耶何耶大立约阿施为犹大王

23 第七年,耶何耶大发愤图强,召来一些百夫长与他们立约。他们是耶罗罕的儿子亚撒利雅,约哈难的儿子以实玛利,俄备得的儿子亚撒利雅,亚大雅的儿子玛西雅,以及细基利的儿子以利法。 他们走遍犹大各城,把利未人和以色列的各族长召集到耶路撒冷。 全体会众到上帝的殿中与王立约。耶何耶大对他们说:“王的儿子当做王!这是耶和华对大卫子孙的应许。 你们要这样做,三分之一在安息日值班的祭司和利未人要把守各门, 三分之一要把守王宫,三分之一要把守基址门,所有民众要留在耶和华殿的院子里。 只有祭司和供职的利未人可以进耶和华的殿,因为他们是圣洁的。其他人一律不准进殿。所有的人都要遵守耶和华的吩咐。 利未人要手持兵器护卫在王周围。凡擅自进殿的,一律处死。无论王去哪里,你们都要紧随左右。”

于是,利未人和所有犹大人遵照耶何耶大祭司的命令而行,各自带来在安息日值班和休班的属下,因为耶何耶大祭司没有让他们休班。 耶何耶大祭司把上帝殿中大卫王的矛枪和大小盾牌交给百夫长。 10 耶何耶大安排众民手持兵器,从殿右到殿左,在祭坛和殿周围护卫王, 11 然后他们领王子出来,给他戴上王冠,把律法书交给他。耶何耶大及其众子膏立王子为王。众人高呼:“愿王万岁!”

亚她利雅被处死

12 亚她利雅听到人们奔走称颂王的声音,便走进耶和华的殿,众人都聚集在那里。 13 她看见王站在门口的柱旁,百夫长和吹号的人侍立在王左右,众民都欢呼吹号,歌乐手用各种乐器带领众人唱歌颂扬,便撕裂衣服,喊道:“反了!反了!” 14 耶何耶大祭司认为不可在耶和华的殿里处死亚她利雅,便命令带兵的百夫长出来,对他们说:“把她带出去。要用刀杀死所有跟随她的人。” 15 他们抓住她,把她带到马匹进出王宫的入口,在那里杀了她。

耶何耶大的改革

16 耶何耶大让民众和王与他一起立约,要做耶和华的子民。 17 于是,民众出去拆毁了巴力庙,砸碎祭坛和偶像,在坛前杀了巴力的祭司玛坦。 18 耶何耶大照大卫的吩咐让利未祭司负责耶和华殿里的事务。大卫曾吩咐利未祭司在耶和华的殿中司职,照摩西的律法向耶和华献燔祭,欢呼歌唱。 19 耶何耶大还派门卫把守耶和华殿的各门,禁止一切不洁净的人入内。 20 他率领百夫长、贵族、首领和全体民众护送王从耶和华的殿里下来,经上门进入王宫,拥立王登上王位。 21 民众都欢喜快乐,城里安定,因为亚她利雅已死在刀下。

耶何耶大等人立約輔助王子(A)

23 到了第七年,耶何耶大奮勇圖強,召來耶羅罕的兒子亞撒利雅、約哈難的兒子以實瑪利、俄備得的兒子亞撒利雅、亞大雅的兒子瑪西雅和細基利的兒子以利沙法等幾位百夫長,和他們立約。 他們就走遍猶大,從猶大各城召集利未人和以色列各家族的首領;他們就來到耶路撒冷。 全體會眾在 神的殿裡與王立約。耶何耶大對他們說:“王的兒子應當按照耶和華應許大衛的子孫的話作王。 你們要這樣行:你們中間每逢安息日來值班的祭司和利未人,三分之一要把守各門; 三分之一要在王宮,三分之一要在基址門;全體人民都要在耶和華殿的院子裡。 除了祭司和供職的利未人以外,任何人不得進入耶和華的殿,只有他們可以進去,因為他們是分別為聖的;全體人民都要遵守耶和華的吩咐。 利未人要在周圍環繞君王,各人手裡拿著武器;擅自進殿的,都必被處死;王出入的時候,你們都要隨著他。” 利未人和猶大眾人都照著耶何耶大祭司吩咐的一切去行;他們各人帶著在安息日值班或在安息日下班的人來,因為耶何耶大祭司不准他們下班。 於是耶何耶大祭司把 神的殿裡,原本屬於大衛王的矛槍、大盾和小盾,交給了眾百夫長; 10 他又分派眾民,手中各拿兵器,守在祭壇和殿的四周,從殿的右面到殿的左面,環繞著王。 11 於是他們把王子領出來,給他戴上王冠,又把約書交給他,立他為王;耶何耶大和他的眾子用膏膏他,並且說:“願王萬歲!”

