Post by alon on Feb 23, 2017 19:46:36 GMT -8
2 Kings 12:1-17, Haftara for Par’shah Mishpatim
Note: the Jewish scriptures are numbered differently here. In Christian Bibles, it will be verses 1-16. We’ll use the JPS text here.
2 Kings 12:1-3 (JPS) Jehoash was seven years old when he began to reign. In the seventh year of Jehu began Jehoash to reign; and he reigned forty years in Jerusalem; and his mother's name was Zibiah of Beer-sheba. And Jehoash did that which was right in the eyes of HaShem all his days wherein Jehoiada the priest instructed him.
Joash was fortunate to have a wise counselor in Jehoiada, and was wise enough to listen to him. We all ned people in our lives who will encourage us in our walk, our ministry, and our duties. This is one of the reasons this forum was instituted is to encourage those who are trying to become Messianic on their own. It is disheartening to see so many people come here and then just disappear. Some fall away gradually, while others just leave. Without support it is likely they have went back into Christianity or, more likely just fallen away from God. It is difficult to go back to a lie when you have seen the truth. We all need wise counsel and encouragement.
2 Kings 12:4 (JPS) Howbeit the high places were not taken away; the people still sacrificed and offered in the high places.
Those “high places” were places of pagan worship. For whatever reason, apparently neither Joash nor Jehoiada tried to rid Ha’eretz of these places of defilement. In the over 140 years since the Temple was built, no major repairs had been done. When peope worship other gods, even if they also come to the Temple as commanded, their hearts are not set on the things of El HaKabodh, The God of Glory. They give short srift to the things which are important to their God, El Elohe Yisroel:
2 Chronicles 24:7 (NASB) For the sons of the wicked Athaliah had broken into the house of God and even used the holy things of the house of the Lord for the Baals.
2 Kings 12:5-7 (JPS) And Jehoash said to the priests: 'All the money of the hallowed things that is brought into the house of HaShem, in current money, the money of the persons for whom each man is rated, all the money that cometh into any man's heart to bring into the house of HaShem, let the priests take it to them, every man from him that bestoweth it upon him; and they shall repair the breaches of the house, wheresoever any breach shall be found.' But it was so, that in the three and twentieth year of king Jehoash the priests had not repaired the breaches of the house.
Even the priests misappropriated the funds when set aside for repairs, keeping them for their own use. They were entrusted with the money as well as the work. But nothing was done except for collecting the money.
I remember growing up the son of a Southern Baptist minister. Every place we went there was at least one major renovation project, and my dad and us boys did most if not all the work. It would have been unthinkable, shameful beyond measure to not use the funds set aside for the project, or worse to spend the money on something else! That priests in the Temple in Yerushalayim could do such a thing is beyond my ken.
2 Kings 12:8-9 (JPS) Then king Jehoash called for Jehoiada the priest, and for the other priests, and said unto them: 'Why repair ye not the breaches of the house? now therefore take no longer money from them that bestow it upon you, but deliver it for the breaches of the house.' And the priests consented that they should take no longer money from the people, neither repair the breaches of the house.
At least they had enough to agree to let someone else take over.
2 Kings 12:10-13, 15-17 (JPS) And Jehoiada the priest took a chest, and bored a hole in the lid of it, and set it beside the altar, on the right side as one cometh into the house of HaShem; and the priests that kept the threshold put therein all the money that was brought into the house of HaShem. And it was so, when they saw that there was much money in the chest, that the king's scribe and the high priest came up, and they put up in bags and counted the money that was found in the house of HaShem. And they gave the money that was weighed out into the hands of them that did the work, that had the oversight of the house of HaShem; and they paid it out to the carpenters and the builders, that wrought upon the house of HaShem, and to the masons and the hewers of stone, and for buying timber and hewn stone to repair the breaches of the house of HaShem, and for all that was laid out for the house to repair it. … for they gave that to them that did the work, and repaired therewith the house of HaShem. Moreover they reckoned not with the men, into whose hand they delivered the money to give to them that did the work; for they dealt faithfully. The forfeit money, and the sin money, was not brought into the house of HaShem; it was the priests.
