2 Kings 12:7 kjv
Then king Jehoash called for Jehoiada the priest, and the other priests, and said unto them, Why repair ye not the breaches of the house? now therefore receive no more money of your acquaintance, but deliver it for the breaches of the house.
2 Kings 12:7 nkjv
So King Jehoash called Jehoiada the priest and the other priests, and said to them, "Why have you not repaired the damages of the temple? Now therefore, do not take more money from your constituency, but deliver it for repairing the damages of the temple."
2 Kings 12:7 niv
Therefore King Joash summoned Jehoiada the priest and the other priests and asked them, "Why aren't you repairing the damage done to the temple? Take no more money from your treasurers, but hand it over for repairing the temple."
2 Kings 12:7 esv
Therefore King Jehoash summoned Jehoiada the priest and the other priests and said to them, "Why are you not repairing the house? Now therefore take no more money from your donors, but hand it over for the repair of the house."
2 Kings 12:7 nlt
So King Joash called for Jehoiada and the other priests and asked them, "Why haven't you repaired the Temple? Don't use any more money for your own needs. From now on, it must all be spent on Temple repairs."
2 Kings 12 7 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 2 Kgs 12:4-5 | Joash said to the priests, "All the money of the holy things..." | Priests' original responsibility for repairs |
| 2 Kgs 12:6 | But by the twenty-third year of King Joash, the priests had still not... | Direct context of unfulfilled duty |
| 2 Chr 24:5-13 | Joash gathered the priests and Levites and said to them, "Go out to... | Parallel account, emphasis on diligence |
| Ex 30:16 | ...for the service of the tent of meeting, as a memorial for the people... | Temple offerings for service |
| Num 1:50-53 | ...you shall appoint the Levites over the tabernacle... | Levites/Priests in charge of the sanctuary |
| Neh 10:32-39 | We also take on ourselves the obligation to contribute yearly one-third... | Provisions for house of God's repair |
| Hag 1:2-4 | "Is it time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses, while... | Rebuke for neglecting God's house |
| Mal 2:1-9 | "And now, O priests, this command is for you... you have departed from... | Divine rebuke for priestly negligence |
| Jer 2:8 | The priests did not say, 'Where is the LORD?' | Priests neglecting the Lord and His service |
| Ezek 44:7-8 | You have brought in foreigners, uncircumcised in heart and flesh... | Priestly failure in guarding the sanctuary |
| Titus 1:7 | For an overseer, as God's steward, must be above reproach... | Leaders as stewards of God's house |
| Heb 13:17 | Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch... | Accountability of spiritual leaders |
| Ps 69:9 | For zeal for your house has consumed me, and the reproaches of those... | Zeal for God's house |
| Jn 2:17 | His disciples remembered that it was written, "Zeal for your house..." | Christ's zeal for the temple's purity |
| Mk 12:40 | who devour widows' houses and for a pretense make long prayers... | Condemnation of religious hypocrisy |
| Acts 5:1-11 | But a man named Ananias, with his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property... | Misuse of dedicated resources |
| Rom 12:7-8 | if service, in his serving; if teaching, in his teaching; if exhorting... | Diligence in spiritual service |
| Col 3:23-24 | Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men... | Serving God diligently in all tasks |
| 1 Pet 4:10-11 | As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good... | Faithful stewardship of gifts for God's glory |
| 1 Cor 3:16-17 | Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells... | Believers as God's spiritual temple |
| Eph 2:19-22 | So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow... | The church as a growing spiritual temple |
| 1 Pet 2:5 | you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house... | Believers built into God's spiritual house |
| 1 Kgs 8:27 | But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, heaven and the highest... | God's transcendent yet immanent dwelling |
| 1 Tim 5:20 | As for those who persist in sin, rebuke them in the presence of all... | Rebuking those in leadership who fail |
2 Kings 12 verses
2 Kings 12 7 Meaning
King Joash directly confronted Jehoiada the high priest and the other priests regarding their persistent failure to repair the Temple's structural damages. He expressed his strong displeasure at their lack of action, commanding them to cease all delays immediately and proceed with the necessary restoration of God's house.
2 Kings 12 7 Context
King Joash began his reign as a young boy, protected and guided by Jehoiada the priest after being hidden from the wrath of Athaliah (2 Kgs 11). His early reign was marked by righteousness, following Jehoiada's instructions. As the legitimate king, Joash initially established a system for repairing the Temple, which had fallen into disrepair, particularly under the rule of Athaliah and her sons who desecrated it (2 Chr 24:7). The priests were commissioned to collect dedicated funds and use them for the Temple's restoration (2 Kgs 12:4-5). However, despite the command, by the 23rd year of Joash's reign (approximately 40 years later), the repairs had not been completed (2 Kgs 12:6). This verse captures King Joash's strong intervention, addressing the priestly negligence directly, indicating his increasing frustration and resolve to rectify the situation by establishing a new, more efficient system of fund management and repair execution (2 Kgs 12:9-16).
