2 Kings 12:5

12:5 The priests should receive the silver they need from the treasurers and repair any damage to the temple they discover.” ¹ 

2 Kings 12:8

12:8 The priests agreed ²  not to collect silver from the people and relieved themselves of personal responsibility for the temple repairs. ³ 

2 Kings 25:14

25:14 They also took the pots, shovels, ⁴  trimming shears, ⁵  pans, and all the bronze utensils used by the priests. ⁶ 

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¹ tn Heb “Let the priests take for themselves, each from his treasurer, and let them repair the damage of the temple, with respect to all the damage that is found there.” The word מַכָּר (makar), translated here “treasurer,” occurs only in this passage. Some suggest it means “merchant” or “benefactor.” Its usage in Ugaritic texts, where it appears in a list of temple officials, suggests that it refers in this context to individuals who were in charge of disbursing temple funds.

² tn Outside of this passage the verb אוּת (’ut) appears only in Gen 34:15-22.

³ tn Heb “and not to repair the damages to the temple.” This does not mean that the priests were no longer interested in repairing the temple. As the following context makes clear, the priests decided to hire skilled workers to repair the damage to the temple, rather than trying to make the repairs themselves.

⁴ sn These shovels were used to clean the altar.

⁵ sn These were used to trim the wicks.

⁶ tn Heb “with which they served [or, ‘fulfilled their duty’].”