Worthy.Bible » Parallel » 2 Chronicles » Chapter 23 » Verse 1-21

2 Chronicles 23:1-21 King James Version (KJV)

1 And in the seventh year Jehoiada strengthened himself, and took the captains of hundreds, Azariah the son of Jeroham, and Ishmael the son of Jehohanan, and Azariah the son of Obed, and Maaseiah the son of Adaiah, and Elishaphat the son of Zichri, into covenant with him.

2 And they went about in Judah, and gathered the Levites out of all the cities of Judah, and the chief of the fathers of Israel, and they came to Jerusalem.

3 And all the congregation made a covenant with the king in the house of God. And he said unto them, Behold, the king's son shall reign, as the LORD hath said of the sons of David.

4 This is the thing that ye shall do; A third part of you entering on the sabbath, of the priests and of the Levites, shall be porters of the doors;

5 And a third part shall be at the king's house; and a third part at the gate of the foundation: and all the people shall be in the courts of the house of the LORD.

6 But let none come into the house of the LORD, save the priests, and they that minister of the Levites; they shall go in, for they are holy: but all the people shall keep the watch of the LORD.

7 And the Levites shall compass the king round about, every man with his weapons in his hand; and whosoever else cometh into the house, he shall be put to death: but be ye with the king when he cometh in, and when he goeth out.

8 So the Levites and all Judah did according to all things that Jehoiada the priest had commanded, and took every man his men that were to come in on the sabbath, with them that were to go out on the sabbath: for Jehoiada the priest dismissed not the courses.

9 Moreover Jehoiada the priest delivered to the captains of hundreds spears, and bucklers, and shields, that had been king David's, which were in the house of God.

10 And he set all the people, every man having his weapon in his hand, from the right side of the temple to the left side of the temple, along by the altar and the temple, by the king round about.

11 Then they brought out the king's son, and put upon him the crown, and gave him the testimony, and made him king. And Jehoiada and his sons anointed him, and said, God save the king.

12 Now when Athaliah heard the noise of the people running and praising the king, she came to the people into the house of the LORD:

13 And she looked, and, behold, the king stood at his pillar at the entering in, and the princes and the trumpets by the king: and all the people of the land rejoiced, and sounded with trumpets, also the singers with instruments of music, and such as taught to sing praise. Then Athaliah rent her clothes, and said, Treason, Treason.

14 Then Jehoiada the priest brought out the captains of hundreds that were set over the host, and said unto them, Have her forth of the ranges: and whoso followeth her, let him be slain with the sword. For the priest said, Slay her not in the house of the LORD.

15 So they laid hands on her; and when she was come to the entering of the horse gate by the king's house, they slew her there.

16 And Jehoiada made a covenant between him, and between all the people, and between the king, that they should be the LORD's people.

17 Then all the people went to the house of Baal, and brake it down, and brake his altars and his images in pieces, and slew Mattan the priest of Baal before the altars.

18 Also Jehoiada appointed the offices of the house of the LORD by the hand of the priests the Levites, whom David had distributed in the house of the LORD, to offer the burnt offerings of the LORD, as it is written in the law of Moses, with rejoicing and with singing, as it was ordained by David.

19 And he set the porters at the gates of the house of the LORD, that none which was unclean in any thing should enter in.

20 And he took the captains of hundreds, and the nobles, and the governors of the people, and all the people of the land, and brought down the king from the house of the LORD: and they came through the high gate into the king's house, and set the king upon the throne of the kingdom.

21 And all the people of the land rejoiced: and the city was quiet, after that they had slain Athaliah with the sword.


2 Chronicles 23:1-21 King James Version with Strong's Concordance (STRONG)

1 And in the seventh H7637 year H8141 Jehoiada H3077 strengthened H2388 himself, and took H3947 the captains H8269 of hundreds, H3967 Azariah H5838 the son H1121 of Jeroham, H3395 and Ishmael H3458 the son H1121 of Jehohanan, H3076 and Azariah H5838 the son H1121 of Obed, H5744 and Maaseiah H4641 the son H1121 of Adaiah, H5718 and Elishaphat H478 the son H1121 of Zichri, H2147 into covenant H1285 with him.

