HarperCollins Study Bible

by Harold W. Attridge

  9Then the priest Jehoiada took a chest, made a hole in its lid, and set it beside the altar on the right side as one entered the house of the LORD; the priests who guarded the threshold put in it all the money that was brought into the house of the LORD. 10Whenever they saw that there was a great deal of money in the chest, the king’s secretary and the high priest went up, counted the money that was found in the house of the LORD, and tied it up in bags. 11They would give the money that was weighed out into the hands of the workers who had the oversight of the house of the LORD; then they paid it out to the carpenters and the builders who worked on the house of the LORD, 12to the masons and the stonecutters, as well as to buy timber and quarried stone for making repairs on the house of the LORD, as well as for any outlay for repairs of the house. 13But for the house of the LORD no basins of silver, snuffers, bowls, trumpets, or any vessels of gold, or of silver, were made from the money that was brought into the house of the LORD, 14for that was given to the workers who were repairing the house of the LORD with it. 15They did not ask an accounting from those into whose hand they delivered the money to pay out to the workers, for they dealt honestly. 16The money from the guilt offerings and the money from the sin offerings was not brought into the house of the LORD; it belonged to the priests.

  Hazael Threatens Jerusalem

  17At that time King Hazael of Aram went up, fought against Gath, and took it. But when Hazael set his face to go up against Jerusalem, 18King Jehoash of Judah took all the votive gifts that Jehoshaphat, Jehoram, and Ahaziah, his ancestors, the kings of Judah, had dedicated, as well as his own votive gifts, all the gold that was found in the treasuries of the house of the LORD and of the king’s house, and sent these to King Hazael of Aram. Then Hazael withdrew from Jerusalem.

  Death of Joash

  19Now the rest of the acts of Joash, and all that he did, are they not written in the Book of the Annals of the Kings of Judah? 20His servants arose, devised a conspiracy, and killed Joash in the house of Millo, on the way that goes down to Silla. 21It was Jozacar son of Shimeath and Jehozabad son of Shomer, his servants, who struck him down, so that he died. He was buried with his ancestors in the city of David; then his son Amaziah succeeded him.

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  12.1–16 The account of Jehoash’s reign concentrates primarily on his provisions for the maintenance of the temple and thus illustrates his fidelity to the worship of the Lord. A similar concern for the temple will be exhibited later by Josiah, one of Judah’s great kings in the opinion of the narrator (22.3–10).

  12.1 Jehoash and Joash are variants of the same name and are used interchangeably throughout the narrative. Jehoash ruled ca. 837–800 BCE (cf. 13.1, 10), so the forty-year reign assigned to him here is an approximation.

  12.3 High places. See note on 1 Kings 3.2.

  12.4 The money being referred to here came from the census tax (the money for which each person is assessed [Ex 30.11–16]), from the valuation of an individual for the purpose of paying a vow (the assessment of persons [Lev 27.1–8]), and from voluntary offerings.

  12.5 Under this arrangement, the priests were to receive all of the money but were also responsible for temple repairs when they were needed.

  12.6 The priests were apparently reluctant to take money out of their own funds, so they did not repair the temple.

  12.7–8 Under the new arrangement, the priests would no longer accept the money, but they would also no longer be responsible for paying for repairs.

  12.10 Representatives of the king and the temple would jointly take the money from the “bank” and turn it over to the workers.

  12.13 The money had to be used to pay for repairs and could not be melted down to make ritual vessels.

  12.16 The money from guilt offerings and sin offerings was distinct from the money mentioned in v. 4 and so was not subject to being banked but remained the property of the priests. On these two offerings, see Lev 4.1–6.7; Num 15.22–31.

  12.17–18 Aramean raiding extends into Judah during Jehoash’s reign, but the king is able to avoid the loss of territory.

  12.17 On Hazael ’s earlier raids in Israel, see 8.28–29; 10.32–33. Gath, a Philistine city on the coastal plain in southern Palestine. It may have briefly been part of the old Davidic empire (2 Chr 26.6).

  12.18 Votive gifts, gifts donated to the temple as an act of royal piety (1 Kings 7.51; 15.15). This was not the first time they were reclaimed in order to bribe a would-be attacker (see 1 Kings 15.18), nor would it be the last (see 2 Kings 18.15).

