Melachim II - Chapter 12

1. Jehoash was seven years old when he became king.

2. Jehoash became king in the seventh year of Jehu, and he reigned in Jerusalem for forty years; and his mother's name was Zibiah from Beersheba.

3. And Jehoash did what was proper in the eyes of the Lord all his days, what Jehoiada the priest instructed him.

4. However, the high places were not removed. The people were still slaughtering sacrifices and burning incense on the high places.

5. And Jehoash said to the priests, "All money of the hallowed things which is brought to the house of the Lord, the money of anyone who passes [the numbering], each one the money of the value of the people [whose value he vows to donate,] all money which comes upon a man's heart to bring to the house of the Lord.

6. The priests shall take for themselves each one from his acquaintance; and they shall strengthen the damage of the house, wherever damage is found."

7. And it was that in the twenty-third year of King Jehoash, the priests did not strengthen the damages of the house.

8. And King Jehoash summoned Jehoiada the priest and the priests and said to them, "Why are you not repairing the damage of the house? Now, take no money from your acquaintances, but give it for the damage of the house."

9. And the priests agreed not to take money from the people and not to repair the damage of the house.

10. And Jehoiada the priest took one chest and bored a hole in its door; and he placed it near the altar on the right, where a person enters the house of the Lord: and the priests, the guards of the threshold, would put all the money that was brought into the house of the Lord, into there.

11. And it was when they saw that there was much money in the chest, that the king's scribe and the high priest went up and packed and counted the money which was brought into the house of the Lord.

12. And they would give the counted money into the hands of the foremen of the work who were appointed in the house of the Lord; and they spent it for the carpenters and for the builders who work in the house of the Lord.

13. And for the masons and for the stonecutters and to buy wood and quarried stones to repair the damage of the house of the Lord, and for everything which would be spent for the house to strengthen it.

14. However, there would not be made for the house of the Lord, silver pitchers, musical instruments, basins, trumpets, or any golden or silver utensils, from the money brought into the house of the Lord.

15. But they would give it to the foremen over the work, and they would repair therewith the house of the Lord.

16. And they would not reckon with the men into whose hand they would give the money to give the foremen over the work, for they did [the work] honestly.

17. The money for guilt- offerings and the money for sin-offerings would not be brought to the house of the Lord; they would go to the priests.

18. Then Hazael the king of Aram went up and fought with Gath and captured it; and Hazael set his face to ascend upon Jerusalem.

19. And Jehoash, the king of Judah, took all the hallowed things that Jehoshaphat, Jehoram, and Ahaziah, his forefathers, the kings of Judah, had hallowed and his own hallowed things, and all the gold that was found in the treasuries of the house of the Lord and the royal palace, and sent it to Hazael the king of Aram, for which he turned back from marching on Jerusalem.

20. And the rest of the acts of Joash and all that he did, are written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah.

21. And his servants rose up and revolted; and they struck Joash at Bethmillo that leads down to Silla.

22. And Jozacar the son of Shimeath and Jehozabad the son of Shomer, his servants, struck him and he died; and they buried him with his forefathers in the city of David; and his son Amaziah reigned in his stead.