2 Chronicles 24:9 kjv
And they made a proclamation through Judah and Jerusalem, to bring in to the LORD the collection that Moses the servant of God laid upon Israel in the wilderness.
2 Chronicles 24:9 nkjv
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.
2 Chronicles 24:9 niv
A proclamation was then issued in Judah and Jerusalem that they should bring to the LORD the tax that Moses the servant of God had required of Israel in the wilderness.
2 Chronicles 24:9 esv
And proclamation was made throughout Judah and Jerusalem to bring in for the LORD the tax that Moses the servant of God laid on Israel in the wilderness.
2 Chronicles 24:9 nlt
Then a proclamation was sent throughout Judah and Jerusalem, telling the people to bring to the LORD the tax that Moses, the servant of God, had required of the Israelites in the wilderness.
2 Chronicles 24 9 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference Note |
|---|---|---|
| Exod 30:11-16 | ...when you number them, they shall each give a ransom... a half shekel as an offering to the Lord. | Foundation for the Temple tax/offering for sanctuary upkeep. |
| Num 1:49-50 | "Only the tribe of Levi you shall not number... appoint them over the tabernacle of the testimony." | Levites dedicated to service, collection supports their function. |
| Num 3:25-37 | ...the sons of Gershon, Kohath, and Merari, their duties for the tabernacle... | Duties requiring support; collections ensure their service. |
| Lev 27:30-33 | "Every tithe of the land... belongs to the Lord; it is holy to the Lord." | Broader principle of regular support and offerings to God. |
| Exod 25:1-7 | "Speak to the people of Israel, that they take for me a contribution... gold, silver, and bronze..." | Initial collection for the building of the Tabernacle itself. |
| 1 Kgs 6:1 | In the four hundred and eightieth year after the people of Israel came out of the land of Egypt, in the fourth year of Solomon's reign... he built the house of the Lord. | Establishment of a permanent temple requiring ongoing maintenance. |
| 1 Kgs 12:28-29 | ...Jeroboam made two calves of gold... said, "Behold your gods, O Israel..." | Neglect of the Jerusalem Temple leads to financial decline and disuse. |
| 2 Kgs 12:4-16 | Joash said to the priests, "All the money of the holy things that is brought into the house of the Lord..." | Parallel account of Joash's reform, seeking funds for Temple repair. |
| 2 Chr 23:16 | And Jehoiada made a covenant between himself and all the people and the king, that they should be the Lord's people. | Contextual: Jehoiada's prior covenant to restore faithful worship. |
| 2 Chr 24:4-5 | Joash decided to restore the house of the Lord... priests did not do it quickly. | Joash's initiative to repair, leading to this proclamation. |
| 2 Chr 24:7 | ...the sons of Athaliah had broken into the house of God and used all the dedicated things of the house of the Lord for the Baals. | Previous neglect and desecration necessitate this fundraising. |
| 2 Chr 29:3-7 | In the first year of his reign, in the first month, he opened the doors of the house of the Lord and repaired them. | Hezekiah's later reform, also starting with Temple repair, indicating cyclical need. |
| 2 Chr 31:4-6 | He commanded the people who lived in Jerusalem to give the portion due to the priests and Levites, that they might give themselves to the Law of the Lord. | Hezekiah reinstitutes tithes for sustained temple service, a related principle. |
| Neh 10:32-33 | "We also lay on ourselves the obligation to charge ourselves yearly with a third part of a shekel for the service of the house of our God..." | Nehemiah's covenant community explicitly pledging support for temple maintenance. |
| Neh 13:10-14 | "I perceived that the portions of the Levites had not been given... so that the Levites and the singers... had fled." | Consequences of neglecting temple support, reinforcing the necessity of collections. |
| Mal 3:8-10 | "Will man rob God? Yet you are robbing me. But you say, 'How have we robbed you?' In tithes and offerings." | Divine rebuke for withholding, highlighting the sacred obligation of giving. |
| Hag 1:4-9 | "Is it time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses, while this house lies in ruins?" | Prophet condemning people for prioritizing personal gain over God's house. |
