2 Re 12:1 Commento

This chapter gives us the history of the reign of Joash, which does not answer to that glorious beginning of it which we had an account of in the foregoing chapter; he was not so illustrious at forty years old as he was at seven, yet his reign is to be reckoned one of the better sort, and appears much worse in Chronicles (2 Chr. 24) than it does here, for there we find the blood of one of God's prophets laid at his door; here we are only told, I. That he did well while Jehoiada lived (Kg2 12:1-3). II. That he was careful and active to repair the temple (Kg2 12:4-16). III. That after a mean compact with Hazael (Kg2 12:17, Kg2 12:18) he died ingloriously (Kg2 12:19-21).

The general account here given of Joash is, 1. That he reigned forty years. As he began his reign when he was very young, he might, in the course of nature, have continued much longer, for he was cut off when he was but forty-seven years old, Kg2 12:1. 2. That he did that which was right as long as Jehoiada lived to instruct him, Kg2 12:2. Many young men have come too soon to an estate - have had wealth, and power, and liberty, before they knew how to use them - and it has been of bad consequence to them; but against this danger Joash was well guarded by having such a good director as Jehoiada was, so wise, and experienced, and faithful to him, and by having so much wisdom as to hearken to him and be directed by him, even when he was grown up. Note, It is a great mercy to young people, and especially to young princes, and all young men of consequence, to be under good direction, and to have those about them that will instruct them to do that which is right in the sight of the Lord; and they then do wisely and well for themselves when they are willing to be counselled and ruled by such. A child left to himself brings his mother to shame, but a child left to such a tuition may bring himself to honour and comfort. 3. That the high places were not taken away, Kg2 12:3. Up and down the country they had altars both for sacrifice and incense, to the honour of the God of Israel only, but in competition with, and at least in tacit contempt of, his altar at Jerusalem. These private altars, perhaps, had been more used in the late bad reigns than formerly, because it was not safe to go up to Jerusalem, nor was the temple-service performed as it should have been; and, it may be, Jehoiada connived at them, because some well-meaning people were glad of them when they could not have better, and he hoped that the reforming of the temple, and putting things into a good posture there, would by degrees draw people from their high places and they would dwindle of themselves; or perhaps neither the king nor the priest had zeal enough to carry on their reformation so far, nor courage and strength enough to encounter such an inveterate usage.

INTRODUCTION TO 2 KINGS 12 In this chapter some account is given of the reign of Jehoash, that it was long, and the beginning of it good, during the life of Jehoiada, Kg2 12:1 how urgent he was to have the temple repaired, and what methods were taken for that purpose, Kg2 12:4, how meanly, as well as impiously, he behaved, when the king of Syria was about to come up to Jerusalem and besiege it, Kg2 12:17, and the chapter is closed with an account of his death, and the manner of it, Kg2 12:19.

In the seventh year of Jehu Jehoash began to reign,.... So that he reigned twenty one or twenty two years contemporary with Jehu's reign, for Jehu reigned twenty eight years: and forty years reigned he in Jerusalem; the same number of years David and Solomon reigned: and his mother's name was Zibiah of Beersheba; a city in the tribe of Simeon, in the extreme part of the land of Canaan southward; her name in the Chaldee dialect is Tabitha, the same with Dorcas in Greek, Act 9:36.

Jehoash reigns well under the instructions of Jehoiada the priest, Kg2 12:1-3. He directs the repairing of the temple; the account of what was done, Kg2 12:4-16. Hazael takes Gath; and, proceeding to besiege Jerusalem, is prevented by Jehoash, who gives him all the treasures and hallowed things of the house of the Lord, Kg2 12:17, Kg2 12:18. The servants of Jehoash conspire against and slay him, Kg2 12:19-21.

JEHOASH REIGNS WELL WHILE JEHOIADA LIVED. (2Ki. 12:1-18) Jehoash did that which was right in the sight of the Lord--so far as related to his outward actions and the policy of his government. But it is evident from the sequel of his history that the rectitude of his administration was owing more to the salutary influence of his preserver and tutor, Jehoiada, than to the honest and sincere dictates of his own mind.

Reign of King Joash of Judah, and Repairing of the Temple - 2 Kings 12 All that is recorded of the forty years' reign of Joash, in addition to the general characteristics of the reign (Kg2 12:1-4), is the repairing of the temple which was effected by him (Kg2 12:5-17), and the purchased retreat of the Syrians from their invasion of Judah (Kg2 12:18 and Kg2 12:19), and finally his violent death in consequence of a conspiracy formed against him, of which we have only a brief notice in Kg2 12:20-21. The parallel account in 2 Chron 24 supplies several additions to this: viz., concerning the wives of Joash, the distribution of the Levites at the repairing of the temple, the death of Jehoiada, and the seduction of Joash to idolatry by the chief men of Judah, and the stoning of the prophet Zechariah, who condemned this rebellion - all of which can easily be fitted into our account.

(1-5). Reign of Joash. - Kg2 12:1 (1, 2). His age on ascending the throne, viz., seven years (cf. Kg2 11:4). - Commencement and length of his reign. His mother's name was Zibiah of Beersheba. Kg2 12:2 (3). Joash did that which was right in the eyes of the Lord וגו אשׁר כּל־ימין, "all his days that," etc., i.e., during the whole period of his life that Jehoiada instructed him (for אשׁר after substantives indicating time, place, and mode, see Ewald, 331, c., 3; and for the use of the suffix attached to the noun defined by וגו אשׁר, compare Kg2 13:14); not "all his life long, because Jehoiada had instructed him," although the Athnach under ימין favours this view. For Jehoiada had not instructed him before he began to reign, but he instructed him after he had been raised to the throne at the age of seven years, that is to say, so long as Jehoiada himself lived. The יהוידע כּל־ימי of the Chronicles is therefore a correct explanation. But after Jehoiada's death, Joash yielded to the petitions of the princes of Judah that he would assent to their worshipping idols, and at length went so far as to stone the son of his benefactor, the prophet Zechariah, on account of his candid reproof of this apostasy (Ch2 24:17-22). Kg2 12:3 (4). But the worship on the high places was not entirely suppressed, notwithstanding the fact that Jehoiada instructed him (on this standing formula see the Comm. on Kg1 15:14).