2 And they went about H5437 in Judah, H3063 and gathered H6908 the Levites H3881 out of all the cities H5892 of Judah, H3063 and the chief H7218 of the fathers H1 of Israel, H3478 and they came H935 to Jerusalem. H3389

3 And all the congregation H6951 made H3772 a covenant H1285 with the king H4428 in the house H1004 of God. H430 And he said H559 unto them, Behold, the king's H4428 son H1121 shall reign, H4427 as the LORD H3068 hath said H1696 of the sons H1121 of David. H1732

4 This is the thing H1697 that ye shall do; H6213 A third part H7992 of you entering H935 on the sabbath, H7676 of the priests H3548 and of the Levites, H3881 shall be porters H7778 of the doors; H5592

5 And a third part H7992 shall be at the king's H4428 house; H1004 and a third part H7992 at the gate H8179 of the foundation: H3247 and all the people H5971 shall be in the courts H2691 of the house H1004 of the LORD. H3068

6 But let none come H935 into the house H1004 of the LORD, H3068 save the priests, H3548 and they that minister H8334 of the Levites; H3881 they shall go in, H935 for they are holy: H6944 but all the people H5971 shall keep H8104 the watch H4931 of the LORD. H3068

7 And the Levites H3881 shall compass H5362 the king H4428 round about, H5439 every man H376 with his weapons H3627 in his hand; H3027 and whosoever else cometh H935 into the house, H1004 he shall be put to death: H4191 but be ye with the king H4428 when he cometh in, H935 and when he goeth out. H3318

8 So the Levites H3881 and all Judah H3063 did H6213 according to all things that Jehoiada H3077 the priest H3548 had commanded, H6680 and took H3947 every man H376 his men H582 that were to come in H935 on the sabbath, H7676 with them that were to go H3318 out on the sabbath: H7676 for Jehoiada H3077 the priest H3548 dismissed H6358 not the courses. H4256

9 Moreover Jehoiada H3077 the priest H3548 delivered H5414 to the captains H8269 of hundreds H3967 spears, H2595 and bucklers, H4043 and shields, H7982 that had been king H4428 David's, H1732 which were in the house H1004 of God. H430

10 And he set H5975 all the people, H5971 every man H376 having his weapon H7973 in his hand, H3027 from the right H3233 side H3802 of the temple H1004 to the left H8042 side H3802 of the temple, H1004 along by the altar H4196 and the temple, H1004 by the king H4428 round about. H5439

11 Then they brought out H3318 the king's H4428 son, H1121 and put H5414 upon him the crown, H5145 and gave him the testimony, H5715 and made him king. H4427 And Jehoiada H3077 and his sons H1121 anointed H4886 him, and said, H559 God save H2421 the king. H4428

12 Now when Athaliah H6271 heard H8085 the noise H6963 of the people H5971 running H7323 and praising H1984 the king, H4428 she came H935 to the people H5971 into the house H1004 of the LORD: H3068

13 And she looked, H7200 and, behold, the king H4428 stood H5975 at his pillar H5982 at the entering in, H3996 and the princes H8269 and the trumpets H2689 by the king: H4428 and all the people H5971 of the land H776 rejoiced, H8056 and sounded H8628 with trumpets, H2689 also the singers H7891 with instruments H3627 of musick, H7892 and such as taught H3045 to sing praise. H1984 Then Athaliah H6271 rent H7167 her clothes, H899 and said, H559 Treason, H7195 Treason. H7195

14 Then Jehoiada H3077 the priest H3548 brought out H3318 the captains H8269 of hundreds H3967 that were set over H6485 the host, H2428 and said H559 unto them, Have her forth H3318 of the ranges: H1004 H7713 and whoso followeth H935 H310 her, let him be slain H4191 with the sword. H2719 For the priest H3548 said, H559 Slay H4191 her not in the house H1004 of the LORD. H3068

15 So they laid H7760 hands H3027 on her; and when she was come H935 to the entering H3996 of the horse H5483 gate H8179 by the king's H4428 house, H1004 they slew H4191 her there.

