2 Kings 12
Jehoash, also known as Joash, became king of Judah at the age of seven and reigned for 40 years, initially following the guidance of Jehoiada the priest. However, the high places where people sacrificed and burned incense were not removed. King Jehoash ordered the priests to collect money from the people to repair the temple, but the priests failed to do so. A chest was then placed at the temple entrance to collect donations, which were used to repair the temple. Later, King Jehoash gave Hazael, the king of Syria, the treasures of the temple and the king's house to prevent an attack on Jerusalem. Jehoash was eventually assassinated by his servants, Jozachar and Jehozabad, and was succeeded by his son Amaziah.
1In the seventh year of Jehu Jehoash began to reign; and forty years reigned he in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Zibiah of Beersheba.2And Jehoash did that which was right in the sight of the LORD all his days wherein Jehoiada the priest instructed him.3But the high places were not taken away: the people still sacrificed and burnt incense in the high places.4And Jehoash said to the priests, All the money of the dedicated things that is brought into the house of the LORD, even the money of every one that passeth the account, the money that every man is set at, and all the money that cometh into any man's heart to bring into the house of the LORD,5Let the priests take it to them, every man of his acquaintance: and let them repair the breaches of the house, wheresoever any breach shall be found.6But it was so, that in the three and twentieth year of king Jehoash the priests had not repaired the breaches of the house.7Then king Jehoash called for Jehoiada the priest, and the other priests, and said unto them, Why repair ye not the breaches of the house? now therefore receive no more money of your acquaintance, but deliver it for the breaches of the house.8And the priests consented to receive no more money of the people, neither to repair the breaches of the house.9But Jehoiada the priest took a chest, and bored a hole in the lid of it, and set it beside the altar, on the right side as one cometh into the house of the LORD: and the priests that kept the door put therein all the money that was brought into the house of the LORD.10And it was so, when they saw that there was much money in the chest, that the king's scribe and the high priest came up, and they put up in bags, and told the money that was found in the house of the LORD.11And they gave the money, being told, into the hands of them that did the work, that had the oversight of the house of the LORD: and they laid it out to the carpenters and builders, that wrought upon the house of the LORD,12And to masons, and hewers of stone, and to buy timber and hewed stone to repair the breaches of the house of the LORD, and for all that was laid out for the house to repair it.13Howbeit there were not made for the house of the LORD bowls of silver, snuffers, basons, trumpets, any vessels of gold, or vessels of silver, of the money that was brought into the house of the LORD:14But they gave that to the workmen, and repaired therewith the house of the LORD.15Moreover they reckoned not with the men, into whose hand they delivered the money to be bestowed on workmen: for they dealt faithfully.16The trespass money and sin money was not brought into the house of the LORD: it was the priests'.17Then Hazael king of Syria went up, and fought against Gath, and took it: and Hazael set his face to go up to Jerusalem.18And Jehoash king of Judah took all the hallowed things that Jehoshaphat, and Jehoram, and Ahaziah, his fathers, kings of Judah, had dedicated, and his own hallowed things, and all the gold that was found in the treasures of the house of the LORD, and in the king's house, and sent it to Hazael king of Syria: and he went away from Jerusalem.19And the rest of the acts of Joash, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?20And his servants arose, and made a conspiracy, and slew Joash in the house of Millo, which goeth down to Silla.21For Jozachar the son of Shimeath, and Jehozabad the son of Shomer, his servants, smote him, and he died; and they buried him with his fathers in the city of David: and Amaziah his son reigned in his stead.
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