And he gathered together the priests and the Levites, and said to 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, and see that ye hasten the matter. Howbeit the Levites hastened it not.
He brought together the priests and Levites and told them, 'Go out to all the cities of Judah and collect money from all Israel to repair God's temple every year. Make sure you do this quickly.' But the Levites did not hurry to do it.
The writer is showing how King Joash told the religious leaders to collect money to repair God's temple, but they were slow to act on his urgent request.
📚 Historical Context
This takes place during the reign of King Joash of Judah (around 835-796 BC), who became king as a child and was guided by the priest Jehoiada. The temple had been damaged and neglected during the evil reign of Queen Athaliah, and Joash was now working to restore it. The Levites were responsible for temple maintenance and religious duties, but they were apparently reluctant or slow to carry out this fundraising campaign.
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