Trust the common people; those who work. The priests were a sort of entitled caste by this time. They seem to have forgotten how to work, and they held the gifts of the people who toiled for every shekel in low regard. That I think is one reason my father never took for granted the money given for those projects. In addition to full time ministry, he also worked to support us. He was a lay preacher in mostly rural areas in Texas and New Mexico and later Eastern Washington. Those who work for what they have appreciate what is given by others who also work hard for everything they get. Compare his life to those preachers who have churches which rivaled the Temple, houses which surpass Melech Dovid’s palace, worldwide audiences sending in their hard earned money, and a mansion awaiting them in Hell.
Note too that the freewill offerings of the people were used for the repairs, while the guilt offerings would still go to the priests (as this was their portion).
Numbers 18:19 (NASB) All the offerings of the holy gifts, which the sons of Israel offer to the Lord, I have given to you and your sons and your daughters with you, as a perpetual allotment. It is an everlasting covenant of salt before the Lord to you and your descendants with you.”
So those offerings associated with joy and generosity went to the construction, while those associated with and duty would have been for the priests.
And not to belabor the point, but we also see that there was no accounting given for the funds. This is how much trust was put in the hands of those common laborers. This surely put the priests to - the work was getting done, and by honest workmen. The priests had dealt dishonestly with the people and with Ro’eh Yisroel, the Shepherd Of Israel. Imagine how He felt about their treatment of His sheep as well as His house. To further humble the priests, a locked coffer had to be placed by the alter so they could not get into it!
2 kings 12:14 (JPS) But there were not made for the house of HaShem cups of silver, snuffers, basins, trumpets, any vessels of gold, or vessels of silver, of the money that was brought into the house of HaShem;
We are not told why there was not enough for these items. Perhaps too many of the people were still sacrificing at the high places, worshiping idols instead of their Elohim. Or maybe everything was just needed for the structural and cosmetic repairs.
Dan C
Resources: JPS Study TNK, W Wiersbe, FB Meyer, av S, my father and others
Note: the Jewish scriptures are numbered differently here. In Christian Bibles, it will be verses 1-16. We’ll use the JPS text here.
2 Kings 12:1-3 (JPS) Jehoash was seven years old when he began to reign. In the seventh year of Jehu began Jehoash to reign; and he reigned forty years in Jerusalem; and his mother's name was Zibiah of Beer-sheba. And Jehoash did that which was right in the eyes of HaShem all his days wherein Jehoiada the priest instructed him.
Joash was fortunate to have a wise counselor in Jehoiada, and was wise enough to listen to him. We all ned people in our lives who will encourage us in our walk, our ministry, and our duties. This is one of the reasons this forum was instituted is to encourage those who are trying to become Messianic on their own. It is disheartening to see so many people come here and then just disappear. Some fall away gradually, while others just leave. Without support it is likely they have went back into Christianity or, more likely just fallen away from God. It is difficult to go back to a lie when you have seen the truth. We all need wise counsel and encouragement.
2 Kings 12:4 (JPS) Howbeit the high places were not taken away; the people still sacrificed and offered in the high places.
Those “high places” were places of pagan worship. For whatever reason, apparently neither Joash nor Jehoiada tried to rid Ha’eretz of these places of defilement. In the over 140 years since the Temple was built, no major repairs had been done. When peope worship other gods, even if they also come to the Temple as commanded, their hearts are not set on the things of El HaKabodh, The God of Glory. They give short srift to the things which are important to their God, El Elohe Yisroel:
2 Chronicles 24:7 (NASB) For the sons of the wicked Athaliah had broken into the house of God and even used the holy things of the house of the Lord for the Baals.
2 Kings 12:5-7 (JPS) And Jehoash said to the priests: 'All the money of the hallowed things that is brought into the house of HaShem, in current money, the money of the persons for whom each man is rated, all the money that cometh into any man's heart to bring into the house of HaShem, let the priests take it to them, every man from him that bestoweth it upon him; and they shall repair the breaches of the house, wheresoever any breach shall be found.' But it was so, that in the three and twentieth year of king Jehoash the priests had not repaired the breaches of the house.