  12.19–21 Kings does not give any hint about the reason for Joash’s murder, although 2 Chr 24.23–27 claims that the killing was in retribution for the king’s murder of the son of the priest Jehoiada.

  12.20 Millo. See note on 1 Kings 9.15.

  2 KINGS 13

  Jehoahaz Reigns over Israel

  1In the twenty-third year of King Joash son of Ahaziah of Judah, Jehoahaz son of Jehu began to reign over Israel in Samaria; he reigned seventeen years. 2He did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, and followed the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, which he caused Israel to sin; he did not depart from them. 3The anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel, so that he gave them repeatedly into the hand of King Hazael of Aram, then into the hand of Ben-hadad son of Hazael. 4But Jehoahaz entreated the LORD, and the LORD heeded him; for he saw the oppression of Israel, how the king of Aram oppressed them. 5Therefore the LORD gave Israel a savior, so that they escaped from the hand of the Arameans; and the people of Israel lived in their homes as formerly. 6Nevertheless they did not depart from the sins of the house of Jeroboam, which he caused Israel to sin, but walkeda in them; the sacred poleb also remained in Samaria. 7So Jehoahaz was left with an army of not more than fifty horsemen, ten chariots and ten thousand footmen; for the king of Aram had destroyed them and made them like the dust at threshing. 8Now the rest of the acts of Jehoahaz and all that he did, including his might, are they not written in the Book of the Annals of the Kings of Israel? 9So Jehoahaz slept with his ancestors, and they buried him in Samaria; then his son Joash succeeded him.

  Jehoash Reigns over Israel

  10In the thirty-seventh year of King Joash of Judah, Jehoash son of Jehoahaz began to reign over Israel in Samaria; he reigned sixteen years. 11He also did what was evil in the sight of the LORD; he did not depart from all the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, which he caused Israel to sin, but he walked in them. 12Now the rest of the acts of Joash, and all that he did, as well as the might with which he fought against King Amaziah of Judah, are they not written in the Book of the Annals of the Kings of Israel? 13So Joash slept with his ancestors, and Jeroboam sat upon his throne; Joash was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel.

  Death of Elisha

  14Now when Elisha had fallen sick with the illness of which he was to die, King Joash of Israel went down to him, and wept before him, crying, “My father, my father! The chariots of Israel and its horsemen!”15Elisha said to him, “Take a bow and arrows” so he took a bow and arrows. 16Then he said to the king of Israel, “Draw the bow” and he drew it. Elisha laid his hands on the king’s hands. 17Then he said, “Open the window eastward” and he opened it. Elisha said, “Shoot” and he shot. Then he said, “The LORD’s arrow of victory, the arrow of victory over Aram! For you shall fight the Arameans in Aphek until you have made an end of them.” 18He continued, “Take the arrows” and he took them. He said to the king of Israel, “Strike the ground with them” he struck three times, and stopped. 19Then the man of God was angry with him, and said, “You should have struck five or six times; then you would have struck down Aram until you had made an end of it, but now you will strike down Aram only three times.”

  20So Elisha died, and they buried him. Now bands of Moabites used to invade the land in the spring of the year. 21As a man was being buried, a marauding band was seen and the man was thrown into the grave of Elisha; as soon as the man touched the bones of Elisha, he came to life and stood on his
feet.

  Israel Recaptures Cities from Aram

  22Now King Hazael of Aram oppressed Israel all the days of Jehoahaz. 23But the LORD was gracious to them and had compassion on them; he turned toward them, because of his covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and would not destroy them; nor has he banished them from his presence until now.

  24When King Hazael of Aram died, his son Ben-hadad succeeded him. 25Then Jehoash son of Jehoahaz took again from Ben-hadad son of Hazael the towns that he had taken from his father Jehoahaz in war. Three times Joash defeated him and recovered the towns of Israel.

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  a Gk Syr Tg Vg: Heb he walked

  b Heb Asherah

  13.1–9 In typical Deuteronomistic style, the narrator interprets Aramean military activity during Jehoahaz’s reign as a divine judgment on the king’s sins.

