My Daily Meditation
Today’s Reading
The Second Book of Kings
Chapter 12:1-21
1 In the seventh year of Jehu Jehoash began to reign, and reigned forty years in Jerusalem, and his mother’s name was Zibiah of Beersheba.
2 And Jehoash did that which was good in the sight of the Lord all his time that Jehoiada the Priest taught him. (a)
3 But the high places were not taken away: for the people offered yet and burnt incense in the high places.
4 And Jehoash said to the Priests, All the silver of dedicated things that be brought to the house of the Lord, that is, the money of them that are under the count, the money that every man is set at, and all the money that one offereth willingly, and bringeth into the house of the Lord,
5 Let the Priests take it to them, every man of his acquaintance: and they shall repair the broken places of the house, wheresoever any decay is found.
6 Yet in the three and twentieth year of King Jehoash the Priests had not mended that which was decayed in the Temple.
7 Then King Jehoash called for Jehoiada the Priest, and the other Priests, and said unto them, Why repair ye not the ruins of the Temple? now therefore receive no more money of your acquaintance, except ye deliver it to repair the ruins of the Temple.
8 So the Priests consented to receive no more money of the people, neither to repair the decayed places of the Temple.
9 Then Jehoiada the Priest took a chest and bored an hole in the lid of it, and set it beside the altar, on the right side, as every man cometh into the Temple of the Lord. And the Priests that kept the door, put therein all the money that was brought into the house of the Lord.
10 And when they saw there was much money in the chest, the king’s Secretary came up and the high Priest, and put it up after that they had told the money that was found in the house of the Lord,
11 And they gave the money made ready into the hands of them, that undertook the work, and that had the oversight of the house of the Lord: and they paid it out to the carpenters and builders that wrought upon the house of the Lord,
12 And to the masons and hewers of stone, and to buy timber and hewed stone, to repair that was decayed in the house of the Lord, and for all that which was laid out for the reparation of the Temple.
13 Howbeit there was not made for the house of the Lord bowls of silver, instruments of music, basins, trumpets, nor any vessels of gold, or vessels of silver of the money that was brought into the house of the Lord.
14 But they gave it to the workmen, which repaired therewith the house of the Lord.
15 Moreover, they reckoned not with the men, into whose hands they delivered that money to be bestowed on workmen: for they dealt faithfully.
16 The money of the trespass offering, and the money of the sin offerings was not brought into the house of the Lord: for it was the Priests’.
17 Then came up Hazael king of Aram, and fought against Gath, and took it, and Hazael set his face to go up to Jerusalem.
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 that he himself had dedicated, and all the gold that was found in the treasures of the house of the Lord, and in the king’s house, and sent it to Hazael king of Aram, and he departed from Jerusalem.
19 Concerning the rest of the acts of Joash and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the Chronicles of the kings of Judah?
20 And his servants arose and wrought treason, and slew Joash in the house of Millo, when he came down to Silla.
21 Even Jozachar the son of Shimeath, and Jehozabad the son of Shomer his servants smote him and he died, and they buried him with his fathers in the city of David. And Amaziah his son reigned in his stead.
(a) Editor’s thought - I am reminded here of Proverbs 22:6
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