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.
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
The Fall of Athaliah, and the Coronation and Reign of Joash - 2 Chronicles 23-24
After Joash had been kept in hiding for six years, the high priest Jehoiada came to the resolution to make an end of the tyranny of Athaliah, and to raise the young prince to the throne. The carrying out of this resolution is narrated in 2 Chron 23, and thereafter in 2 Chron 24. All that is important as to the reign of Joash is communicated.
Joash raised to the throne, and Athaliah slain . - In 2 Kings 11:4-20 we have another account of these events, in which the matter is in several points more briefly narrated, and apparently differently represented. According to both narratives, the thing was undertaken and carried out by the high priest Jehoiada; but according to 2 Kings 11, the high priest would appear to have mainly availed himself of the co-operation of the royal body-guard in the execution of his plan, while according to the Chronicle it is the Levites and the heads of the fathers'-houses who are made use of. Thereupon De Wette, Movers, Thenius, and Bertheau consequently maintain that the author of the Chronicle, proceeding on the view that the high priest, the chief of so many priests and Levites, would not have recourse to the assistance of the royal body-guard, has altered the statements in the second book of Kings accordingly, and wishes to represent the matter in a different way. But this assertion can be made with an appearance of truth only on the presupposition, already repeatedly shown to be erroneous, that the author of the Chronicle has made the account in 2 Kings 11 the basis of his narrative, and designedly altered it, and can scarcely be upheld even by the incorrect interpretation of various words. That 2 Kings 11 is not the source from which our account has been derived, nor the basis on which it is founded, is manifest from the very first verses of the chronicler's narrative, where the names of the five princes over hundreds, with whose co-operation Jehoiada elaborated his plan and carried it into execution, are individually enumerated; while in 2 Kings 11, where the preparations for the accomplishment of the work are very briefly treated of, they will be sought for in vain. But if, on the contrary, the two accounts be recognised to be extracts confining themselves to the main points, excerpted from a more detailed narrative of the event from different points of view, the discrepancies may be at once reconciled. Instead of the short statement, 2 Kings 11:4, that the high priest Jehoiada ordered the centurions of the royal body-guard to come to him in the temple ( ויּבא ... יקּח ), made a covenant with them, caused them to swear, and showed them the king's son, we read in the Chronicle (2 Chronicles 23:1-3), that the high priest Jehoiada took five centurions, whose names are stated with historical exactitude, into covenant with him, i.e., sent for them and made a covenant with them, and that these men then went throughout Judah, and summoned the Levites from all the cities of Judah, and the heads of the fathers'-houses of Israel, to Jerusalem; whereupon Jehoiada with the whole assembly made a covenant with the king in the house of God, and Jehoiada said to the people, “The king's son shall be king, as Jahve hath said of the sons of David.” That this more expanded narrative can without difficulty be reconciled with the summary statement in 2 Kings 11:4, is perfectly manifest. By various devices, however, Berth. tries to bring out some discrepancies. In the first place, in the words, “Jehoiada sent and brought the princes of hundreds” (2 Kings 11:4), he presses the שׁלח , which is not found in the Chronicle, translates it by “he sent out,” and interprets it with 2 Chronicles 23:2 of the Chronicle; in the second, he takes כּל־הקּהל in 2 Chronicles 23:3 of the Chronicle to mean “the whole congregation,” whereas it denotes only the assembly of the men named in 2 Chronicles 23:1 and 2 Chronicles 23:2; and, thirdly, he opposes the expression, “they made a covenant with the king” (2 Chronicles 23:3, Chron.), to the statement (2 Kings 11:2) that Jehoiada made a covenant to the princes, by making this latter statement mean that Jehoiada made a covenant with the princes, but not with the king, as if this covenant concerning the coronation of Joash as king might not be called, by a shorter mode of expression, a covenant with the king, especially when the declaration, “the son of the king shall reign,” follows immediately.
