2 Kings (4 Kings) 12
Commentary from 3 fathers
Joas [was] seven years old when he began to reign.
ΥΙΟΣ ἑπτὰ ἐτῶν ᾿Ιωὰς ἐν τῷ βασιλεύειν αὐτόν.
Въ лѣ́то седмо́е і҆иꙋ́а воцари́сѧ і҆ѡа́съ, и҆ четы́редесѧть лѣ́тъ ца́рствова во і҆ерⷭ҇ли́мѣ. И҆́мѧ же ма́тере є҆гѡ̀ саві́а ѿ вирсаве́и.
Joas began to reign in the seventh year of Ju, and he reigned forty years in Jerusalem: and his mother’s name [was] Sabia of Bersabee.
ἐν ἔτει ἑβδόμῳ τῷ ᾿Ιοὺ ἐβασίλευσεν ᾿Ιωὰς καὶ τεσσαράκοντα ἔτη ἐβασίλευσεν ἐν ῾Ιερουσαλήμ, καὶ ὄνομα τῆς μητρὸς αὐτοῦ ᾿Αβιὰ ἐκ τῆς Βηρσαβεέ.
И҆ сотворѝ і҆ѡа́съ пра́вое пред̾ гдⷭ҇емъ во всѧ̑ дни̑, въ нѧ́же просвѣтѝ є҆го̀ і҆ѡда́й і҆ере́й:
And Joas did that which was right in the sight of the Lord all the days that Jodae the priest instructed him.
καὶ ἐποίησεν ᾿Ιωὰς τὸ εὐθὲς ἐνώπιον Κυρίου πάσας τὰς ἡμέρας, ἃς ἐφώτισεν αὐτὸν ᾿Ιωδαὲ ὁ ἱερεύς·
ѻ҆ба́че высо́кихъ не преста́виша, и҆ та́мѡ є҆щѐ лю́дїе жрѧ́хꙋ и҆ кадѧ́хꙋ на высо́кихъ.
And Joas said to the priests, [As for] all the money of the holy things that is brought into the house of the Lord, the money of valuation, [as] each man brings the money of valuation, all the money which any man may feel disposed to bring into the house of the Lord,
καὶ εἶπεν ᾿Ιωὰς πρὸς τοὺς ἱερεῖς· πᾶν τὸ ἀργύριον τῶν ἁγίων τὸ εἰσοδιαζόμενον ἐν τῷ οἴκῳ Κυρίου, ἀργύριον συντιμήσεως, ἀνὴρ ἀργύριον λαβὼν συντιμήσεως, πᾶν ἀργύριον, ὃ ἐὰν ἀναβῇ ἐπὶ καρδίαν ἀνδρὸς ἐνεγκεῖν ἐν οἴκῳ Κυρίου,
да во́змꙋтъ себѣ̀ жерцы̀, мꙋ́жъ ѿ прода́нїѧ своегѡ̀, и҆ ті́и да ᲂу҆крѣпѧ́тъ веде́къ {разсѣ́лина} до́мꙋ во всѣ́хъ, и҆дѣ́же а҆́ще ѡ҆брѧ́щетсѧ веде́къ.
let the priests take it to themselves, every man from [the proceeds of] his sale: and they shall repair the breaches of the house in all [places] wheresoever a breach shall be found.
λαβέτωσαν ἑαυτοῖς οἱ ἱερεῖς ἀνὴρ ἀπὸ τῆς πράσεως αὐτῶν καὶ αὐτοὶ κρατήσουσι τὸ βεδὲκ τοῦ οἴκου εἰς πάντα, οὗ ἐὰν εὑρεθῇ ἐκεῖ βεδέκ.
И҆ бы́сть въ два́десѧть тре́тїе лѣ́то царѧ̀ і҆ѡа́са, не ᲂу҆крѣпи́ша жерцы̀ веде́ка хра́ма:
6–7“Therefore King Joash summoned the priest Jehoiada with the other priests and said to them, ‘Why are you not repairing the house?’ ” The reason why king Joash and the high priest Jehoiada called a meeting to discuss the repairing of the house of God is revealed in the second book of the Annals with these words: “Athaliah instructed the children of iniquity, and undermined the house of the Lord and drove all the priests who were in the house of the Lord to the worship of the idols.” And it is not surprising that Athaliah, a woman endowed with audacity and shrewdness, made that attempt in order to aspire to power and take hold of the kingdom. Therefore, when everything was under her control and the king Ahaziah himself obeyed her blindly, nothing was neglected by her in order to draw the Jews away from the divine worship and to drive them to the ancient religion of the Sidonians. For this reason, while the temple of the true God remained abandoned after the introduction of the foreign cult, it had begun to be in ruin in many spots and was in danger of collapsing because of that. So the king, in order to remedy this serious situation, together with the authority of the high priest, gathered a large sum of money freely offered by the people and entrusted with it some priests elected to accomplish that task. But later on, when he realized that they were not making the progress he had hoped for in the task they had received, he transferred the care of the temple to other men of certain integrity who could work on that assignment with the highest perseverance and dedication. From the allegorical point of view you can recognize here a type of the saints who, after receiving from God the gift of knowledge, set out to repair that same house shaken by vain cults and various crimes.
