The Meaning of 2 Kings 12:7 Explained

2 Kings 12:7

KJV: Then king Jehoash called for Jehoiada the priest, and the other priests, and said unto them, Why repair ye not the breaches of the house? now therefore receive no more money of your acquaintance, but deliver it for the breaches of the house.

YLT: and king Jehoash calleth to Jehoiada the priest, and to the priests, and saith unto them, 'Wherefore are ye not strengthening the breach of the house? and now, receive no money from your acquaintances, but for the breach of the house give it.'

Darby: Then king Jehoash called for Jehoiada the priest, and the priests, and said to them, Why have ye not repaired the breaches of the house? And now receive no money of your acquaintances, but give it for the breaches of the house.

ASV: 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 more money from your acquaintance, but deliver it for the breaches of the house.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Then king  Jehoash  called  for Jehoiada  the priest,  and the [other] priests,  and said  unto them, Why repair  ye not the breaches  of the house?  now therefore receive  no [more] money  of your acquaintance,  but deliver  it for the breaches  of the house. 

What does 2 Kings 12:7 Mean?

Context Summary

2 Kings 12:1-16 - Money For The Lord's House
So long as the good priest lived, the young king did well. How much we owe to the presence of wise, strong men to advise and assist us! But neither king nor priest dared to go to the furthest limit of reform, 2 Kings 12:3. This failure bore disastrous fruit in after-years. It is a mistake to cut off weeds on the surface; they will sprout again and give trouble. If thy right hand cause thee to offend, cut it off.
The Temple had suffered terribly under Athaliah, 2 Chronicles 24:7. The king might well take an interest in its reconstruction, because of the shelter it had afforded him from his enemies. The first attempt to raise a renovation fund was a failure. It was in the wrong hands. The priests appear to have appropriated for their own use offerings intended for Temple repair. A change was therefore required, and their receipts were limited to the sin-offerings. As soon as a clear chance was given to the people, their free-will gifts totaled a large amount, which justified the resumption of the work. Certainly the promptness and integrity of the men who did the work put to shame the lethargy and peculation of the priests. Trust the people! This is not the last time that the heart of the masses was more to be trusted than the priestly caste. [source]

Chapter Summary: 2 Kings 12

1  Jehoash reigns well all the days of Jehoiada
4  He gives order for the repair of the temple
17  Hazael is diverted from Jerusalem by a present of the hallowed treasures
19  Jehoash being slain, Amaziah succeeds him

What do the individual words in 2 Kings 12:7 mean?

So called King Jehoash Jehoiada the priest and the [other] priests and said to them why have you not repaired - the damages of the temple now therefore not do take [more] money from your constituency but for [repairing] the damages of the temple deliver it
וַיִּקְרָא֩ הַמֶּ֨לֶךְ יְהוֹאָ֜שׁ לִיהוֹיָדָ֤ע הַכֹּהֵן֙ וְלַכֹּ֣הֲנִ֔ים וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֲלֵהֶ֔ם מַדּ֛וּעַ אֵינְכֶ֥ם מְחַזְּקִ֖ים אֶת־ בֶּ֣דֶק ؟ הַבָּ֑יִת וְעַתָּ֗ה אַל־ תִּקְחוּ־ כֶ֙סֶף֙ מֵאֵ֣ת מַכָּֽרֵיכֶ֔ם כִּֽי־ לְבֶ֥דֶק הַבַּ֖יִת תִּתְּנֻֽהוּ

וַיִּקְרָא֩  So  called 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: קָרָא  
Sense: to call, call out, recite, read, cry out, proclaim.
הַמֶּ֨לֶךְ  King 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.
יְהוֹאָ֜שׁ  Jehoash 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יְהֹואָשׁ  
Sense: son of king Ahaziah and the 8th king of Judah.
לִיהוֹיָדָ֤ע  Jehoiada 
Parse: Preposition-l, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יְהֹויָדָע  
Sense: father of Benaiah, David’s mighty warrior.
הַכֹּהֵן֙  the  priest 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: כֹּהֵן  
Sense: priest, principal officer or chief ruler.
וְלַכֹּ֣הֲנִ֔ים  and  the  [other]  priests 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l, Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: כֹּהֵן  
Sense: priest, principal officer or chief ruler.
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר  and  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
אֲלֵהֶ֔ם  to  them 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine plural
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
מַדּ֛וּעַ  why 
Parse: Interrogative
Root: מַדּוּעַ  
Sense: why?, on what account?, wherefore?.
אֵינְכֶ֥ם  have  you  not 
Parse: Adverb, second person masculine plural
Root: אַיִן 
Sense: nothing, not, nought n.
מְחַזְּקִ֖ים  repaired 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Participle, masculine plural
Root: חָזַק  
Sense: to strengthen, prevail, harden, be strong, become strong, be courageous, be firm, grow firm, be resolute, be sore.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
בֶּ֣דֶק  the  damages 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: בֶּדֶק  
Sense: fissure, rent, breach, leak (in a building).
؟ הַבָּ֑יִת  of  the  temple 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: בַּיִת 
Sense: house.
וְעַתָּ֗ה  now  therefore 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb
Root: עַתָּה  
Sense: now.
תִּקְחוּ־  do  take 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine plural
Root: יָקַח 
Sense: to take, get, fetch, lay hold of, seize, receive, acquire, buy, bring, marry, take a wife, snatch, take away.
כֶ֙סֶף֙  [more]  money 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: כֶּסֶף  
Sense: silver, money.
מַכָּֽרֵיכֶ֔ם  your  constituency 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, second person masculine plural
Root: מַכָּר  
Sense: acquaintance, friend.
לְבֶ֥דֶק  for  [repairing]  the  damages 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: בֶּדֶק  
Sense: fissure, rent, breach, leak (in a building).
הַבַּ֖יִת  of  the  temple 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: בַּיִת 
Sense: house.
תִּתְּנֻֽהוּ  deliver  it 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine plural, third person masculine singular
Root: יָתַן 
Sense: to give, put, set.