2 Chronicles 24:1–16
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Then at the king’s command they made a chest, and set it outside at the gate of the house of the Lord. And they made a proclamation throughout Judah and Jerusalem to bring to the Lord the collection that Moses the servant of God had imposed on Israel in the wilderness. Then all the leaders and all the people rejoiced, brought their contributions, and put them into the chest until all had given. So it was, at that time, when the chest was brought to the king’s official by the hand of the Levites, and when they saw that there was much money, that the king’s scribe and the high priest’s officer came and emptied the chest, and took it and returned it to its place. Thus they did day by day, and gathered money in abundance.
The king and Jehoiada gave it to those who did the work of the service of the house of the Lord; and they hired masons and carpenters to repair the house of the Lord, and also those who worked in iron and bronze to restore the house of the Lord. So the workmen labored, and the work was completed by them; they restored the house of God to its original condition and reinforced it. When they had finished, they brought the rest of the money before the king and Jehoiada; they made from it articles for the house of the Lord, articles for serving and offering, spoons and vessels of gold and silver. And they offered burnt offerings in the house of the Lord continually all the days of Jehoiada.
But Jehoiada grew old and was full of days, and he died; he was one hundred and thirty years old when he died. And they buried him in the City of David among the kings, because he had done good in Israel, both toward God and His house.
Joash Repairs the Temple
Joash Repairs the Temple
Everyone got involved in rebuilding the Temple, from giving money to using the skills of the service workers
Everyone got involved in rebuilding the Temple, from giving money to using the skills of the service workers
8 verses
Isaiah and Ezra were considered to be the authors and compilers of 2 Chronicles The tradition is that 1 and 2 Chronicles were written by Ezra. But no specific author is mentioned in the books.
Isaiah and Ezra were considered to be the authors and compilers of 2 Chronicles The tradition is that 1 and 2 Chronicles were written by Ezra. But no specific author is mentioned in the books.
The books of Chronicles, or at least a portion of them, were compiled sometime after 537 B.C., when King Cyrus made this decree.The Book of 1 Chronicles was likely written between 450 and 425 B.C.Ezra, a Jewish priest who is identified in the book of the Bible that bears his name (and that also gives his genealogy) as "a man learned in matters concerning the commands and decrees of the LORD for Israel" (Ezra 7:1-6) -- a knowledge of which is displayed in 1 and 2 Chronicles.
The books of Chronicles, or at least a portion of them, were compiled sometime after 537 B.C., when King Cyrus made this decree.The Book of 1 Chronicles was likely written between 450 and 425 B.C.Ezra, a Jewish priest who is identified in the book of the Bible that bears his name (and that also gives his genealogy) as "a man learned in matters concerning the commands and decrees of the LORD for Israel" (Ezra 7:1-6) -- a knowledge of which is displayed in 1 and 2 Chronicles.
Ver. 8.—A chest; Hebrew, אֲרוֹן אֶחָד, “one chest.” This is more accurately described in ver. 9 of the parallel. Without at the gate of the house of the Lord; i.e. in the court opposite the porch, and, as we learn from the parallel, by the side of the altar of burnt offering. Now, not the priests generally, but simply those who kept the door (probably the north door, Ezek. 8:14), receiving the contributions of the people at their hands, into their own hands deposited them in the one chest.
Ver. 8.—A chest; Hebrew, אֲרוֹן אֶחָד, “one chest.” This is more accurately described in ver. 9 of the parallel. Without at the gate of the house of the Lord; i.e. in the court opposite the porch, and, as we learn from the parallel, by the side of the altar of burnt offering. Now, not the priests generally, but simply those who kept the door (probably the north door, Ezek. 8:14), receiving the contributions of the people at their hands, into their own hands deposited them in the one chest.
Ver. 10.—Until they had made an end; Hebrew, לְכִּלֵּה, piel infin. The meaning can scarcely be till enough was obtained, because day after day, as the next verse tells us, the chest was brought; but either till those who had come that day to give had all given in their contributions, or, as some think with much less probability, till the chest was full for the day. At the same time, the clause, occupying only one word in the original, may quite possibly purport to state summarily by anticipation that the same system was observed to the end, and the method of the chest not departed from.
