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[161]
Now Jehoash, king of Jerusalem, had an inclination to repair the
temple of God; so he called Jehoiada, and bid him send the Levites and
priests through all the country, to require half a shekel of silver for
every head, towards the rebuilding and repairing of the temple, which was
brought to decay by Jehoram, and Athaliah and her sons. But the high priest
did not do this, as concluding that no one would willingly pay that money;
but in the twenty-third year of Jehoash's reign, when the king sent for
him and the Levites, and complained that they had not obeyed what he enjoined
them, and still commanded them to take care of the rebuilding the temple,
he used this stratagem for collecting the money, with which the multitude
was pleased. He made a wooden chest, and closed it up fast on all sides,
but opened one hole in it; he then set it in the temple beside the altar,
and desired every one to cast into it, through the hole, what he pleased,
for the repair of the temple. This contrivance was acceptable to the people,
and they strove one with another, and brought in jointly large quantities
of silver and gold; and when the scribe and the priest that were over the
treasuries had emptied the chest, and counted the money in the king's presence,
they then set it in its former place, and thus did they every day. But
when the multitude appeared to have cast in as much as was wanted, the
high priest Jehoiada, and king Joash, sent to hire masons and carpenters,
and to buy large pieces of timber, and of the most curious sort; and when
they had repaired the temple, they made use of the remaining gold and silver,
which was not a little, for bowls, and basons, and cups, and other vessels,
and they went on to make the altar every day fat with sacrifices of great
value. And these things were taken suitable care of as long as Jehoiada
lived.
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