דברי הימים ב, פרק כ״ד, פסוק ה׳

A massive project to repair the Temple required the active mobilization of the nation's spiritual leadership. The King commanded the priests and Levites to travel throughout the cities of the kingdom to collect the necessary funds. This extensive restoration was desperately needed following the destruction caused by the sons of Athaliah, who had previously broken into the sanctuary and stolen its holy vessels to use in the worship of Baal [רלב״ג].

The royal directive established a regular, annual collection cycle [מצודת ציון]. The goal was to gather enough money to cover the specific repair expenses required for each given year [מצודת דוד]. This fundraising effort encompassed several different types of contributions. Its primary source was the mandatory half-shekel tax required by the Torah for every individual [רלב״ג]. In addition to this tax, the leaders collected money from personal vows—funds given by people who pledged their assessed monetary value to God—as well as voluntary donations specifically designated for the building's renovation [רש״י].

Even though the King explicitly urged the leaders to act swiftly and gather the money without delay [מצודת דוד], the Levites failed to hurry. Commentators offer different perspectives on why they stalled. One approach suggests a simple lack of enthusiasm, as the Levites may have felt that traveling to collect money fell outside the scope of their official spiritual duties [ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Another explanation reveals that the original plan required the priests and Levites to solicit funds directly from their own personal acquaintances. Hesitant to bother their friends, they acted sluggishly. Ultimately, this reluctance forced the King to completely change the method of collection [רש״י].