The case is similar with the contradictions in the account of the carrying out of the arrangements agreed upon. In Bertheau's view, this is the state of the case: According to 2 Kings 11:5-8, the one part of the body-guard, which on Sabbath mounted guard in the royal palace, were to divide themselves into three bands: one third was to keep the guard of the royal house, which was certainly in the neighbourhood of the main entrance; the second third was to stand at the gate Sur, probably a side-gate of the palace; the third was to stand behind the door of the runners. The other part of the body-guard, on the other hand - all those who were relieved on the Sabbath - were to occupy the temple, so as to defend the young king. But according to the representation of the Chronicle, (1) the priests and the Levites were to divide themselves into three parts: the first third, those of the priests and Levites, who entered upon their duties on the Sabbath, were to be watchers of the thresholds (cf. on 1 Chronicles 9:19.), i.e., were to mount guard in the temple as usual; the second third was to be in the house of the king (i.e., where the first third was to keep watch, according to 2 Kings); the third was to be at the gate Jesod. Then (2) the whole people were to stand in the courts of the temple, and, according to 2 Chronicles 23:6, were to observe the ordinance of Jahve (2 Chronicles 13:11), by which they were forbidden to enter the temple. From this Bertheau then concludes: “The guarding of the house of Jahve for the protection of the king (2 Kings 11:7) has here become a יהוה משׁמרת .” But in opposition to this, we have to remark that in 2 Kings 11:5-8 is it not said that the royal body-guard was to be posted as guards in the royal palace and in the temple; that is only a conclusion from the fact that Jehoiada conferred on the matter with the המּאות שׂרי of the executioners and runners, i.e., of the royal satellites, and instructed these centurions, that those entering upon the service on Sabbath were to keep watch in three divisions, and those retiring from the service in two divisions, in the following places, which are then more accurately designated. The one division of those entering upon the service were to stand, according to 2 Kings, by the gate Sur; according to the Chronicle, by the gate Jesod. The second, according to 2 Kings, was to keep the guard of the king's house; according to the Chronicle, it was to be in or by the king's house. The third was, according to 2 Kings, to be by (in) the gate behind the runners, and to keep the guard of the house Massach; according to the Chronicle, they were to serve as watchers of the thresholds. If, as is acknowledged by all, the gate סוּר is identical with the gate היסוד , - although it can neither be ascertained whether the difference in name has resulted merely from an orthographical error, or rests upon a double designation of one gate; nor yet can it be pointed out what the position of this gate, which is nowhere else mentioned, was, - then the Chronicle and 2 Kings agree as to the posts which were to occupy this door. The position also of the third part, המּלך בּבית (Chron.), will not be different from that of the third part, to which was committed the guarding of the king's house (Kings). The place where this third part took up its position is not exactly pointed out in either narrative, yet the statement, “to keep the watch of the house (temple) for warding off” (Kings), agrees with the appointment “to be guards of the thresholds” (Chron.), since the guarding of the thresholds has no other aim than to prevent unauthorized persons from entering. Now, since the young king, not merely according to the Chron., but also according to 2 Kings 11:4, - where we are told that Jehoiada showed the son of the king to the chief men whom he had summoned to the house of Jahve, - was in the temple, and only after his coronation and Athaliah's death was led solemnly into the royal palace, we might take the king's house, the guard of which the one third of those entering upon the service were to keep (2 Kings 11:7), to be the temple building in which the young king was, and interpret המּלך בּבית in accordance with that idea. In that case, there would be no reference to the settling of guards in the palace; and that view would seem to be favoured by the circumstance that the other third part of those entering upon their service on the Sabbath were to post themselves at the gate, behind the runners, and keep the guard of the house מסּח . That מסּח is not a nom. propr. , but appellat. , from נסח , to ward off, signifying warding off, is unanimously acknowledged by modern commentators; only Thenius would alter מסּח into וּנסח , “and shall ward off.” Gesenius, on the contrary, in his Thesaurus , takes the word to be a substantive, cum משׁמרת per appositionem conjunctum , in the signification, the guard for warding off, and translates, et vos agetis custodiam templi ad depellendum sc. populum (to ward off). If this interpretation be correct, then these words also do not treat of a palace guard; and to take הבּית to signify the temple is so evidently suggested by the context, according to which the high priest conducted the whole transaction in the temple, that we must have better grounds for referring the words to the royal palace than the mere presumption that, because the high priest discussed the plan with the captains of the royal body-guard, it must be the occupation of the royal palace which is spoken of.
