2 Kings 12
1 Chronicles 12 records various warriors from different Israelite tribes who joined David when he fled Saul and later was enthroned as king in Hebron. This chapter emphasizes the unity of the Israelites, who followed David’s leadership and obeyed God’s will.
1verseJehoash began to reign in the seventh year of Jehu, and he reigned forty years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Zibiah of Beersheba.
2verseJehoash did that which was right in the LORD’s eyes all his days in which Jehoiada the priest instructed him.
3verseHowever, the high places were not taken away. The people still sacrificed and burned incense in the high places.
4verseJehoash said to the priests, “All the money of the holy things that is brought into the LORD’s house, in current money, the money of the people for whom each man is evaluated, and all the money that it comes into any man’s heart to bring into the LORD’s house,
5verselet the priests take it to them, each man from his donor; and they shall repair the damage to the house, wherever any damage is found.”
6verseBut it was so, that in the twenty-third year of King Jehoash the priests had not repaired the damage to the house.
7verseThen King Jehoash called for Jehoiada the priest, and for the other priests, and said to them, “Why aren’t you repairing the damage to the house? Now therefore take no more money from your treasurers, but deliver it for repair of the damage to the house.”
8verseThe priests consented that they should take no more money from the people, and not repair the damage to the house.
9verseBut Jehoiada the priest took a chest and bored a hole in its lid, and set it beside the altar, on the right side as one comes into the LORD’s house; and the priests who kept the threshold put all the money that was brought into the LORD’s house into it.
10verseWhen they saw that there was much money in the chest, the king’s scribe and the high priest came up, and they put it in bags and counted the money that was found in the LORD’s house.
11verseThey gave the money that was weighed out into the hands of those who did the work, who had the oversight of the LORD’s house; and they paid it out to the carpenters and the builders who worked on the LORD’s house,
12verseand to the masons and the stone cutters, and for buying timber and cut stone to repair the damage to the LORD’s house, and for all that was laid out for the house to repair it.
13verseBut there were not made for the LORD’s house cups of silver, snuffers, basins, trumpets, any vessels of gold or vessels of silver, of the money that was brought into the LORD’s house;
14versefor they gave that to those who did the work, and repaired the LORD’s house with it.
15verseMoreover they didn’t demand an accounting from the men into whose hand they delivered the money to give to those who did the work; for they dealt faithfully.
16verseThe money for the trespass offerings and the money for the sin offerings was not brought into the LORD’s house. It was the priests’.
17verseThen Hazael king of Syria went up and fought against Gath, and took it; and Hazael set his face to go up to Jerusalem.
18verseJehoash 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 the LORD’s house, and of the king’s house, and sent it to Hazael king of Syria; and he went away from Jerusalem.
19verseNow the rest of the acts of Joash, and all that he did, aren’t they written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?
20verseHis servants arose and made a conspiracy, and struck Joash at the house of Millo, on the way that goes down to Silla.
21verseFor Jozacar the son of Shimeath, and Jehozabad the son of Shomer, his servants, struck him, and he died; and they buried him with his fathers in David’s city; and Amaziah his son reigned in his place.
Structure of the Main Text
- Verses 1-7: Lists of the men of the tribes of Benjamin and Judah who came to David at Ziklag
- Verses 8-18: Certain warriors from the tribes of Gad, Benjamin, and Judah joined David
- Verses 19-22: Those who joined David from Israel during the war with the Philistines
- Verses 23-40: Lists of the warriors of each tribe who supported David in Hebron and their unity
Explanation of the Main Content
The most prominent flow in this chapter is that the major tribes of Israel joined David one after another. This highlights the peaceful transfer from the reign of the Saul dynasty to the Davidic dynasty, and that David is established as the king whom God has chosen. The specific mention of each tribe’s warriors and their numbers symbolically shows that David was “king over all,” and brings into focus their unity and loyalty, as well as the way all Israel becomes one.
Also, the scene in verse 18 where Amaziah is moved by the Spirit of God and encourages David suggests that all these arrivals and that unity are not merely political moves, but are carried out within God’s guidance and will.
Historical Significance and Theological Message
1 Chronicles 12 symbolically shows not only David’s leadership, but also the unity and oneness of God’s people and the beginning of a new era. The process in which each tribe becomes one around David as they obey God’s will reminds us once again of the importance of unity within a faith community. It also leads us to reflect on the role of the community in demonstrating unity to the leaders, and on how God moves people’s hearts to accomplish a great plan.
Meditation Points
- Reflect on how important the value of unity and fellowship is within the community.
- When God works centered on one person (David), you should consider how each of us ought to respond from our own place.
- Ask yourself how my service and unity today are contributing to the process of fulfilling God’s will.
Applying It to Me
- I reflect on what role I am playing in my community so that positive unity and cooperation are achieved.
- Just as, in David’s time, each tribe gathered as one with their abilities and devotion, I also check whether I am doing my best in the place that has been given to me.
- I renew my decision to move forward in obedience and devotion regarding the mission and role God has entrusted to me.
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