INTRODUCTION TO 2 CHRONICLES 24 This chapter begins with the reign of Joash king of Judah, son of Ahaziah, 2 Chronicles 24:1, relates his concern and care to repair the temple, 2 Chronicles 24:4, the death of Jehoiada the priest, during whose life he reigned well, but after his death sadly apostatized, 2 Chronicles 24:15, for which, being reproved...
Ver. 1,2. Joash was seven years old when he began to reign,.... This, and the following verse, are the same with 2 Kings 11:21. [See comments on 2 Kings 12:1]. [See comments on 2 Kings 12:2].
And Jehoiada took for him two wives,.... Not for himself; he had a wife who was aunt to King Joash, and he had sons who were concerned with him in anointing him, 2 Chronicles 22:11 and was now upwards of one hundred years of age; but for the king, when he was at an age fit for marriage, he advised him to marry, and proposed wives to him, whom he...
And it came to pass after this,.... After his marriage, when he was about twenty or twenty one years of age, perhaps: that Joash was minded to repair the house of the Lord; which in some places might be fallen to decay, having been built one hundred and fifty years or more, and in others defaced by Athaliah, and needed ornamenting, see 2 Kings...
And he gathered together the priests and Levites,.... To communicate his mind unto, and give them a charge and instructions: and said unto 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; what money he means is more fully explained in 2 Kings 12:4, and see that ye haste the...
And the king called for Jehoiada the chief,.... Who was either the high priest, or the head of his course, or, however, the chief of the priests and Levites concerned in this affair, and, indeed, was the chief or prime minister of state: and said unto him, why hast thou not required of the Levites to bring in out of Judah, and out of Jerusalem,...
For the sons of Athaliah, that wicked woman,.... Not Ahaziah and his brethren, in the lifetime of Jehoram, but sons of Athaliah by another man, as Kimchi suggests: had broken up the house of God; not that they had made ruptures in it, or broke down the walls of it, but had defaced it by taking off the gold and silver upon it: and also all the...
And they made a proclamation through Judah and Jerusalem,.... By heralds appointed for the purpose: to bring in to the Lord; into the house of the Lord, and for the reparation of it; and so for his service, honour, and glory: the collection that Moses the servant of the Lord laid upon Israel in the wilderness; not to bring in the tabernacle of...
And all the princes and all the people rejoiced,.... When they heard the proclamation, and understood for what use the money was to be given, and in what manner; all was agreeable and pleasing to them: and brought in, and cast into the chest; through the hole that was in the lid of it, 2 Kings 12:9, until they had made an end: everyone had given...
Now it came to pass, that at what time the chest was brought unto the king's office by the hand of the Levites,.... The place where his officer or officers met, appointed for this service; very probably in one of the chambers of the temple, and when they saw that there was much money: see 2 Kings 12:10, the king's scribe; or secretary: and the...
And the king and Jehoiada gave it to such as did the work of the service of the house of the Lord,.... That is, they gave it to those who were overseers of them, to pay them with it, 2 Kings 12:11 and hired masons and carpenters to repair the house of the Lord see 2 Kings 12:12 and also such as wrought iron and brass to mend the house of the Lord;...
So the workmen wrought,.... The masons, carpenters, blacksmiths, and brasiers: and the work was perfected by them; the business of repairs was completely finished: and they set the house of God in his state; as it was at first: and strengthened it; so that it seemed as firm and stable as when first built.
And when they had finished it,.... The repairs of the house, all that were necessary: they brought the rest of the money before the king and Jehoiada: that is, the overseers, when they had paid the workmen, brought what was left of the money collected to the king and the priest, to dispose of as they should think fit: whereof were made vessels for...
But Jehoiada waxed old, and was full of days when he died,.... A very old man; few at this time arrived to such an age; he was a rare instance: One hundred and thirty years old was he when he died; the oldest man we read of from the times of Moses, and older than he by ten years.
And they buried him in the city of David among the kings,.... In honour to him, he having been the preserver of the king, and of the kingdom, and being by marriage a relation of the present king, uncle to him: because he had done good in Israel; in that part of it which belonged to the kingdom of the house of David: both towards God, and towards...
Now after the death of Jehoiada came the princes of Judah,.... Who had been secretly inclined to idolatry, but durst not discover it during the life of Jehoiada; whose influence at court was too great for them to counterwork, but when dead they came to court: and made obeisance to the king; bowed in a very lowly manner, fawned upon him, and...
And they left the house of the Lord God of their fathers,.... Came no more to the temple at Jerusalem, forsook the worship and service of it: and served groves and idols; worshipped idols in groves, which were upon high places: and wrath came upon Judah and Jerusalem for this their trespass: their idolatry, and particularly on these princes, the...
Yet he sent prophets to them, to bring them again unto the Lord,.... To reprove them for their sin, to warn them of their danger, to exhort them to their duty, and endeavour to restore them, and reduce them to the obedience and worship, of God; such was his clemency, goodness, and condescension to them, before he executed his wrath upon them: and...