II Kings 12

מלכים ב׳ פרק י״ב

Section: נביאים · נביאים ראשונים | Book: II Kings | Chapter: 12 of 25 | Day: 134 of 742

Date: June 25, 2026

קלאוד על הנ״ך

Chapter 12 recounts the reign of Jehoash (Joash) of Judah, the boy-king rescued and enthroned in chapter 11, whose forty-year reign is dominated by a single great project: the repair of the House of God. The chapter opens with the formula of his accession — seven years old when he became king, reigning forty years in Jerusalem — and immediately frames his righteousness with a crucial qualification that the classical commentators all seize upon: “Jehoash did what was pleasing to God all his days, as the priest Jehoiada instructed him” (verse 3). Rashi, Radak, and Metzudat David read this not as unbroken lifelong piety but as a temporal limit: he did right only so long as Jehoiada the priest — his guardian and mentor — was alive to guide him. The book of Chronicles, which they cite, fills in the dark sequel that Kings here suppresses: after Jehoiada’s death Joash was flattered by the officers of Judah, turned to idolatry, and had the prophet Zechariah (Jehoiada’s own son) killed. This unstated turn hangs over the whole chapter and surfaces obliquely in its closing verses.

The literary heart of the chapter is the Temple-repair narrative (verses 5-17), one of the most detailed administrative-financial passages in all of Nach. Radak, drawing on Chronicles, explains the underlying need: Athaliah and her sons had broken into the House of God and diverted its sacred items to the worship of Baal, leaving the structure damaged and its system of priestly watches abolished. Joash’s first plan (verses 5-7) assigns the priests to collect three categories of donated money — the annual half-shekel “census money,” the “valuation” vows of Leviticus 27, and free-will gifts — and to fund the repairs themselves, each priest drawing from his own benefactors (makkar). But by the twenty-third year of his reign the repairs had still not been made, and the chapter records the king’s pointed confrontation with Jehoiada and the priests: “Why have you not kept the House in repair?” (verse 8).

The solution Jehoiada devises is a model of fiscal integrity that later halakhic tradition mines for principles of public trust. He bores a hole in the lid of a chest and places it beside the altar, so that all incoming money is deposited directly and the priests neither handle it nor bear responsibility for the repairs (verses 9-10). When the chest fills, the royal scribe and the high priest’s deputy count and bag the silver together (verse 11), then disburse it directly to the overseers, carpenters, masons, and stonecutters, and for the purchase of timber and quarried stone (verses 12-13). Two details are especially telling. First, no silver or gold vessels were made from this money during the repairs (verse 14) — the funds went entirely to construction, with the commentators (citing Ketubot) reconciling this with Chronicles by explaining that vessels were fashioned only afterward from the surplus. Second, and most famous, “no accounting was demanded of the men to whom the money was delivered… for they dealt honestly” (verse 16) — from which the Sages derive (as Radak notes) that one does not audit charity collectors of known integrity, since trustworthy appointees are not to be suspected. A separate ruling closes the financial section: money left over from sin- and guilt-offerings went to the priests, used to purchase burnt-offerings for the altar (verse 17).

The chapter’s final movement (verses 18-22) turns abruptly dark, and the commentators read the shift as the consequence of Joash’s post-Jehoiada decline. Hazael of Aram captures Gath and threatens Jerusalem; Joash buys him off by stripping the Temple and palace treasuries of the very gold his predecessors and he himself had consecrated, sending it all to Aram (verses 18-19). Rashi states plainly that this campaign came “after the death of Jehoiada, when Joash made himself into a god,” and Radak, following Chronicles, supplies the fuller reckoning: a second Aramean attack devastated Judah’s officers, Joash was left riddled with disease, and his own servants conspired and killed him on his sickbed in retribution “for the blood of the sons of Jehoiada.” The chapter ends by naming the assassins — Jozacar son of Shimeath and Jehozabad son of Shomer — and Rashi preserves the midrashic reading (their mothers were an Ammonite and a Moabite) that God requited the ingrate Joash, who forgot Jehoiada’s kindness, through the descendants of nations that forgot Abraham’s kindness. Joash is buried in the City of David and succeeded by his son Amaziah, closing a reign that began in rescue and righteousness and ended in idolatry, disease, and murder.