Ver. 10.—Until they had made an end; Hebrew, לְכִּלֵּה, piel infin. The meaning can scarcely be till enough was obtained, because day after day, as the next verse tells us, the chest was brought; but either till those who had come that day to give had all given in their contributions, or, as some think with much less probability, till the chest was full for the day. At the same time, the clause, occupying only one word in the original, may quite possibly purport to state summarily by anticipation that the same system was observed to the end, and the method of the chest not departed from.
Ver. 11.—Unto the king’s office. Not “office” in the modern technical business sense; the meaning is the care, charge, or custody of the king, the Hebrew word being פְּקֻדַּת; nor does this necessitate the supposition of the personal care of the king. The body of this verse leaves it quite open to possibility, in harmony with the usage of the Hebrew language and its idiom, that the process described took place, if necessary, more than once in a day, and, on the other hand, not necessarily every evening. The change of the number of the verb in “they emptied,” etc., and the apparent statement that those who emptied also carried back the chest, betoken that while the king’s scribe (1 Kings 4:3) and the high priest’s officer stood by, the usual Levite functionaries did the work. The phrase, day by day, is not necessarily equivalent to every evening, but to time after time.
Ver. 11.—Unto the king’s office. Not “office” in the modern technical business sense; the meaning is the care, charge, or custody of the king, the Hebrew word being פְּקֻדַּת; nor does this necessitate the supposition of the personal care of the king. The body of this verse leaves it quite open to possibility, in harmony with the usage of the Hebrew language and its idiom, that the process described took place, if necessary, more than once in a day, and, on the other hand, not necessarily every evening. The change of the number of the verb in “they emptied,” etc., and the apparent statement that those who emptied also carried back the chest, betoken that while the king’s scribe (1 Kings 4:3) and the high priest’s officer stood by, the usual Levite functionaries did the work. The phrase, day by day, is not necessarily equivalent to every evening, but to time after time.
Ver. 12.—Gave it to such as did the work of the service; i.e. the persons responsible for the work, or “that had the oversight of it” (2 Kings 12:11). Carpenters. It is preferable to render here literally workmen or workers. Probably this clause purports that those responsible, as above, hired masons and workmen. And also such as wrought. Supply the preposition found in the Hebrew text, “to” before “such,” and render again the same word (חָרָשֵׁי) literally, workers of iron and brass.
Ver. 12.—Gave it to such as did the work of the service; i.e. the persons responsible for the work, or “that had the oversight of it” (2 Kings 12:11). Carpenters. It is preferable to render here literally workmen or workers. Probably this clause purports that those responsible, as above, hired masons and workmen. And also such as wrought. Supply the preposition found in the Hebrew text, “to” before “such,” and render again the same word (חָרָשֵׁי) literally, workers of iron and brass.
Ver. 13.—The work was perfected by their hands. The margin gives the literal rendering, “healing” or health, or, i.e., recovery, “went up upon the work.” The lively figure of the Hebrew word used (אֲרוּכָה) is very intelligible. The term is employed in only five other places, viz. Neh. 4:7 (Authorized Version, “The walls were made up;” Revised Version better, The repairing of the walls went forward); Isa. 58:8; Jer. 8:22; 30:17; 33:6; in each of which four instances, in both Authorized Version and Revised Version, the literal rendering “health” or “healing” is found. In his state; equivalent to in its stateliness, perhaps the idea of the Hebrew word מֲתְכֻּנְהּוֹ [only used four other times, and then rendered once “tale” (Exod. 5:8), twice “composition” (Exod. 30:32, 37, once “measure” (Ezek. 45:11)], being measure, or proportion, or rate.