On the Second Book of Kings 12:7
And it came to pass in the twenty-third year of king Joas the priests [had] not repaired the breaches of the house.
καὶ ἐγενήθη ἐν τῷ εἰκοστῷ καὶ τρίτῳ ἔτει τῷ βασιλεῖ ᾿Ιωὰς οὐκ ἐκραταίωσαν οἱ ἱερεῖς τὸ βεδὲκ τοῦ οἴκου.
и҆ призва̀ ца́рь і҆ѡа́съ і҆ѡда́ѧ жерца̀ и҆ жерцы̀, и҆ речѐ къ ни̑мъ: что̀ ꙗ҆́кѡ не ᲂу҆крѣпи́сте веде́ка хра́ма; и҆ нн҃ѣ не прїима́йте сребра̀ ѿ прода́жей ва́шихъ, ꙗ҆́кѡ на веде́къ хра́ма да́сте є҆̀.
And king Joas called Jodae the priest, and the [other] priests, and said to them, Why have ye not repaired the breaches of the house? now then receive no [more] money from your sales, for ye shall give it to [repair the] breaches of the house.
καὶ ἐκάλεσεν ᾿Ιωὰς ὁ βασιλεὺς ᾿Ιωδαὲ τὸν ἱερέα καὶ τοὺς ἱερεῖς καὶ εἶπε πρὸς αὐτούς· τί ὅτι οὐκ ἐκραταιοῦτε τὸ βεδὲκ τοῦ οἴκου; καὶ νῦν μὴ λάβητε ἀργύριον ἀπὸ τῶν πράσεων ὑμῶν, ὅτι εἰς τὸ βεδὲκ τοῦ οἴκου δώσετε αὐτό.
И҆ совѣща́шасѧ жерцы̀ не прїима́ти сребра̀ ѿ люді́й и҆ не ᲂу҆крѣплѧ́ти веде́ка хра́ма.
And the priests consented to receive no more money of the people, and not to repair the breaches of the house.
καὶ συνεφώνησαν οἱ ἱερεῖς τοῦ μὴ λαβεῖν ἀργύριον παρὰ τοῦ λαοῦ καὶ τοῦ μὴ ἐνισχῦσαι τὸ βεδὲκ τοῦ οἴκου.
И҆ взѧ̀ і҆ѡда́й жре́цъ кївѡ́тъ є҆ди́нъ, и҆ сотворѝ въ не́мъ сква́жню, и҆ положѝ є҆го̀ при ѻ҆лтарѝ ѡ҆деснꙋ́ю входѧ́щихъ мꙋже́й въ до́мъ гдⷭ҇ень: и҆ влага́хꙋ та́мѡ жерцы̀ хранѧ́щїи две́рь всѐ сребро̀ приноси́мое въ до́мъ гдⷭ҇ень.
And Jodae the priest took a chest, and bored a hole in the lid of it, and set it by the altar in the house of a man [belonging to] the house of the Lord, and the priests that kept the door put [therein] all the money that was found in the house of the Lord.
καὶ ἔλαβεν ᾿Ιωδαὲ ὁ ἱερεὺς κιβωτὸν μίαν καὶ ἔτρησε τρώγλην ἐπὶ τῆς σανίδος αὐτῆς καὶ ἔδωκεν αὐτὴν παρὰ ἀμμαζειβὶ ἐν τῷ οἴκῳ ἀνδρὸς οἴκου Κυρίου, καὶ ἔδωκαν οἱ ἱερεῖς οἱ φυλάσσοντες τὸν σταθμὸν πᾶν τὸ ἀργύριον τὸ εὑρεθὲν ἐν οἴκῳ Κυρίου.
И҆ бы́сть є҆гда̀ ᲂу҆ви́дѣша, ꙗ҆́кѡ мно́гѡ сребра̀ въ ковче́зѣ, и҆ взы́де пи́счїй царе́въ, и҆ жре́цъ вели́кїй, и҆ сребросе́чцы и҆ ѿкры́ша, и҆ сочто́ша сребро̀ ѡ҆брѣ́тшеесѧ въ домꙋ̀ гдⷭ҇ни:
And it came to pass, when they saw that [there was] much money in the chest, that the king’s scribe and the high priest went up, and they tied up and counted the money that was found in the house of the Lord.