פרק י״ב · Chapter 12

פסוק א׳ · Verse 1

Hebrew:

בֶּן־שֶׁ֥בַע שָׁנִ֖ים יְהוֹאָ֥שׁ בְּמׇלְכֽו��׃ {פ}

English:

Jehoash was seven years old when he became king.

פסוק ב׳ · Verse 2

Hebrew:

בִּשְׁנַת־שֶׁ֤בַע לְיֵהוּא֙ מָלַ֣ךְ יְהוֹאָ֔שׁ וְאַרְבָּעִ֣ים שָׁנָ֔ה מָלַ֖ךְ בִּירוּשָׁלָ֑͏ִם וְשֵׁ֣ם אִמּ֔וֹ צִבְיָ֖ה מִבְּאֵ֥ר שָֽׁבַע׃

English:

Jehoash began his reign in the seventh year of Jehu, and he reigned in Jerusalem forty years. His mother’s name was Zibiah of Beer-sheba.

פסוק ג׳ · Verse 3

Hebrew:

וַיַּ֨עַשׂ יְהוֹאָ֧שׁ הַיָּשָׁ֛ר בְּעֵינֵ֥י יְהֹוָ֖ה כׇּל־יָמָ֑יו אֲשֶׁ֣ר הוֹרָ֔הוּ יְהוֹיָדָ֖ע הַכֹּהֵֽן׃

English:

All his days Jehoash did what was pleasing to GOD, as the priest Jehoiada instructed him.

פסוק ד׳ · Verse 4

Hebrew:

רַ֥ק הַבָּמ֖וֹת לֹא־סָ֑רוּ ע֥וֹד הָעָ֛ם מְזַבְּחִ֥ים וּֽמְקַטְּרִ֖ים בַּבָּמֽוֹת׃

English:

The shrines, however, were not removed; the people continued to sacrifice and offer at the shrines.

פסוק ה׳ · Verse 5

Hebrew:

וַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְהוֹאָ֜שׁ אֶל־הַכֹּהֲנִ֗ים כֹּל֩ כֶּ֨סֶף הַקֳּדָשִׁ֜ים אֲשֶׁר־יוּבָ֤א בֵית־יְהֹוָה֙ כֶּ֣סֶף עוֹבֵ֔ר אִ֕ישׁ כֶּ֥סֶף נַפְשׁ֖וֹת עֶרְכּ֑וֹ כׇּל־כֶּ֗סֶף אֲשֶׁ֤ר יַֽעֲלֶה֙ עַ֣ל לֶב־אִ֔ישׁ לְהָבִ֖יא בֵּ֥ית יְהֹוָֽה׃

English:

Jehoash said to the priests, “All the money, current money, brought into the House of GOD as sacred donations—any money that someone may pay asaany money that someone may pay as Or “any money for one’s being entered [in the census], or”; cf. Rashi and Exod. 30.11–16. the money equivalent of persons,bmoney equivalent of persons See Lev. 27.2–8. or any other money that someone may be minded to bring to the House of GOD—

פסוק ו׳ · Verse 6

Hebrew:

יִקְח֤וּ לָהֶם֙ הַכֹּ֣הֲנִ֔ים אִ֖ישׁ מֵאֵ֣ת מַכָּר֑וֹ וְהֵ֗ם יְחַזְּקוּ֙ אֶת־בֶּ֣דֶק הַבַּ֔יִת לְכֹ֛ל אֲשֶׁר־יִמָּצֵ֥א שָׁ֖ם בָּֽדֶק׃ {פ}

English:

let the priests receive it, each from his benefactor; they, in turn, shall make repairs on the House, wherever damage may be found.”

