(8) And at the king's commandment they made.--Literally, And the king said (commanded), and they made. (Comp. 2Kings 12:9 : "And Jehoiada the priest took a chest, and bored a hole in its lid;" details characteristic of a more original account.)

And set it without--i.e., outside of the Temple proper. The chest stood in the court, just inside the gate.

Verse 8. - A chest; Hebrew, אֲרון אֶחָד, "one chest." This is more accurately described in ver. 9 of the parallel. Without at the gate of the house of the Lord; i.e. in the court opposite the porch, and, as we learn from the parallel, by the side of the altar of burnt offering. Now, not the priests generally, but simply those who kept the door (probably the north door, Ezekiel 11:35), receiving the contributions of the people at their hands, into their own hands deposited them in the one chest.

24:1-14 Joash is more zealous about the repair of the temple than Jehoiada himself. It is easier to build temples, than to be temples to God. But the repairing of places for public worship is a good work, which all should promote. And many a good work would be done that now lies undone, if active men would put it forward.And at the king's commandment they made a chest,.... See Gill on 2 Kings 12:9.