Ver. 13.—The work was perfected by their hands. The margin gives the literal rendering, “healing” or health, or, i.e., recovery, “went up upon the work.” The lively figure of the Hebrew word used (אֲרוּכָה) is very intelligible. The term is employed in only five other places, viz. Neh. 4:7 (Authorized Version, “The walls were made up;” Revised Version better, The repairing of the walls went forward); Isa. 58:8; Jer. 8:22; 30:17; 33:6; in each of which four instances, in both Authorized Version and Revised Version, the literal rendering “health” or “healing” is found. In his state; equivalent to in its stateliness, perhaps the idea of the Hebrew word מֲתְכֻּנְהּוֹ [only used four other times, and then rendered once “tale” (Exod. 5:8), twice “composition” (Exod. 30:32, 37, once “measure” (Ezek. 45:11)], being measure, or proportion, or rate.
Ver. 14.—And to offer withal. The insertion of the italic type in the Authorized Version “withal” unnecessarily helps suggest uncertainly in this rendering, while the Revised Version gives that word in the ordinary type; margin, both Authorized Version and Revised Version, gives “pestles.” The Hebrew word is (הַעֲלוֹת) the hiph. infin. of the familiar verb עָלָה, or plural of עֲלי, with article prefixed; this word, however, seems to occur only once (Prov. 27:22), and then in the singular number. The rest of the money … made vessels for the house of the Lord. This passage may harmonize not unsatisfactorily with the parallel (2 Kings 12:13), and on the very suggestion of the circumstantial evidence that arises from the place in which the information of our own text is found, by laying emphasis on the expression, “the rest of the money.” The writer of Kings meant that nothing interfered with, nothing whatsoever ran even with the execution of the substantial work of reparation of the building, and he neglects to record that finally a remanet of money being available, vessels were made of it for the inner furnishing of the house.
Ver. 14.—And to offer withal. The insertion of the italic type in the Authorized Version “withal” unnecessarily helps suggest uncertainly in this rendering, while the Revised Version gives that word in the ordinary type; margin, both Authorized Version and Revised Version, gives “pestles.” The Hebrew word is (הַעֲלוֹת) the hiph. infin. of the familiar verb עָלָה, or plural of עֲלי, with article prefixed; this word, however, seems to occur only once (Prov. 27:22), and then in the singular number. The rest of the money … made vessels for the house of the Lord. This passage may harmonize not unsatisfactorily with the parallel (2 Kings 12:13), and on the very suggestion of the circumstantial evidence that arises from the place in which the information of our own text is found, by laying emphasis on the expression, “the rest of the money.” The writer of Kings meant that nothing interfered with, nothing whatsoever ran even with the execution of the substantial work of reparation of the building, and he neglects to record that finally a remanet of money being available, vessels were made of it for the inner furnishing of the house.
Ver. 15.—But Jehoiada … died; an hundred and thirty years old. This good man, husband of Jehoram’s daughter (ch. 22:11), only comes to view in virtue of what his wife did, and what he did, on behalf of Joash the infant and Joash the king for the good of the nation or kingdom of Judah. We seem to know too little of him, and the parallel supplies considerably less than our text in Chronicles. His age, as stated in this verse when he died, seems very improbable, and for a very clear and admirable putting of the case, see Lord Arthur C. Hervey’s article in Dr. Smith’s ‘Bible Dictionary,’ i. 944. There is, however, no manifest or even suspicious symptom of corruptness in the text just here, supported as it is by the Septuagint and Josephus, by the stress laid on his old age, whether it showed a hundred and thirty years, or thirty years or fifty years (as have been variously suggested) fewer; the little fact, otherwise looking very significant, that the expression, full of days, is used beside only of Abraham, Isaac, Job, and David, loses its pertinence in that very circumstance that it is used of David, whose age was in no way extreme. The age of the other three, however, exceeded this reputed age given to Jehoiada!
