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12 In the seventh year of Yehu, Yehoash (Yoash) began to reign; and arba’im shanah he reigned in Yerushalayim. And shem immo was Tzivyah of Beer Sheva.

(3) And Yehoash did that which was yashar in the sight of Hashem all his days wherein Yehoyada HaKohen instructed him.

(4) But the high places were not removed; HaAm still sacrificed and burned ketoret at the high places.

(5) And Yehoash said to the Kohanim, All the kesef of the kadashim (money offered as holy donations) that is brought into the Bais Hashem, even the kesef of every one numbered in the census [Ex.30:11-16], the kesef nafshot of each one’s valuation (Lev.27:1-8), and all the kesef that cometh from lev ish to bring into the Bais Hashem,

(6) Let the Kohanim receive [kesef, money] to them, every Kohen from his donors; and let the Kohanim repair the breaches of the Bais [Hamikdash], wheresoever any damage shall be found.

(7) But it was so, that in the three and twentieth year of Melech Yehoash, the Kohanim had not repaired the breaches of the Bais [Hamikdash].

(8) Then Melech Yehoash summoned Yehoyada HaKohen, and the other Kohanim, and said unto them, Why repair ye not the breaches of the Bais [Hamikdash]? Now therefore receive no more kesef (silver, money) of your donors, but hand it over for the breaches of the Bais.

(9) And the Kohanim consented to receive no more kesef of HaAm; also not to repair the breaches of the Bais.

(10) But Yehoyada HaKohen took aron echad (a pishkeh), and bored a hole in the lid of it, and placed it beside the Mizbe’ach, on the right side as one cometh into the Bais Hashem; and the Kohanim that were Shomrei HaSaf (Guards of the Threshold) put therein kol hakesef that was brought into the Bais Hashem.

10 (11) And it was so, when they saw that there was much kesef in the aron, that the Sofer HaMelech and the Kohen HaGadol came up, and they put up in bags, and counted the kesef that was found in the Bais Hashem.

11 (12) And they gave the kesef that was weighed out into the hands of the osei hamelachah (workmen) who were hamepekadim (the overseers, supervisors) of the Bais Hashem; and they made the outlay to the woodworkers and the bonim (builders) that wrought upon the Bais Hashem,

12 (13) And to masons, and stonecutters, and to buy timber and quarried stone to repair the breaches of the Bais Hashem, and for all the outlay for the Bais [Hashem] to repair it.

13 (14) However, for the Bais Hashem no silver bowls, lamp snuffers, tzotzerot (trumpets), vessels of gold or silver, none of these were acquired from the money that was brought into the Bais Hashem.

14 (15) But they gave that money to the osei hamelachah (workmen), and repaired therewith the Bais Hashem.

15 (16) Moreover they audited not the anashim, into whose yad they delivered the kesef to be bestowed on the osei hamelachah (workmen); for they dealt be’emunah (faithfully, honestly).

16 (17) The kesef asham (money from the guilt offerings) and the kesef chatta’ot (money from the sin offerings) was not brought into the Bais Hashem; it belonged to the Kohanim.

17 (18) Then Chazael Melech Aram (Syria) went up, and fought against Gat, and captured it; and Chazael set his face to go up against Yerushalayim.

18 (19) And Yehoash Melech Yehudah took all the kadashim that Yehoshaphat, and Yehoram, and Achazyahu, his avot, Melachim of Yehudah, had dedicated, and his own kadashim, and all the zahav that was found in the otzarot of the Bais Hashem, and in the Bais HaMelech, and sent them to Chazael Melech Aram; and he withdrew from Yerushalayim.

19 (20) And the rest of the acts of Yoash, and all that he did, are they not written in the Sefer of the Divrei HaYamim L’Malchei Yehudah?

20 (21) And his avadim arose, and made a kesher (conspiracy), and assassinated Yoash in the Bais Millo, on the way down to Silla.

21 (22) For Yozachar ben Shim’at, and Yehozavad ben Shomer, his avadim, struck him down that he died; and they buried him with his avot in Ir Dovid; and Amatzyah bno reigned in his place.

Joash Repairs the Temple(A)

12 [a]In the seventh year of Jehu, Joash[b](B) became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem forty years. His mother’s name was Zibiah; she was from Beersheba. Joash did what was right(C) in the eyes of the Lord all the years Jehoiada the priest instructed him. The high places,(D) however, were not removed; the people continued to offer sacrifices and burn incense there.

Joash said to the priests, “Collect(E) all the money that is brought as sacred offerings(F) to the temple of the Lord—the money collected in the census,(G) the money received from personal vows and the money brought voluntarily(H) to the temple. Let every priest receive the money from one of the treasurers, then use it to repair(I) whatever damage is found in the temple.”

But by the twenty-third year of King Joash the priests still had not repaired the temple. Therefore King Joash summoned Jehoiada the priest and the other priests and asked them, “Why aren’t you repairing the damage done to the temple? Take no more money from your treasurers, but hand it over for repairing the temple.” The priests agreed that they would not collect any more money from the people and that they would not repair the temple themselves.

Jehoiada the priest took a chest and bored a hole in its lid. He placed it beside the altar, on the right side as one enters the temple of the Lord. The priests who guarded the entrance(J) put into the chest all the money(K) that was brought to the temple of the Lord. 10 Whenever they saw that there was a large amount of money in the chest, the royal secretary(L) and the high priest came, counted the money that had been brought into the temple of the Lord and put it into bags. 11 When the amount had been determined, they gave the money to the men appointed to supervise the work on the temple. With it they paid those who worked on the temple of the Lord—the carpenters and builders, 12 the masons and stonecutters.(M) They purchased timber and blocks of dressed stone for the repair of the temple of the Lord, and met all the other expenses of restoring the temple.

13 The money brought into the temple was not spent for making silver basins, wick trimmers, sprinkling bowls, trumpets or any other articles of gold(N) or silver for the temple of the Lord; 14 it was paid to the workers, who used it to repair the temple. 15 They did not require an accounting from those to whom they gave the money to pay the workers, because they acted with complete honesty.(O) 16 The money from the guilt offerings(P) and sin offerings[c](Q) was not brought into the temple of the Lord; it belonged(R) to the priests.

17 About this time Hazael(S) king of Aram went up and attacked Gath and captured it. Then he turned to attack Jerusalem. 18 But Joash king of Judah took all the sacred objects dedicated by his predecessors—Jehoshaphat, Jehoram and Ahaziah, the kings of Judah—and the gifts he himself had dedicated and all the gold found in the treasuries of the temple of the Lord and of the royal palace, and he sent(T) them to Hazael king of Aram, who then withdrew(U) from Jerusalem.

19 As for the other events of the reign of Joash, and all he did, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Judah? 20 His officials(V) conspired against him and assassinated(W) him at Beth Millo,(X) on the road down to Silla. 21 The officials who murdered him were Jozabad son of Shimeath and Jehozabad son of Shomer. He died and was buried with his ancestors in the City of David. And Amaziah his son succeeded him as king.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Kings 12:1 In Hebrew texts 12:1-21 is numbered 12:2-22.
  2. 2 Kings 12:1 Hebrew Jehoash, a variant of Joash; also in verses 2, 4, 6, 7 and 18
  3. 2 Kings 12:16 Or purification offerings