| 1 Cor 9:13-14 | "Do you not know that those who are employed in the temple service get their food from the temple, and those who serve at the altar share in the offerings?" | New Testament principle of supporting those who minister, echoing the Old Testament precedent. |
| Mt 17:24-27 | When they came to Capernaum, the collectors of the two-drachma tax went up to Peter and said, "Does your teacher not pay the tax?" | Jesus paying the Temple tax, confirming its existence and acceptance in His day. |
| Lk 21:1-4 | He saw the rich putting their gifts into the treasury... He said, "Truly, I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all of them." | People contributing to the Temple treasury during Jesus' time, affirming continued practice. |
| Heb 8:5 | "They serve a copy and shadow of the heavenly things. For when Moses was about to erect the tent..." | Reinforces the divine pattern of the Tabernacle and its services (including support). |
| 2 Cor 9:7 | Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. | New Testament emphasis on willing generosity, aligning with the spirit of the old collection. |
| Phil 4:18-19 | I have received full payment... from you, a fragrant offering, a sacrifice acceptable and pleasing to God. | Apostolic teaching on financial support for ministry as a spiritual act of worship. |
2 Chronicles 24 verses
2 Chronicles 24 9 Meaning
This verse details the specific action taken by King Joash, guided by High Priest Jehoiada, to gather the necessary funds for the repair of the severely dilapidated Temple in Jerusalem. They initiated a widespread, kingdom-wide public call for the people of Judah and Jerusalem to contribute a special collection. This levy was not a new, arbitrary tax, but was expressly framed as a restoration of the divinely ordained collection that Moses, identified as "the servant of God," had previously established for the upkeep of the Tabernacle among the Israelites during their time in the wilderness.
2 Chronicles 24 9 Context
Chapter 24 begins by highlighting King Joash’s initial righteousness under the guidance of Jehoiada the High Priest. While Joash was crowned at a young age, Jehoiada rescued him from Athaliah's destructive reign and restored proper worship of the Lord. The Temple, however, had suffered severe neglect and even desecration under Athaliah, who used its dedicated articles for Baal worship (2 Chr 24:7). Joash’s heart was stirred to repair the Lord’s house, an effort he commanded the Levites to oversee and expedite (2 Chr 24:4-5). This command, however, was not swiftly carried out by the Levites, necessitating a more direct and public intervention by the king and Jehoiada. Verse 9 details this crucial next step: a formal, widespread decree to secure the funds by reinstituting a Mosaic collection. This act underscores Joash's early commitment to genuine worship and restoration, directly addressing the physical and spiritual decay that had plagued Judah.
2 Chronicles 24 9 Word analysis
- And they made a proclamation: The pronoun "they" (וַיַּשְׁמִיעוּ wa yashmi'u, literally "and they caused to hear") refers specifically to King Joash and Jehoiada (from 2 Chr 24:8), signifying the united authority of both the royal and priestly offices in this divine initiative. The term "proclamation" (qol, literally "voice" or "sound") emphasizes a public, audible, and widespread announcement, ensuring the entire nation was aware of the directive. This wasn't a private request but a formal, kingdom-wide decree with full spiritual and legal backing.
- through Judah and Jerusalem: This phrase defines the geographic scope of the proclamation. It indicates a comprehensive outreach across the entire southern kingdom, from the capital city of Jerusalem to the broader territory of Judah, emphasizing that the collection was for the whole nation's participation and benefit.
- to bring in to the Lord: This specifies the sacred purpose and ultimate recipient of the collection. It was not for the king’s personal treasury or even primarily for the workmen, but "to the Lord" (לַיהוָה la-Yahweh), designating it as a consecrated offering. This ensures its spiritual significance and accountability.
