Bible Commentaries

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

2 Chronicles 23

Clinging to a Counterfeit Cross
Introduction

1  Jehoiada, having set things in order, makes Joash king.
12  Athaliah is slain.
16  Jehoiada restores the worship of God.

Verse 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.
seventh year
2 Kings 11:4-16
covenant with him
15:12, 1 Samuel 18:3, Nehemiah 9:38

Verse 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.
went about
Psalms 112:5, Matthew 10:16, Ephesians 5:15
the chief of
Houbigant omits the words of Israel. Bp. Patrick, however, is of the opinion that Judah is here called by the general name of Israel: but it is probable, that these "chief fathers of Israel," were the descendants of those priests and Levites, and other pious persons of the ten tribes, who left their cities and possessions, and joined themselves to Judah, in the days of Jeroboam. See the parallel passages.
11:13-17, 1 Chronicles 15:12, 24:6

Verse 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.
made a covenant
16, 2 Samuel 5:3, 2 Kings 11:17, 1 Chronicles 11:3
as the Lord
6:16, 7:18, 21:7, 2 Samuel 7:12,16, 1 Kings 2:4, 9:5, 1 Chronicles 9:9-27, Psalms 89:29,36

Verse 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;
entering
1 Chronicles 23:3-6, 24:3-6, Luke 1:8,9
porters
1 Chronicles 26:13-16
doors
Heb. thresholds.

Verse 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.
the king's house
2 Kings 11:5,6, Ezekiel 44:2,3, 46:2,3
the gate
Acts 3:2

Verse 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.
they that minister
2 Kings 11:6,7, 1 Chronicles 23:28-32

Verse 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.
the Levites
2 Kings 11:8,9
whosoever
Exodus 19:12,13, 21:14, Numbers 3:10,38

Verse 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.
the Levites
2 Kings 11:9
the courses
1 Chronicles 24:1-26

Verse 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.
spears
1 Samuel 21:9, 2 Samuel 8:7
which were in the house
When the soldier retired from the tumults of war to the bosom of his family, he frequently hung up his arms in the temple, as a grateful acknowledgment of the protection he had received, and of the victories he had won. It is highly probable, therefore, that the arms of David which Jehoiada delivered to the captains of hundreds, "which were in the house of God," were laid up in the tabernacle by David when he resigned the command of his armies to his generals; and there is reason to believe that his conduct, in this respect, was followed by many of his companions in arms.

Verse 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.
side of the temple
Heb. shoulder of the house.
2 Kings 11:11
along by
6:12, Exodus 40:6

Verse 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.
They brought
22:11, 2 Kings 11:12
put upon
2 Samuel 1:10, Psalms 21:3, 89:39, 132:18, Hebrews 2:9, James 1:12, 2:5, Revelation 4:4,10, Revelation 5:10, 19:12
the testimony
Exodus 25:16, 31:18, Deuteronomy 17:18-20, Psalms 2:10-12, 78:5, Isaiah 8:16,20, 49:23
anointed him
1 Samuel 10:1, 2 Samuel 5:3, 1 Kings 1:39, Psalms 89:20, Acts 4:26,27
God save the king
Heb. Let the king live.
1 Samuel 10:24, 2 Samuel 16:16, 1 Kings 1:34, Matthew 21:9

Verse 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:
Now when
2 Kings 11:13-16
she came
2 Kings 9:32-37

Verse 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 musick, and such as taught to sing praise. Then Athaliah rent her clothes, and said, Treason, Treason.
she looked
Psalms 14:5
the king
34:31, 2 Kings 23:3
and the princes
Numbers 10:1-10, 1 Chronicles 15:24
all the people
1 Kings 1:39,40, 1 Chronicles 12:40, Proverbs 11:10, 29:2
sounded
Judges 7:8,18-22, 2 Kings 9:13
the singers
1 Chronicles 15:16-22,27, 25:1-8
Then Athaliah
Ecclesiastes 9:12
Treason
Heb. Conspiracy.
1 Kings 18:17,18, 2 Kings 9:23, Romans 2:1,2

Verse 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.
Have her forth
The Vulgate has here, and in the parallel place, Educite illam extra septa templi, "Take her out beyond the precincts of the temple." These were walls erected in parallel lines, and forming an extensive range of buildings around the sacred edifice.
Exodus 21:14
whoso followeth her
He who takes her part let him be instantly slain.
2 Kings 10:25, 11:8,15
Slay her not
Ezekiel 9:7

Verse 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.
the horse gate
This gate was in the eastern wall of the city, towards the brook Kidron, (Jer 31:40,) at which the king's horses probably went out from the stables at Millo. It was near the temple; and some Rabbins suppose that, in order to go to the temple, a person might go on horseback to this place, but was then obliged to alight.
Nehemiah 3:28
they slew her there
22:10, Judges 1:7, Psalms 5:6, 55:23, Matthew 7:2, James 2:13, Revelation 16:5-7

Verse 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.
made a covenant
15:12,14, 29:10, 34:31,32, Deuteronomy 5:2,3, 29:1-15, 2 Kings 11:17, Ezra 10:3, Nehemiah 5:12,13, 9:38, 10:29-39
that they should
Deuteronomy 26:17-19, Joshua 24:21-25, Isaiah 44:5

Verse 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.
the house of Baal
34:4,7, 2 Kings 10:25-28, 11:18, 18:4
brake his altars
Deuteronomy 12:3, Isaiah 2:18, Zechariah 13:2,3
slew Mattan
Deuteronomy 13:5,9, 1 Kings 18:40, 2 Kings 11:18,19

Verse 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.
whom David
1 Chronicles 23:1-24
as it is written
Numbers 28:1-31
by David
Heb. by the hands of David.
29:25, 1 Chronicles 25:1-31

Verse 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.
porters
1 Chronicles 9:23,24, 26:1-32

Verse 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.
the captains
2 Kings 11:9,10,19

Verse 21

And all the people of the land rejoiced: and the city was quiet, after that they had slain Athaliah with the sword.
2 Kings 11:20, Psalms 58:10,11, Proverbs 11:10, Revelation 18:20, 19:1-4

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