Bible Strands
2 Chronicles 24:6
So the king called Jehoiada the high priest and said, “Why have you not required the Levites to bring from Judah and Jerusalem the tax imposed by Moses the servant of the LORD and by the assembly of Israel for the Tent of the Testimony?”
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — King Joash summons Jehoiada the high priest to address the stalled temple repairs. He questions Jehoiada directly about the failure to collect the required funds from Judah and Jerusalem.
The words — The verb דָרַשְׁתָּ (da.Rash.ta) literally means "have you required" or "have you sought out," indicating a failure to enforce an established obligation. The interrogative מַדּוּעַ (ma.Du.a') translates to "why?" and functions as a direct rebuke for the inaction.
The thread — The text references the tax imposed by Moses and the assembly for the Tent of the Testimony, echoing the census ransom in Exodus 30:12 and the Levitical stewardship described in Numbers 1:50. These passages establish the historical precedent for funding and maintaining the sacred dwelling.
Why it lands — The verse demands accountability from religious leaders who neglect their administrative duties. It requires readers to examine whether they enforce God's established provisions or allow delay to undermine sacred obligations.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
And the king called for Jehoiada the chief, and said unto him, Why hast thou not required of the Levites to bring in out of Judah and out of Jerusalem the collection, according to the commandment of Moses the servant of the Lord, and of the congregation of Israel, for the tabernacle of witness?
Cross-references
- Exodus 30:12 “When you take a census of the Israelites to number them, each man must pay the LORD a ransom for his life when he is counted. Then no plague will come upon them when they are numbered.
- Numbers 1:50 Instead, you are to appoint the Levites over the tabernacle of the Testimony, all its furnishings, and everything in it. They shall carry the tabernacle and all its articles, care for it, and camp around it.
- Numbers 17:7 Then Moses placed the staffs before the LORD in the Tent of the Testimony.
- Numbers 18:2 But bring with you also your brothers from the tribe of Levi, the tribe of your father, that they may join you and assist you and your sons before the Tent of the Testimony.
- 2 Samuel 24:3 But Joab replied to the king, “May the LORD your God multiply the troops a hundred times over, and may the eyes of my lord the king see it. But why does my lord the king want to do such a thing?”
- Acts 7:44 Our fathers had the tabernacle of the Testimony with them in the wilderness. It was constructed exactly as God had directed Moses, according to the pattern he had seen.