פסוק ז׳ · Verse 7

Hebrew:

וַיְהִ֗י בִּשְׁנַ֨ת עֶשְׂרִ֧ים וְשָׁלֹ֛שׁ שָׁנָ֖ה לַמֶּ֣לֶךְ יְהוֹאָ֑שׁ לֹא־חִזְּק֥וּ הַכֹּהֲנִ֖ים אֶת־בֶּ֥דֶק הַבָּֽיִת׃

English:

But in the twenty-third year of King Jehoash, [it was found that] the priests had not made the repairs on the House.

פסוק ח׳ · Verse 8

Hebrew:

וַיִּקְרָא֩ הַמֶּ֨לֶךְ יְהוֹאָ֜שׁ לִיהוֹיָדָ֤ע הַכֹּהֵן֙ וְלַכֹּ֣הֲנִ֔ים וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֲלֵהֶ֔ם מַדּ֛וּעַ אֵינְכֶ֥ם מְחַזְּקִ֖ים אֶת־בֶּ֣דֶק הַבָּ֑יִת וְעַתָּ֗ה אַל־תִּקְחֽוּ־כֶ֙סֶף֙ מֵאֵ֣ת מַכָּרֵיכֶ֔ם כִּֽי־לְבֶ֥דֶק הַבַּ֖יִת תִּתְּנֻֽהוּ׃

English:

So King Jehoash summoned the priest Jehoiada and the other priests and said to them, “Why have you not kept the House in repair? Now do not accept money from your benefactors anymore, but have it donated for the repair of the House.”

פסוק ט׳ · Verse 9

Hebrew:

וַיֵּאֹ֖תוּ הַכֹּהֲנִ֑ים לְבִלְתִּ֤י קְחַת־כֶּ֙סֶף֙ מֵאֵ֣ת הָעָ֔ם וּלְבִלְתִּ֥י חַזֵּ֖ק אֶת־בֶּ֥דֶק הַבָּֽיִת׃

English:

The priests agreed that they would neither accept money from the people nor make repairs on the House.

פסוק י׳ · Verse 10

Hebrew:

וַיִּקַּ֞ח יְהוֹיָדָ֤ע הַכֹּהֵן֙ אֲר֣וֹן אֶחָ֔ד וַיִּקֹּ֥ב חֹ֖ר בְּדַלְתּ֑וֹ וַיִּתֵּ֣ן אֹתוֹ֩ אֵ֨צֶל הַמִּזְבֵּ֜חַ (בימין) [מִיָּמִ֗ין] בְּבוֹא־אִישׁ֙ בֵּ֣ית יְהֹוָ֔�� וְנָֽתְנוּ־שָׁ֤מָּה הַכֹּֽהֲנִים֙ שֹׁמְרֵ֣י הַסַּ֔ף אֶת־כׇּל־הַכֶּ֖סֶף הַמּוּבָ֥א בֵית־יְהֹוָֽה׃

English:

And the priest Jehoiada took a chest and bored a hole in its lid. He placed it at the right side of the altar as one entered the House of GOD, and the priestly guards of the threshold deposited there all the money that was brought into the House of GOD.

פסוק י״א · Verse 11

Hebrew:

וַֽיְהִי֙ כִּרְאוֹתָ֔ם כִּי־רַ֥ב הַכֶּ֖סֶף בָּאָר֑וֹן וַיַּ֨עַל סֹפֵ֤ר הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ וְהַכֹּהֵ֣ן הַגָּד֔וֹל וַיָּצֻ֙רוּ֙ וַיִּמְנ֔וּ אֶת־הַכֶּ֖סֶף הַנִּמְצָ֥א בֵית־יְהֹוָֽה׃

English:

Whenever they saw that there was much money in the chest, the royal scribe and the high priest would come up and put the money accumulated in the House of GOD into bags, and they would count it.

