2 Kings 12:4

“And Jehoash said to the priests, etc.] Being minded or having it in his heart, to repair the temple, as in (<142404>2 Chronicles 24:4) not only because it was the sanctuary of the Lord, though that chiefly, but because it had been a sanctuary to him, where he was hid and preserved six years: all the money of the dedicated things that is brought into the house of the Lord: or rather, “that is to be brought”, as De Dieu, and others render it, the particulars of which follow: even the money of everyone that passeth [the account]; or that passeth among them that are numbered, as in (<023013>Exodus 30:13,14) that were upwards of twenty years of age, and bound to pay the half shekel for the ransom…”

“Jehoash said to the priests, &c.--There is here given an account of the measures which the young king took for repairing the temple by the levying of taxes: 1. "The money of every one that passeth the account," namely, half a shekel, as "an offering to the Lord" (Exo 30:13). 2. "The money that every man is set at," that is, the redemption price of every one who had devoted himself or any thing belonging to him to the Lord, and the amount of which was estimated according to certain rules (Lev 27:1-8). 3. Free will or voluntary offerings made to the sanctuary. The first two were paid annually (see Ch2 24:5).”

“It is remarkable that the first movement toward restoring the fabric of the temple should have come, not from Jehoiada, but from Jehoash (compare 2 Chronicles 24:4). Jehoiada had, it seems, allowed the mischief done in Athaliah’s time to remain unrepaired during the whole term of his government. The money of every one ... - Three kinds of sacred money are here distinguished - first, the half shekel required in the Law Exodus 30:13 to be paid by every one above twenty years of age when he passed the numbering; secondly, the money to be paid by such as had devoted themselves, or those belonging to them, by vow to Yahweh, which was a variable sum dependent on age, sex, and property Leviticus…”

“And Jehoash said, &c. - Remembering that he owed his preservation and restoration to the temple, and that he was made by God the guardian of his temple, he now takes care to repair it. Dedicated things - The money which had been either formerly or lately vowed or dedicated to the service of God and of his house. That is brought - Or rather, that shall be brought: for though the people might vow to bring it thither in convenient time, yet it is not likely they would bring much money thither in the tyrannical and idolatrous reign of Athaliah. The money - The half shekel, which was paid for every one that was numbered from twenty years old and upward. Is set at - Heb. the money of souls, or…”

“12:4-8 Joash ordered the collection of funds from the cities of Judah (2 Chr 24:5) for repairs . . . needed at the Temple. Such money would come from special Levitical levies, a census tax (2 Chr 24:9), 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).”

“am 3148, bc 856 said to the priests: Kg2 22:4; Ch2 29:4-11, Ch2 35:2 the money: Kg2 12:18; Kg1 7:1; Ch1 18:11; Ch2 15:18, Ch2 31:12 dedicated things: or, holy things, Heb. holiness, Lev 5:15, Lev 5:16, 27:12-27, Lev 27:31 even the money: Kg2 22:4; Exo 30:12-16; Ch2 24:9, Ch2 24:10 that every man is set at: Heb. of the souls of his estimation, Lev 27:2-8 and all the money: Exo 25:1, Exo 25:2, Exo 35:5, Exo 35:22, Exo 35:29, Exo 36:3; Ch1 29:3-9, Ch1 29:17; Ezr 1:6, Ezr 2:69, Ezr 7:16; Ezr 8:25-28; Luk 21:4 cometh: etc. Heb. ascendeth upon the heart of a man 4 Kings (2 Kings) 12:5”

“(5-17). Repairing of the temple (cf. Ch2 24:5-14). \- Kg2 12:4, Kg2 12:5. That the temple, which had fallen into ruins, might be restored, Joash ordered the priests to collect all the money of the consecrated gifts, that was generally brought into the house of the Lord, and to effect therewith all the repairs that were needed in the temple. The general expression הקּדשׁים כּסף, money of the holy gifts, i.e., money derived from holy gifts, is more specifically defined by וגו עובר כּסף, according to which it consisted of three kinds of payments to the temple: viz., (1) עובר כּסף, i.e., money of persons mustered (or numbered in the census); עובר is an abbreviated expression for הפּקדים העובר,…”