</i> 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, <scripRef id="iiKi.xiii-p13.2" osisRef="Bible:2Kgs.12.12" parsed="|2Kgs|12|12|0|0" passage="2Ki 12:12"><i>v.</i> 12</scripRef>. 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.</p>
<p class="indent" id="iiKi.xiii-p14">(2.) They did not lay it out in ornaments
for the temple, in vessels of gold or silver, but in necessary
repairs first (<scripRef id="iiKi.xiii-p14.1" osisRef="Bible:2Kgs.12.13" parsed="|2Kgs|12|13|0|0" passage="2Ki 12:13"><i>v.</i>
13</scripRef>), 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, <scripRef id="iiKi.xiii-p14.2" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.24.14" parsed="|2Chr|24|14|0|0" passage="2Ch 24:14">2 Chron. xxiv.
14</scripRef>.</p>
</div><scripCom id="iiKi.xiii-p0.4" osisRef="Bible:2Kgs.12.17-2Kgs.12.21" parsed="|2Kgs|12|17|12|21" passage="2Ki 12:17-21" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:2Kgs.12.17-2Kgs.12.21">
<h4 id="iiKi.xiii-p14.4">Death of Joash, King of
Judah. (<span class="smallcaps" id="iiKi.xiii-p14.5">b. c.</span> 840.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="iiKi.xiii-p15">17 Then Hazael king of Syria went up, and fought
against Gath, and took it: and Hazael set his face to go up to
Jerusalem.   18 And Jehoash king of Judah took all the
hallowed things that Jehoshaphat, and Jehoram, and Ahaziah, his
fathers, kings of Judah, had dedicated, and his own hallowed
things, and all the gold <i>that was</i> found in the treasures of
the house of the <span class="smallcaps" id="iiKi.xiii-p15.1">Lord</span>, and in the
king's house, and sent <i>it</i> to Hazael king of Syria: and he
went away from Jerusalem.   19 And the rest of the acts of
Joash, and all that he did, <i>are</i> they not written in the book
of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?   20 And his servants
arose, and made a conspiracy, and slew Joash in the house of Millo,
which goeth down to Silla.   21 For Jozachar the son of
Shimeath, and Jehozabad the son of Shomer, his servants, smote him,
and he died; and they buried him with his fathers in the city of
David: and Amaziah his son reigned in his stead.</p>
<p class="indent" id="iiKi.xiii-p16">When Joash had revolted from God and become
both an idolater and a persecutor the hand of the Lord went out
against him, and his <i>last state was worse than his
first.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="iiKi.xiii-p17">I. His wealth and honour became an easy
prey to his neighbours. Hazael, when he had chastised Israel
(<scripRef id="iiKi.xiii-p17.1" osisRef="Bible:2Kgs.10.32" parsed="|2Kgs|10|32|0|0" passage="2Ki 10:32"><i>ch.</i> x. 32</scripRef>),
threatened Judah and Jerusalem likewise, took Gath, a strong city
(<scripRef id="iiKi.xiii-p17.2" osisRef="Bible:2Kgs.12.17" parsed="|2Kgs|12|17|0|0" passage="2Ki 12:17"><i>v.</i> 17</scripRef>), and thence
intended to march with his forces against Jerusalem, the royal
city, the holy city, but whose defence, on account of its
sinfulness, had departed. Joash had neither spirit nor strength to
make head against him, but gave him all the hallowed things, and
all the gold that was found both in his exchequer and in the
treasures of the temple (<scripRef id="iiKi.xiii-p17.3" osisRef="Bible:2Kgs.12.18" parsed="|2Kgs|12|18|0|0" passage="2Ki 12:18"><i>v.</i>
18</scripRef>), to bribe him to march another way. If it were
lawful to do this for the public safety, better part with the gold
of the temple than expose the temple itself; yet, 1. If he had not
forsaken God, and forfeited his protection, his affairs would not
have been brought to this extremity, but he might have forced
Hazael to retire. 2. He diminished himself, and made himself very
mean, lost the honour of a prince and a soldier, and of an
Israelite too, in alienating the dedicated things. 3. He
impoverished himself and his kingdom. And, 4. He tempted Hazael to
come again, when he could carry home so rich a booty without
striking a stroke. And it had this effect, for the next year the
host of Syria came up against Jerusalem, destroyed the prince, and
plundered the city, <scripRef id="iiKi.xiii-p17.4" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.24.23-2Chr.24.24" parsed="|2Chr|24|23|24|24" passage="2Ch 24:23,24">2 Chron. xxiv.
23, 24</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="iiKi.xiii-p18">II. His life became an easy prey to his own
servants. They conspired against him and slew him (<scripRef id="iiKi.xiii-p18.1" osisRef="Bible:2Kgs.12.20-2Kgs.12.21" parsed="|2Kgs|12|20|12|21" passage="2Ki 12:20,21"><i>v.</i> 20, 21</scripRef>), not aiming at
his kingdom, for they opposed not his son's succeeding him, but to
be avenged on him for some crime he had committed; and we are told
in Chronicles that his murdering the prophet, Jehoiada's son, was
the provocation. In this, how unrighteous soever they were
(vengeance was not theirs, nor did it belong to them to repay), God
was righteous; and this was not the only time that he let even
kings know that it was at their peril if they touched his anointed
and did his prophets any harm, and that, when he comes to make
inquisition for blood, the blood of prophets will run the account
very high. Thus fell Joash, who began in the spirit and ended in
the flesh. God usually sets marks of his displeasure upon
apostates, even in this life; for they, of all sinners, do most
<i>reproach the Lord.</i></p>
</div></div2>