2 Kings 12:12 kjv
And 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.
2 Kings 12:12 nkjv
and to masons and stonecutters, and for buying timber and hewn stone, to repair the damage of the house of the LORD, and for all that was paid out to repair the temple.
2 Kings 12:12 niv
the masons and stonecutters. They purchased timber and blocks of dressed stone for the repair of the temple of the LORD, and met all the other expenses of restoring the temple.
2 Kings 12:12 esv
and to the masons and the stonecutters, as well as to buy timber and quarried stone for making repairs on the house of the LORD, and for any outlay for the repairs of the house.
2 Kings 12:12 nlt
the masons, and the stonecutters. They also used the money to buy the timber and the finished stone needed for repairing the LORD's Temple, and they paid any other expenses related to the Temple's restoration.
2 Kings 12 12 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 2 Kgs 12:11 | "And they put the money that was brought into the house of the Lord..." | Immediate context: Money collection before payment. |
| 2 Kgs 12:15 | "Moreover they reckoned not with the men, into whose hand they delivered..." | Emphasis on trust in managing funds. |
| 2 Kgs 22:3-7 | "Go up to Hilkiah the high priest, that he may sum the money... give it to the workmen" | Josiah's similar temple repair; integrity noted. |
| Exod 35:29 | "The children of Israel brought a willing offering unto the Lord, every man and woman..." | Voluntary offerings for tabernacle construction. |
| Exod 36:5-7 | "The people bring much more than enough for the service of the work..." | Abundance of donations for sacred work. |
| 1 Kgs 6:7 | "And the house, when it was in building, was built of stone made ready..." | Principles of orderly temple construction. |
| 2 Chr 24:12-14 | "And the king and Jehoiada gave it to such as wrought the work..." | Parallel account, details fund allocation. |
| Ezra 3:10 | "And when the builders laid the foundation of the temple of the Lord..." | Second Temple reconstruction: building begins. |
| Ezra 6:3-5 | "Let the house be builded... cost be given out of the king's house." | Royal support for temple building. |
| Hag 1:7-8 | "Consider your ways. Go up to the mountain and bring wood and build the house..." | Prophetic call to rebuild the temple. |
| Neh 10:32-33 | "We also lay upon ourselves the charge yearly for the service of the house of our God." | Commitment to financial support for the temple. |
| Psa 127:1 | "Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it." | Divine blessing on human labor. |
| Prov 10:4 | "Diligent hands make rich." | Principle of diligent work rewarded. |
| Prov 14:23 | "In all toil there is profit, but mere talk tends only to poverty." | Value of active labor and industry. |
| Lk 16:10 | "He who is faithful in a very little thing is faithful also in much..." | Faithfulness in managing resources. |
| 1 Cor 4:2 | "Moreover, it is required in stewards that one be found trustworthy." | Integrity and trust in spiritual stewardship. |
| Eph 4:28 | "Let him labor, working with his hands the thing which is good..." | Value of honest labor. |
| Eph 2:20-22 | "Built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the cornerstone..." | Spiritual house, believers as living stones. |
| Heb 3:3-4 | "For every house is built by someone, but the builder of all things is God." | God as the ultimate builder of all things. |
| 1 Pet 2:5 | "You also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house..." | Believers as participants in building God's spiritual house. |
2 Kings 12 verses
2 Kings 12 12 Meaning
This verse describes the practical disbursement of the funds collected for the renovation of the Lord's house. The money, accumulated from sacred offerings, was directly paid to the various workmen engaged in the labor of restoring and rebuilding the Temple in Jerusalem. It signifies the execution phase of King Joash's initiative to repair the dilapidated and neglected sanctuary.
2 Kings 12 12 Context
This verse is situated within the narrative of King Joash's reign over Judah, particularly his commendable initiative to repair the Temple of the Lord. Following years of neglect, likely exacerbated by the apostasy under Queen Athaliah (daughter of Ahab), the temple was in disrepair. Joash, guided by the faithful High Priest Jehoiada, sought to restore the central place of worship to its proper state. Verses 4-8 describe the collection system: funds were collected directly into a chest at the temple gate. Verse 9 details the efficiency of the system, where priests and the king's scribe emptied the chest as needed. Verse 11 mentions the processing of these funds by the king's scribe and the high priest. This specific verse, 2 Kings 12:12, then articulates the direct flow of money from these overseers to the diverse range of craftsmen and laborers actually performing the repairs. Historically, this effort re-established legitimate Yahweh worship in Jerusalem, providing a necessary counterpoint to the pervasive idolatry that had infiltrated the kingdom. The narrative highlights the diligent and trustworthy administration of these sacred funds, ensuring the integrity of the project.
