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
The LORD H3068 our God H430 made H3772 a covenant H1285 with us in Horeb. H2722 The LORD H3068 made H3772 not this covenant H1285 with our fathers, H1 but with us, H587 even us, who are all of us H428 here alive H2416 this day. H3117
Thou hast avouched H559 the LORD H3068 this day H3117 to be thy God, H430 and to walk H3212 in his ways, H1870 and to keep H8104 his statutes, H2706 and his commandments, H4687 and his judgments, H4941 and to hearken H8085 unto his voice: H6963 And the LORD H3068 hath avouched H559 thee this day H3117 to be his peculiar H5459 people, H5971 as he hath promised H1696 thee, and that thou shouldest keep H8104 all his commandments; H4687 And to make H5414 thee high H5945 above all nations H1471 which he hath made, H6213 in praise, H8416 and in name, H8034 and in honour; H8597 and that thou mayest be an holy H6918 people H5971 unto the LORD H3068 thy God, H430 as he hath spoken. H1696
These are the words H1697 of the covenant, H1285 which the LORD H3068 commanded H6680 Moses H4872 to make H3772 with the children H1121 of Israel H3478 in the land H776 of Moab, H4124 beside the covenant H1285 which he made H3772 with them in Horeb. H2722 And Moses H4872 called H7121 unto all Israel, H3478 and said H559 unto them, Ye have seen H7200 all that the LORD H3068 did H6213 before your eyes H5869 in the land H776 of Egypt H4714 unto Pharaoh, H6547 and unto all his servants, H5650 and unto all his land; H776 The great H1419 temptations H4531 which thine eyes H5869 have seen, H7200 the signs, H226 and those great H1419 miracles: H4159 Yet the LORD H3068 hath not given H5414 you an heart H3820 to perceive, H3045 and eyes H5869 to see, H7200 and ears H241 to hear, H8085 unto this day. H3117 And I have led H3212 you forty H705 years H8141 in the wilderness: H4057 your clothes H8008 are not waxen old H1086 upon you, and thy shoe H5275 is not waxen old H1086 upon thy foot. H7272 Ye have not eaten H398 bread, H3899 neither have ye drunk H8354 wine H3196 or strong drink: H7941 that ye might know H3045 that I am the LORD H3068 your God. H430 And when ye came H935 unto this place, H4725 Sihon H5511 the king H4428 of Heshbon, H2809 and Og H5747 the king H4428 of Bashan, H1316 came out H3318 against H7125 us unto battle, H4421 and we smote H5221 them: And we took H3947 their land, H776 and gave H5414 it for an inheritance H5159 unto the Reubenites, H7206 and to the Gadites, H1425 and to the half H2677 tribe H7626 of Manasseh. H4520 Keep H8104 therefore the words H1697 of this covenant, H1285 and do H6213 them, that ye may prosper H7919 in all that ye do. H6213 Ye stand H5324 this day H3117 all of you before H6440 the LORD H3068 your God; H430 your captains H7218 of your tribes, H7626 your elders, H2205 and your officers, H7860 with all the men H376 of Israel, H3478 Your little ones, H2945 your wives, H802 and thy stranger H1616 that is in H7130 thy camp, H4264 from the hewer H2404 of thy wood H6086 unto the drawer H7579 of thy water: H4325 That thou shouldest enter H5674 into covenant H1285 with the LORD H3068 thy God, H430 and into his oath, H423 which the LORD H3068 thy God H430 maketh H3772 with thee this day: H3117 That he may establish H6965 thee to day H3117 for a people H5971 unto himself, and that he may be unto thee a God, H430 as he hath said H1696 unto thee, and as he hath sworn H7650 unto thy fathers, H1 to Abraham, H85 to Isaac, H3327 and to Jacob. H3290 Neither with you only do I make H3772 this covenant H1285 and this oath; H423 But with him that standeth H5975 here with us this H3426 day H3117 before H6440 the LORD H3068 our God, H430 and also with him that is not here with us this day: H3117
And the people H5971 said H559 unto Joshua, H3091 Nay; but we will serve H5647 the LORD. H3068 And Joshua H3091 said H559 unto the people, H5971 Ye are witnesses H5707 against yourselves that ye have chosen H977 you the LORD, H3068 to serve H5647 him. And they said, H559 We are witnesses. H5707 Now therefore put away, H5493 said he, the strange H5236 gods H430 which are among H7130 you, and incline H5186 your heart H3824 unto the LORD H3068 God H430 of Israel. H3478 And the people H5971 said H559 unto Joshua, H3091 The LORD H3068 our God H430 will we serve, H5647 and his voice H6963 will we obey. H8085 So Joshua H3091 made H3772 a covenant H1285 with the people H5971 that day, H3117 and set H7760 them a statute H2706 and an ordinance H4941 in Shechem. H7927