2 Kings 12 7 Word analysis
- Then King Joash: Hebrew: VaYōʾash HaMelekh (וַיֹּ֣אשׁ הַמֶּ֗לֶךְ). Emphasizes Joash's royal authority and his personal involvement in overseeing the welfare of the Temple. His proactive stance reveals a maturing monarch committed to God's house.
- called for Jehoiada the priest, and the other priests: Joash summoned the high priest and the entire body of priests. This indicates that the failure to act was widespread among the priestly order responsible for the Temple's maintenance. Jehoiada's long life and influence had shaped Joash's reign, making this direct confrontation significant.
- and said unto them, Why repair ye not: Hebrew: waYōʾmer ʾElihem LaMMah ʾEynKem Meḥazqīm (וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֲלֵהֶ֗ם לָמָּה֙ אֵֽינְכֶם֙ מְחַזְּקִ֣ים). The Hebrew interrogative LaMMah ("Why?") conveys a tone of exasperation, bewilderment, and strong reproof from the king. The verb meḥazqīm comes from the root ḥazaq (חָזַק), meaning "to strengthen, repair, make firm, restore." This shows the Temple was not merely dirty but suffering from structural "breaches."
- the breaches of the temple? Hebrew: Bedeq HaBayit (בֶּ֥דֶק הַבַּ֖יִת). Bedeq specifically refers to a "breach," "defect," or "dilapidation"—physical damage to the building fabric. "The Temple" (HaBayit) refers to the sacred house of the Lord, symbolizing God's dwelling among His people. The neglect of the physical Temple reflected spiritual slackness.
- now therefore make no longer delay, but repair the breaches: Hebrew: wa'Attah ʾAl Tēḥazīqū kī ʾIm Ḥazzeqū ʾEt Bedeq HaBayit (וְעַתָּ֗ה אַל־תֵּחָזֵ֤קוּ כִי־אִם֙ חַזְּק֣וּ אֶת־בֶּ֣דֶק הַבַּ֔יִת).
- wa'Attah ("and now, therefore"): A strong transitional particle demanding immediate action.
- ʾAl Tēḥazīqū ("make no longer delay" or "do not hold back"): This imperative command uses a form of ḥazaq, conveying "do not hold on" to the delay, or "do not continue strengthening (yourselves) in inaction." It is a powerful demand for the cessation of procrastination.
- kī ʾIm Ḥazzeqū ("but rather repair"): Reinforces the positive command to actively and decisively carry out the restoration. It is a direct and forceful instruction to execute the previously neglected duty.
- Word group: "Why repair ye not... make no longer delay, but repair the breaches": This sequence encapsulates Joash's transformation from a questioner into an authoritative commander. It moves from questioning the negligence to firmly demanding immediate, proactive repair. This phrase highlights the critical need for accountability in service, especially concerning the sanctuary dedicated to God. The repeated use of the root ḥazaq emphasizes the task of "strengthening" or "restoring" the Temple.
2 Kings 12 7 Bonus section
- The incident highlights the ongoing challenge of maintaining dedicated sacred spaces and the human tendency towards procrastination or misuse of resources, even by those entrusted with holy tasks.
- Joash's assertiveness here, even towards Jehoiada who saved and mentored him, demonstrates his commitment to God's house and his development as a responsible monarch.
- The king's actions here serve as a prelude to the reforms in verse 9 onwards, where a new, more transparent system for collecting and dispensing funds for the Temple repair is implemented, effectively bypassing the priestly direct control of the funds earmarked for repairs.
2 Kings 12 7 Commentary
2 Kings 12:7 portrays King Joash's critical intervention in the long-neglected repairs of the Jerusalem Temple. For 23 years, the system he had initially put in place, relying on the priests to use dedicated funds for restoration, had failed. This verse highlights the king's growing frustration and sense of duty towards the house of God. His sharp interrogation to Jehoiada, his lifelong mentor, and the other priests ("Why repair ye not the breaches?") underscores the widespread dereliction of duty. It exposes an inherent issue of negligence or inefficiency within the priestly administration, as they had both the resources and the responsibility. Joash's subsequent command, "make no longer delay, but repair the breaches," is a decisive call to immediate action, directly leading to a revised and ultimately successful method of temple repair, showcasing the importance of vigilant oversight even in sacred duties.