פסוק י״ב · Verse 12

Hebrew:

וְנָֽתְנוּ֙ אֶת־הַכֶּ֣סֶף הַֽמְתֻכָּ֔ן עַל־[יְדֵי֙] (יד) עֹשֵׂ֣י הַמְּלָאכָ֔ה (הפקדים) [הַמֻּפְקָדִ֖ים] בֵּ֣ית יְהֹוָ֑ה וַיּוֹצִיאֻ֜הוּ לְחָרָשֵׁ֤י הָעֵץ֙ וְלַבֹּנִ֔ים הָעֹשִׂ֖ים בֵּ֥ית יְהֹוָֽה׃

English:

Then they would deliver the money that was weighed outcthat was weighed out Meaning of Heb. uncertain. to the overseers of the work, who were in charge of the House of GOD. These, in turn, used to pay the carpenters and the laborers who worked on the House of GOD,

פסוק י״ג · Verse 13

Hebrew:

וְלַגֹּֽדְרִים֙ וּלְחֹצְבֵ֣י הָאֶ֔בֶן וְלִקְנ֤וֹת עֵצִים֙ וְאַבְנֵ֣י מַחְצֵ֔ב לְחַזֵּ֖ק אֶת־בֶּ֣דֶק בֵּית־יְהֹוָ֑ה וּלְכֹ֛ל אֲשֶׁר־יֵצֵ֥א עַל־הַבַּ֖יִת לְחׇזְקָֽה׃

English:

and the masons and the stonecutters. They also paid for wood and for quarried stone with which to make the repairs on the House of GOD, and for every other expenditure that had to be made in repairing the House.

פסוק י״ד · Verse 14

Hebrew:

אַךְ֩ לֹ֨א יֵעָשֶׂ֜ה בֵּ֣ית יְהֹוָ֗ה סִפּ֥וֹת כֶּ֙סֶף֙ מְזַמְּר֤וֹת מִזְרָקוֹת֙ חֲצֹ֣צְר֔וֹת כׇּל־כְּלִ֥י זָהָ֖ב וּכְלִי־כָ֑סֶף מִן־הַכֶּ֖סֶף הַמּוּבָ֥א בֵית־יְהֹוָֽה׃

English:

However, no silver bowls and no snuffers, basins, or trumpets—no vessels of gold or silver—were made at the House of GOD from the money brought into the House of GOD;

פסוק ט״ו · Verse 15

Hebrew:

כִּֽי־לְעֹשֵׂ֥י הַמְּלָאכָ֖ה יִתְּנֻ֑הוּ וְחִזְּקוּ־ב֖וֹ אֶת־בֵּ֥ית יְהֹוָֽה׃

English:

this was given only to the overseers of the work for the repair of the House of GOD.

פסוק ט״ז · Verse 16

Hebrew:

וְלֹ֧א יְחַשְּׁב֣וּ אֶת־הָאֲנָשִׁ֗ים אֲשֶׁ֨ר יִתְּנ֤וּ אֶת־הַכֶּ֙סֶף֙ עַל־יָדָ֔ם לָתֵ֖ת לְעֹשֵׂ֣י הַמְּלָאכָ֑ה כִּ֥י בֶאֱמֻנָ֖ה הֵ֥ם עֹשִֽׂים׃

English:

No check was kept on those to whom the money was delivered to pay the workers; for they dealt honestly.

פסוק י״ז · Verse 17

Hebrew:

כֶּ֤סֶף אָשָׁם֙ וְכֶ֣סֶף חַטָּא֔וֹת לֹ֥א יוּבָ֖א בֵּ֣ית יְהֹוָ֑ה לַכֹּהֲנִ֖ים יִהְיֽוּ׃ {פ}

English:

Money brought as a reparation offering or as a purgation offeringdas a reparation offering or as a purgation offering See Lev. 5.15. was not deposited in the House of GOD; it went to the priests.