16 And Jehoiada H3077 made H3772 a covenant H1285 between him, and between all the people, H5971 and between the king, H4428 that they should be the LORD'S H3068 people. H5971

17 Then all the people H5971 went H935 to the house H1004 of Baal, H1168 and brake it down, H5422 and brake H7665 his altars H4196 and his images H6754 in pieces, H7665 and slew H2026 Mattan H4977 the priest H3548 of Baal H1168 before H6440 the altars. H4196

18 Also Jehoiada H3077 appointed H7760 the offices H6486 of the house H1004 of the LORD H3068 by the hand H3027 of the priests H3548 the Levites, H3881 whom David H1732 had distributed H2505 in the house H1004 of the LORD, H3068 to offer H5927 the burnt offerings H5930 of the LORD, H3068 as it is written H3789 in the law H8451 of Moses, H4872 with rejoicing H8057 and with singing, H7892 as it was ordained by H3027 David. H1732

19 And he set H5975 the porters H7778 at the gates H8179 of the house H1004 of the LORD, H3068 that none which was unclean H2931 in any thing H1697 should enter in. H935

20 And he took H3947 the captains H8269 of hundreds, H3967 and the nobles, H117 and the governors H4910 of the people, H5971 and all the people H5971 of the land, H776 and brought down H3381 the king H4428 from the house H1004 of the LORD: H3068 and they came H935 through H8432 the high H5945 gate H8179 into the king's H4428 house, H1004 and set H3427 the king H4428 upon the throne H3678 of the kingdom. H4467

21 And all the people H5971 of the land H776 rejoiced: H8055 and the city H5892 was quiet, H8252 after that they had slain H4191 Athaliah H6271 with the sword. H2719


2 Chronicles 23:1-21 American Standard (ASV)

1 And in the seventh year Jehoiada strengthened himself, and took the captains of hundreds, Azariah the son of Jeroham, and Ishmael the son of Jehohanan, and Azariah the son of Obed, and Maaseiah the son of Adaiah, and Elishaphat the son of Zichri, into covenant with him.

2 And they went about in Judah, and gathered the Levites out of all the cities of Judah, and the heads of fathers' `houses' of Israel, and they came to Jerusalem.

3 And all the assembly made a covenant with the king in the house of God. And he said unto them, Behold, the king's son shall reign, as Jehovah hath spoken concerning the sons of David.

4 This is the thing that ye shall do: a third part of you, that come in on the sabbath, of the priests and of the Levites, shall be porters of the thresholds;

5 and a third part shall be at the king's house; and a third part at the gate of the foundation: and all the people shall be in the courts of the house of Jehovah.

6 But let none come into the house of Jehovah, save the priests, and they that minister of the Levites; they shall come in, for they are holy: but all the people shall keep the charge of Jehovah.

7 And the Levites shall compass the king round about, every man with his weapons in his hand; and whosoever cometh into the house, let him be slain: and be ye with the king when he cometh in, and when he goeth out.

8 So the Levites and all Judah did according to all that Jehoiada the priest commanded: and they took every man his men, those that were to come in on the sabbath; with those that were to go out on the sabbath; for Jehoiada the priest dismissed not the courses.

9 And Jehoiada the priest delivered to the captains of hundreds the spears, and bucklers, and shields, that had been king David's, which were in the house of God.

10 And he set all the people, every man with his weapon in his hand, from the right side of the house to the left side of the house, along by the altar and the house, by the king round about.

11 Then they brought out the king's son, and put the crown upon him, and `gave him' the testimony, and made him king: and Jehoiada and his sons anointed him; and they said, `Long' live the king.

12 And when Athaliah heard the noise of the people running and praising the king, she came to the people into the house of Jehovah:

13 and she looked, and, behold, the king stood by his pillar at the entrance, and the captains and the trumpets by the king; and all the people of the land rejoiced, and blew trumpets; the singers also `played' on instruments of music, and led the singing of praise. Then Athaliah rent her clothes, and said, Treason! treason!

14 And Jehoiada the priest brought out the captains of hundreds that were set over the host, and said unto them, Have her forth between the ranks; and whoso followeth her, let him be slain with the sword: for the priest said, Slay her not in the house of Jehovah.

15 So they made way for her; and she went to the entrance of the horse gate to the king's house: and they slew her there.

