2 Kings 12 18

2 Kings 12:18 kjv

And 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.

2 Kings 12:18 nkjv

And Jehoash king of Judah took all the sacred things that his fathers, Jehoshaphat and Jehoram and Ahaziah, kings of Judah, had dedicated, and his own sacred things, and all the gold found in the treasuries of the house of the LORD and in the king's house, and sent them to Hazael king of Syria. Then he went away from Jerusalem.

2 Kings 12:18 niv

But Joash king of Judah took all the sacred objects dedicated by his predecessors?Jehoshaphat, Jehoram and Ahaziah, the kings of Judah?and the gifts he himself had dedicated and all the gold found in the treasuries of the temple of the LORD and of the royal palace, and he sent them to Hazael king of Aram, who then withdrew from Jerusalem.

2 Kings 12:18 esv

Jehoash king of Judah took all the sacred gifts that Jehoshaphat and Jehoram and Ahaziah his fathers, the kings of Judah, had dedicated, and his own sacred gifts, and all the gold that was found in the treasuries of the house of the LORD and of the king's house, and sent these to Hazael king of Syria. Then Hazael went away from Jerusalem.

2 Kings 12:18 nlt

King Joash collected all the sacred objects that Jehoshaphat, Jehoram, and Ahaziah, the previous kings of Judah, had dedicated, along with what he himself had dedicated. He sent them all to Hazael, along with all the gold in the treasuries of the LORD's Temple and the royal palace. So Hazael called off his attack on Jerusalem.

2 Kings 12 verses

2 Kings 12 18 Meaning

King Jehoash of Judah, facing the military threat from Hazael, king of Syria, chose to appease him by sending away all the consecrated items previously dedicated to the Lord by his ancestors and himself, along with the gold from both the Temple and the royal palace treasuries. This significant tribute resulted in Hazael's immediate withdrawal from Jerusalem, thus averting a direct siege and invasion. It highlights a desperate act of pragmatic compromise and a reliance on material wealth rather than divine deliverance in a time of crisis.

2 Kings 12 18 Context

Chapter 12 of 2 Kings details the reign of Jehoash (also called Joash) over Judah. After being hidden for six years to escape Athaliah's purge of the royal line, he was proclaimed king at seven years old. For much of his reign, he was guided by the faithful High Priest Jehoiada, during which time Jehoash pursued commendable actions, most notably initiating and overseeing significant repairs to the neglected House of the LORD (2 Kgs 12:4-16). This was a major restoration effort after the period of Baal worship encouraged by Athaliah and Jehoram.

However, after Jehoiada's death (detailed in 2 Chr 24:15-22), Jehoash's faithfulness waned. He began to listen to corrupt officials, leading to a return to idolatry and the murder of Zechariah, Jehoiada's son. It is within this deteriorating spiritual state that Judah faced external threats. Hazael, the formidable king of Aram-Damascus, had already asserted dominance over parts of Israel and was now marching toward Jerusalem (2 Kgs 12:17). The desperate action of sending away the dedicated treasures and gold in 2 Kings 12:18 reflects Judah's spiritual and military vulnerability and King Jehoash's response to an imminent crisis, revealing a lack of enduring trust in the God whose Temple he had just helped restore.

