2 Kings 22 5

2 Kings 22:5 kjv

And let them deliver it into the hand of the doers of the work, that have the oversight of the house of the LORD: and let them give it to the doers of the work which is in the house of the LORD, to repair the breaches of the house,

2 Kings 22:5 nkjv

And let them deliver it into the hand of those doing the work, who are the overseers in the house of the LORD; let them give it to those who are in the house of the LORD doing the work, to repair the damages of the house?

2 Kings 22:5 niv

Have them entrust it to the men appointed to supervise the work on the temple. And have these men pay the workers who repair the temple of the LORD?

2 Kings 22:5 esv

And let it be given into the hand of the workmen who have the oversight of the house of the LORD, and let them give it to the workmen who are at the house of the LORD, repairing the house

2 Kings 22:5 nlt

Entrust this money to the men assigned to supervise the restoration of the LORD's Temple. Then they can use it to pay workers to repair the Temple.

2 Kings 22 verses

2 Kings 22 5 Meaning

2 Kings 22:5 outlines the specific financial process for the Temple repair project initiated by King Josiah. The money collected from the people is to be handed over to the superintendents or overseers of the work within the Lord's house, who are then responsible for disbursing it to the general laborers carrying out the renovations and mending of the Temple's defects. It details a system of delegation and trust in the stewardship of sacred funds for the upkeep of God's sanctuary.

2 Kings 22 5 Context

Immediate Chapter Context: Chapter 22 begins in Josiah's eighteenth year, highlighting his dedication to God by sending his secretary, Shaphan, to the high priest Hilkiah. The initial instruction (2 Kgs 22:4) is to collect all the money gathered by the doorkeepers from the people for the Temple repair. Verse 5 then specifies how that money is to be used, establishing a chain of command for its distribution and the repair work. This entire passage immediately precedes the momentous discovery of the Book of the Law by Hilkiah, which further propelled Josiah's reforms. The act of initiating temple repair signifies Josiah's pre-existing piety and commitment to restoring proper worship.

Broader Historical Context: Josiah's reign follows a long period of spiritual decline and idolatry in Judah, particularly under his grandfather Manasseh and father Amon, during which the Temple of the Lord was severely neglected and defiled. Manasseh even set up altars to pagan deities within the Temple courts (2 Kgs 21:4-5). Josiah's efforts to cleanse and repair the physical Temple were therefore integral to his broader religious reforms, symbolizing a return to the worship of Yahweh alone and a rejection of the pagan practices that had corrupted the nation. This repair effort mirrors that of earlier godly kings like Joash (2 Kgs 12), re-establishing a vital practice of maintaining the sacred space.