16 And Jehoiada made a covenant between himself, and all the people, and the king, that they should be Jehovah's people.

17 And all the people went to the house of Baal, and brake it down, and brake his altars and his images in pieces, and slew Mattan the priest of Baal before the altars.

18 And Jehoiada appointed the officers of the house of Jehovah under the hand of the priests the Levites, whom David had distributed in the house of Jehovah, to offer the burnt-offerings of Jehovah, as it is written in the law of Moses, with rejoicing and with singing, according to the order of David.

19 And he set the porters at the gates of the house of Jehovah, that none that was unclean in anything should enter in.

20 And he took the captains of hundreds, and the nobles, and the governors of the people, and all the people of the land, and brought down the king from the house of Jehovah: and they came through the upper gate unto the king's house, and set the king upon the throne of the kingdom.

21 So all the people of the land rejoiced, and the city was quiet. And Athaliah they had slain with the sword.


2 Chronicles 23:1-21 Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

1 And in the seventh year hath Jehoiada strengthened himself, and taketh the heads of the hundreds, even Azariah son of Jeroham, and Ishmael son of Jehohanan, and Azariah son of Obed, and Maaseiah son of Adaiah, and Elishaphat son of Zichri, with him into covenant.

2 And they go round about in Judah, and gather the Levites out of all the cities of Judah, and heads of the fathers of Israel, and come in unto Jerusalem,

3 and all the assembly make a covenant in the house of God with the king, and he saith to them, `Lo, the son of the king doth reign, as Jehovah spake concerning the sons of David.

4 `This `is' the thing that ye do: The third of you, going in on the sabbath, of the priests, and of the Levites, `are' for gatekeepers of the thresholds,

5 and the third `are' at the house of the king, and the third at the gate of the foundation, and all the people `are' in the courts of the house of Jehovah.

6 `And none doth enter the house of Jehovah except the priests, and those ministering of the Levites (they go in for they `are' holy), and all the people keep the watch of Jehovah:

7 and the Levites have compassed the king round about, each with his weapon in his hand, and he who hath gone in unto the house is put to death; and be ye with the king in his coming in and in his going out.'

8 And the Levites and all Judah do according to all that Jehoiada the priest hath commanded, and take each his men going in on the sabbath, with those going out on the sabbath, for Jehoiada the priest hath not let away the courses.

9 And Jehoiada the priest giveth to the heads of the hundreds the spears, and the shields, and the bucklers that `are' king David's, that `are' in the house of God;

10 and he stationeth the whole of the people, and each his dart in his hand, from the right shoulder of the house unto the left shoulder of the house, at the altar, and at the house, by the king, round about.

11 And they bring out the son of the king, and put upon him the crown, and the testimony, and cause him to reign; and Jehoiada and his sons anoint him, and say, `Let the king live!'

12 And Athaliah heareth the voice of the people who are running, and who are praising the king, and she cometh in unto the people in the house of Jehovah,

13 and seeth, and lo, the king is standing by his pillar in the entrance, and the heads, and the trumpets `are' by the king, and all the people of the land rejoicing and shouting with trumpets, and the singers with instruments of song, and the teachers, to praise, and Athaliah rendeth her garments, and saith, `Conspiracy, conspiracy.'

14 And Jehoiada the priest bringeth out the heads of the hundreds, inspectors of the force, and saith unto them, `Take her out from within the rows, and he who hath gone after her is put to death by the sword;' for the priest said, `Put her not to death `in' the house of Jehovah.'

15 And they make for her sides, and she cometh in unto the entrance of the gate of the horses at the house of the king, and they put her to death there.

16 And Jehoiada maketh a covenant between him, and between all the people, and between the king, to be for a people to Jehovah;

17 and all the people enter the house of Baal, and break it down, yea, his altars and his images they have broken, and Mattan priest of Baal they have slain before the altars.

18 And Jehoiada putteth the offices of the house of Jehovah into the hand of the priests the Levites whom David had apportioned over the house of Jehovah, to cause to ascend the burnt-offerings of Jehovah, as written in the law of Moses, with joy, and with singing, by the hands of David;

19 and he stationeth the gatekeepers over the gates of the house of Jehovah, and the unclean in anything doth not go in.

