Charles Ellicott Commentary 2 Kings 12:18

"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 Jehovah, and of the king`s house, and sent it to Hazael king of Syria: and he went away from Jerusalem." — 2 Kings 12:18 (ASV)

The hallowed things that ... Jehoram, and Ahaziah ... had dedicated — Although these kings had sought to naturalise the Baal-worship, they had not ventured to abolish that of Jehovah. On the contrary, as appears from this passage, they even tried to conciliate the powerful priesthood and numerous adherents of the national religion by dedicating gifts to the sanctuary. The fact that there was so much treasure disposable is not to be wondered at, even after the narrative of the way in which funds were raised for repairing the Temple; because the treasure in question, especially that of the Temple, appears to have been regarded as a reserve, only to be touched in case of a grave national emergency like the present.

And he went away from Jerusalem — that is, withdrew his forces. Thenius asserts that the present expedition of Hazael is distinct from that recorded in 2 Chronicles 24:23 and following, which he admits to be historical. But it is not said here that Hazael went in person against Jerusalem. (Compare 2 Kings 12:17, set his face to go up, that is, prepared to march there.) The serious defeat of the army of Jehoash, related in Chronicles, accounts very satisfactorily for the sacrifice of his treasures here specified; while the withdrawal of the Syrians after their victory, as told in Chronicles, is explained by the bribe which Jehoash is here said to have paid them. The two narratives thus supplement each other.