  13.1 Jehoahaz reigned ca. 815–802 BCE.

  13.2 On the sins of Jeroboam, see 1 Kings 12.26–32.

  13.3–5 The motif of God using foreign rulers to punish Israel and then sending a deliverer when Israel complains is a common one in Deuteronomistic literature, particularly in the accounts of Israel’s early history (Judg 2.11–23 and the formulaic introductions to the stories of most of the judges; see also 1 Kings 11.14–26).

  13.3 Ben-hadad continues the military activity against Israel that was begun by his father, Hazael (see 8.28–29; 10.32–33). For earlier episodes in Israel’s ongoing war with the Arameans, see 1 Kings 20.1–34; 22.1–40; 2 Kings 6.8–7.20.

  13.5 The savior is not identified. The stories in Judges usually mention a specific individual at this point in the narrative.

  13.6 After the excursus on foreign oppressors (vv. 3–5), the beginning of this verse alludes to v. 2 in order to return to the subject of Jehoahaz’s sins. Sacred pole. See note on 1 Kings 14.15.

  13.10–13 The formal account of Jehoash’s reign offers only the standard remarks about his sin, in spite of the fact that the king is treated sympathetically in the following story dealing with Elisha’s death (vv. 14–21).

  13.10 Jehoash and Joash are variants of the same name and are used interchangeably throughout the narrative. Jehoash/Joash of Israel should not be confused with his contemporary Jehoash/Joash of Judah. Jehoash of Israel reigned ca. 802–786 BCE.

  13.12–13 Repeated in 14.15–16. Here they seem out of place, since other stories about Jehoash’s reign follow in vv. 14–25.

  13.12 Jehoash’s war with Amaziah is described in 14.8–14.

  13.14–21 Elisha first appeared in the narrative in 1 Kings 19.19–21, during the reign of Ahab, so his death marks the end of almost fifty years of prophetic activity. Even on his deathbed the prophet remains a supporter of the Jehu dynasty.

  13.14 The king’s words had earlier been used by Elisha himself when he witnessed Elijah’s disappearance in a whirlwind (see note on 2.12).

  13.17 Aram (Syria) lay to the northeast of Israel. Aphek. See note on 1 Kings 20.26.

  13.18–19 Three often plays an important role in rituals, spells, and symbolic actions, but here it does not represent completeness.

  13.21 For a similar resurrection brought about by the prophet’s touch, see 4.32–35. Stories of this sort are often told about saints and wonder-workers.

  13.22–25 The narrator clearly understands Jehoash’s victories over Aram as a fulfillment of the blessings of Elisha.

  13.22 On Hazael ’s military activities during Jehoahaz’s reign, see vv. 3–5.

  13.23 Here for the only time in Kings God’s compassion for Israel is grounded in the covenant with Israel’s ancestors (Gen 15.1–21; 26.23–25; 28.10–22). As a motive for compassion, this covenant functions in the same way that God’s covenant with David serves to preserve Judah and the Davidic dynasty (2 Sam 7.1–17).

  2 KINGS 14

  Amaziah Reigns over Judah

  1In the second year of King Joash son of Joahaz of Israel, King Amaziah son of Joash of Judah, began to reign. 2He was twenty-five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jehoaddin of Jerusalem. 3He did what was right in the sight of the LORD, yet not like his ancestor David; in all things he did as his father Joash had done. 4But the high places were not removed; the people still sacrificed and made offerings on the high places. 5As soon as the royal power was firmly in his hand he killed his servants who had murdered his father the king. 6But he did not put to death the children of the murderers; according to what is written in the book of the law of Moses, where the LORD commanded, “The parents shall not be put to death for the children, or the children be put to death for the parents; but all shall be put to death for their own sins.”

  7He killed ten thousand Edomites in the Valley of Salt and took Sela by storm; he called it Jokthe-el, which is its name to this day.

  8Then Amaziah sent messengers to King Jehoash son of Jehoahaz, son of Jehu, of Israel, saying, “Come, let us look one another in the face.” 9King Jehoash of Israel sent word to King Amaziah of Judah, “A thornbush on Lebanon sent to a cedar on Lebanon, saying, ‘Give your daughter to my son for a wife’ but a wild animal of Lebanon passed by and trampled down the thornbush. 10You have indeed defeated Edom, and your heart has lifted you up. Be content with your glory, and stay at home; for why should you provoke trouble so that you fall, you and Judah with you?”