καὶ ἐγένετο ὡς εἶδον ὅτι πολὺ τὸ ἀργύριον ἐν τῇ κιβωτῷ, καὶ ἀνέβη ὁ γραμματεὺς τοῦ βασιλέως καὶ ὁ ἱερεὺς ὁ μέγας καὶ ἔσφιγξαν καὶ ἠρίθμησαν τὸ ἀργύριον τὸ εὑρεθὲν ἐν οἴκῳ Κυρίου.
и҆ да́ша сребро̀ ᲂу҆гото́ванное въ рꙋ́цѣ творѧ́щихъ дѣла̀ на сосꙋ́ды до́мꙋ гдⷭ҇нѧ: и҆ разда́ша древодѣ́лємъ и҆ дѣ́лателємъ зи́ждꙋщымъ въ домꙋ̀ гдⷭ҇ни,
And they gave the money that had been collected into the hands of them that wrought the works, the overseers of the house of the Lord; and they gave it out to the carpenters and to the builders that wrought in the house of the Lord.
καὶ ἔδωκαν τὸ ἀργύριον τὸ ἑτοιμασθὲν ἐπὶ χεῖρας ποιούντων τὰ ἔργα τῶν ἐπισκόπων οἴκου Κυρίου, καὶ ἐξέδοσαν τοῖς τέκτοσι τῶν ξύλων καὶ τοῖς οἰκοδόμοις τοῖς ποιοῦσιν ἐν οἴκῳ Κυρίου
и҆ стѣнодѣ́лателємъ, и҆ хꙋдо́жникѡмъ, и҆ сѣкꙋ́щымъ ка́мєнїѧ на кꙋпле́нїе древе́съ, и҆ ка́менїѧ те́санагѡ на строе́нїе веде́ка до́мꙋ гдⷭ҇нѧ, на всѧ̑ є҆ли̑ка и҆ждивє́на бы́ша на ᲂу҆твержде́нїе хра́ма.
And to the masons, and to the hewers of stone, to purchase timber and hewn stone to repair the breaches of the house of the Lord, for all that was spent on the house of the Lord to repair [it].
καὶ τοῖς τειχισταῖς καὶ τοῖς λατόμοις τῶν λίθων τοῦ κτήσασθαι ξύλα καὶ λίθους λατομητοὺς τοῦ κατασχεῖν τὸ βεδὲκ οἴκου Κυρίου εἰς πάντα, ὅσα ἐξωδιάσθη ἐπὶ τὸν οἶκον τοῦ κραταιῶσαι·
Ѻ҆ба́че не твори́шасѧ хра́мꙋ гдⷭ҇ню двє́ри срє́брѧны, гво́здїе, фїа́лы и҆ трꙋбы̑, ни всѝ сосꙋ́ды зла̑ты, и҆ сосꙋ́ды срє́брѧны ѿ сребра̀ принесе́ннагѡ въ до́мъ гдⷭ҇ень:
Only there were not to be made for the house of the Lord silver plates, studs, bowls, or trumpets, any vessel of gold or vessel of silver, of the money that was brought into the house of the Lord:
πλὴν οὐ ποιηθήσονται οἴκῳ Κυρίου θύραι ἀργυραῖ, ἧλοι, φιάλαι καὶ σάλπιγγες, πᾶν σκεῦος χρυσοῦν καὶ σκεῦος ἀργυροῦν, ἐκ τοῦ ἀργυρίου τοῦ εἰσενεχθέντος ἐν οἴκῳ Κυρίου,
поне́же творѧ́щымъ дѣла̀ даде́сѧ сїѐ, и҆ ᲂу҆тверди́ша тѣ́мъ до́мъ гдⷭ҇ень.
for they were to give it to the workmen, and they repaired therewith the house of the Lord.
ὅτι τοῖς ποιοῦσι τὰ ἔργα δώσουσιν αὐτό, καὶ ἐκραταίωσαν ἐν αὐτῷ τὸν οἶκον Κυρίου.
И҆ не сочита́хꙋ мꙋже́й, и҆̀мже даѧ́хꙋ сребро̀ въ рꙋ́ки, даѧ́ти творѧ́щымъ дѣла̀, занѐ вѣ́рнѡ творѧ́хꙋ.