But quite apart from the Chronicle, even the further account of the matter in 2 Kings 11 is unfavourable to the placing of guards in the royal palace. According to 2 Chronicles 23:9, the captains did exactly as Jehoiada commanded. They took each of them their men - those coming on the Sabbath, and those departing - and went to the priest Jehoiada, who gave them David's weapons out of the house of God (2 Chronicles 23:10), and the satellites stationed themselves in the court of the temple, and there the king was crowned. The unambiguous statement, 2 Chronicles 23:9, that the captains, each with his men - i.e., those coming on Sabbath (entering upon the service), and those departing - came to the high priest in the temple, and there took up their position in the court, decisively excludes the idea that “those coming on the Sabbath” had occupied the guard-posts in the royal palace, and demands that the divisions mentioned in 2 Chronicles 23:5 and 2 Chronicles 23:6 should be posted at different parts and gates of the temple. That one third part had assigned to it a place behind the gate of the runners is not at all inconsistent with the above idea; for even if the gate behind the runners be identical with the gate of the runners (2 Kings 11:19), it by no means follows from that that it was a gate of the palace, and not of the outer court of the temple. In accordance with this view, then, 2 Kings 11:5, 2 Kings 11:6 do not treat of an occupation of the royal palace, but of a provision for the security of the temple by the posting of guards. It is, moreover, against the supposition that the entrances to the palace were occupied by guards, that Athaliah, when she heard from her palace the noise of the people in the temple, came immediately into the temple, and was dragged forth and slain by the captains there in command. For what purpose can they have placed guards by the palace gates, if they did not desire to put any hindrance in the way of the queen's going forth into the temple? The hypotheses of Thenius, that it was done to keep away those who were devoted to Athaliah, to make themselves masters of the palace, and to hinder Athaliah from taking any measures in opposition to them, and to guard the place of the throne, are nothing but expedients resulting from embarrassment. If there was no intention to put any hindrance in the way of the queen leaving the palace, there could have been none to prevent her taking opposing measures. For the rest, the result obtained by careful consideration of the account in 2 Kings 11, that in 2 Chronicles 23:5, 2 Chronicles 23:6 an occupation by guards, not of the royal palace, but of the temple, is spoken of, does not stand or fall with the supposition that המּלך בּית was the dwelling of the young king in the temple building, and not the palace. The expression המּלך בּית משׁמרת שׁמר , to guard the guard of the king's house, i.e., to have regard to whatever is to be regarded in reference to the king's house, is so indefinite and elastic, that it may have been used of a post which watched from the outer court of the temple what was going on in the palace, which was over against the temple. With this also the corresponding המּלך בּבית , in the short account of the distribution of the guards given by the chronicler (2 Chronicles 23:5), may be reconciled, if we translate it “at the house of the king,” and call to mind that, according to 2 Kings 16:18 and 1 Kings 10:5, there was a special approach from the palace to the temple for the king, which this division may have had to guard. But notwithstanding the guarding of this way, Athaliah could come from the palace into the court of the temple by another way, or perhaps the guards were less watchful at their posts during the solemnity of the young king's coronation.
