2Ki 12 | TNotes | STEP | 12:1 Joash reigned from 835 to 796 BC .

12:1 ^a Joash reigned from 835 to 796 BC.
Summary for 2Kgs 12:2-3: 12:2-3 ^b Joash’s indebtedness to Jehoiada, the priest who instructed him, kept him faithful to the Lord while Jehoiada was alive. However, after Jehoiada’s death, godless leaders influenced Joash to forsake the Lord and follow Canaanite practices (see 2 Chr 24:17-22 ^c).

• Joash’s failure to destroy the pagan shrines later became a source of spiritual compromise. Royal tolerance of such shrines in Judah had previously provoked God’s anger (1 Kgs 14:23-26 ^d) and would do so again in Joash’s day (2 Chr 24:23-24 ^e).
Summary for 2Kgs 12:4-8: 12:4-8 ^f Joash ordered the collection of funds from the cities of Judah (2 Chr 24:5 ^g) for repairs ... needed at the Temple. Such money would come from special Levitical levies, a census tax (2 Chr 24:9 ^h), and voluntary offerings. After some time, the priests still had not repaired the Temple. So Joash took personal control of the project and put others in charge of the repairs (see also study note on 2 Chr 24:4-8).
Summary for 2Kgs 12:9-11: 12:9-11 ⁱ Joash’s solution for securing and distributing the money for Temple repairs included placing a large chest at an accessible place to receive the people’s contributions. When Joash informed the people of the need for a tax and voluntary offerings to complete the repairs, they “gladly brought their money and filled the chest with it” (2 Chr 24:9-10 ^j). With sufficient funds on hand, the money was given to the construction supervisors and the repair and restoration of the Temple began.
12:17 ^k Hazael, a perennial oppressor of God’s people (8:28 ^l; 9:14-15 ^m; 10:32-33 ⁿ; 13:3 ^o), had assassinated the Aramean king Ben-hadad II and seized the throne (8:15 ^p). Hazael’s campaign against Israel and Judah probably came after the death of the Assyrian king Shamshi-adad V in 811 BC and before Adad-nirari III (810–783 BC) launched a series of campaigns in 805 BC, leading to the capture of Damascus in 802 BC. Free of Assyria’s heavy hand, Hazael could launch a campaign southward.

• Whether Gath is the well-known city of the Philistines (1 Sam 5:8 ^q; 6:17 ^r) or a Hebrew city otherwise known as Gittaim (2 Sam 4:3 ^s; Neh 11:33 ^t) is disputed.
12:18 ^u Sacred objects ... gold: Such treasures had been contributed to the Temple earlier by Solomon and Asa (1 Kgs 7:51 ^v; 15:15 ^w).

• Hazael had already begun the attack against Jerusalem, and Joash was wounded during the battle (2 Chr 24:25 ^x). Paying tribute to Hazael may have prevented further destruction in the city.
Summary for 2Kgs 12:20-21: 12:20-21 ^y The assassination of the king in 796 BC by some of his own officers was in reprisal for the murder of Jehoiada’s son Zechariah (2 Chr 24:21-22 ^z, 25 ^aa). 12:20 ^ab Beth-millo: This district lay on a ridge of the eastern hill of Jerusalem in an area known as the City of David, where Solomon installed a series of supporting terraces (1 Kgs 9:15 ^ac).

• The road to Silla is otherwise unknown.