"And no account was made with the men who received the money, etc." [2 Kings 12:15] This is said, about the restoration of the house of the Lord by the aforesaid king Jehoash: And no reckoning was made with the men who received the money to distribute it to the craftsmen, but they dealt with it in faith, showing their devotion, because they had so much fervor in religion that no one doubted but that they handled the Lord's money without suspicion of any fraud, and that they faithfully offered it, taken from the treasury, to the workmen for repairing the house, as each had need.
Questions on the Book of Kings #20
Also they took no account of the men into whose hands they gave the money to give to the workmen, for they acted faithfully.
καὶ οὐκ ἐξελογίζοντο τοὺς ἄνδρας, οἷς ἐδίδουν τὸ ἀργύριον ἐπὶ χεῖρας αὐτῶν δοῦναι τοῖς ποιοῦσι τὰ ἔργα, ὅτι ἐν πίστει αὐτῶν ποιοῦσιν.
Сребро̀ за грѣхѝ и҆ сребро̀ за престꙋпле́нїе, є҆ли́ко внесе́но бы́сть въ до́мъ гдⷭ҇ень, жерцє́мъ бы́сть.
Money for a sin-offering, and money for a trespass-offering, whatever happened to be brought into the house of the Lord, went to the priests.
ἀργύριον περὶ ἁμαρτίας καὶ ἀργύριον περὶ πλημμελείας, ὅ,τι εἰσηνέχθη ἐν οἴκῳ Κυρίου, τοῖς ἱερεῦσιν ἐγένετο.
Тогда̀ взы́де а҆заи́лъ ца́рь сѵ́рскїй и҆ воева̀ на ге́ѳъ, и҆ взѧ̀ є҆го̀ а҆заи́лъ и҆ разбѝ є҆го̀: и҆ ѡ҆братѝ а҆заи́лъ лицѐ своѐ взы́ти на і҆ерⷭ҇ли́мъ.
Then went up Azael king of Syria, and fought against Geth, and took it: and Azael set his face to go against Jerusalem.
Τότε ἀνέβη ᾿Αζαὴλ βασιλεὺς Συρίας καὶ ἐπολέμησεν ἐπὶ Γὲθ καὶ προκατελάβετο αὐτήν. καὶ ἔταξεν ᾿Αζαὴλ τὸ πρόσωπον αὐτοῦ ἀναβῆναι ἐπὶ ῾Ιερουσαλήμ.
И҆ взѧ̀ і҆ѡа́съ ца́рь і҆ꙋ́динъ всѧ̑ ст҃а̑ѧ, є҆ли̑ка ѡ҆свѧтѝ і҆ѡсафа́тъ и҆ і҆ѡра́мъ и҆ ѻ҆хозі́а, ѻ҆тцы̀ є҆гѡ̀ и҆ ца́рїе і҆ꙋ̑дины, и҆ ст҃а̑ѧ є҆гѡ̀, и҆ всѐ зла́то ѡ҆брѣ́тшеесѧ въ сокро́вищихъ до́мꙋ гдⷭ҇нѧ и҆ до́мꙋ царе́ва, и҆ посла̀ а҆заи́лꙋ царю̀ сѵ́рскꙋ, и҆ ѿи́де ѿ і҆ерⷭ҇ли́ма.
And Joas king of Juda took all the holy things which Josaphat, and Joram, Ochozias, his fathers, and kings of Juda [had] consecrated, and what he had himself dedicated, and all the gold that was found in the treasures of the Lord’s house and the king’s house, and he sent [them] to Azael king of Syria; and he went up from Jerusalem.
καὶ ἔλαβεν ᾿Ιωὰς βασιλεὺς ᾿Ιούδα πάντα τὰ ἅγια, ὅσα ἡγίασεν ᾿Ιωσαφὰτ καὶ ᾿Ιωρὰμ καὶ ᾿Οχοζίας οἱ πατέρες αὐτοῦ καὶ βασιλεῖς ᾿Ιούδα, καὶ τὰ ἅγια αὐτοῦ καὶ πᾶν τὸ χρυσίον τὸ εὑρεθὲν ἐν θησαυροῖς οἴκου Κυρίου καὶ οἴκου τοῦ βασιλέως καὶ ἀπέστειλε τῷ ᾿Αζαὴλ βασιλεῖ Συρίας, καὶ ἀνέβη ἀπὸ ῾Ιερουσαλήμ.
И҆ прѡ́чаѧ слове́съ і҆ѡа́совыхъ, и҆ всѧ̑ є҆ли̑ка сотворѝ, не се́ ли, сїѧ̑ пи̑сана въ кни́зѣ слове́съ дні́й царе́й і҆ꙋ́диныхъ;
And the rest of the acts of Joas, and all that he did, behold, [are] not these things written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Juda?
