John Gill's Bible Commentary Ver. 5. And he gathered together the priests and Levites , etc.] 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).
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-14 - Joash is more zealous about the repair of the temple than Jehoiad 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 lie undone, if active men would put it forward.
Original Hebrew ויקבץ6908 את853 הכהנים3548 והלוים3881 ויאמר559 להם צאו3318 לערי5892 יהודה3063 וקבצו6908 מכל3605 ישׂראל3478 כסף3701 לחזק2388 את853 בית1004 אלהיכם430 מדי1767 שׁנה8141 בשׁנה8141 ואתם859 תמהרו4116 לדבר1697 ולא3808 מהרו4116 הלוים׃3881
