And Jehoiada took for him two wives; and he begat sons and daughters.
Jehoiada took for him two wives, х low (H3807a)] - for him or for himself. If the reference is to Jehoiada himself, the rabbis may be right in maintaining that he married this second wife on the death of the first, because there is nothing in the context to warrant the conclusion that he married the two together; and besides, there is no recorded instance of polygamy in a priest. If the meaning is, though, that Jehoiada took for Joash two wives-and the generality of interpreters apply this statement to the young king-the fact mentioned of Joash, that he "did that which was right in the sight of the Lord," does not justify this double marriage in the eye of the law, anymore than the same affirmation made respecting David justifies the numerous sins that he committed. The whole amount of meaning attached to this phrase is, that the king's public conduct, as a theocratic ruler, was generally acceptable to God.