2 Chronicles 23
23
1In the seventh year Jehoiada decided to do something. He made an agreement with the commanders of the groups of 100 men. These were the commanders: Azariah son of Jeroham, Ishmael son of Jehohanan, Azariah son of Obed, Maaseiah son of Adaiah, and Elishaphat son of Zicri. 2They went around in Judah and gathered the Levites from all the towns. They also gathered the leaders of the families of Israel. Then they went to Jerusalem. 3All the people together made an agreement with the king in the Temple of God.
Jehoiada said to them, “The king’s son will rule. That is what the Lord promised about David’s descendants. 4Now this is what you must do: You priests and Levites go on duty on the Sabbath. A third of you will guard the doors. 5A third of you will be at the king’s palace. And a third of you will be at the Foundation Gate. All the other people will stay in the courtyards of the Temple of the Lord. 6Don’t let anyone come into the Temple of the Lord. Only the priests and Levites who serve may come in. They may come because they have been made ready to serve the Lord. But all the other men must do the job the Lord has given them. 7The Levites must stay near the king. Every man must have his sword with him. If anyone tries to enter the Temple, kill him. You must stay with the king everywhere he goes.”
8The Levites and all the people of Judah obeyed everything Jehoiada the priest had commanded. He did not excuse anyone from the groups of the priests. So each commander took the men who came on duty on the Sabbath with those who went off duty on the Sabbath. 9Jehoiada gave the commanders of the groups of 100 men the spears and the large and small shields. They had belonged to King David. They were kept in the Temple of God. 10Then Jehoiada told the men where to stand. Every man had his weapon in his hand. They stood around the king, near the altar and the Temple. They stood from the south side of the Temple to the north side.
11Jehoiada and his sons brought out the king’s son. And they put the crown on him. They gave him a copy of the law. Then they appointed him king and poured olive oil on him. Then they shouted, “Long live the king!”
12Athaliah heard the noise of the people running and praising the king. So she went to them at the Temple of the Lord. 13She looked and saw the king standing by his pillar at the entrance. The officers and the men who blew trumpets were near him. All the people of the land were happy and blowing trumpets. The singers were playing musical instruments and leading praises. Then Athaliah tore her clothes to show how upset she was. She shouted, “Traitors! Traitors!”
14Jehoiada the priest sent out the commanders of 100 men who led the army. He said to them, “Surround her with soldiers and take her out of the Temple area. Kill with a sword anyone who follows her.” He had said, “Don’t put Athaliah to death in the Temple of the Lord.” 15So they caught her when she came to the entrance of the Horse Gate near the palace. And they put her to death there.
16Then Jehoiada made an agreement with the people and the king. They agreed that they would be the Lord’s special people. 17All the people went to the temple of Baal and tore it down. They smashed the altars and idols there. And they killed Mattan the priest of Baal in front of the altars.
18Then Jehoiada chose the priests to be responsible for the Temple of the Lord. These priests were Levites. David had given them duties in the Temple of the Lord. They were to offer the burnt offerings to the Lord as the Teachings of Moses commanded. They offered the sacrifices with much joy and singing as David had commanded. 19Jehoiada put guards at the gates of the Temple of the Lord. Then anyone who was unclean in any way could not enter the Temple.
20Jehoiada took with him the commanders of 100 men, the important men, the rulers of the people and all the people of the land. They brought the king down from the Temple of the Lord. They went through the Upper Gate into the palace. Then they seated the king on the throne. 21All the people of Judah were very happy. And Jerusalem had peace because Athaliah had been put to death with the sword.