And the king H4428 stood H5975 in his place, H5977 and made H3772 a covenant H1285 before H6440 the LORD, H3068 to walk H3212 after H310 the LORD, H3068 and to keep H8104 his commandments, H4687 and his testimonies, H5715 and his statutes, H2706 with all his heart, H3824 and with all his soul, H5315 to perform H6213 the words H1697 of the covenant H1285 which are written H3789 in this book. H5612 And he caused all that were present H4672 in Jerusalem H3389 and Benjamin H1144 to stand H5975 to it. And the inhabitants H3427 of Jerusalem H3389 did H6213 according to the covenant H1285 of God, H430 the God H430 of their fathers. H1
Then said H559 they, We will restore H7725 them, and will require H1245 nothing of them; so will we do H6213 as thou sayest. H559 Then I called H7121 the priests, H3548 and took an oath H7650 of them, that they should do H6213 according to this promise. H1697 Also I shook H5287 my lap, H2684 and said, H559 So God H430 shake out H5287 every man H376 from his house, H1004 and from his labour, H3018 that performeth H6965 not this promise, H1697 even thus be he shaken out, H5287 and emptied. H7386 And all the congregation H6951 said, H559 Amen, H543 and praised H1984 the LORD. H3068 And the people H5971 did H6213 according to this promise. H1697
They clave H2388 to their brethren, H251 their nobles, H117 and entered H935 into a curse, H423 and into an oath, H7621 to walk H3212 in God's H430 law, H8451 which was given H5414 by H3027 Moses H4872 the servant H5650 of God, H430 and to observe H8104 and do H6213 all the commandments H4687 of the LORD H3068 our Lord, H113 and his judgments H4941 and his statutes; H2706 And that we would not give H5414 our daughters H1323 unto the people H5971 of the land, H776 nor take H3947 their daughters H1323 for our sons: H1121 And if the people H5971 of the land H776 bring H935 ware H4728 or any victuals H7668 on the sabbath H7676 day H3117 to sell, H4376 that we would not buy H3947 it of them on the sabbath, H7676 or on the holy H6944 day: H3117 and that we would leave H5203 the seventh H7637 year, H8141 and the exaction H4853 of every debt. H3027 Also we made H5975 ordinances H4687 for us, to charge H5414 ourselves yearly H8141 with the third part H7992 of a shekel H8255 for the service H5656 of the house H1004 of our God; H430 For the shewbread, H4635 H3899 and for the continual H8548 meat offering, H4503 and for the continual H8548 burnt offering, H5930 of the sabbaths, H7676 of the new moons, H2320 for the set feasts, H4150 and for the holy H6944 things, and for the sin offerings H2403 to make an atonement H3722 for Israel, H3478 and for all the work H4399 of the house H1004 of our God. H430 And we cast H5307 the lots H1486 among the priests, H3548 the Levites, H3881 and the people, H5971 for the wood H6086 offering, H7133 to bring H935 it into the house H1004 of our God, H430 after the houses H1004 of our fathers, H1 at times H6256 appointed H2163 year H8141 by year, H8141 to burn H1197 upon the altar H4196 of the LORD H3068 our God, H430 as it is written H3789 in the law: H8451 And to bring H935 the firstfruits H1061 of our ground, H127 and the firstfruits H1061 of all fruit H6529 of all trees, H6086 year H8141 by year, H8141 unto the house H1004 of the LORD: H3068 Also the firstborn H1060 of our sons, H1121 and of our cattle, H929 as it is written H3789 in the law, H8451 and the firstlings H1062 of our herds H1241 and of our flocks, H6629 to bring H935 to the house H1004 of our God, H430 unto the priests H3548 that minister H8334 in the house H1004 of our God: H430 And that we should bring H935 the firstfruits H7225 of our dough, H6182 and our offerings, H8641 and the fruit H6529 of all manner of trees, H6086 of wine H8492 and of oil, H3323 unto the priests, H3548 to the chambers H3957 of the house H1004 of our God; H430 and the tithes H4643 of our ground H127 unto the Levites, H3881 that the same Levites H3881 might have the tithes H6237 in all the cities H5892 of our tillage. H5656 And the priest H3548 the son H1121 of Aaron H175 shall be with the Levites, H3881 when the Levites H3881 take tithes: H6237 and the Levites H3881 shall bring up H5927 the tithe H4643 of the tithes H4643 unto the house H1004 of our God, H430 to the chambers, H3957 into the treasure H214 house. H1004 For the children H1121 of Israel H3478 and the children H1121 of Levi H3878 shall bring H935 the offering H8641 of the corn, H1715 of the new wine, H8492 and the oil, H3323 unto the chambers, H3957 where are the vessels H3627 of the sanctuary, H4720 and the priests H3548 that minister, H8334 and the porters, H7778 and the singers: H7891 and we will not forsake H5800 the house H1004 of our God. H430
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on 2 Chronicles 23
Commentary on 2 Chronicles 23 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 23
2Ch 23:1-11. Jehoiada Makes Joash King.