20 And he taketh the heads of the hundreds, and the honourable ones, and the rulers among the people, and all the people of the land, and bringeth down the king from the house of Jehovah, and they come in through the high gate to the house of the king, and cause the king to sit on the throne of the kingdom.

21 And all the people of the land rejoice, and the city hath been quiet, and Athaliah they have put to death by the sword.


2 Chronicles 23:1-21 Darby English Bible (DARBY)

1 And in the seventh year Jehoiada strengthened himself, and took the captains of the hundreds, Azariah the son of Jeroham, and Ishmael the son of Jehohanan, and Azariah the son of Obed, and Maaseiah the son of Adaiah, and Elishaphat the son of Zichri, into covenant with him.

2 And they went about in Judah and gathered together the Levites out of all the cities of Judah, and the chief fathers of Israel; and they came to Jerusalem.

3 And all the congregation made a covenant with the king in the house of God. And he said to them, Behold, the king's son shall reign, as Jehovah has said of the sons of David.

4 This is the thing which ye shall do: a third part of you that come in on the sabbath, of the priests and of the Levites, shall be keepers of the doors;

5 and a third part shall be at the king's house; and a third part at the gate of the foundation; and all the people shall be in the courts of the house of Jehovah.

6 But let none come into the house of Jehovah except the priests and those of the Levites that do the service; they shall go in, for they are holy; but all the people shall keep the watch of Jehovah.

7 And the Levites shall encompass the king round about, every man with his weapons in his hand; and he that comes into the house shall be put to death; and ye shall be with the king when he comes in and when he goes out.

8 And the Levites and all Judah did according to all that Jehoiada the priest commanded; and they took every man his men, those that were to come in on the sabbath, with them that were to go forth on the sabbath; for Jehoiada the priest did not liberate the divisions.

9 And Jehoiada the priest gave to the captains of the hundreds king David's spears and shields and targets, which were in the house of God.

10 And he set all the people, every man with his javelin in his hand, from the right side of the house to the left side of the house, toward the altar and the house, by the king round about.

11 And they brought forth the king's son, and put the crown upon him, and [gave him] the testimony, and made him king. And Jehoiada and his sons anointed him, and said, Long live the king!

12 And Athaliah heard the noise of the people running and praising the king, and she came to the people into the house of Jehovah.

13 And she looked, and behold, the king stood on his dais at the entrance, and the princes and the trumpets were by the king; and all the people of the land rejoiced, and blew with trumpets; and the singers [were there] with the instruments of music, and such as taught to sing praise. And Athaliah rent her garments, and said, Conspiracy! Conspiracy!

14 And Jehoiada the priest brought out the captains of the hundreds that were set over the host, and said to them, Lead her forth without the ranks; and whosoever follows her, let him be slain with the sword; for the priest said, Ye shall not put her to death in the house of Jehovah.

15 And they made way for her, and she went through the entrance of the horse-gate into the king's house, and they put her to death there.

16 And Jehoiada made a covenant between himself and all the people and the king, that they should be the people of Jehovah.

17 And all the people went into the house of Baal, and broke it down; and they broke his altars and his images in pieces, and slew Mattan the priest of Baal before the altars.

18 And Jehoiada appointed the offices of the house of Jehovah under the hand of the priests, the Levites, whom David had set by classes over the house of Jehovah to offer up Jehovah's burnt-offerings, as it is written in the law of Moses, -- with rejoicing and with singing according to the directions of David.

19 And he set the doorkeepers at the gates of the house of Jehovah, that no one unclean in anything should enter in.

20 And he took the captains of the hundreds, and the nobles, and the governors of the people, and all the people of the land, and brought down the king from the house of Jehovah; and they came through the upper gate into the king's house, and set the king upon the throne of the kingdom.

21 And all the people of the land rejoiced, and the city was quiet; and they had slain Athaliah with the sword.


2 Chronicles 23:1-21 World English Bible (WEB)

1 In the seventh year Jehoiada strengthened himself, and took the captains of hundreds, Azariah the son of Jeroham, and Ishmael the son of Jehohanan, and Azariah the son of Obed, and Maaseiah the son of Adaiah, and Elishaphat the son of Zichri, into covenant with him.

