2 Kings 12
1JOAS was seven years old when he began to reign. He commenced his reign in the seventh year of Jehu and reigned forty years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Sabia of Bersabee.
2And Joas did what was right in the sight of the Lord, all the time Jodae the priest, instructed him.
3But none of the high places were removed. There the people still sacrificed and burned incense on the high places.
4Though Joas said to the priests, With regard to all the money arising from things consecrated, the income of the house of the Lord, the money of estimation at which every man is rated, and all the money which may come into any man’s heart to bring into the house of the Lord,
5let the priests take for themselves; but they must bear, every one from what he selleth, the expense of the repairs of the house wherever a repair is found necessary;
6yet in the three and twentieth year of king Joas it was found that the priests had not made the repairs of the house.
7Wherefore Joas the king sent for Jodae the priest and the other priests, and said to them, Why have you not made the repairs of the house? Now therefore you must not take the money arising from your sales; for you shall give it for repairing the house.
8So the priests agreed not to receive any money from the people, on condition that they should not bear the expense of the repairs of the house.
9Then Jodae the priest took a chest and bored a hole in the lid of it, and placed it before the Ammazeibi in the house of the superintendent of the house of the Lord; and the priests who kept the weights put therein all the money which was found in the house of the Lord.
10And when they saw that there was much money in the chest, the king’s secretary went with the chief priest, and tied up and numbered the money found in the house of the Lord,
11and delivered the money when ready into the hands of them who did the works, the overseers of the house of the Lord; and they dealt it out to the carpenters
12and masons who wrought in the house of the Lord; and to them who built the wall, and to stonecutters, to purchase wood and hewn stone sufficient for the repairs of the house; and to defray all the expenses of the house.
13But there were not to be made for the house of the Lord silver doors, nails, goblets, nor any vessels of gold or silver out of the money brought into the house of the Lord;
14for they were to give it to them who did the work; and with it they were to keep in repair the house of the Lord.
15Now they did not call the men to account, into whose hands they delivered the money to deal it out to the workmen, for they acted faithfully.
16The money for sin offerings, and the money for trespass offerings which was brought into the house of the Lord, was for the priests.
17At that time Azael king of Syria went up and fought against Geth and took it. And when Azael set his face to come up against Jerusalem,
18Joas king of Juda, took all the dedicated things which Josaphat and Joram and Ochozias, his forefathers the kings of Juda had dedicated, together with his own dedications, and all the gold which was found in the treasures of the house of the Lord, and the king’s house, and sent them to Azael king of Syria, and he went up from Jerusalem.
19Now all the acts of Joas and all that he did, behold are they not written in the journal of the kings of Juda?
20When his servants arose and having formed a conspiracy smote Joas at the house of Mello which is in Sela,
21(Now Jezirchar son of Jemuath and Jezebuth son of Somer his servants smote him) so that he died, he was buried with his fathers in the city of David, and Amessias his son reigned in his stead.