亞他利雅被殺(B)

12 亞他利雅聽見人民奔跑和讚美王的聲音,就進了耶和華的殿,到眾民那裡去。 13 她一觀看,見王站在殿門口的柱旁,眾官長和吹號的人在王的周圍;國民都歡樂吹號,又有歌唱的人用各種樂器領導眾人歌頌。於是亞他利雅撕裂衣服,說:“反了!反了!” 14 耶何耶大祭司把管轄軍隊的眾百夫長叫出來,對他們說:“把她從各班次中間趕出去;跟隨她的人,都要用刀殺死。”因為祭司說:“不可在耶和華的殿內殺死她。” 15 她走到王宮的馬門入口的時候,眾兵就把她拿住,在那裡把她殺死了。

耶何耶大的改革(C)

16 耶何耶大與眾民和王立約,要他們作耶和華的子民。 17 於是眾民都去到巴力廟,把廟拆毀,打碎祭壇和偶像,又在祭壇前殺了巴力的祭司瑪坦。 18 耶何耶大把看守耶和華殿的責任,交在利未支派的祭司手裡;這些利未支派的祭司是大衛分派在耶和華的殿中,照著摩西的律法所記的,給耶和華獻燔祭,又照著大衛所定的,歡樂歌唱。 19 他又設立守門的看守耶和華殿的各門,無論為了甚麼事,不潔淨的人,都不能進去。 20 他率領百夫長、貴族、民間的官長和國民,又把王從耶和華的殿領下來,從“上門”進入王宮,擁立王坐在王位上。 21 於是全國的人民都歡樂,全城也都寧靜;因為他們把亞他利雅用刀殺了。

23 In the seventh year Jehoiada decided to do something. He made an agreement with the commanders of the groups of 100 men. These were the commanders: Azariah son of Jeroham, Ishmael son of Jehohanan, Azariah son of Obed, Maaseiah son of Adaiah, and Elishaphat son of Zicri. They went around in Judah and gathered the Levites from all the towns. They also gathered the leaders of the families of Israel. Then they went to Jerusalem. All the people together made an agreement with the king in the Temple of God.

Jehoiada said to them, “The king’s son will rule. That is what the Lord promised about David’s descendants. Now this is what you must do: You priests and Levites go on duty on the Sabbath. A third of you will guard the doors. A third of you will be at the king’s palace. And a third of you will be at the Foundation Gate. All the other people will stay in the courtyards of the Temple of the Lord. Don’t let anyone come into the Temple of the Lord. Only the priests and Levites who serve may come in. They may come because they have been made ready to serve the Lord. But all the other men must do the job the Lord has given them. The Levites must stay near the king. Every man must have his sword with him. If anyone tries to enter the Temple, kill him. You must stay with the king everywhere he goes.”

The Levites and all the people of Judah obeyed everything Jehoiada the priest had commanded. He did not excuse anyone from the groups of the priests. So each commander took the men who came on duty on the Sabbath with those who went off duty on the Sabbath. Jehoiada gave the commanders of the groups of 100 men the spears and the large and small shields. They had belonged to King David. They were kept in the Temple of God. 10 Then Jehoiada told the men where to stand. Every man had his weapon in his hand. They stood around the king, near the altar and the Temple. They stood from the south side of the Temple to the north side.

11 Jehoiada and his sons brought out the king’s son. And they put the crown on him. They gave him a copy of the law. Then they appointed him king and poured olive oil on him. Then they shouted, “Long live the king!”

12 Athaliah heard the noise of the people running and praising the king. So she went to them at the Temple of the Lord. 13 She looked and saw the king standing by his pillar at the entrance. The officers and the men who blew trumpets were near him. All the people of the land were happy and blowing trumpets. The singers were playing musical instruments and leading praises. Then Athaliah tore her clothes to show how upset she was. She shouted, “Traitors! Traitors!”

14 Jehoiada the priest sent out the commanders of 100 men who led the army. He said to them, “Surround her with soldiers and take her out of the Temple area. Kill with a sword anyone who follows her.” He had said, “Don’t put Athaliah to death in the Temple of the Lord.” 15 So they caught her when she came to the entrance of the Horse Gate near the palace. And they put her to death there.

16 Then Jehoiada made an agreement with the people and the king. They agreed that they would be the Lord’s special people. 17 All the people went to the temple of Baal and tore it down. They smashed the altars and idols there. And they killed Mattan the priest of Baal in front of the altars.

18 Then Jehoiada chose the priests to be responsible for the Temple of the Lord. These priests were Levites. David had given them duties in the Temple of the Lord. They were to offer the burnt offerings to the Lord as the Teachings of Moses commanded. They offered the sacrifices with much joy and singing as David had commanded. 19 Jehoiada put guards at the gates of the Temple of the Lord. Then anyone who was unclean in any way could not enter the Temple.

20 Jehoiada took with him the commanders of 100 men, the important men, the rulers of the people and all the people of the land. They brought the king down from the Temple of the Lord. They went through the Upper Gate into the palace. Then they seated the king on the throne. 21 All the people of Judah were very happy. And Jerusalem had peace because Athaliah had been put to death with the sword.