2 kings 12:18 - Jehoash king of Judah took all the holy things that Jehoshaphat and Jehoram and Ahaziah, his fathers, kings of Judah, had dedicated, and his own holy things, and all the gold that was found in the treasures of Yahweh’s house, and of the king’s house, and sent it to Hazael king of Syria; and he went away from Jerusalem.
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What does "2 kings 12:18" mean?
This verse, 2 Kings 12:18, describes a desperate act of appeasement by Jehoash (also spelled Joash) king of Judah. Here's a breakdown of what it means:
"Jehoash king of Judah took all the holy things that Jehoshaphat and Jehoram and Ahaziah, his fathers, kings of Judah, had dedicated, and his own holy things...": Jehoash raided the temple and royal treasury for all the valuable items dedicated to Yahweh (God) and those he himself had dedicated. These were objects that were considered sacred and meant for religious purposes, possibly including gold, silver, and other valuable materials. He also took items that were already in the King's possession as his own holy items.
"...and all the gold that was found in the treasures of Yahweh’s house, and of the king’s house...": This highlights the extent of the plunder. He took all the available gold from both the temple (Yahweh’s house) and the royal palace (the king's house).
"...and sent it to Hazael king of Syria...": This is the key to understanding the verse. Jehoash sent all these valuables as a tribute to Hazael, the king of Syria. Syria was a powerful and aggressive kingdom that was threatening Judah.
"...and he went away from Jerusalem.": This indicates that Hazael, after receiving the tribute, withdrew his forces from Jerusalem. This was likely the intended outcome of sending the tribute - to buy peace and prevent Hazael from attacking and conquering Jerusalem.
In summary:
Jehoash, faced with a Syrian threat, resorted to bribing Hazael, the Syrian king, to avert an invasion. He emptied the temple and royal treasury of all its precious objects, including items dedicated to God, and sent them as a tribute. This desperate measure successfully bought Judah a reprieve, as Hazael then withdrew his forces. This act illustrates Jehoash's political pragmatism (or weakness, depending on interpretation) in prioritizing the immediate safety of Jerusalem over the preservation of sacred objects and wealth. It also demonstrates the challenging political landscape and threats faced by the kings of Judah during this period.
2 kings 12:18 - Jehoash king of Judah took all the holy things that Jehoshaphat and Jehoram and Ahaziah, his fathers, kings of Judah, had dedicated, and his own holy things, and all the gold that was found in the treasures of Yahweh’s house, and of the king’s house, and sent it to Hazael king of Syria; and he went away from Jerusalem.
What does "2 kings 12:18" mean?
This verse, 2 Kings 12:18, describes a desperate act of appeasement by Jehoash (also spelled Joash) king of Judah. Here's a breakdown of what it means:
"Jehoash king of Judah took all the holy things that Jehoshaphat and Jehoram and Ahaziah, his fathers, kings of Judah, had dedicated, and his own holy things...": Jehoash raided the temple and royal treasury for all the valuable items dedicated to Yahweh (God) and those he himself had dedicated. These were objects that were considered sacred and meant for religious purposes, possibly including gold, silver, and other valuable materials. He also took items that were already in the King's possession as his own holy items.
"...and all the gold that was found in the treasures of Yahweh’s house, and of the king’s house...": This highlights the extent of the plunder. He took all the available gold from both the temple (Yahweh’s house) and the royal palace (the king's house).
"...and sent it to Hazael king of Syria...": This is the key to understanding the verse. Jehoash sent all these valuables as a tribute to Hazael, the king of Syria. Syria was a powerful and aggressive kingdom that was threatening Judah.
"...and he went away from Jerusalem.": This indicates that Hazael, after receiving the tribute, withdrew his forces from Jerusalem. This was likely the intended outcome of sending the tribute - to buy peace and prevent Hazael from attacking and conquering Jerusalem.
In summary:
Jehoash, faced with a Syrian threat, resorted to bribing Hazael, the Syrian king, to avert an invasion. He emptied the temple and royal treasury of all its precious objects, including items dedicated to God, and sent them as a tribute. This desperate measure successfully bought Judah a reprieve, as Hazael then withdrew his forces. This act illustrates Jehoash's political pragmatism (or weakness, depending on interpretation) in prioritizing the immediate safety of Jerusalem over the preservation of sacred objects and wealth. It also demonstrates the challenging political landscape and threats faced by the kings of Judah during this period.