1 In the seuenth yeere of Iehu, Iehoash began to reigne, and fourtie yeeres reigned he in Ierusalem, and his mothers name was Zibiah of Beersheba.
2 And Iehoash did that which was right in the sight of the Lord all his dayes, wherein Iehoiada the Priest instructed him.
3 But the high places were not taken away: the people still sacrificed, and burnt incense in the high places.
4 ¶ And Iehoash said to the priests, All the money of the dedicated things that is brought into the house of the Lord, euen the money of euery one that passeth the account, the money that euery man is set at, and all the money that commeth into any mans heart, to bring into the house of the Lord,
5 Let the priests take it to them, euery man of his acquaintance, and let them repaire the breaches of the house, wheresoeuer any breach shalbe found.
6 But it was so that in the three and twentieth yeere of king Iehoash, the priests had not repaired the breaches of the house.
7 Then king Iehoash called for Iehoiada the priest, and the other priests, and saide vnto them, Why repaire ye not the breaches of the house? now therefore receiue no more money of your acquaintance, but deliuer it for the breaches of the house.
8 And the priests consented to receiue no more money of the people, neither to repaire the breaches of the house.
9 But Iehoiada the priest tooke a chest, and bored a hole in the lid of it, and set it beside the Altar, on the right side, as one commeth into the house of the Lord, and the priests that kept the doore, put therein all the money that was brought into the house of the Lord.
10 And it was so when they saw that there was much money in the chest, that the kings scribe, and the high priest came vp, and they put vp in bags and told the money that was found in the house of the Lord.
11 And they gaue the money, being told, into the handes of them that did the worke, that had the ouersight of the house of the Lord: and they laid it out to the carpenters and builders, that wrought vpon the house of the Lord,
12 And to Masons, and hewers of stone, and to buy timber, and hewed stone to repaire the breaches of the house of the Lord, and for all that was laid out for the house to repaire it.
13 Howbeit, there were not made for the house of the Lord, bowles of siluer, snuffers, basons, trumpets, any vessels of gold, or vessels of siluer, of the money that was brought into the house of the Lord:
14 But they gaue that to the workemen, and repaired therewith the house of the Lord.
15 Moreouer, they reckned not with the men, into whose hand they deliuered the money to be bestowed on workmen: for they dealt faithfully.
16 The trespasse money, and sinnemoney was not brought into the house of the Lord: it was the Priests.
17 ¶ Then Hazael king of Syria went vp, and fought against Gath, and tooke it: and Hazael set his face to goe vp to Ierusalem.
18 And Iehoash king of Iudah tooke all the hallowed things that Iehoshaphat, and Iehoram, and Ahaziah his fathers, kings of Iudah had dedicate, and his owne hallowed things, and all the gold that was found in the treasures of the house of the Lord, and in the kings house, and sent it to Hazael king of Syria, and hee went away from Ierusalem.
19 ¶ And the rest of the actes of Iehoash, and all that he did, are they not written in the booke of the Chronicles of the kings of Iudah?
20 And his seruants arose, and made a conspiracie, and slew Iehoash in the house of Millo, which goeth downe to Silla.
21 For Iozachar the sonne of Shimeath, and Iehozabad the sonne of Shomer, his seruants, smote him, and he died; and they buried him with his fathers in the citie of Dauid, and Amaziah his sonne reigned in his stead.
Jehoash orders the repair of the temple. (1-16) He is slain by his servants. (17-21)1-16 It is a great mercy to young people, especially to all young men of rank, like Jehoash, to have those about them who will instruct them to do what is right in the sight of the Lord; and they do wisely and well for themselves, when willing to be counselled and ruled. The temple was out of repair; Jehoash orders the repair of the temple. The king was zealous. God requires those who have power, to use it for the support of religion, the redress of grievances, and repairing of decays. The king employed the priests to manage, as most likely to be hearty in the work. But nothing was done effectually till the twenty-third year of his reign. Another method was therefore taken. When public distributions are made faithfully, public contributions will be made cheerfully. While they were getting all they could for the repair of the temple, they did not break in upon the stated maintenance of the priests. Let not the servants of the temple be starved, under colour of repairing the breaches of it. Those that were intrusted did the business carefully and faithfully. They did not lay it out in ornaments for the temple, till the other work was completed; hence we may learn, in all our expenses, to prefer that which is most needful, and, in dealing for the public, to deal as we would for ourselves.
17-21 Let us review the character of Jehoash, and consider what we may learn from it. When we see what a sad conclusion there was to so promising a beginning, it ought to make us seek into our spiritual declinings. If we know any thing of Christ as the foundation of our faith and hope, let us desire to know nothing but Christ. May the work of the blessed Spirit on our souls be manifest; may we see, feel, and be earnest, in seeking after Jesus in all his fulness, suitableness, and grace, that our souls may be brought over from dead works to serve the living and true God.
Commentary by Matthew Henry, 1710.