2 Chronicles 24:1-27 - Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

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Bible Comments

Joash as king; his restoration of the Temple. There are some significant points of difference between this account and that of 2 K. According to the latter, the house of God having fallen into disrepair, Joash commands that certain dues and free-will offerings of the people are to be utilised by the priests for undertaking the repairs; the priests, however, while taking the money, do nothing for the repair of the Temple. As the result of a protest against this on the part of the king, the priests promise not to receive any more money from the people; but they refuse to repair the Temple. Thereupon Jehoiada, presumably at the command of the king, places a chest beside the altar into which the worshippers cast their gifts. When sufficient money has been received, the repair of the Temple is proceeded with. In the hands of the Chronicler this account becomes considerably modified. He could not understand the Temple being permitted to fall into disrepair, so he explains that the sons of Athaliah had broken up the house of God (2 Chronicles 24:7). Again, to him the idea of the king deciding in regard to gifts for the Temple on his own initiative was unfitting, so he represents Joash's decision to have a chest placed by the altar for receiving these gifts as a compliance with the Mosaic command in Exodus 30:12-16, which the people joyfully fall in with (2 Chronicles 24:6; 2 Chronicles 24:8-10). Once more, that the priests should appropriate to their own use the gifts of the people for the repair of the Temple is unthinkable to the Chronicler, so he leaves this part out. An addition by the Chronicler is that the money collected was sufficient not only for the repair of the Temple but also for acquiring holy vessels (2 Chronicles 24:14).

2 Chronicles 24:15-22. The death of Jehoiada; Joash forsakes Yahweh-worship. There is no parallel to this in 2 K.; indeed Joash's apostasy is very improbable in view of 2 Kings 12:7, where his zeal for Yahweh's house is an example to the priesthood. The Chronicler's version may, perhaps, be accounted for by his desire to give a reason for the disasters that befell Joash as recounted in the section that follows.

2 Chronicles 24:23-27. Joash defeated by the Syrians; his death. According to 2 Kings 12:17 f. the worst effects of the Syrian invasion are avoided because Joash gives to the king of Syria the treasures of the house of Yahweh. The Chronicler makes no mention of this.

2 Chronicles 24:25 f. Cf. 2 Kings 12:20 f. In saying that Joash was not buried in the sepulchres of the kings the Chronicler contradicts the statement in 2 Kings 12:21.

2 Chronicles 24:27. the greatness of the burdens laid upon him: in reference to what he had to give the king of Syria; see 2 Kings 12:18. the commentary of the book of the kings: see note on 2 Chronicles 13:22.

Related Commentaries of 2 Chronicles 24:1

2 Chronicles 24:1-27

1 Joash was seven years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years in Jerusalem. His mother's name also was Zibiah of Beersheba.

2 And Joash did that which was right in the sight of the LORD all the days of Jehoiada the priest.

3 And Jehoiada took for him two wives; and he begat sons and daughters.

4 And it came to pass after this, that Joash was minded to repaira the house of the LORD.

5 And he gathered together the priests and the Levites, and said to them, Go out unto the cities of Judah, and gather of all Israel money to repair the house of your God from year to year, and see that ye hasten the matter. Howbeit the Levites hastened it not.

6 And the king called for Jehoiada the chief, and said unto him, Why hast thou not required of the Levites to bring in out of Judah and out of Jerusalem the collection, according to the commandment of Moses the servant of the LORD, and of the congregation of Israel, for the tabernacle of witness?

7 For the sons of Athaliah, that wicked woman, had broken up the house of God; and also all the dedicated things of the house of the LORD did they bestow upon Baalim.

8 And at the king's commandment they made a chest, and set it without at the gate of the house of the LORD.

9 And they made a proclamationb through Judah and Jerusalem, to bring in to the LORD the collection that Moses the servant of God laid upon Israel in the wilderness.

10 And all the princes and all the people rejoiced, and brought in, and cast into the chest, until they had made an end.

11 Now it came to pass, that at what time the chest was brought unto the king's office by the hand of the Levites, and when they saw that there was much money, the king's scribe and the high priest's officer came and emptied the chest, and took it, and carried it to his place again. Thus they did day by day, and gathered money in abundance.

12 And the king and Jehoiada gave it to such as did the work of the service of the house of the LORD, and hired masons and carpenters to repair the house of the LORD, and also such as wrought iron and brass to mend the house of the LORD.

13 So the workmen wrought, and the workc was perfected by them, and they set the house of God in his state, and strengthened it.

14 And when they had finished it, they brought the rest of the money before the king and Jehoiada, whereof were made vessels for the house of the LORD, even vessels to minister, and to offerd withal, and spoons, and vessels of gold and silver. And they offered burnt offerings in the house of the LORD continually all the days of Jehoiada.

15 But Jehoiada waxed old, and was full of days when he died; an hundred and thirty years old was he when he died.

16 And they buried him in the city of David among the kings, because he had done good in Israel, both toward God, and toward his house.

17 Now after the death of Jehoiada came the princes of Judah, and made obeisance to the king. Then the king hearkened unto them.

18 And they left the house of the LORD God of their fathers, and served groves and idols: and wrath came upon Judah and Jerusalem for this their trespass.

19 Yet he sent prophets to them, to bring them again unto the LORD; and they testified against them: but they would not give ear.

20 And the Spirit of God camee upon Zechariah the son of Jehoiada the priest, which stood above the people, and said unto them, Thus saith God, Why transgress ye the commandments of the LORD, that ye cannot prosper? because ye have forsaken the LORD, he hath also forsaken you.

21 And they conspired against him, and stoned him with stones at the commandment of the king in the court of the house of the LORD.

22 Thus Joash the king remembered not the kindness which Jehoiada his father had done to him, but slew his son. And when he died, he said, The LORD look upon it, and require it.

23 And it came to pass at the end of the year, that the host of Syria came up against him: and they came to Judah and Jerusalem, and destroyed all the princes of the people from among the people, and sent all the spoil of them unto the king of Damascus.

24 For the army of the Syrians came with a small company of men, and the LORD delivered a very great host into their hand, because they had forsaken the LORD God of their fathers. So they executed judgment against Joash.

25 And when they were departed from him, (for they left him in great diseases,) his own servants conspired against him for the blood of the sons of Jehoiada the priest, and slew him on his bed, and he died: and they buried him in the city of David, but they buried him not in the sepulchres of the kings.

26 And these are they that conspired against him; Zabadf the son of Shimeath an Ammonitess, and Jehozabad the son of Shimrith a Moabitess.

27 Now concerning his sons, and the greatness of the burdens laid upon him, and the repairingg of the house of God, behold, they are written in the story of the book of the kings. And Amaziah his son reigned in his stead.