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2 Chronicles 23: ICB
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Copyright © 2015 by Tommy Nelson™, a Division of Thomas Nelson, Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
2 Chronicles 23
23
Joash Made King
1 # For ver. 1-21, see 2 Kgs. 11:4-20 But in the seventh year Jehoiada took courage and entered into a covenant with the commanders of hundreds, Azariah the son of Jeroham, Ishmael the son of Jehohanan, Azariah the son of Obed, Maaseiah the son of Adaiah, and Elishaphat the son of Zichri. 2And they went about through #See ch. 21:2Judah and gathered the Levites from all the cities of Judah, and the heads of fathers’ houses of Israel, and they came to Jerusalem. 3And all the assembly made a covenant with the king in the house of God. And Jehoiada#23:3 Hebrew he said to them, “Behold, the king’s son! Let him reign, #See ch. 6:16as the Lord spoke concerning the sons of David. 4This is the thing that you shall do: #[1 Chr. 9:25; 24:4]of you priests and Levites who come off duty on the Sabbath, one third shall be gatekeepers, 5and one third shall be at the king’s house and one third at the Gate of the Foundation. And all the people shall be in the courts of the house of the Lord. 6Let no one enter the house of the Lord except the priests #See 1 Chr. 23:27-29and ministering Levites. They may enter, for they are holy, but all the people shall keep the charge of the Lord. 7The Levites shall surround the king, each with his weapons in his hand. And whoever enters the house shall be put to death. Be with the king when he comes in and when he goes out.”
8The Levites and all Judah did according to all that Jehoiada the priest commanded, and they each brought his men, who were to go off duty on the Sabbath, with those who were to come on duty on the Sabbath, for Jehoiada the priest did not dismiss #See 1 Chr. 24the divisions. 9And Jehoiada the priest gave to the captains the spears and the large and small shields that had been King David’s, which were in the house of God. 10And he set all the people as a guard for the king, every man with his weapon in his hand, from the south side of the house to the north side of the house, around the altar and the house. 11Then they brought out the king’s son and put the crown on him and gave him #Deut. 17:18, 19 the testimony. And they proclaimed him king, and Jehoiada and his sons anointed him, and they said, #See 1 Sam. 10:24“Long live the king.”
Athaliah Executed
12When Athaliah heard the noise of the people running and praising the king, she went into the house of the Lord to the people. 13And when she looked, there was the king standing by his pillar at the entrance, and the captains and the trumpeters beside the king, and all the people of the land rejoicing and blowing trumpets, and the singers with their musical instruments leading in the celebration. And Athaliah tore her clothes and cried, “Treason! Treason!” 14Then Jehoiada the priest brought out the captains who were set over the army, saying to them, “Bring her out between the ranks, and anyone who follows her is to be put to death with the sword.” For the priest said, “Do not put her to death in the house of the Lord.” 15So they laid hands on her,#23:15 Or they made a passage for her and she went into the entrance of #Neh. 3:28; Jer. 31:40; [2 Kgs. 11:16]the horse gate of the king’s house, and they put her to death there.
Jehoiada’s Reforms
16And Jehoiada made a covenant between himself and all the people and the king that they should be the Lord’s people. 17Then all the people went to the house of Baal and tore it down; his altars and his images they broke in pieces, #Deut. 13:9and they killed Mattan the priest of Baal before the altars. 18And Jehoiada posted watchmen for the house of the Lord under the direction of #ch. 5:5; 30:27 the Levitical priests and the Levites #1 Chr. 23:6, 30, 31; 24:1 whom David had organized to be in charge of the house of the Lord, to offer burnt offerings to the Lord, #Num. 28:2 as it is written in the Law of Moses, with rejoicing and with singing, #[1 Chr. 25:2]according to the order of David. 19He stationed #See 1 Chr. 26:1-19the gatekeepers at the gates of the house of the Lord so that no one should enter who was in any way unclean. 20And he took the captains, the nobles, the governors of the people, and all the people of the land, and they brought the king down from the house of the Lord, marching #[2 Kgs. 11:19; 15:35]through the upper gate to the king’s house. And they set the king on the royal throne. 21So all the people of the land rejoiced, and the city was quiet after Athaliah had been put to death with the sword.
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