2 Kings 12:4 - Meaning and Application

Here we have an account of the repairs to the temple during Joash’s reign. The temple had fallen into disrepair. Though Solomon had built it strongly and with the best materials, time still brought decay, and breaches were found in it (2 Kings 12:5). These may have been in the roof, walls, floors, ceiling, wood paneling, windows, or court partitions.

But it was not only time that caused the damage. The sons of Athaliah, the evil queen’s sons, had broken up the house of God (2 Chronicles 24:7). Out of hatred for temple worship, they had damaged the buildings, and the priests had not repaired the breaks in time, so matters only got worse. They were like careless tenants who could not even keep up the place they were given (Matthew 21:33). God rightly brought judgment on them for this waste and, in the end, left their neglected temple laid low.

The king himself seems to have been the first and most eager to act. We do not read that the priests complained about the problem, or that Jehoiada, Joash’s guardian and the high priest, was active in it, but the king was earnest about it. That fit his position as king, since God expects rulers to use their power to support true worship, correct wrongs, and fix what has decayed. It also fit his gratitude, because the temple had been both his nursery and his refuge when he was a child. Those who have known the comfort of worship will care about its honor, its support, and its peace (Zephaniah 3:18).

The priests were ordered to collect money for the repairs and see that the work was done. The king had the affairs of the kingdom to handle and could not inspect this himself, so he entrusted the matter to the priests, who should have been the best people for it. He told them to gather the money from the dedicated offerings, not waiting for people to bring it in on their own, but asking for it where it was due, in their own districts. This could include money from the law of redemption (Leviticus 27:2-3) or freewill offerings (2 Kings 12:4). Each priest was to collect from the people he knew, since everyone had some acquaintance with priests. We should take the chance God gives us to encourage the people we know toward what is good.

He also told them to use the money to repair the breaches in the house (2 Kings 12:5). But this plan did not work well (2 Kings 12:6). Little money was collected. Either the priests were careless and did not press the people to pay, or the people had little trust in the priests’ handling of the money and were slow to give. If they were mistrusted without cause, that was the people’s shame. If there was reason, then the blame was greater on the priests.

Even what was collected was not used for the proper purpose. The breaches of the house were not repaired. The priests seems to have thought the temple could go on as it was, so they kept putting the work off. Church work often moves slowly, but it is a shame if church workers are slowest of all. Perhaps the small amount they collected was used to support the priests, which would have been strained badly, since ten tribes had already revolted and the remaining two were deeply corrupted.

So another method was taken. The king was deeply set on having the temple repaired (2 Kings 12:7). His later unfaithfulness raises questions about whether his concern was really for worship itself or mainly for the building. Many people have been eager to build and beautify churches, and eager for outward religion, while still lacking true godliness. Even so, his zeal is still commendable. He even rebuked his tutor Jehoiada when he saw him being careless, and the rebuke was so effective that the priests admitted they were not fit to handle the work any longer. They agreed to let the money be managed another way and to hand over what they had received (2 Kings 12:8). It was honest of them not to block others from doing the work when they knew they were not doing it themselves.

A new plan was then put in place for raising money (2 Kings 12:9-10). Instead of placing the money in private hands, they put a chest in a public place, and people gave generously, not only their required gifts but also freewill offerings for such a worthy cause. The high priest and the king’s secretary counted the money from the chest and set it aside for its proper use. When public money is handled honestly, people give more freely.

The money was dropped through a hole in the lid, out of easy reach, to show that what has once been given to God should not be taken back. Each person should give as he has decided in his heart. The chest was placed on the right side as people came in, and some think this may be connected to Jesus’ teaching, “Let your left hand not know what your right hand is doing.” While they were gathering funds for the temple, they did not take away what belonged to the priests as their regular support (2 Kings 12:16). The guilt offerings and sin offerings that the law gave them (Leviticus 5:15-16) remained theirs. The servants of the temple should not be left hungry under the excuse of repairing the temple.

For spending the money, they did not hand it back to the priests, who were not trained for this kind of work and had other duties. Instead, they gave it to the men actually doing the repairs, or at least overseeing them (2 Kings 12:11). Those were the right people to trust with the job. Each worker should stay in his proper calling, and those set apart for holy service should not get tangled in ordinary affairs. The work was carried out carefully, with money paid for materials and wages (2 Kings 12:12). When skilled people handle a task, it moves quickly. It was also handled faithfully, so honestly that no one needed to check the bills or audit the accounts.

All who are trusted with public money or public work should learn from this to act honestly. They must remember that God will hold them to account, even if people do not. Those who think it is no sin to cheat the government, cheat the country, or cheat the church will think differently when God brings their sins into the light.

They also did not spend the money first on decorations for the temple, or on gold and silver vessels. They used it first for the needed repairs (2 Kings 12:13). In our own spending, we should give first place to what is most necessary, and in public matters we should act as carefully as we would for ourselves. After the repairs were finished, any money left over was made into plates for the temple service (2 Chronicles 24:14).