2 Chronicles 23
23
1But in the seventh year, Jehoiada had the courage to act. He made a pledge with the commanders of hundreds: Azariah, son of Jeroham, Ishmael, son of Jehohanan, Azariah, son of Obed, Maaseiah, son of Adaiah, and Elishaphat, son of Zichri. 2They traveled all over Judah and brought together the Levites from all the cities of Judah and the family leaders of Israel. When they came to Jerusalem, 3they all assembled at God's Temple and made a solemn agreement with the king.
Jehoiada announced to them, “Look, here is the king's son and he must reign, just as the Lord promised the descendants of David would. 4Here's what you have to do. One third of you priests and Levites who enter on the Sabbath shall guard the entrances. 5Another third shall go over to the king's palace, while the last third shall be at the Foundation Gate. Everyone else stay in the courtyards of the Lord's Temple. 6No one should enter the Lord's Temple except the priests and those Levites who are serving. They can enter because they have been made holy, but everyone else must follow the Lord's commands. 7The Levites shall surround the king, weapons in hand. Kill anyone who enters the Temple. Stay close to the king wherever he goes.”
8The Levites and all the people of Judah did everything that Jehoiada the priest told them. The commanders each brought his men, both those coming on duty on the Sabbath and those going off duty, for Jehoiada the priest had not dismissed any of the divisions. 9Jehoiada the priest provided the commanders with the spears and the large and small shields of King David that were in God's Temple. 10He placed them all, with their weapons in hand, to surround the king from the south side of the Temple to the north side, and near the altar and the Temple.
11Jehoiada and his sons then brought out the king's son, placed the crown on him, presented him with a copy of God's law,#23:11. “God's law”: literally, “testimony.” and proclaimed him king. They anointed him, and shouted out, “Long live the king!”
12When Athaliah heard the noise of people running and shouting praise to the king, she rushed to the crowds at the Lord's Temple. 13She saw the king standing by his pillar at the entrance. The commanders and trumpeters were with the king, and everyone was celebrating and blowing trumpets as the singers with musical instruments led the praise. Athaliah ripped her clothes and screamed out, “Treason! Treason!”
14Jehoiada ordered the army commanders, “Bring her to the men standing in front of the Temple, and kill anyone who follows her.” Earlier the priest had made it clear, “She must not be killed in the Lord's Temple.” 15They grabbed hold of her and took her to the entrance of the Horse Gate of the king's palace, and killed her there.
16Then Jehoiada made a solemn agreement between himself and all the people and the king that they would be the Lord's people. 17Everyone went to the Temple of Baal and tore down its altars and smashed the idols. They killed Mattan, the priest of Baal, right in front of the altar.
18Jehoiada placed the responsibility for the Lord's Temple in the hands of the Levitical priests. They were the ones whom David had appointed over the Lord's Temple to offer burnt offerings to the Lord, as is required by the Law of Moses, with celebration and singing, as David instructed. 19He placed gatekeepers at the entrances to the Lord's Temple, so that no one unclean for any reason could enter.
20Along with the commanders, the nobles, the governors of the people, and all the people, he led the king in a procession down from the Lord's Temple through the upper gate to the royal palace. There they set the king on the royal throne.
21All throughout the land people celebrated, and Jerusalem was at peace, because Athaliah had been killed by the sword.
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Dr. Jonathan Gallagher. Released under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 Unported License. Version 4.3. For corrections send email to jonathangallagherfbv@gmail.com
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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