  11But Amaziah would not listen. So King Jehoash of Israel went up; he and King Amaziah of Judah faced one another in battle at Beth-shemesh, which belongs to Judah. 12Judah was defeated by Israel; everyone fled home. 13King Jehoash of Israel captured King Amaziah of Judah son of Jehoash, son of Ahaziah, at Beth-shemesh; he came to Jerusalem, and broke down the wall of Jerusalem from the Ephraim Gate to the Corner Gate, a distance of four hundred cubits. 14He seized all the gold and silver, and all the vessels that were found in the house of the LORD and in the treasuries of the king’s house, as well as hostages; then he returned to Samaria.

  15Now the rest of the acts that Jehoash did, his might, and how he fought with King Amaziah of Judah, are they not written in the Book of the Annals of the Kings of Israel? 16Jehoash slept with his ancestors, and was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel; then his son Jeroboam succeeded him.

  17King Amaziah son of Joash of Judah lived fifteen years after the death of King Jehoash son of Jehoahaz of Israel. 18Now the rest of the deeds of Amaziah, are they not written in the Book of the Annals of the Kings of Judah? 19They made a conspiracy against him in Jerusalem, and he fled to Lachish. But they sent after him to Lachish, and killed him there. 20They brought him on horses; he was buried in Jerusalem with his ancestors in the city of David. 21All the people of Judah took Azariah, who was sixteen years old, and made him king to succeed his father Amaziah. 22He rebuilt Elath and restored it to Judah, after King Amaziaha slept with his ancestors.

  Jeroboam II Reigns over Israel

  23In the fifteenth year of King Amaziah son of Joash of Judah, King Jeroboam son of Joash of Israel began to reign in Samaria; he reigned forty-one years. 24He did what was evil in the sight of the LORD; he did not depart from all the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, which he caused Israel to sin. 25He restored the border of Israel from Lebo-hamath as far as the Sea of the Arabah, according to the word of the LORD, the God of Israel, which he spoke by his servant Jonah son of Amittai, the prophet, who was from Gath-hepher. 26For the LORD saw that the distress of Israel was very bitter; there was no one left, bond or free, and no one to help Israel. 27But the LORD had not said that he would blot out the name of Israel from under heaven, so he saved them by the hand of Jeroboam son of Joash.

  28Now the rest of the acts of Jeroboam, and all that he did, and his might, how he fought, and how he recovered for Israel Damascus and Hamath, which had belonged to Judah, are they not written in the Book of the Annals of the Kings of Israel? 29Jeroboam slept with his ancestors, the kings of Israel; his son Zechariah succeeded him.

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  a Heb the king

  14.1–22 The narrator gives Amaziah’s reign a relatively positive evaluation, but the main focus of the account is the king’s military exploits. Although he was successful in fighting the Edomites, he was not able to free Judah from vassalage to Israel, a relationship that began at least as early as the reign of Ahab (1 Kings 22.4).

  14.1–2 According to the synchronisms in v. 23 and 15.8, Amaziah could not have reigned as long as the twenty-nine years assigned to him here. Most scholars assume that he shared a coregency with his son Azariah, who was perhaps put on the throne after the disastrous Israelite invasion of Jerusalem. Amaziah’s dates therefore remain uncertain; he may have reigned ca. 800–783 BCE.

  14.4 High places. See note on 1 Kings 3.2.

  14.5 On the murder of Joash, see 12.19–21 and note.

  14.6 The citation of the law is from Deut 24.16; cf. Jer 31.29–30; Ezek 18.2–4, 20.

  14.7 The exact location of the Valley of Salt is unknown, although many scholars would locate it in Edom near the southern end of the Dead Sea. David had earlier defeated Edomites there (2 Sam 8.13). The location of Sela is also disputed.

  14.8 Amaziah’s intentions toward Jehoash are ambiguous, but the initiative of the Judean king, who was a vassal of Jehoash’s, probably led the Northerner to interpret the message as a hostile act.

  14.9–10 Fables of this sort were used in Israel in political and prophetic circles (Judg 9.7–15; Ezek 17.1–10).

  14.9 The thornbush (Amaziah), an irritating and worthless plant, is seeking to become the equal of the majestic cedar (Jehoash), but the wild animal (also Jehoash) is capable of destroying the thornbush.