2 Kings 12 18 Word analysis

• Then Jehoash king of Judah:
  • Jehoash (יְהוֹאָשׁ, Yeho'ash): Means "Yahweh has given" or "given by the LORD." Irony exists, as his reign, initially a gift, culminates in this compromise.
• took:
  • לָקַח (laqach): A common verb, but here denotes the specific act of taking or removing something, in this case, objects that had been set apart.
• all the sacred gifts:
  • sacred gifts (הַקֳּדָשִׁים, haqqodashim): Literally "the holy things" or "the dedicated things." These were items consecrated or set apart to the LORD, meant exclusively for His use or worship. Their repurposing signifies a reversal of dedication and a secularization of what was holy.
• that Jehoshaphat and Jehoram and Ahaziah, his fathers, kings of Judah, had dedicated:
  • This lists three previous kings of Judah, emphasizing the lineage of the gifts and the significance of Jehoash's action. He is liquidating sacred legacies from both pious (Jehoshaphat) and ungodly (Jehoram, Ahaziah) ancestors, suggesting that even previous sincere acts of dedication can be undone or misused.
  • dedicated (הִקְדִּישׁוּ, hiqdishu): From the root קדש (qadash), "to be holy, to set apart." Reinforces that these items were not mere possessions but were ritually devoted to God.
• and his own sacred gifts:
  • Indicates that Jehoash himself had also previously dedicated items to the LORD, suggesting an initial piety or commitment that is now being overridden.
• and all the gold that was found:
  • Refers to precious metals, distinguishing them from "sacred gifts." This implies general wealth, perhaps spoils of war or royal reserves, which may not have been ritually "dedicated" but were nevertheless part of the Temple or palace treasuries.
• in the treasuries of the house of the LORD:
  • treasuries (אֹצְרוֹת, 'otsrot): Storehouses where valuable items, offerings, and tribute were kept. These were the sacred repositories of divine wealth. Their use for secular appeasement denotes desperation and possibly a lack of faith in divine protection.
  • house of the LORD: The Temple in Jerusalem, the spiritual and religious center of Judah.
• and in the king's house:
  • The royal palace, representing Jehoash's personal or state treasury, in contrast to the Temple's. This highlights that all available wealth, sacred and secular, was leveraged.
• and sent them to Hazael king of Syria:
  • sent them (וַיִּשְׁלַחֵם, vayyishlachem): A direct action of transfer.
  • Hazael: (חֲזָאֵל, Ḥaza'el): A powerful and ruthless Aramean (Syrian) king who reigned in Damascus and frequently terrorized Israel and Judah (cf. 2 Kgs 8:12-13, 2 Kgs 10:32-33). Sending tribute was a common but often humiliating diplomatic maneuver to prevent conquest.
• So Hazael went away from Jerusalem:
  • Indicates the immediate success of Jehoash's desperate tactic; the tribute achieved its goal of repelling the Aramean threat, at least temporarily.

2 Kings 12 18 Bonus section

• Reversal of Dedication: The act of taking "sacred gifts" for tribute reverses the spiritual principle of consecration. What was holy and set apart for God's exclusive use is now commoditized for political appeasement, reflecting a decline in reverence and perhaps a misunderstanding of covenant commitment.
• Pattern of Weakness: This verse illustrates a repeated pattern among Judah's kings where external pressure led to stripping the Temple of its wealth, often indicative of spiritual weakness and a lack of faith in Yahweh as their ultimate protector. Similar actions are seen with King Asa, King Ahaz, and King Hezekiah in other passages, establishing a historical precedent of fear-driven expedient rather than steadfast reliance on God.
• Juxtaposition with Temple Repairs: The severity of Jehoash's action is heightened by its immediate context. He had just diligently ensured the Temple's repair and restoration, investing considerable effort and resources. Yet, he then becomes the one who takes from its consecrated contents, showcasing the inconsistency in his spiritual walk and priorities under pressure.

2 Kings 12 18 Commentary

2 Kings 12:18 depicts a moment of pragmatic desperation during the reign of King Jehoash. Despite having recently spearheaded the laudable restoration of the Temple, Jehoash faced an overwhelming military threat from Hazael of Syria. Rather than relying on the divine protection promised to those who trust in God, he resorted to stripping both the Temple and royal treasuries, including items consecrated to the Lord by his forebears and himself, to buy off the invader. This act represents a grave spiritual compromise: using sacred dedications for a temporal solution, effectively putting human resources above divine reliance. While it averted immediate disaster, it foreshadowed a further decline in Jehoash's reign (more fully chronicled in 2 Chr 24), demonstrating the fleeting nature of security purchased by compromising on faith. The verse underlines a recurring theme in the history of Israel and Judah: kings often sought political or material solutions to spiritual problems, resulting in temporary relief but ultimately greater long-term cost. It contrasts sharply with earlier examples of faithful reliance on God in dire circumstances and highlights the slippery slope of human trust.