The Meaning of 2 Kings 12:15 Explained

2 Kings 12:15

KJV: Moreover they reckoned not with the men, into whose hand they delivered the money to be bestowed on workmen: for they dealt faithfully.

YLT: and they do not reckon with the men into whose hand they give the money to give to those doing the work, for in faithfulness they are dealing.

Darby: And they did not reckon with the men into whose hand they gave the money to be bestowed on workmen; for they dealt faithfully.

ASV: Moreover they reckoned not with the men, into whose hand they delivered the money to give to them that did the work; for they dealt faithfully.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Moreover they reckoned  not with the men,  into whose hand  they delivered  the money  to be bestowed  on workmen:  for they dealt  faithfully. 

What does 2 Kings 12:15 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 12:15 mean?

Moreover not they did require an account with from the men whose they delivered - the money into whose hand to be paid to workmen for faithfully they dealt
וְלֹ֧א יְחַשְּׁב֣וּ אֶת־ הָאֲנָשִׁ֗ים אֲשֶׁ֨ר יִתְּנ֤וּ אֶת־ הַכֶּ֙סֶף֙ עַל־ יָדָ֔ם לָתֵ֖ת לְעֹשֵׂ֣י הַמְּלָאכָ֑ה כִּ֥י בֶאֱמֻנָ֖ה הֵ֥ם עֹשִֽׂים

וְלֹ֧א  Moreover  not 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
יְחַשְּׁב֣וּ  they  did  require  an  account 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: חָשַׁב 
Sense: to think, plan, esteem, calculate, invent, make a judgment, imagine, count.
הָאֲנָשִׁ֗ים  from  the  men 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: אֱנׄושׁ 
Sense: man, mortal man, person, mankind.
אֲשֶׁ֨ר  whose 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
יִתְּנ֤וּ  they  delivered 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: יָתַן 
Sense: to give, put, set.
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.
הַכֶּ֙סֶף֙  the  money 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: כֶּסֶף  
Sense: silver, money.
עַל־  into 
Parse: Preposition
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
יָדָ֔ם  whose  hand 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine plural
Root: יָד  
Sense: hand.
לָתֵ֖ת  to  be  paid 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: יָתַן 
Sense: to give, put, set.
הַמְּלָאכָ֑ה  workmen 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: מְלָאכָה  
Sense: occupation, work, business.
בֶאֱמֻנָ֖ה  faithfully 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֱמוּנָה  
Sense: firmness, fidelity, steadfastness, steadiness.
עֹשִֽׂים  dealt 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.