(5) Go out unto the cities of Judah, and gather of all Israel money.—This is the chronicler’s interpretation of “Let the priests take it to themselves, each from his own acquaintance” (Kings). The priests and Levites of the different districts were to collect the moneys due to the sanctuary, each in his own neighbourhood.

And see that ye hasten the matter.—Literally, and, for your part, hasten ye in regard to the matter (comp. 2Chronicles 18:8); and the Levites hastened not. This agrees with the statement in 2Kings 12:6; 2Kings 12:9 : “And it was so, that in the three and twentieth year of king Jehoash the priests had not repaired the breaches of the house.” The remissness of the priestly order is evidently inferable from these words.

2 Chronicles 24:5. Gather of all Israel — Not only of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin, but of all the Israelites, belonging to any of the ten tribes, who are now resident in my kingdom: money to repair, &c., from year to year — That is, either, 1st, To repair part of it every year till the reparations were perfected: or, 2d, The money was to be gathered from year to year, till they got such a sum as might suffice for the work.

24:1-14 Joash is more zealous about the repair of the temple than Jehoiada himself. It is easier to build temples, than to be temples to God. But the repairing of places for public worship is a good work, which all should promote. And many a good work would be done that now lies undone, if active men would put it forward.Athaliah's destruction of the seed royal had left Joash without a natural successor, and his marriage at the earliest suitable age, was, therefore, a matter of state policy. One of his wives in question was probably "Jehoaddan of Jerusalem," the mother of Amaziah 2 Chronicles 25:1, who must have been taken to wife by Joash as early as his 21st year. 4-14. Joash was minded to repair the house of the Lord—(See on [451]2Ki 12:4-16). Gather of all Israel, i.e. of all the Israelites that were in the kingdom of Judah. See 2 Chronicles 15:17 21:2. To repair the house of your God from year to year; either,

1. Repair part of it every year till the reparations be perfected; or,

2. Gather it from year to year, till you get such a sum as may suffice for the work; for he supposed one or two years’ collection would not suffice for the work, whether it were that collection of half a shekel for every man, of which see Exodus 30:12,13 2 Kings 12:14; or a voluntary contribution required for the present exigence of the temple by virtue of the command and example of Moses, who made such a collection for the building of the tabernacle, Exodus 35:5; see also Nehemiah 10:32; which he thought would not be any great sum, because of the great iniquity and impiety which yet had reigned for many years, and yet continued in the generality of the people of the land, the Levites not excepted, as the last clause of this verse shows.

And he gathered together the priests and Levites,.... To communicate his mind unto, and give them a charge and instructions:

and said unto them, go out unto the cities of Judah, and gather of all Israel money to repair the house of your God from year to year; what money he means is more fully explained in 2 Kings 12:4,

and see that ye haste the matter; for he was very desirous of having this work accomplished, it being the place of the worship of God, and where he had been preserved in his infancy:

howbeit, the Levites hastened it not; either through negligence in them to collect the money, or backwardness in the people to give, or through an avaricious disposition to keep it, and use it for themselves; so that it was delayed unto the twenty third year of his reign 2 Kings 12:6.

And he gathered together the priests and the Levites, and said to them, Go out unto the cities of Judah, and gather of all {b} Israel money to repair the house of your God from year to year, and see that ye hasten the matter. Howbeit the Levites hastened it not.

(b) He does not mean the ten tribes but only the two tribes of Judah and Benjamin.