And not less groundless is the assertion that the priest Jehoiada availed himself in the execution of his plan, according to 2 Kings 11, mainly of the co-operation of the royal body-guard, according to the Chronicle mainly of that of the Levites; or that the chronicler, as Thenius expresses it, “has made the body-guards of 2 Kings into Levites, in order to diver to the priesthood the honour which belonged to the Praetorians.” The המּאות שׂרי , mentioned by name in the Chronicle, with whom Jehoiada discussed his plan, and who had command of the guards when it was carried out, are not called Levites, and may consequently have been captains of the executioners and runners, i.e., of the royal body-guard, as they are designated in 2 Kings 11:4. But the men who occupied the various posts are called in both texts השּׁבּת בּאי (2 Kings 11:5; 2 Chronicles 23:4): in 2 Kings 11:7 and 2 Kings 11:9, the corresponding השּׁבּת יצאי is added; while in the Chronicle the השׁבת באי are expressly called Levites, the words וללויּם לכּהנים being added. But we know from Luke 1:5, compared with 1 Chron 24, that the priests and Levites performed the service in the temple in courses from one Sabbath to another, while we have no record of any such arrangement as to the service of the Praetorians; so that we must understand the words “coming on the Sabbath” (entering upon the service), and “going on the Sabbath” (those relieved from it), of the Levites in the first place. Had it been intended that by these words in 2 Kings 11 we should understand Praetorians, it must necessarily have been clearly said. From the words spoken to the centurions of the body-guard, “the third part of you,” etc., it does not follow at all as a matter of course that they were so, any more than from the fact that in 2 Kings 11:11, the posts set are called הרצים , the runners = satellites. If we suppose that in this extraordinary case the Levitic temple servants were placed under the command of centurions of the royal body-guard, who were in league with the high priest, the designation of the men they commanded by the name רצים , satellites, is fully explained; the men having been previously more accurately described as those who were entering upon and being relieved from service on the Sabbath. In this way I have explained the matter in my apologet. Versuch über die Chron. S. 362ff., but this explanation of it has neither been regarded nor confuted by Thenius and Bertheau. Even the mention of כּרי and רצים along with the captains and the whole people, in 2 Kings 11:19, is not inconsistent with it; for we may without difficulty suppose, as has been said in my commentary on that verse, that the royal body-guard, immediately after the slaughter of Athaliah, went over to the young king just crowned, in order that they, along with the remainder of the people who were assembled in the court, might lead him thence to the royal palace. There is only one statement in the two texts which can scarcely be reconciled with this conjecture, - namely, the mention of the רצים and of the people in the temple before Athaliah was slain (2 Chronicles 23:12 and 2 Kings 11:13 Kings), since it follows from that that runners or satellites belonging to the body-guard were either posted, or had assembled with the others, in the court of the temple. To meet this statement, we must suppose that the centurions of the body-guard employed not merely the Levitic temple guard, but also some of the royal satellites, upon whose fidelity they could rely, to occupy the posts mentioned in 2 Kings 11:5-7 and 2 Chronicles 23:4, 2 Chronicles 23:5 ; so that the company under the command of the centurions who occupied the various posts in the temple consisted partly of Levitic temple guards, and partly of royal body-guards. But even on this view, the suspicion that the chronicler has mentioned the Levites instead of the body-guard is shown to be groundless and unjust, since the רצים also are mentioned in the Chronicle.
According to this exposition, the true relation between the account in the Chronicle and that in the book of Kings would seem to be something like this: Both accounts mention merely the main points of the proceedings, - the author of the book of Kings emphasizing the part played in the affair by the royal body-guard; the author of the Chronicle, on the other hand, emphasizing that played by the Levites: so that both accounts mutually supplement each other, and only when taken together give a full view of the circumstances. We have still to make the following remarks on the narrative of the Chronicle in detail. The statement (2 Kings 11:5) that all those relived on the Sabbath were to keep guard of the house of Jahve, in reference to the king, in two divisions, is in 2 Chronicles 23:5, thus generalized: “all the people were in the courts of the house of Jahve.” כּל־העם is all the people except the before-mentioned bodies of men with their captains, and comprehends not only the remainder of the people mentioned in 2 Kings 11:13 and 2 Kings 11:19, who came to the temple without any special invitation, but also the body of guards who were relieved from service on Sabbath. This is clear from 2 Chronicles 23:8 of the Chronicle, where we have the supplementary remark, that those departing on the Sabbath also, as well as those coming, did what Jehoiada commanded. In addition to this, in 2 Chronicles 23:6 this further command of Jehoiada is communicated: Let no one enter the house of Jahve ( יהוה בּית is the temple building, i.e., the holy place and the most holy, as distinguished from the courts), save the priests, and they that minister of the Levites, i.e., of those Levites who perform the service, who are consecrated thereto; but all the people shall keep the watch of the Lord, i.e., keep what is to be observed in reference to Jahve, i.e., here, to keep without the limits appointed in the law to the people in drawing near to the sanctuaries. The whole verse, therefore, contains only an elucidation of the command that all the people were to remain in the courts, and not to press farther into the sanctuary.