καὶ τὰ λοιπὰ τῶν λόγων ᾿Ιωὰς καὶ πάντα, ὅσα ἐποίησεν, οὐκ ἰδοὺ ταῦτα πάντα γεγραμμένα ἐπὶ βιβλίῳ λόγων τῶν ἡμερῶν τοῖς βασιλεῦσιν ᾿Ιούδα;
И҆ воста́ша ѻ҆́троцы є҆гѡ̀, и҆ совѣща́ша всѧ́къ совѣ́тъ, и҆ ᲂу҆би́ша і҆ѡа́са въ до́мѣ маллѡ́ни, и҆́же въ саа́лѣ.
“His servants arose, devised a conspiracy and killed Joash in the house of Millo, on the way that goes down to Silla.” When he reached the age of 130 years, the priest Jehoiada died. Joash, being persuaded by the advice of some of his princes, abandoned the true religion which he had piously served when Jehoiada was alive, and restored the idolatry introduced by the women of Sidon, which he had gloriously banished with the help of the high priest himself. And while Zechariah, son of Jehoiada, attempted to prevent [that impiety] with all his might, and being inflamed with the divine spirit and standing between the temple and the altar, reproached the king and his princes, he was stoned to death in the hall itself of the house of God. And that was an act of extreme cruelty on the part of Joash, and every person’s mind was disturbed because he, being oblivious of the benefits received from Jehoiada, allowed that the son of that very holy man was treated with such brutality before him and even incited [the crowd to stone him]. And [Zechariah], calling God as the witness of his innocence and his avenger, said, “May the Lord see and avenge.” The holy man foresaw the calamities that would shortly befall the king and his kingdom. One year later the Syrians invaded Judah and plundered the land so that Joash, in order to save his life, was forced to deprive himself of the goods of the royal house and of the temple but was, nevertheless, shamefully ill treated by his enemies; and eventually he fell ill and lay in bed. While Joash was ill in his own bed, he was the victim of a plot of his servants, who stabbed him to death.
On the Second Book of Kings 12:20
And his servants rose up and made a conspiracy, and smote Joas in the house of Mallo that is in Sela.
καὶ ἀνέστησαν οἱ δοῦλοι αὐτοῦ καὶ ἔδησαν πάντα σύνδεσμον καὶ ἐπάταξαν τὸν ᾿Ιωὰς ἐν οἴκῳ Μαλλὼ τῷ ἐν Γααλὰ
И҆ і҆езеха́ръ сы́нъ і҆емꙋа́ѳовъ, и҆ і҆езевꙋ́ѳъ сы́нъ сѡми́ровъ, рабѝ є҆гѡ̀ ᲂу҆би́ша є҆го̀, и҆ ᲂу҆́мре, и҆ погребо́ша є҆го̀ со ѻ҆тцы̑ є҆гѡ̀ во гра́дѣ даві́довѣ. И҆ воцари́сѧ а҆мессі́а сы́нъ є҆гѡ̀ вмѣ́стѡ є҆гѡ̀.
And Jezirchar the son of Jemuath, and Jezabuth Somer’s son, his servants, smote him, and he died; and they buried him with his fathers in the city of David: and Amessias his son reigned in his stead.
καὶ ᾿Ιεζιχὰρ υἱὸς ᾿Ιεμουὰθ καὶ ᾿Ιεζεβοὺθ ὁ υἱὸς αὐτοῦ Σωμὴρ οἱ δοῦλοι αὐτοῦ ἐπάταξαν αὐτόν, καὶ ἀπέθανε· καὶ ἔθαψαν αὐτὸν μετὰ τῶν πατέρων αὐτοῦ ἐν πόλει Δαυίδ, καὶ ἐβασίλευσεν ᾿Αμεσσίας υἱὸς αὐτοῦ ἀντ᾿ αὐτοῦ.
Only there were not [any] of the high places removed, and the people still sacrificed there, and burned incense on the high places.
πλὴν τῶν ὑψηλῶν οὐ μετεστάθησαν, καὶ ἐκεῖ ἔτι ὁ λαὸς ἐθυσίαζε καὶ ἐθυμίων ἐν τοῖς ὑψηλοῖς.
И҆ речѐ і҆ѡа́съ къ жерцє́мъ: всѐ сребро̀ ст҃ы́хъ вноси́мое въ до́мъ гдⷭ҇ень, сребро̀ ѡ҆цѣне́нїѧ, мꙋ́жъ сребро̀ взѧ́вый ѡ҆цѣне́нїѧ, всѐ сребро̀, є҆́же а҆́ще взы́детъ на се́рдце мꙋ́жа внестѝ въ до́мъ гдⷭ҇ень,