2 They went about in Judah, and gathered the Levites out of all the cities of Judah, and the heads of fathers' [houses] of Israel, and they came to Jerusalem.

3 All the assembly made a covenant with the king in the house of God. He said to them, Behold, the king's son shall reign, as Yahweh has spoken concerning the sons of David.

4 This is the thing that you shall do: a third part of you, who come in on the Sabbath, of the priests and of the Levites, shall be porters of the thresholds;

5 and a third part shall be at the king's house; and a third part at the gate of the foundation: and all the people shall be in the courts of the house of Yahweh.

6 But let none come into the house of Yahweh, save the priests, and those who minister of the Levites; they shall come in, for they are holy: but all the people shall keep the charge of Yahweh.

7 The Levites shall compass the king round about, every man with his weapons in his hand; and whoever comes into the house, let him be slain: and be you with the king when he comes in, and when he goes out.

8 So the Levites and all Judah did according to all that Jehoiada the priest commanded: and they took every man his men, those who were to come in on the Sabbath; with those who were to go out on the Sabbath; for Jehoiada the priest didn't dismiss the shift.

9 Jehoiada the priest delivered to the captains of hundreds the spears, and bucklers, and shields, that had been king David's, which were in the house of God.

10 He set all the people, every man with his weapon in his hand, from the right side of the house to the left side of the house, along by the altar and the house, by the king round about.

11 Then they brought out the king's son, and put the crown on him, and [gave him] the testimony, and made him king: and Jehoiada and his sons anointed him; and they said, [Long] live the king.

12 When Athaliah heard the noise of the people running and praising the king, she came to the people into the house of Yahweh:

13 and she looked, and, behold, the king stood by his pillar at the entrance, and the captains and the trumpets by the king; and all the people of the land rejoiced, and blew trumpets; the singers also [played] on instruments of music, and led the singing of praise. Then Athaliah tore her clothes, and said, Treason! treason!

14 Jehoiada the priest brought out the captains of hundreds who were set over the host, and said to them, Have her forth between the ranks; and whoever follows her, let him be slain with the sword: for the priest said, Don't kill her in the house of Yahweh.

15 So they made way for her; and she went to the entrance of the horse gate to the king's house: and they killed her there.

16 Jehoiada made a covenant between himself, and all the people, and the king, that they should be Yahweh's people.

17 All the people went to the house of Baal, and broke it down, and broke his altars and his images in pieces, and killed Mattan the priest of Baal before the altars.

18 Jehoiada appointed the officers of the house of Yahweh under the hand of the priests the Levites, whom David had distributed in the house of Yahweh, to offer the burnt offerings of Yahweh, as it is written in the law of Moses, with rejoicing and with singing, according to the order of David.

19 He set the porters at the gates of the house of Yahweh, that no one who was unclean in anything should enter in.

20 He took the captains of hundreds, and the nobles, and the governors of the people, and all the people of the land, and brought down the king from the house of Yahweh: and they came through the upper gate to the king's house, and set the king on the throne of the kingdom.

21 So all the people of the land rejoiced, and the city was quiet. Athaliah they had slain with the sword.


2 Chronicles 23:1-21 Bible in Basic English (BBE)

1 In the seventh year, Jehoiada made himself strong, and made an agreement with the captains 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.

2 And they went through Judah, getting together the Levites and the heads of families in Israel from all the towns of Judah, and they came to Jerusalem.

3 And all the people made an agreement with the king in the house of God. And he said to them, Truly, the king's son will be king, as the Lord has said about the sons of David.

4 This is what you are to do: let a third of you, of the priests and Levites, who come in on the Sabbath, keep the doors;

5 And a third are to be stationed at the king's house; and a third at the doorway of the horses: while all the people are waiting in the open spaces round the house of the Lord.

6 But let no one come into the house of the Lord but only the priests and those of the Levites who have work to do there; they may go in for they are holy; but the rest of the people are to keep the orders of the Lord.

7 And the Levites are to make a circle round the king, every man being armed; and any man who comes into the house is to be put to death; you are to keep with the king when he comes in and when he goes out.