“And the Levites shall compass the king round about, each with his weapons in his hand.” The Levites are the bodies of guards mentioned in 2 Chronicles 23:4, 2 Chronicles 23:5. If we keep that in view, then the following words, “every one who cometh into the house shall be put to death,” say the same as the words, “every one who cometh within the ranks” ( 2 Kings 11:8). A contradiction arises only if we misinterpret הקּיפוּ , and understand it of the forming of a circle around the king; whereas הקּיפוּ , like הקּפתּם (Kings), is to be understood, according to the context, of the setting of the guards both at the temple gate and in the courts, so that whoever entered the court of the temple came within the ranks of the guards thus placed.
The account of the occupation of the temple thus arranged agrees with 2 Kings 11:9-11. Instead of המּאות שׂרי (Kings), in 2 Chronicles 23:8 are very fittingly named “the Levites (as in 2 Chronicles 23:5) and all Judah,” viz., in its chiefs, since the high priest had assured himself of the support of the heads of the fathers'-houses of Israel (2 Chronicles 23:2). Further, to the statement that those who were departing from the service also took part in the affair, it is added, “for Jehoiada had not dismissed the courses.” המּחלקות are the divisions which, according to the arrangement made by David (1 Chron 24-26), had charge of the temple service at that time. To the captains Jehoiada gave the spears and shields which had been presented to the temple by David as offerings, because they had come into the temple without weapons; see on 2 Kings 11:10. ויּעמד , “and he caused the whole people to take position,” is connected formally with ויּתּן , 2 Chronicles 23:9; while in 2 Kings 11:11, we have simply ויּעמדוּ .
The coronation of Joash, as in 2 Kings 11:12. The subject of ויּוציאוּ and ויּתּנוּ is those present, while in ויּוציא and ויּתּן (Kings), Jehoiada as leader of the whole is referred to. In the Chronicle, Jehoiada and his sons, i.e., the high priest with the priests assisting him, are expressly named as subject to ימליכוּ and ויּמשׁצהוּ , where in Kings also the plural is used; while, on the contrary, “the clapping of the hands” as a sign of joyful acclamation (Kings) is omitted, as being unimportant.
Slaughter of Athaliah, as in 2 Kings 11:13-16. In 2 Chronicles 23:13 of the Chronicle, the statement that the assembled people played on instruments is expanded by the addition, “and singing with instruments of song, and proclaiming aloud to praise,” i.e., and praising. ויּוצא , 2 Chronicles 23:14, is an orthographical error for ויצו (Kings).
The renewal of the covenant, extirpation of Baal-worship, and the solemn entry of the king into his palace, as in 2 Kings 11:17-20, and already commented on in that place. The remark as to the renewal of the covenant is in 2 Chronicles 23:16 (Chron.) somewhat more brief than in 2 Kings 11:17; and בּינו , between himself, the same as between himself, the high priest, as representative of Jehovah. In 2 Kings 11:17, the matter is more clearly expressed. In 2 Kings 11:18., the statement, “the priest set overseers over the house of Jahve,” is expanded by the addition of the words, “by means of the Levitic priests whom David had distributed for the house of Jahve to offer sacrifices;...and he placed doorkeepers at the doors of the house of Jahve,” etc. The meaning is: Jehoiada again introduced the old arrangement of the public worship in the temple as David had settled it, it having either fallen into decay or wholly ceased under the rule of the idolatrous Athaliah. As to the remainder, see on 2 Kings 11:19 and 2 Kings 11:20.