2 Kings 12 12 Word analysis
- And they gave: The "they" (וַיִּתְּנ֣וּ) refers to Jehoiada the high priest and the king's scribe (mentioned in 2 Kgs 12:11), highlighting a joint and authoritative distribution of funds. The Hebrew vayyittenū is a sequential perfect, indicating the next step in the process. It signifies a direct and official transfer.
- the money: (הַכֶּ֗סֶף hakkesef), literally "the silver" or "the currency." This emphasizes that these were not just abstract funds, but tangible precious metal collected from offerings, designated specifically for the Temple's restoration as holy money.
- to the workmen: (לְעֹשֵׂ֨י הַמְּלָאכָה֙ lə‘ośê hamməlākhāh), literally "to the doers of the work." This general term refers to those contracted to perform the labor, suggesting overseers or masters of various crafts rather than every individual laborer.
- that wrought and builded: (הָעֹבְדִים֙ hā‘ōḇəḏîm) and (הָֽעֹבְדִ֖ים hā‘ōḇəḏîm) Some ancient manuscripts and interpretations link this with "the ones working in" (meaning engaged in general labor) the temple or those who carried out "renewal" (mehaddĕšîm), or those "who went out" (môṣiʼîm) meaning to do or bring material out for construction. In this verse, the MT has hāʻōḇəḏîm (the ones working/laboring). This encompasses all active participants in the physical renovation, from skilled craftsmen like masons and carpenters to common laborers, emphasizing that funds were directed to those directly involved in physical restoration.
- the house of the Lord: (בֵּ֥ית יְהוָֽה bêṯ YHWH), the Temple of Yahweh in Jerusalem. This identifies the central and sacred purpose of the financial undertaking, underscoring its spiritual significance as God's dwelling place.
Words-group by words-group analysis
- "And they gave the money to the workmen": This phrase succinctly captures the flow of resources. It reflects an organized and effective system of financial administration where collected offerings are accurately and promptly channeled to those responsible for the work. The focus is on faithful distribution.
- "that wrought and builded the house of the Lord": This identifies the precise application of the funds. The purpose was clear: active, physical restoration and construction work on the Temple itself. This emphasizes dedication to the upkeep and holiness of God's sanctuary. It also hints at various skills involved—craftsmen who "wrought" (shaped materials, worked intricate details) and those who "builded" (assembled, constructed walls, roofs, etc.).
2 Kings 12 12 Bonus section
The financial system for the temple repair described here (2 Kgs 12:9-15) is unique in its explicit statement of "no accounting" for the funds once handed over to the chief workmen (v.15). This departure from typical accountability models underscores a radical trust in the integrity of those managing the temple finances, especially High Priest Jehoiada. It implies that their spiritual character and devotion to God were sufficient guarantees against mismanagement. This emphasis on trust contrasts sharply with human systems of oversight and suggests a model where godliness itself serves as the primary safeguard for divine resources. It implicitly highlights Jehoiada’s reputation and perhaps a divinely enabled atmosphere of honesty for this specific sacred project. This method was not always universally applied, as later reigns, like Josiah's (2 Kgs 22:7), would reaffirm the principle of trust, indicating its specific significance for temple work.
2 Kings 12 12 Commentary
This verse represents a pivotal moment in the temple restoration project under King Joash and Jehoiada: the diligent execution of the repair plan. It highlights the direct and trustworthy distribution of sacred funds collected for a holy purpose. The passage particularly emphasizes that the money, accumulated from the faithful contributions of the people, was given without detailed reckoning (as explicitly stated in 2 Kgs 12:15) to those entrusted with the work. This suggests a profound level of confidence in the integrity of the administrators and workmen, viewing the enterprise as God's own work where human integrity and divine oversight intertwined. It underscores the importance of proper stewardship in God's service and the direct application of resources for the upkeep of His dwelling, a pattern for diligent care for sacred spaces and endeavors. The swift transfer of funds to the laborers illustrates a commitment to efficient and purposeful action in God's service.