(6) And the king called for Jehoiada.--So 2Kings 12:7.

The chief.--Literally, the head, i.e., of the sacerdotal caste. Usually koh?n, "priest," is added, as in 2Chronicles 19:11; 2Chronicles 26:20. Kings has simply "the priest," adding "and for the priests."

Why hast thou not required of the Levites.--Or, Why hast thou not attended to the Levites (comp. 2Chronicles 31:9), that they might bring . . .? (i.e., seen about the Levites bringing). LXX., ??? ?? ??? ???????? ???? ??? ??????? ??? ??????????, ...

The collection.--Rather, the tax (Ezekiel 20:40). "The tax of Moses" is not the poll-tax of half-a-shekel, for the sanctuary, imposed Exodus 30:12-16, and collected Exodus 38:25-26; but rather a general designation of the moneys mentioned in 2 Kings 12:25. (See Note on 2Chronicles 24:4, supra.)

For the tabernacle of witness.--Or, the tent of the testimony (Numbers 9:15; comp. Note on 2Chronicles 23:11); i.e., the "Tent of the Law."

In Kings, the question of Joash is, "Why are ye not repairing the breaches of the house?" He then continues: "And now, receive not money from your acquaintances, for the breaches of the house ye should give it" (scil., instead of appropriating it yourselves). In consequence, "the priests obeyed so as not to take money from the people, and not to repair the breaches of the house" (2Kings 12:8).

Verse 6. - Jehoiada the chief; so. priest, for comp. our ver. 11; 2 Chronicles 19:11; 2 Chronicles 26:20. In each of those instances the Hebrew text shows הָראשׁ, and the Authorized Version "chief" except inconsistently in our ver. 11. Revised Version "chief" in all the instances. The name "priest" occurs just about six hundred and sixty-six times in the Old Testament, the title "high" or "chief priest" only about twenty-six times, the first occurrence being in Leviticus 21:10, the last Zechariah 6:11; and both set forth by the Hebrew adjective גָּדול, as also in fifteen other of the occurrences. Seven times the word רלֺאשׁ is the word employed, and שָׂרֵיthe other two times. In these last two cases, however (Ezra 8:24, 29; Ezra 10:5), it is not "high priests" nor "chief priests" that are perhaps even really intended, but the "princes" of the priests, or those who, for whatever reasons of personal characteristics, were chief. Out of Judah and out of Jerusalem. The statement here is precise, that the call of money was to be made both in the cities of Judah and in the metropolis Jerusalem. The collection; Hebrew, מַשְׁאַת; Revised Version, better, the tax of, etc. Of this we read in Exodus 30:13-15; Exodus 38:25, 26; Numbers 1:30. It was of the uniform amount of half a sanctuary shekel, for rich or poor, and was ordered to be set apart "for the service of the tabernacle of the conregation," here called in the Authorized Version the tabernacle of witness; Revised Version, the tent of the testimony. Exodus has מועֵד for our חָעֵדוּת. This source of money for the holy design of Joash is again most specifically stated in our ver. 9. The version of this whole transaction seems rather confusing as given in the parallel, where ver. 4 mentions three sources of money, without any quotation as such of the ordained tax of Moses, which was apparently the first of those three, and where ver. 8, at first blush at any rate, might seem to imply recusant priests. The meaning, however, is probably the contrary, the verse purporting that the priests consented to forego what they had been accustomed on receiving to apply to some personal or current-funds purpose, and who consented to forego the superintending of the outlay of the money on. the repairing, that it might be done with more expedition by "scribe" and high priest" (ver. 10; comp. ver. 16; both of the parallel). All these details the writer of Chronicles passes over, only pursuing the essential business, Joash's pious resolve, the delay in its execution, and how he finally overcame the obstructive delay.

24:1-14 Joash is more zealous about the repair of the temple than Jehoiada himself. It is easier to build temples, than to be temples to God. But the repairing of places for public worship is a good work, which all should promote. And many a good work would be done that now lies undone, if active men would put it forward.And the king called for Jehoiada the chief,.... Who was either the high priest, or the head of his course, or, however, the chief of the priests and Levites concerned in this affair, and, indeed, was the chief or prime minister of state:

and said unto him, why hast thou not required of the Levites to bring in out of Judah, and out of Jerusalem, the collection; the money to repair the house they were ordered to collect, 2 Chronicles 25:6 according to the commandment

of Moses the servant of the Lord and of the congregation of Israel, for the tabernacle of witness? for the repair of it, such as Moses required, and the people used to pay, referring to the half shekel; or to a freewill offering of the people, Moses enjoined or directed to.