8 So the Levites and all Judah did as Jehoiada the priest had given them orders: every one took with him his men, those who were to come in and those who were to go out on the Sabbath; for Jehoiada had not sent away the divisions.

9 Then Jehoiada the priest gave to the captains of hundreds the spears and body-covers which had been King David's and which were kept in the house of God.

10 And he put all the people in position, every man with his instruments of war in his hand, from the right side of the house to the left, by the altar and the house and all round the king.

11 Then they made the king's son come out, and they put the crown on his head and gave him the arm-bands and made him king: and Jehoiada and his sons put the holy oil on him and said, Long life to the king.

12 Now Athaliah, hearing the noise of the people running and praising the king, came to the people in the house of the Lord:

13 And looking, she saw the king in his place by the pillar at the doorway, and the captains and the horns by his side; and all the people of the land were giving signs of joy and sounding the horns; and the makers of melody were playing on instruments of music, taking the chief part in the song of praise. Then Athaliah, violently parting her robes, said, Broken faith, broken faith!

14 Then Jehoiada the priest gave orders to the captains of hundreds who had authority over the army, saying, Take her outside the lines, and let anyone who goes after her be put to death with the sword. For the priest said, Let her not be put to death in the house of the Lord.

15 So they put their hands on her, and she went to the king's house by the doorway of the king's horses; and there she was put to death.

16 And Jehoiada made an agreement between the Lord and all the people and the king, that they would be the Lord's people.

17 Then all the people went to the house of Baal and had it pulled down, and its altars and images broken up; and Mattan, the priest of Baal, they put to death before the altars.

18 And Jehoiada put the work and the care of the house of the Lord into the hands of the priests and the Levites, who had been grouped in divisions by David to make burned offerings to the Lord, as it is recorded in the law of Moses, with joy and song as David had said.

19 And he put door-keepers at the doors of the Lord's house, to see that no one who was unclean in any way might come in.

20 Then he took the captains of hundreds and the chiefs and the rulers of the people and all the people of the land, and they came down with the king from the house of the Lord through the higher doorway into the king's house, and put the king on the seat of the kingdom.

21 So all the people of the land were glad and the town was quiet, for they had put Athaliah to death with the sword.

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Commentary on 2 Chronicles 23 Matthew Henry Commentary


Chapter 23

Six years bloody Athaliah had tyrannised; in this chapter we have her deposed and slain, and Joash, the rightful heir, enthroned. We had the story before nearly as it is here related, 2 Ki. 11:4, etc.

  • I. Jehoiada prepared the people for the king, acquainted them with his design, armed them, and appointed them their posts (v. 1-10).
  • II. He produced the king to the people, crowned him, and anointed him (v. 11).
  • III. He slew the usurper (v. 12-15).
  • IV. He reformed the kingdom, re-established religion, and restored the civil government (v. 16-21).

2Ch 23:1-11

We may well imagine the bad posture of affairs in Jerusalem during Athaliah's six years' usurpation, and may wonder that God permitted it and his people bore it so long; but after such a dark and tedious night the returning day in this revolution was the brighter and the more welcome. The continuance of David's seed and throne was what God had sworn by his holiness (Ps. 89:35), and an interruption was no defeasance; the stream of government here runs again in the right channel. The instrument and chief manager of the restoration is Jehoiada, who appears to have been,

  • 1. A man of great prudence, who reserved the young prince for so many years till he was fit to appear in public, and till the nation had grown weary of the usurper, who prepared his work beforehand, and then effected it with admirable secresy and expedition. When God has work to do he will qualify and animate men for it.
  • 2. A man of great interest. The captains joined with him, v. 1. The Levites and the chief of the fathers of Israel came at his call to Jerusalem (v. 2) and were there ready to receive his orders. See what a command wisdom and virtue will give men. The Levites and all Judah did as Jehoiada commanded (v. 8), and, which is strange, all that were entrusted with the secret kept their own counsel till it was executed. Thus the words of the wise are heard in quiet, Eccl. 9:17.
  • 3. A man of great faith. It was not only common equity (much less his wife's relation to the royal family) that put him upon this undertaking, but a regard to the word of God, and the divine entail of the crown (v. 3): The king's son shall reign, must reign, as the Lord hath said. His eye to the promise, and dependence upon that, added a great deal of glory to this undertaking.
  • 4. A man of great religion. This matter was to be done in the temple, which might occasion some breach of rule, and the necessity of the case might be thought to excuse it; but he gave special order that none of the people should come into the house of the Lord, but the priests and Levites only, who were holy, upon pain of death, v. 6, 7. Never let sacred things be profaned, no, not for the support of civil rights.
  • 5. A man of great resolution. When he had undertaken this business he went through with it, brought out the king, crowned him, and gave him the testimony, v. 11. He ventured his head, but it was in a good cause, and therefore he went on boldly. It is here said that his sons joined with him in anointing the young king. One of them, it is likely, was that Zechariah whom Joash afterwards put to death for reproving him (ch. 24:20), which was so much the more ungrateful because he bore a willing part in anointing him.