- the collection: The Hebrew term here is מַשְׂאֵת (mas'et), meaning "a raising up," "an offering," or "a burden/tribute." In this context, it clearly refers to a required contribution. While not explicitly the "half-shekel temple tax" (Exod 30:11-16) often identified as terumah, it embodies the spirit of a divinely mandated offering for the upkeep of the sanctuary, distinct from voluntary offerings. This mas'et represented a mandatory contribution for the support and repair of God's house.
- that Moses the servant of God had imposed: This clause provides the divine and historical authority for the collection, making it irrefutable. It links the contemporary fundraising effort directly back to the Mosaic Law, emphasizing adherence to established covenantal obligations rather than a new decree. "Servant of God" (עֶבֶד הָאֱלֹהִים ʿeved haʾElohim) is an honorable title for Moses, highlighting his unique role as God's mediator and legitimizing the command through his authority. This appealed to the people's reverence for Moses and the Law.
- on Israel in the wilderness: This detail grounds the mas'et in its original historical context—the Exodus generation's time in the desert, where the Tabernacle (the precursor to the Temple) was built and maintained. It reinforces the ancient and enduring nature of this requirement for God's dwelling place. This specific historical precedent (from Exod 30 for the half-shekel for Tabernacle upkeep) was a powerful call to faithfulness.
- Word-Group Analysis:
- "They made a proclamation... through Judah and Jerusalem, to bring in to the Lord...": This sequence illustrates the swift and decisive action taken by the leadership to ensure national participation and clarify the divine purpose. It signifies a transition from bureaucratic delays (2 Chr 24:5-6) to a direct appeal to the people, recognizing the urgent need for sacred funds.
- "the collection that Moses the servant of God had imposed on Israel in the wilderness.": This phrase establishes the deep historical and theological legitimacy of the appeal. By explicitly connecting it to Moses and the wilderness period, Joash and Jehoiada leveraged ancient, divinely established precedent, transforming a request for funds into a solemn act of obedience to God's enduring will for the maintenance of His sanctuary. This direct link to the foundational laws underscored its mandatory nature and sanctity.
2 Chronicles 24 9 Bonus section
This verse exemplifies a crucial element of spiritual revival in the Old Testament: the restoration of proper worship often begins with the restoration of the physical house of God. The deteriorated state of the Temple was a visible symptom of Judah's spiritual decline under Athaliah, and its repair was a necessary step towards rekindling a vibrant relationship with God. Furthermore, the explicit appeal to Mosaic precedent underscored the authority and timelessness of God's commands regarding His sanctuary and His desire for His people's collective contribution. It reminds us that giving to God's work is not merely charity but a solemn, historical obligation, linking present obedience to past divine mandates. This reliance on God's historical commands, particularly from the wilderness, demonstrates a faithful adherence to God's revealed will over arbitrary human decrees, providing a strong foundation for the required financial participation from all Israelites. This initiative also points to the intergenerational responsibility of supporting God’s work, a principle still relevant today for the sustenance of Christian ministry and mission.
2 Chronicles 24 9 Commentary
2 Chronicles 24:9 marks a crucial turning point in Joash's early reign, shifting from the ineffective methods of the Levites to a divinely grounded, nationally organized effort for Temple repair. By referencing "Moses the servant of God" and the "collection... in the wilderness," the proclamation instilled biblical authority and legitimacy into the fundraising, elevating it beyond a mere governmental tax. This act highlighted a profound theological principle: the upkeep and veneration of God's house are not optional but are divinely mandated and have deep historical roots within Israel's covenant with the Lord. It underscored the leadership's responsibility to direct the people in covenant faithfulness, recognizing that the welfare of the sanctuary was intrinsically linked to the spiritual well-being of the nation. It was a call to return to ancient pathways of obedience and support for divine worship, signifying true repentance and renewal after a period of apostasy and neglect. This demonstrates how a king, when advised wisely, can rally a nation back to God's standards through clear, biblically rooted directives.