And the king called for Jehoiada. — So 2 Kings 12:7.
The chief. — Literally, the head, i.e., of the sacerdotal caste. Usually kôhçn, “priest,” is added, as in 2 Chronicles 19:11; 2 Chronicles 26:20. Kings has simply “the priest,” adding “and for the priests.”
Why hast thou not required of the Levites. — Or, Why hast thou not attended to the Levites (comp. 2 Chronicles 31:9), that they might bring...? (i.e., seen about the Levites bringing). LXX., Διὰ τί οὐκ ἐπεσκέψω περὶ τῶν Λευιτῶν τοῦ εἰσενέγκαι, κ.τ.λ.
The collection. — Rather, the tax (Ezekiel 20:40). “The tax of Moses” is not the poll-tax of half-a-shekel, for the sanctuary, imposed Exodus 30:12-16, and collected Exodus 38:25-26; but rather a general designation of the moneys mentioned in 2 Kings 12:25. (See Note on 2 Chronicles 24:4, supra.)
For the tabernacle of witness. — Or, the tent of the testimony (Numbers 9:15; comp. Note on 2 Chronicles 23:11); i.e., the “Tent of the Law.”
In Kings, the question of Joash is, “Why are ye not repairing the breaches of the house?” He then continues: “And now, receive not money from your acquaintances, for the breaches of the house ye should give it” (scil., instead of appropriating it yourselves). In consequence, “the priests obeyed so as not to take money from the people, and not to repair the breaches of the house” (2 Kings 12:8).