2Ch 23:12-21

Here we have,

  • I. The people pleased, v. 12, 13. When the king stood at his pillar, whose right it was to stand there, all the people of the land rejoiced to see a rod sprung out of the stem of Jesse, Isa. 11:1. When it seemed a withered root in a dry ground, to see what they despaired of ever seeing-a king of the house of David, what a pleasing surprise was it to them! They ran in transports of joy to see this sight, praised the king, and praised God, for they had with them such as taught to sing praise.
  • II. Athaliah slain. She ran upon the point of the sword of justice; for, imagining her interest much better than it was, she ventured into the house of the Lord at that time, and cried, Treason, treason! But nobody seconded her, or sided with her. The pride of her heart deceived her. She thought all her own, whereas none were cordially so. Jehoiada, as protector in the king's minority, ordered her to be slain (v. 14), which was done immediately (v. 15), only care was taken that she should not be slain in the house of the Lord, that sacred place must not be so far disgraced, nor that wicked woman so far honoured.
  • III. The original contract agreed to, v. 16. In the Kings it is said that Jehoiada made a covenant between the Lord, the people, and the king, 2 Ki. 11:17. Here it is said to be between himself, the people, and the king; for he, as God's priest, was his representative in this transaction, or a sort of mediator, as Moses was. The indenture was tripartite, but the true intent and meaning of the whole was that they should be the Lord's people. God covenanted by Jehoiada to take them for his people; the king and people covenanted with him to be his; and then the king covenanted with the people to govern them as the people of God, and the people with the king to be subject to him as the Lord's people, in his fear and for his sake. Let us look upon ourselves and one another as the Lord's people, and this will have a powerful influence upon us in the discharge of all our duty both to God and man.
  • IV. Baal destroyed, v. 17. They would not have done half their work if they had only destroyed the usurper of the king's right, and not the usurper of God's right-if they had asserted the honour of the throne, and not that of the altar. The greatest grievance of Athaliah's reign was the bringing in of the worship of Baal, and supporting of that; therefore that must be abolished in the first place. Down with Baal's house, his altars, his images; down with them all, and let the blood of his priests be mingled with his sacrifices; for God had commanded that seducers to idolatry should be put to death, Deu. 13:5, 6.
  • V. The temple service revived, v. 18, 19. This had been neglected in the last reigns, the priest and people wanting either power or zeal to keep it up when they had princes that were disaffected to it. But Jehoiada restored the offices of the house of the Lord, which in the late times had been disturbed and invaded, to the proper course and proper hands.
    • 1. He appointed the priests to their courses, for the due offering of sacrifices, according to the law of Moses.
    • 2. The singers to theirs, according to the appointment of David. The sacrifices (it should seem) were offered with rejoicing and singing, and with good reason. We joy in God when we receive the atonement, Rom. 5:11.
    • 3. The porters were put in their respective posts as David ordered (v. 19), and their office was to take care that none who were upon any account ceremonially unclean should be admitted into the courts of the temple.
  • VI. The civil government re-established, v. 20. They brought the king in state to his own palace, and set him upon the throne of the kingdom, to give law, and give judgment, either in his own person or by Jehoiada his tutor. Thus was this happy revolution perfected. The generality of the people rejoiced in it, and the rest were quiet and made no opposition, v. 21. When the Son of David is enthroned in the soul all is quiet and springs of joy are opened.