Discovery Box2 Kings 22:4-7 
Context22:4 “Go up to Hilkiah the high priest and have him melt down 1 the silver that has been brought by the people to the Lord’s temple and has been collected by the guards at the door. 22:5 Have them hand it over to the construction foremen 2 assigned to the Lord’s temple. They in turn should pay the temple workers to repair it, 3 22:6 including craftsmen, builders, and masons, and should buy wood and chiseled stone for the repair work. 4 22:7 Do not audit the foremen who disburse the silver, for they are honest.” 5
1 tc The MT has וְיַתֵּם (vÿyattem), “and let them add up” (Hiphil of תָּמָם [tammam], “be complete”), but the appearance of הִתִּיכוּ (hitikhu), “they melted down” (Hiphil of נָתַךְ [natakh], “pour out”) in v. 9 suggests that the verb form should be emended to וְיַתֵּךְ (vÿyattekh), “and let him melt down” (a Hiphil of נָתַךְ [natakh]). For a discussion of this and other options see M. Cogan and H. Tadmor, II Kings (AB), 281.
2 tn Heb “doers of the work.”
3 tn Heb “and let them give it to the doers of the work who are in the house of the
4 tn Heb “and to buy wood and chiseled stone to repair the house.”
5 tn Heb “only the silver that is given into their hand should not be reckoned with them, for in faithfulness they are acting.”