Ver. 15.—But Jehoiada … died; an hundred and thirty years old. This good man, husband of Jehoram’s daughter (ch. 22:11), only comes to view in virtue of what his wife did, and what he did, on behalf of Joash the infant and Joash the king for the good of the nation or kingdom of Judah. We seem to know too little of him, and the parallel supplies considerably less than our text in Chronicles. His age, as stated in this verse when he died, seems very improbable, and for a very clear and admirable putting of the case, see Lord Arthur C. Hervey’s article in Dr. Smith’s ‘Bible Dictionary,’ i. 944. There is, however, no manifest or even suspicious symptom of corruptness in the text just here, supported as it is by the Septuagint and Josephus, by the stress laid on his old age, whether it showed a hundred and thirty years, or thirty years or fifty years (as have been variously suggested) fewer; the little fact, otherwise looking very significant, that the expression, full of days, is used beside only of Abraham, Isaac, Job, and David, loses its pertinence in that very circumstance that it is used of David, whose age was in no way extreme. The age of the other three, however, exceeded this reputed age given to Jehoiada!
Ver. 16.—The honour done Jehoiada well belonged to him, not only for his goodness, his greatness, his practical services to the kingdom, but for the fact that those practical services had entailed the necessity of his standing in loco regis for some time. His royal alliance with Jehoram’s daughter, and, if it were so, his extreme patriarchal age, may all have contributed to the honour now put upon him. Little stress can be laid, however, upon this last consideration, failing any other allusion to it, or any emphasized statement of what we have in our ver. 15.
Ver. 16.—The honour done Jehoiada well belonged to him, not only for his goodness, his greatness, his practical services to the kingdom, but for the fact that those practical services had entailed the necessity of his standing in loco regis for some time. His royal alliance with Jehoram’s daughter, and, if it were so, his extreme patriarchal age, may all have contributed to the honour now put upon him. Little stress can be laid, however, upon this last consideration, failing any other allusion to it, or any emphasized statement of what we have in our ver. 15.
Joash now takes responsibility himself for the proper funding of the temple (cf. 1 Chr. 29:1–5). He sets up a separate fund by royal proclamation (v. 9), requiring the people to put their ‘tax’ (v. 10, RSV; contributions, NIV) in a ‘box’ (GNB; chest, other EVV) specially made for the purpose (vv. 8–10). His actions are another example of faithfulness to the ways of Moses (v. 9) and David (cf. also 23:18). The word for ‘proclamation’ links a practice from the Chronicler’s time (cf. 2 Chr. 30:5; 36:22 = Ezra 1:1; Ezra 10:7; Neh. 8:15) with the wilderness period (Exod. 36:6). The tax itself was based on the half-shekel tax for the Tent (vv. 6, 9; cf. Exod. 30:12–16; 38:25–31), though it was also renewed by Nehemiah (Neh. 10:32; cf. Matt. 17:24). In fact, the people responded as they had done in the case of the Tent by bringing too much (v. 14; cf. Exod. 36:4–7; until it was full, NIV, NRSV, etc. in v. 10 is better than ‘until they had finished’, RSV), as though this were a freewill offering rather than a tax. The blessings of David’s temple preparations are recalled as the people ‘rejoiced’ (RSV) in making their contributions (v. 10; cf. 1 Chr. 29:1–9), and hired masons and carpenters and workers in iron and bronze (v. 12; cf. 1 Chr. 21:15–16). Popular enthusiasm for the Lord’s work is a favourite theme in Chronicles (cf. 2 Chr. 11:16–17; 15:15; 20:4).