פסוק י״ח · Verse 18

Hebrew:

אָ֣ז יַעֲלֶ֗ה חֲזָאֵל֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ אֲרָ֔ם וַיִּלָּ֥חֶם עַל־גַּ֖ת וַֽיִּלְכְּדָ֑הּ וַיָּ֤שֶׂם חֲזָאֵל֙ פָּנָ֔יו לַעֲל֖וֹת עַל־יְרוּשָׁלָֽ͏ִם׃

English:

At that time, King Hazael of Aram came up and attacked Gath and captured it; and Hazael proceeded to march on Jerusalem.

פסוק י״ט · Verse 19

Hebrew:

וַיִּקַּ֞ח יְהוֹאָ֣שׁ מֶלֶךְ־יְהוּדָ֗ה אֵ֣ת כׇּל־הַקֳּדָשִׁ֡ים אֲשֶׁר־הִקְדִּ֣ישׁוּ יְהוֹשָׁפָ֣ט וִיהוֹרָם֩ וַאֲחַזְיָ֨הוּ אֲבֹתָ֜יו מַלְכֵ֤י יְהוּדָה֙ וְאֶת־קֳדָשָׁ֔יו וְאֵ֣ת כׇּל־הַזָּהָ֗ב הַנִּמְצָ֛א בְּאֹצְר֥וֹת בֵּית־יְהֹוָ֖ה וּבֵ֣ית הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ וַיִּשְׁלַ֗ח לַֽחֲזָאֵל֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ אֲרָ֔ם וַיַּ֖עַל מֵעַ֥ל יְרוּשָׁלָֽ͏ִם׃

English:

Thereupon King Joash of Judah took all the objects that had been consecrated by his predecessors, Kings Jehoshaphat, Jehoram, and Ahaziah of Judah, and by himself, and all the gold that there was in the treasuries of the Temple of GOD and in the royal palace, and he sent them to King Hazael of Aram, who then turned back from his march on Jerusalem.

פסוק כ׳ · Verse 20

Hebrew:

וְיֶ֛תֶר דִּבְרֵ֥י יוֹאָ֖שׁ וְכׇל־אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָשָׂ֑ה הֲלוֹא־הֵ֣ם כְּתוּבִ֗ים עַל־סֵ֛פֶר דִּבְרֵ֥י הַיָּמִ֖ים לְמַלְכֵ֥י יְהוּדָֽה׃

English:

The other events of Joash’s reign, and all his actions, are recorded in the Annals of the Kings of Judah.

פסוק כ״א · Verse 21

Hebrew:

וַיָּקֻ֥מוּ עֲבָדָ֖יו וַיִּקְשְׁרוּ־קָ֑שֶׁר וַיַּכּוּ֙ אֶת־יוֹאָ֔שׁ בֵּ֥ית מִלֹּ֖א הַיֹּרֵ֥ד סִלָּֽא׃

English:

His courtiers formed a conspiracy against Joash and assassinated him at Beth-millo that leads down to Silla.ethat leads down to Silla Meaning of Heb. uncertain.

פסוק כ״ב · Verse 22

Hebrew:

וְיוֹזָכָ֣ר בֶּן־שִׁ֠מְעָ֠ת וִיהוֹזָבָ֨ד בֶּן־שֹׁמֵ֤ר ׀ עֲבָדָיו֙ הִכֻּ֣הוּ וַיָּמֹ֔ת וַֽיִּקְבְּר֥וּ אֹת֛וֹ עִם־אֲבֹתָ֖יו בְּעִ֣יר דָּוִ֑ד וַיִּמְלֹ֛ךְ אֲמַצְיָ֥ה בְנ֖וֹ תַּחְתָּֽיו׃ {פ}

English:

The courtiers who assassinated him were Jozacar son of Shimeath and Jehozabad son of Shomer. He died and was buried with his ancestors in the City of David; and his son Amaziah succeeded him as king.

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