Charles Ellicott Commentary 2 Chronicles 24
Charles Ellicott Commentary
2 Chronicles 24
Charles Ellicott Commentary
2 Chronicles 24
"Joash was seven years old when he began to reign; and he reigned forty years in Jerusalem: and his mother`s name was Zibiah, of Beer-sheba." — 2 Chronicles 24:1 (ASV)
REIGN OF JOASH. (Compare to 2 Kings 12:1)
PROPHETIC MINISTRY OF ZECHARIAH BEN JEHOIADA.
The Ascendancy of the High Priest Jehoiada. Repair of the Temple (2 Chronicles 24:1–14).
Joash was seven years old. —This verse coincides with 2 Kings 12:1–2, merely omitting the note that his accession took place in the seventh year of Jehu. There he is called Jehoash, of which Joash is a contraction. (Compare to Jehoram-Joram.) The meaning may be “Iahu is fire” ; but more probably it is “Iahu is a man” (Compare to Ashbel).
"And Joash did that which was right in the eyes of Jehovah all the days of Jehoiada the priest." — 2 Chronicles 24:2 (ASV)
And Joash did. —See 2 Kings 13:3.
All the days of Jehoiada the priest. —Kings says: all his days, while (or because) Jehoiada the priest instructed him. The expression “all his days” is, of course, relative to the clause that follows it; and the Chronicler has accurately given the meaning.
"And Jehoiada took for him two wives; and he begat sons and daughters." — 2 Chronicles 24:3 (ASV)
And Jehoiada took for him two wives. —A statement not found in the parallel narrative, and doubtless taken by the compiler from another source. Instead of this, we read in 2 Kings 12:4: Only the high places were not taken away; the people were still accustomed to sacrificing and burning incense on the high places.
"And it came to pass after this, that Joash was minded to restore the house of Jehovah." — 2 Chronicles 24:4 (ASV)
Was minded. —Literally, it became with the heart of Joash (2 Chronicles 6:8; 2 Chronicles 9:1; 1 Kings 8:18).
To repair. —See margin to 2 Chronicles 15:8. “To restore” is perhaps the best modern equivalent of the Hebrew term. The account of the restoration of the Temple is given here in different language from what we find in the parallel passage, which is not very clear.
The chronicler appears to have paraphrased the account he found in his authority. The Levites are not mentioned in Kings.
"And he gathered together the priests and the Levites, and said to them, Go out unto the cities of Judah, and gather of all Israel money to repair the house of your God from year to year; and see that ye hasten the matter. Howbeit the Levites hastened it not." — 2 Chronicles 24:5 (ASV)
Go out to the cities of Judah, and gather money from all Israel. —This is the chronicler’s interpretation of Let the priests take it to themselves, each from his own acquaintance (Kings). The priests and Levites of the different districts were to collect the money due to the sanctuary, each in his own neighborhood.
And see that you hasten the matter. —Literally, and, for your part, you hasten in regard to the matter (compare to 2 Chronicles 18:8); and the Levites did not hasten. This agrees with the statement in 2 Kings 12:6, 9: And it was so, that in the twenty-third year of king Jehoash the priests had not repaired the breaches of the house. The remissness of the priestly order is evidently inferable from these words.
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