Joash now takes responsibility himself for the proper funding of the temple (cf. 1 Chr. 29:1–5). He sets up a separate fund by royal proclamation (v. 9), requiring the people to put their ‘tax’ (v. 10, RSV; contributions, NIV) in a ‘box’ (GNB; chest, other EVV) specially made for the purpose (vv. 8–10). His actions are another example of faithfulness to the ways of Moses (v. 9) and David (cf. also 23:18). The word for ‘proclamation’ links a practice from the Chronicler’s time (cf. 2 Chr. 30:5; 36:22 = Ezra 1:1; Ezra 10:7; Neh. 8:15) with the wilderness period (Exod. 36:6). The tax itself was based on the half-shekel tax for the Tent (vv. 6, 9; cf. Exod. 30:12–16; 38:25–31), though it was also renewed by Nehemiah (Neh. 10:32; cf. Matt. 17:24). In fact, the people responded as they had done in the case of the Tent by bringing too much (v. 14; cf. Exod. 36:4–7; until it was full, NIV, NRSV, etc. in v. 10 is better than ‘until they had finished’, RSV), as though this were a freewill offering rather than a tax. The blessings of David’s temple preparations are recalled as the people ‘rejoiced’ (RSV) in making their contributions (v. 10; cf. 1 Chr. 29:1–9), and hired masons and carpenters and workers in iron and bronze (v. 12; cf. 1 Chr. 21:15–16). Popular enthusiasm for the Lord’s work is a favourite theme in Chronicles (cf. 2 Chr. 11:16–17; 15:15; 20:4).
Administration of the fund was taken away from the priests and placed in the hands of two officials, one appointed by the king and the other by the high priest, who allocated resources to the workmen (vv. 11–12a). The box’s location outside the gate (v. 8) varies from 2 Kings 12:9 where it is ‘beside the altar … as one entered the house of the LORD’. The latter phrase, however, could have influenced the Chronicler, who was possibly thinking of his own day when the inner court was reserved for priests (cf. 2 Chr. 4:9; 6:13; Ezek. 40:44–47). One interesting harmonization is that a layman might have paid a Levite gatekeeper who then put the money in the box!
Administration of the fund was taken away from the priests and placed in the hands of two officials, one appointed by the king and the other by the high priest, who allocated resources to the workmen (vv. 11–12a). The box’s location outside the gate (v. 8) varies from 2 Kings 12:9 where it is ‘beside the altar … as one entered the house of the LORD’. The latter phrase, however, could have influenced the Chronicler, who was possibly thinking of his own day when the inner court was reserved for priests (cf. 2 Chr. 4:9; 6:13; Ezek. 40:44–47). One interesting harmonization is that a layman might have paid a Levite gatekeeper who then put the money in the box!
Finally, the temple was restored to its ‘proper condition’ (v. 13, NRSV, RSV; ‘former state’, JB; original design, NIV, REB, NEB). The Hebrew word contains the notion of a ‘standard’ (cf. Exod. 30:32, 27; Ezek. 45:11), which harks back to the plans for the temple revealed by God (1 Chr. 28:12, 19). Once the building was finished (v. 14), two further things were required to complete the restoration. Various articles (‘utensils’, RSV; ‘vessels’, NEB) were manufactured, and daily worship, especially the burnt offerings, reorganized (v. 14). An apparent contradiction with 2 Kings 12:13–14 over the temple vessels seems to be explained by reference to different funds. Kings alludes to the main fund for the actual temple, but these temple vessels were paid for out of surplus contributions.
Finally, the temple was restored to its ‘proper condition’ (v. 13, NRSV, RSV; ‘former state’, JB; original design, NIV, REB, NEB). The Hebrew word contains the notion of a ‘standard’ (cf. Exod. 30:32, 27; Ezek. 45:11), which harks back to the plans for the temple revealed by God (1 Chr. 28:12, 19). Once the building was finished (v. 14), two further things were required to complete the restoration. Various articles (‘utensils’, RSV; ‘vessels’, NEB) were manufactured, and daily worship, especially the burnt offerings, reorganized (v. 14). An apparent contradiction with 2 Kings 12:13–14 over the temple vessels seems to be explained by reference to different funds. Kings alludes to the main fund for the actual temple, but these temple vessels were paid for out of surplus contributions.
The brief death notice for Jehoiada describes the restored temple as the chief good he had done (v. 16).
The brief death notice for Jehoiada describes the restored temple as the chief good he had done (v. 16).
Martin J. Selman, 2 Chronicles: An Introduction and Commentary, vol. 11, Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1994), 472–474.
H. D. M. Spence-Jones, ed., 2 Chronicles, The Pulpit Commentary (London; New York: Funk & Wagnalls Company, 1909), 284–285.