2 Kings 22 5 Word analysis

• "and let them deliver it": וְנָתְנ֣וּ אֹת֗וֹ (wə·nā·ṯə·nū ’ō·tōw)
  • deliver/give (נָתַן - natan): A fundamental Hebrew verb meaning to give, place, put, or commit. Here, it denotes the authoritative act of transferring collected funds, signifying the formal delegation of the money from the royal administrators to the temple management for specific purposes.
• "into the hand of the workmen": בְּיַד־עֹשֵׂי֙ הַמְּלָאכָ֔ה (bə·yaḏ-‘ō·śê ham·mə·lā·ḵāh)
  • hand (יָד - yaḏ): Symbolizes authority, possession, and agency. Receiving "into the hand" implies taking charge and responsibility for the funds.
  • workmen (עֹשֵׂי הַמְּלָאכָה - ‘oseh hamlā’kāh): Literally "doers of the work" or "workers of the task." This refers to those performing skilled labor, distinguishing them from priests.
• "who have the oversight": הַפְּקֻדָּה֙ (hap·pə·qud·dāh)
  • oversight/charge (פְּקֻדָּה - pāqūddāh): Derived from paqad, meaning to visit, appoint, inspect, or superintend. This term specifies that these are not merely common laborers, but appointed supervisors or managers entrusted with official duties related to the Temple's upkeep. It emphasizes their administrative role and accountability in coordinating the repairs.
• "of the house of the Lord": בֵּית יְהוָה֙ (bêṯ YHVH)
  • house of the Lord (בֵּית יְהוָה - bêṯ YHVH): Refers specifically to the Jerusalem Temple, God's dwelling place. Its inclusion here underscores the sacred purpose of the funds and the divine importance of the work. The Temple's condition directly reflected the nation's spiritual health.
• "and let them give it to the workmen": וְנָתְנ֥וּ אֹת֖וֹ עַל־יְדֵי֙ עֹשֵׂ֣י הַמְּלָאכָ֔ה (wə·nā·ṯə·nū ’ō·tōw ‘al-yə·ḏê ‘ō·śê ham·mə·lā·ḵāh)
  • give...upon the hands of: A repeated phrase, but crucial here. It indicates a further distribution down the chain of command—from the overseers (first "workmen") to the direct laborers (second "workmen") who actually execute the repairs. This highlights careful delegation.
• "who are in the house of the Lord": אֲשֶׁ֖ר בְּבֵ֥ית יְהוָֽה (’ă·šer bə·bêṯ YHWH)
  • Clarifies the location of these laborers, confirming their employment specifically for the Temple itself, not for other external projects.
• "to repair the damages of the house": לְחַזֵּק֙ אֶת־בֶּ֣דֶק הַבָּ֔יִת (lə·ḥaz·zêq ’eṯ-be·ḏeq hab·bā·yiṯ)
  • repair/strengthen (חֲזַּק - ḥāzaq): In its intensive Piel form, this verb means to make firm, fortify, restore thoroughly. It signifies a comprehensive and robust renovation, not just superficial patching.
  • damages/breaches (בֶּדֶק - bedeq): This specific term refers to a crack, breach, decay, or ruin. Its use reveals the poor physical condition of the Temple, indicative of generations of neglect and spiritual apathy under previous monarchs. The "house" again specifies the Temple.

Words-Group Analysis:

• "workmen who have the oversight...give it to the workmen": This distinction between two groups of "workmen" demonstrates a structured administrative and labor system. It indicates trusted supervisors responsible for managing funds who then entrust those funds to the laborers directly involved in the construction. This reflects Josiah's commitment to both integrity and efficiency in the Temple restoration.
• "the house of the Lord...to repair the damages of the house": The repetition of "house of the Lord" underscores the singular, sacred purpose of the project. The "damages" (bedeq) were a tangible symbol of Judah's spiritual deterioration. Therefore, "repairing the damages" was not just a structural fix but an act of spiritual and national restoration under God's mandate.

2 Kings 22 5 Bonus section

• The administrative system for Temple repairs under Josiah appears highly efficient and built on a foundation of integrity. This differs subtly from Joash's reforms in 2 Kgs 12, where accountability for money collected by the priests was initially a concern. Josiah's approach, entrusting funds directly to overseers who were not subject to further accounting for their use in wages and materials (2 Kgs 22:7), indicates a remarkable level of confidence in the honesty of those involved, which was rare for the time.
• The emphasis on "the house of the Lord" points to the theological significance of the Temple not merely as a building, but as the physical locus of God's presence among His people. Its neglect and subsequent repair were tangible representations of the nation's spiritual state and its revival.
• The meticulous process described for collecting, handling, and distributing the funds speaks to a desire for order and sanctity in all matters related to God's worship, which would have stood in stark contrast to the idolatrous chaos of previous reigns.

2 Kings 22 5 Commentary

2 Kings 22:5 reveals Josiah's disciplined approach to the sacred task of restoring the Temple, signifying his commitment to pure worship. The detailed instructions for fund disbursement highlight an organized system based on trust. Unlike some earlier accounts of Temple repairs where specific audits were mandated even for the priests, Josiah's method, as clarified in 2 Kings 22:7, emphasizes confidence in the faithfulness of the overseers of the workmen, stating no account was required from them because they "dealt faithfully." This implicitly suggests a period of such widespread integrity among those entrusted with sacred tasks that extensive financial auditing of honest labor was deemed unnecessary, contrasting sharply with past periods of corruption or neglect. The physical restoration of the Temple's "damages" serves as a powerful symbol of Josiah's broader mission to heal Judah's spiritual brokenness and re-establish the covenant relationship with the Lord. It teaches the importance of diligent stewardship of God's resources, the value of structural integrity in places of worship, and the necessity of good governance in religious affairs.