Jehoash' dam

After Jehu did for his cousin-in-law, survivors regrouped in the south. Chief was Ghatalyaw (KJV "Athaliah", LXX Γοθολία). She then fell in a coup too; which raised up the infant child Joash ben Zibiah - or Jehoash to give him his Southern name. The real ruler of David's City was Jehoiada the priest - and the main southern power was Gath, if anywhere.

Mostly 2 Kings 12 is about Jehoiada. During the 23rd year of Jehoash' reign, like 813 BC or something, the king ordered Jehoiada to fund the Temple from the Temple's own funds. Also around here is Hazael's expedition against Gath which then turned upon Jerusalem.

For 2 Kings 12 I propose a counter-reading.

In ?813 BC Jehoash was about thirty so able to run his own affairs. Already suspected is that the Damascenes hit Gath rather earlier, like in the 830 BC. That's likely when the victorious Hazael shook down Jerusalem. As of 813 BC, the Temple couldn't outspend the Palace. Hazael had left Jehoash in a stronger fiscal position (relatively); he was now able to force the Temple to levy its own funding. OY GEVALT

As long as we are revisiting archie findings of the past year, here comes some evidence that, yes, Jerusalem did run its own, saecular projects. Namely, a dam - dateable to near-exact 800 BC. This is a half-century before Uzziah/Jotham 750 BC.

Jehoash ended up getting murdered himself. Whatever the conspirators wanted, Uzziah/Amaziah was already an adult - if a very young adult - so succeeded as king. He punished the conspiracy. That's out of scope tho'.