וַיִּקַּ֞ח יְהוֹיָדָ֤ע הַכֹּהֵן֙ אֲר֣וֹן אֶחָ֔ד וַיִּקֹּ֥ב חֹ֖ר בְּדַלְתּ֑וֹ וַיִּתֵּ֣ן אֹתוֹ֩ אֵ֨צֶל הַמִּזְבֵּ֜חַ בימין [מִיָּמִ֗ין] בְּבֽוֹא־אִישׁ֙ בֵּ֣ית יְהוָ֔ה וְנָֽתְנוּ־שָׁ֤מָּה הַכֹּֽהֲנִים֙ שֹׁמְרֵ֣י הַסַּ֔ף אֶת־כָּל־הַכֶּ֖סֶף הַמּוּבָ֥א בֵית־יְהוָֽה׃
Da nahm der Priester Jojada einen Kasten, bohrte ein Loch in dessen Deckel und setzte ihn neben den Altar zur Rechten. Wenn jemand in das Haus des Herrn kam, so legten die Priester, die an der Schwelle Wache hielten, alles Geld hinein, das in das Haus des Herrn gebracht wurde.
Bartenura
שופרות – chests whose openings from the top were narrow like a Shofar whose top is narrow from the top and continues to widen in order that people would not be able to take from them anything, as it is written regarding Jehoiada (II Chronicles 24:8): “[The king (Jehoash) ordered that] a chest be made and placed [outside of the gate of the House of the LORD],” (II Kings 12:10): “[And the priest Jehoiada took a chest] and bored a hole in its lid….” They were standing in the Temple courtyard, and everyone was bringing his Shekel and giving it.
Kli Yakar
Rather, it is certain that “curse” [arah] is stronger than “execrate ” [kabah], and the term strike [nakah] is stronger than the term fight [lehilachem], and the phrase I will drive him out of the land [va-agareshenu min ha-aretz] is stronger than I will drive him away [ve-gerashtiyu]. For the term kabah is not a term of cursing, as it says Specify [nekov] your wages to me (Genesis 30:28), but rather it means to pierce and explain, or to make a small hole in them, from the phrase and he bored a hole [vayikov] in its door (Second Kings 12:10). But curse [arah] is worse because it contains curse and excommunication (Shevuot 36a). Similarly, to fight is not so absolutely bad because one might fight merely to save oneself, but to strike means to actually smite. Likewise, I will drive him away implies driving him away only from oneself, but I will drive him out of the land implies from the entire world.
With this, everything is resolved, because Balak did not know that their God loves them so much, so he opened his mouth beyond measure and asked, Curse for me this people. Perhaps I can strike it and drive it out of the land, meaning to completely destroy them all and drive them from the world. But Balaam knew that their God loves them, and it is obvious that Heaven would stop him and he would not succeed in either goal. Therefore, he said before the Holy One, Blessed be He, that Balak was only asking to push them away from him, because if they came to fight him, they would violate the command do not harass Moab, and it would be justified for some curse to take effect — to bore a hole in their door to diminish them a little. That is why he said that Balak sent to him, Execrate them for me; perhaps I can fight them and drive them away.
With this, everything is resolved, because Balak did not know that their God loves them so much, so he opened his mouth beyond measure and asked, Curse for me this people. Perhaps I can strike it and drive it out of the land, meaning to completely destroy them all and drive them from the world. But Balaam knew that their God loves them, and it is obvious that Heaven would stop him and he would not succeed in either goal. Therefore, he said before the Holy One, Blessed be He, that Balak was only asking to push them away from him, because if they came to fight him, they would violate the command do not harass Moab, and it would be justified for some curse to take effect — to bore a hole in their door to diminish them a little. That is why he said that Balak sent to him, Execrate them for me; perhaps I can fight them and drive them away.
Rashi
and they made one chest and in II Kings (12:10), it is written: “and he bored a hole in its door,” and through that hole they would cast the hallowed things, but they did not open the door lest a thief come and steal from it.