1. in the seventh year Jehoiada … took the captains of hundreds, &c.—(See on 2Ki 11:4; 2Ki 11:17). The five officers mentioned here had been probably of the royal guard, and were known to be strongly disaffected to the government of Athaliah.
2. chief of all the fathers of Israel—This name is frequently used in Chronicles for Judah and Benjamin, now all that remained of Israel. Having cautiously entrusted the secret of the young prince's preservation to all the leading men in the kingdom, he enlisted their interest in the royal cause and got their pledge to support it by a secret oath of fidelity.
they came to Jerusalem—The time chosen for the grand discovery was, probably, one of the annual festivals, when there was a general concourse of the nation at the capital.
4-9. This is the thing that ye shall do—The arrangements made for defense are here described. The people were divided into three bodies; one attended as guards to the king, while the other two were posted at all the doors and gates, and the captains and military officers who entered the temple unarmed to lull suspicion, were furnished with weapons out of the sacred armory, where David had deposited his trophies of victory and which was reopened on this occasion.
8. Jehoiada … dismissed not the courses—As it was necessary to have as large a disposable force as he could command on such a crisis, the high priest detained those who, in other circumstances, would have returned home on the expiry of their week of service.
11. Then they brought out the king's son, and put upon him the crown, and gave him the testimony—Some think that the original word rendered "testimony," as its derivation warrants, may signify here the regalia, especially the bracelet (2Sa 1:10); and this view they support on the ground that "gave him" being supplemented, the text properly runs thus, "put upon him the crown and testimony." At the same time, it seems equally pertinent to take "the testimony" in the usual acceptation of that term; and, accordingly, many are of opinion that a roll containing a copy of the law (De 17:18) was placed in the king's hands, which he held as a scepter or truncheon. Others, referring to a custom of Oriental people, who when receiving a letter or document from a highly respected quarter, lift it up to their heads before opening it, consider that Joash, besides the crown, had the book of the law laid upon his head (see Job 31:35, 36).
God save the king—literally, "Long live the king."
2Ch 23:12-15. Athaliah Slain.
12. Athaliah heard the noise of the people—The unusual commotion, indicated by the blast of the trumpets and the vehement acclamations of the people, drew her attention, or excited her fears. She might have flattered herself that, having slain all the royal family, she was in perfect security; but it is just as likely that, finding on reflection, one had escaped her murderous hands, she might not deem it expedient to institute any enquiries; but the very idea would keep her constantly in a state of jealous suspicion and irritation. In that state of mind, the wicked usurper, hearing across the Tyropœon the outburst of popular joy, rushed across the bridge to the temple grounds, and, penetrating from a single glance the meaning of the whole scene, raised a shriek of "Treason!"
13. behold, the king stood at his pillar at the entering in—The king's pillar was in the people's court, opposite that of the priests'. The young king, arrayed in the royal insignia, had been brought out of the inner, to stand forth in the outer court, to the public view. Some think that he stood on the brazen scaffold of Solomon, erected beside the pillar [see on 2Ch 6:13].
14, 15. Slay her not in the house of the Lord … and when she was come to the entering of the horse gate by the king's house, they slew her there—The high priest ordered her immediately to be taken out of the temple grounds and put to death. "And they laid hands on her; and she went by the way by the which horses came into the king's house: and there was she slain" (2Ki 11:16). "Now, we are not to suppose that horses came into [the king's house] of residence, but into the king's (horses') house or hippodrome (the gate of the king's mules) [Josephus], he had built for them on the southeast of the temple, in the immediate vicinity of the horse gate in the valley of Kedron—a valley which was at that time a kind of desecrated place by the destruction of idols and their appurtenances" (2Ki 23:2, 6, 12) [Barclay, City of the Great King].
2Ch 23:16. Jehoiada Restores the Worship of God, and Settles the King.
16. Jehoiada made a covenant—(See on 2Ki 11:17).