Even the priests misappropriated the funds when set aside for repairs, keeping them for their own use. They were entrusted with the money as well as the work. But nothing was done except for collecting the money.
I remember growing up the son of a Southern Baptist minister. Every place we went there was at least one major renovation project, and my dad and us boys did most if not all the work. It would have been unthinkable, shameful beyond measure to not use the funds set aside for the project, or worse to spend the money on something else! That priests in the Temple in Yerushalayim could do such a thing is beyond my ken.
2 Kings 12:8-9 (JPS) Then king Jehoash called for Jehoiada the priest, and for the other priests, and said unto them: 'Why repair ye not the breaches of the house? now therefore take no longer money from them that bestow it upon you, but deliver it for the breaches of the house.' And the priests consented that they should take no longer money from the people, neither repair the breaches of the house.
At least they had enough to agree to let someone else take over.
2 Kings 12:10-13, 15-17 (JPS) And Jehoiada the priest took a chest, and bored a hole in the lid of it, and set it beside the altar, on the right side as one cometh into the house of HaShem; and the priests that kept the threshold put therein all the money that was brought into the house of HaShem. And it was so, when they saw that there was much money in the chest, that the king's scribe and the high priest came up, and they put up in bags and counted the money that was found in the house of HaShem. And they gave the money that was weighed out into the hands of them that did the work, that had the oversight of the house of HaShem; and they paid it out to the carpenters and the builders, that wrought upon the house of HaShem, and to the masons and the hewers of stone, and for buying timber and hewn stone to repair the breaches of the house of HaShem, and for all that was laid out for the house to repair it. … for they gave that to them that did the work, and repaired therewith the house of HaShem. Moreover they reckoned not with the men, into whose hand they delivered the money to give to them that did the work; for they dealt faithfully. The forfeit money, and the sin money, was not brought into the house of HaShem; it was the priests.
Trust the common people; those who work. The priests were a sort of entitled caste by this time. They seem to have forgotten how to work, and they held the gifts of the people who toiled for every shekel in low regard. That I think is one reason my father never took for granted the money given for those projects. In addition to full time ministry, he also worked to support us. He was a lay preacher in mostly rural areas in Texas and New Mexico and later Eastern Washington. Those who work for what they have appreciate what is given by others who also work hard for everything they get. Compare his life to those preachers who have churches which rivaled the Temple, houses which surpass Melech Dovid’s palace, worldwide audiences sending in their hard earned money, and a mansion awaiting them in Hell.
Note too that the freewill offerings of the people were used for the repairs, while the guilt offerings would still go to the priests (as this was their portion).
Numbers 18:19 (NASB) All the offerings of the holy gifts, which the sons of Israel offer to the Lord, I have given to you and your sons and your daughters with you, as a perpetual allotment. It is an everlasting covenant of salt before the Lord to you and your descendants with you.”
So those offerings associated with joy and generosity went to the construction, while those associated with and duty would have been for the priests.
And not to belabor the point, but we also see that there was no accounting given for the funds. This is how much trust was put in the hands of those common laborers. This surely put the priests to - the work was getting done, and by honest workmen. The priests had dealt dishonestly with the people and with Ro’eh Yisroel, the Shepherd Of Israel. Imagine how He felt about their treatment of His sheep as well as His house. To further humble the priests, a locked coffer had to be placed by the alter so they could not get into it!
2 kings 12:14 (JPS) But there were not made for the house of HaShem cups of silver, snuffers, basins, trumpets, any vessels of gold, or vessels of silver, of the money that was brought into the house of HaShem;
We are not told why there was not enough for these items. Perhaps too many of the people were still sacrificing at the high places, worshiping idols instead of their Elohim. Or maybe everything was just needed for the structural and cosmetic repairs.
Dan C
Resources: JPS Study TNK, W Wiersbe, FB Meyer, av S, my father and others