The Meaning of 2 Kings 12:9 Explained

2 Kings 12:9

KJV: But Jehoiada the priest took a chest, and bored a hole in the lid of it, and set it beside the altar, on the right side as one cometh into the house of the LORD: and the priests that kept the door put therein all the money that was brought into the house of the LORD.

YLT: and Jehoiada the priest taketh a chest, and pierceth a hole in its lid, and putteth it near the altar, on the right side, as one cometh in to the house of Jehovah, and the priests keeping the threshold have put there all the money that is brought in to the house of Jehovah.

Darby: And Jehoiada the priest took a chest, and bored a hole in the lid, and set it beside the altar, on the right side as one comes into the house of Jehovah; and the priests that kept the door put into it all the money brought into the house of Jehovah.

ASV: But Jehoiada the priest took a chest, and bored a hole in the lid of it, and set it beside the altar, on the right side as one cometh into the house of Jehovah: and the priests that kept the threshold put therein all the money that was brought into the house of Jehovah.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

But Jehoiada  the priest  took  a  chest,  and bored  a hole  in the lid  of it, and set  it beside  the altar,  on the right side  as one  cometh  into the house  of the LORD:  and the priests  that kept  the door  put  therein all the money  [that was] brought  into the house  of the LORD. 

What does 2 Kings 12:9 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 12:9 mean?

And took Jehoiada the priest chest a and bored a hole in its lid and set it beside the altar - on the right side as comes one into the house of Yahweh and put there the priests who kept the door - all the money brought into the house of Yahweh
וַיִּקַּ֞ח יְהוֹיָדָ֤ע הַכֹּהֵן֙ אֲר֣וֹן אֶחָ֔ד וַיִּקֹּ֥ב חֹ֖ר בְּדַלְתּ֑וֹ וַיִּתֵּ֣ן אֹתוֹ֩ אֵ֨צֶל הַמִּזְבֵּ֜חַ [בימין] (מִיָּמִ֗ין) בְּבֽוֹא־ אִישׁ֙ בֵּ֣ית יְהוָ֔ה וְנָֽתְנוּ־ שָׁ֤מָּה הַכֹּֽהֲנִים֙ שֹׁמְרֵ֣י הַסַּ֔ף אֶת־ כָּל־ הַכֶּ֖סֶף הַמּוּבָ֥א בֵית־ יְהוָֽה

וַיִּקַּ֞ח  And  took 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יָקַח 
Sense: to take, get, fetch, lay hold of, seize, receive, acquire, buy, bring, marry, take a wife, snatch, take away.
יְהוֹיָדָ֤ע  Jehoiada 
Parse: 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.
אֲר֣וֹן  chest 
Parse: Noun, common singular
Root: אֲרֹון  
Sense: chest, ark.
וַיִּקֹּ֥ב  and  bored 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: נָקַב 
Sense: to pierce, perforate, bore, appoint.
חֹ֖ר  a  hole 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: חֹר  
Sense: hole, cave.
בְּדַלְתּ֑וֹ  in  its  lid 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: דַּל 
Sense: door, gate.
וַיִּתֵּ֣ן  and  set 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יָתַן 
Sense: to give, put, set.
אֵ֨צֶל  beside 
Parse: Preposition
Root: אֵצֶל  
Sense: beside, by, near, nearness, joining, proximity subst.
הַמִּזְבֵּ֜חַ  the  altar 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מִזְבֵּחַ  
Sense: altar.
[בימין]  - 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, feminine singular
(מִיָּמִ֗ין)  on  the  right  side 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, feminine singular
Root: יָמִין  
Sense: right, right hand, right side.
בְּבֽוֹא־  as  comes 
Parse: Preposition-b, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
אִישׁ֙  one 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
בֵּ֣ית  into  the  house 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: בַּיִת 
Sense: house.
יְהוָ֔ה  of  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
וְנָֽתְנוּ־  and  put 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person common plural
Root: יָתַן 
Sense: to give, put, set.
הַכֹּֽהֲנִים֙  the  priests 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: כֹּהֵן  
Sense: priest, principal officer or chief ruler.
שֹׁמְרֵ֣י  who  kept 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural construct
Root: שָׁמַר  
Sense: to keep, guard, observe, give heed.
הַסַּ֔ף  the  door 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: סַף 
Sense: a spreading out, basin, goblet, bowl.
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.
הַכֶּ֖סֶף  the  money 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: כֶּסֶף  
Sense: silver, money.
הַמּוּבָ֥א  brought 
Parse: Article, Verb, Hofal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
בֵית־  into  the  house 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: בַּיִת 
Sense: house.
יְהוָֽה  of  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.