2 Kings 12:2

And Jehoash did that which was right in the sight of the LORD all his days wherein Jehoiada the priest instructed him.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(2) All his days wherein Jehoiada the priest instructed him.—The Hebrew is ambiguous, but may certainly mean this, which is the rendering of the LXX. and Vulg. (The accent dividing the verse ought to fall on “the Lord” rather than on “his days.”) Perhaps the peculiar form of the sentence arose in this way: the writer first set down the usual statement concerning kings who supported the worship of Jehovah, and then, remembering the evils which ensued upon the death of the high priest (2Chronicles 24:17), added as a correction of that statement, “during which Jehoiada the priest instructed him.” Thenius says the words can only be rendered, all his life long, because Jehoiada had instructed him. They certainly can, however, be rendered as our version renders them, and further, thus: “And Jehoash did . . . all his days, whom Jehoiada the priest instructed.” But the ambiguity of the statement gave an opportunity for discrediting the chronicler.

Benson Commentary

2 Kings 12:2. Jehoash did what was right, &c. — Having, 1st, such a good director as Jehoiada was, so wise, experienced, and faithful: and, 2d, so much wisdom as to hearken to him, and be directed by him. Here we learn of what advantage it is to princes, especially while they are young, and indeed to young people in general, to have good instructers and counsellors about them. And they then act wisely for themselves, when they are willing to be counselled and ruled by such.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

12:1-16 It is a great mercy to young people, especially to all young men of rank, like Jehoash, to have those about them who will instruct them to do what is right in the sight of the Lord; and they do wisely and well for themselves, when willing to be counselled and ruled. The temple was out of repair; Jehoash orders the repair of the temple. The king was zealous. God requires those who have power, to use it for the support of religion, the redress of grievances, and repairing of decays. The king employed the priests to manage, as most likely to be hearty in the work. But nothing was done effectually till the twenty-third year of his reign. Another method was therefore taken. When public distributions are made faithfully, public contributions will be made cheerfully. While they were getting all they could for the repair of the temple, they did not break in upon the stated maintenance of the priests. Let not the servants of the temple be starved, under colour of repairing the breaches of it. Those that were intrusted did the business carefully and faithfully. They did not lay it out in ornaments for the temple, till the other work was completed; hence we may learn, in all our expenses, to prefer that which is most needful, and, in dealing for the public, to deal as we would for ourselves.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

All his days ... - i. e., so long as Jehoiada was his adviser" (compare 2 Chronicles 24:15-22). Jehoida was, practically speaking, regent during the minority of Jehoash, i. e., 10 or 12 years. An increase of power to the priestly order was the natural consequence. Jehoiada bore the title of "high priest" 2 Kings 12:10, which had been dropped since the time of Eleazar Joshua 20:6, and the Levitical order from this time became more mixed up with public affairs and possessed greater influence than previously. Jehoiada's successors traced their office to him rather than to Aaron Jeremiah 29:26.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

2. Jehoash did that which was right in the sight of the Lord—so far as related to his outward actions and the policy of his government. But it is evident from the sequel of his history that the rectitude of his administration was owing more to the salutary influence of his preserver and tutor, Jehoiada, than to the honest and sincere dictates of his own mind.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

To wit, for the matter of it, though not with an honest and sincere mind, but only by the influence of his good tutor and restorer, as the words here following plainly imply.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

And Jehoash did that which was right in the sight of the Lord all his days,.... Worshipping the only true God, and ruling and walking according to the law of God:

wherein Jehoiada the priest instructed him; and so long as he observed his instructions, and as long as that priest lived, he reigned well; for to that period "all his days must be limited"; for after his death he was seduced by the princes of Judah to idolatry, and lived scandalously, and died ignominiously; see 2 Chronicles 24:2.

Geneva Study Bible

And Jehoash did that which was right in the sight of the LORD all his days wherein {a} Jehoiada the priest instructed him.

(a) As long as rulers give ear to the true ministers of God, they prosper.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

2. all his days] In the original there is a division here in the verse, and the pronoun which both A.V. and R.V. render ‘wherein’ should, as the text stands, be translated ‘because’. This statement that Jehoash did what was right all his days is opposed to the narrative in Chronicles. The LXX. appears not to have had ‘his’ in connexion with ‘days’, for the rendering is ‘he did what was right all the days during which Jehoiada instructed him’. The necessity for being consistent with Chronicles has led to the rendering of the relative by ‘wherein’.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 2. - And Jehoash did that which was right in the sight of the Lord all his days wherein Jehoiada the priest instructed him. So the Septuagint, the Vulgate, Luther, De Wette, Keil, Bahr, and our Revisers. Only Ewald and Thenius attempt to make the passage contradict Chronicles by translating, "Jehoash did that which was right in the sight of the Lord all his days, because Jehoiada the priest had instructed him." But this translation is very forced and unnatural. The writer evidently intended to add a qualifying clause to his statement that Joash reigned well "all his days," but did not wish to draw too much attention to it. 2 Kings 12:2

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

(3). Joash did that which was right in the eyes of the Lord וגו אשׁר כּל־ימין, "all his days that," etc., i.e., during the whole period of his life that Jehoiada instructed him (for אשׁר after substantives indicating time, place, and mode, see Ewald, 331, c., 3; and for the use of the suffix attached to the noun defined by וגו אשׁר, compare 2 Kings 13:14); not "all his life long, because Jehoiada had instructed him," although the Athnach under ימין favours this view. For Jehoiada had not instructed him before he began to reign, but he instructed him after he had been raised to the throne at the age of seven years, that is to say, so long as Jehoiada himself lived. The יהוידע כּל־ימי of the Chronicles is therefore a correct explanation. But after Jehoiada's death, Joash yielded to the petitions of the princes of Judah that he would assent to their worshipping idols, and at length went so far as to stone the son of his benefactor, the prophet Zechariah, on account of his candid reproof of this apostasy (2 Chronicles 24:17-22).