2 Kings 12:18

2Ki 12:18 And Jehoash king of Judah took all the hallowed things that Jehoshaphat, and Jehoram, and Ahaziah, his fathers, kings of Judah, had dedicated, and his own hallowed things, 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 Syria: and he went away from Jerusalem.

Ver. 18. He went away.] But the next year he returned again, spoiled Jerusalem, killed many, wounded Jehoash, after that he had put to death Zechariah the son of Jehoiada for his plain dealing. {2Ch 24:17, &c.}

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

12:18 Sacred objects . . . gold: Such treasures had been contributed to the Temple earlier by Solomon and Asa (1 Kgs 7:51; 15:15). • Hazael had already begun the attack against Jerusalem, and Joash was wounded during the battle (2 Chr 24:25). Paying tribute to Hazael may have prevented further destruction in the city.

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

After the death of Jehoiada, Joash fell to idolatry: therefore God rejected him, and stirreth up his enemy against him, whom he pacified with the treasures of the Temple: for God would not be served with those gifts, seeing the king’s heart was wicked.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

Verse 18. Took all the hallowed things] He dearly bought a peace which was of short duration, for the next year Hazael returned, and Jehoash, having no more treasures, was obliged to hazard a battle, which he lost, with the principal part of his nobility, so that Judah was totally ruined, and Jehoash shortly after slain in his bed by his own servants; 2Ch 24:23.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(18) The hallowed things that . . . Jehoram, and Ahaziah . . . had dedicated—Although these kings had sought to naturalise the Baal-worship, they had not ventured to abolish that of Jehovah. On the contrary, as appears from this passage, they even tried to conciliate the powerful priesthood and numerous adherents of the national religion, by dedicating gifts to the sanctuary. The fact that there was so much treasure disposable is not to be wondered at, even after the narrative of the way in which funds were raised for repairing the Temple; because the treasure in question, especially that of the Temple, appears to have been regarded as a reserve, only to be touched in case of grave national emergency like the present.

And he went away from Jerusalem—i.e., withdrew his forces. Thenius asserts that the present expedition of Hazael is distinct from that recorded in 2Ch_24:23, seq., which he admits to be historical. But it is not said here that Hazael went in person against Jerusalem. (Comp, 2Ki_12:17, “set his face to go up,” i.e., prepared to march thither.) The serious defeat of the army of Jehoash, related in Chronicles, accounts very satisfactorily for the sacrifice of his treasures here specified’; while the withdrawal of the Syrians after their victory, as told in Chronicles, is explained by the bribe which Jehoash is here said to have paid them. The two narratives thus supplement each other.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

18. hallowed things] See above on verse 4.

kings of Judah had dedicate] No doubt there were occasions in almost every reign when the king was able to give from his conquests some gift as a thankoffering to God for success. Hence the sacred treasures would come to be of great value.

and he went away from Jerusalem] Since Hazael is not mentioned by the Chronicler as present in this expedition, and the spoils are described as being sent away to him, we may conclude that what he is here said to have done was done by the hosts of Syria which he sent forth. In Chronicles, though nothing is said there about the way in which Jehoash bribed the Syrians to depart, we learn that for some reason or other they did depart without prosecuting the siege of Jerusalem.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Joram, &c. These are accused of plundering the temple, 2 Paralipomenon xxiv. 7. But they might make some presents, through ostentation. How many rob the poor, while they erect magnificent altars to the God of the poor! (Calmet)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

Took all the hallowed things: that necessity of saving his kingdom and people by this means, which otherwise might seem to excuse the fact, was brought upon himself by his apostacy from God. See Poole "1Ki 15:18".

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

18. Took all the hallowed things — This was a too expensive buying of an uncertain peace, and led to no permanent security. Asa before him, (1Ki_15:18,) and Ahaz and Hezekiah after him, (2Ki_16:8; 2Ki_18:15,) did the like foolish thing, to the great damage of the kingdom.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And Jehoash King of Judah took all the hallowed things. The writer of Chronicles tells us that, first of all, there was a battle. "The army of the Syrians came with a small company of men, and the Lord delivered a very great host into their hand". (2Ch_24:24) The loss was especially heavy among the nobles, who officered the Jewish army. Much plunder was taken by the visitors. (2Ch_24:23) Then, probably, the siege of the city was commenced, and Joash, like Rehoboam and Asa before him, (1Ki_14:26 1Ki_15:18) and Hezekiah subsequently, (2Ki_18:15, 2Ki_18:16) had recourse to the temple treasures, and with them bought off the invader. It is noticeable that Athaliah had not deprived the temple of them previously. That Jehoshaphat, and Jehoram, and Ahaziah, his fathers, kings of Judah, had dedicated.

Though Jehoram and Ahaziah apostatized so far as to maintain the Baal-worship in Jerusalem, and even to force attendance on it, (2Ch_21:11) yet they did not relinquish altogether the worship of Jehovah. That Jehoram called his son, Ahaziah, "possession of Jehovah," and Ahaziah one of his sons, Joash, "whom Jehovah supports," is indicative of this syncretism, which was common in ancient times, but against which pure Judaism made the strongest possible protest. And his own hallowed thingsi.e. , the gifts which he had himself made to the templeand all the gold that was found in the treasures of the house of the Lord. This was probably not much; but some "vessels of gold" had been made (2Ch_24:14) out of the residue of the money subscribed for the repairs. And in the king"s house. The royal palace had been plundered by the Arabs and Philistines combined in the reign of Jehoram; (2Ch_21:16, 2Ch_21:17) but in the thirty years that had since elapsed there had been time for fresh accumulations. And sent it to Hazael King of Syria: and he went away from Jerusalem. The personal presence of Hazael at the siege seems to be here implied, while 2Ch_24:23 rather implies his absence. Perhaps he was absent at first, but joined the besiegers after a while.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Then Chazoeil [the king of Arom] went up. After the death of Yehoyoda, Yoash made himself for a god.

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.