2 Kings 12

1 In the seventh year of Jehu, Joash became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem forty years. His mother’s name was Zibiah; she was from Beersheba.

In the seventh year of Jehu Joas began to reign: and he reigned forty years in Jerusalem. The name of his mother was Sebia of Bersabee.

2 And Joash did what was right in the eyes of the LORD all the days he was instructed by Jehoiada the priest.

And Joas did that which was right before the Lord all the days that Joiada the priest taught him.

3 Nevertheless, the high places were not removed; the people continued sacrificing and burning incense there.

But yet he took not away the high places: for the people still sacrificed and burnt incense in the high places.

4 Then Joash said to the priests, “Collect all the money brought as sacred gifts into the house of the LORD—the census money, the money from vows, and the money brought voluntarily into the house of the LORD.

And Joas said to the priests: O All the money of the sanctified things, which is brought into the temple of the Lord by those that pass, which is offered for the price of a soul, and which of their own accord, and of their own free heart they bring into the temple of the Lord:

5 Let every priest receive it from his constituency, and let it be used to repair any damage found in the temple.”

Let the priests take it according to their order, and repair the house, wheresoever they shall see any thing that wanteth repairing.

6 By the twenty-third year of the reign of Joash, however, the priests had not yet repaired the damage to the temple.

Now till the three and twentieth year of king Joas, the priests did not make the repairs of the temple.

7 So King Joash called Jehoiada and the other priests and said, “Why have you not repaired the damage to the temple? Now, therefore, take no more money from your constituency, but hand it over for the repair of the temple.”

And king Joas called Joiada the high priest and the priests, saying to them: Why do you not repair the temple? Take you therefore money no more according to your order, but restore it for the repairing of the temple.

8 So the priests agreed that they would not receive money from the people and that they would not repair the temple themselves.

And the priests were forbidden to take any more money of the people, and to make the repairs of the house.

9 Then Jehoiada the priest took a chest, bored a hole in its lid, and set it beside the altar on the right side as one enters the house of the LORD. There the priests who guarded the threshold put all the money brought into the house of the LORD.

And Joiada the high priest took a chest and bored a hole in the top, and set it by the altar at the right hand of them that came into the house of the Lord, and the priests that kept the doors put therein all the money 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 scribe and the high priest would go up, count the money brought into the house of the LORD, and tie it up in bags.

And when they saw that there was very much money in the chest, the king’s scribe and the high priest came up, and poured it out, and counted the money that was found in the house of the Lord:

11 Then they would put the counted money into the hands of those who supervised the work on the house of the LORD, who in turn would pay those doing the work—the carpenters, builders,

And they gave it out by number and measure into the hands of them that were over the builders of the house of the Lord: and they laid it out to the carpenters, and the masons that wrought in the house of the Lord,

12 masons, and stonecutters. They also purchased timber and dressed stone to repair the damage to the house of the LORD, and they paid the other expenses of the temple repairs.

And made the repairs: and to them that cut stones, and to buy timber, and stones, to be hewed, that the repairs of the house of the Lord might be completely finished, and wheresoever there was need of expenses to uphold the house.

13 However, the money brought into the house of the LORD was not used for making silver basins, wick trimmers, sprinkling bowls, trumpets, or any articles of gold or silver for the house of the LORD.

But there were not made of the same money for the temple of the Lord, bowls, or fleshhooks, or censers, or trumpets, or any vessel of gold and silver, of the money that was brought into the temple of the Lord.

14 Instead, it was paid to those doing the work, and with it they repaired the house of the LORD.

For it was given to them that did the work, that the temple of the Lord might be repaired.

15 No accounting was required from the men who received the money to pay the workmen, because they acted with integrity.

And they reckoned not with the men that received the money to distribute it to the workmen, but they bestowed it faithfully.

16 The money from the guilt offerings and sin offerings was not brought into the house of the LORD; it belonged to the priests.

But the money for trespass, and the money for sins, they brought not into the temple of the Lord, because it was for the priests.

17 At that time Hazael king of Aram marched up and fought against Gath and captured it. Then he decided to attack Jerusalem.

Then Hazael king of Syria went up and fought against Geth, and took it and set his face to go up to Jerusalem.

18 So King Joash of Judah took all the sacred objects dedicated by his fathers—Jehoshaphat, Jehoram, and Ahaziah, the kings of Judah—along with his own consecrated items and all the gold found in the treasuries of the house of the LORD and the royal palace, and he sent them to Hazael king of Aram. So Hazael withdrew from Jerusalem.

Wherefore Joas king of Juda took all the sanctified things, which Josaphat, and Joram, and Ochozias his fathers the kings of Juda had dedicated to holy uses, and which he himself had offered: and all the silver that could be found in the treasures of the temple of the Lord, and in the king’s palace: and sent it to Hazael king of Syria, and he went off from Jerusalem.

19 As for the rest of the acts of Joash, along with all his accomplishments, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah?

And the rest of the acts of Joas, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the words of the days of the kings of Juda?

20 And the servants of Joash rose up and formed a conspiracy and killed him at Beth-millo, on the road down to Silla.

And his servants arose, and conspired among themselves, and slew Joas in the house of Mello in the descent of Sella.

21 His servants Jozabad son of Shimeath and Jehozabad son of Shomer struck him down, and he died. And they buried him with his fathers in the City of David, and his son Amaziah reigned in his place.

For Josachar the son of Semaath, and Jozabad the son of Somer his servant struck him, and he died: and they buried him with his fathers in the city of David, and Amasias his son reigned in his stead.