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耶何耶大等人立约辅助王子(A)

23 到了第七年,耶何耶大奋勇图强,召来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和细基利的儿子以利沙法等几位百夫长,和他们立约。 他们就走遍犹大,从犹大各城召集利未人和以色列各家族的首领;他们就来到耶路撒冷。 全体会众在 神的殿里与王立约。耶何耶大对他们说:“王的儿子应当按照耶和华应许大卫的子孙的话作王。 你们要这样行:你们中间每逢安息日来值班的祭司和利未人,三分之一要把守各门; 三分之一要在王宫,三分之一要在基址门;全体人民都要在耶和华殿的院子里。 除了祭司和供职的利未人以外,任何人不得进入耶和华的殿,只有他们可以进去,因为他们是分别为圣的;全体人民都要遵守耶和华的吩咐。 利未人要在周围环绕君王,各人手里拿着武器;擅自进殿的,都必被处死;王出入的时候,你们都要随着他。” 利未人和犹大众人都照着耶何耶大祭司吩咐的一切去行;他们各人带着在安息日值班或在安息日下班的人来,因为耶何耶大祭司不准他们下班。 于是耶何耶大祭司把 神的殿里,原本属于大卫王的矛枪、大盾和小盾,交给了众百夫长; 10 他又分派众民,手中各拿兵器,守在祭坛和殿的四周,从殿的右面到殿的左面,环绕着王。 11 于是他们把王子领出来,给他戴上王冠,又把约书交给他,立他为王;耶何耶大和他的众子用膏膏他,并且说:“愿王万岁!”

亚他利雅被杀(B)

12 亚他利雅听见人民奔跑和赞美王的声音,就进了耶和华的殿,到众民那里去。 13 她一观看,见王站在殿门口的柱旁,众官长和吹号的人在王的周围;国民都欢乐吹号,又有歌唱的人用各种乐器领导众人歌颂。于是亚他利雅撕裂衣服,说:“反了!反了!” 14 耶何耶大祭司把管辖军队的众百夫长叫出来,对他们说:“把她从各班次中间赶出去;跟随她的人,都要用刀杀死。”因为祭司说:“不可在耶和华的殿内杀死她。” 15 她走到王宫的马门入口的时候,众兵就把她拿住,在那里把她杀死了。

耶何耶大的改革(C)

16 耶何耶大与众民和王立约,要他们作耶和华的子民。 17 于是众民都去到巴力庙,把庙拆毁,打碎祭坛和偶像,又在祭坛前杀了巴力的祭司玛坦。 18 耶何耶大把看守耶和华殿的责任,交在利未支派的祭司手里;这些利未支派的祭司是大卫分派在耶和华的殿中,照着摩西的律法所记的,给耶和华献燔祭,又照着大卫所定的,欢乐歌唱。 19 他又设立守门的看守耶和华殿的各门,无论为了甚么事,不洁净的人,都不能进去。 20 他率领百夫长、贵族、民间的官长和国民,又把王从耶和华的殿领下来,从“上门”进入王宫,拥立王坐在王位上。 21 于是全国的人民都欢乐,全城也都宁静;因为他们把亚他利雅用刀杀了。

Joash Made King

23 (A)But in the seventh year Jehoiada took courage and entered into a covenant with the commanders 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. And they went about through (B)Judah and gathered the Levites from all the cities of Judah, and the heads of fathers' houses of Israel, and they came to Jerusalem. And all the assembly made a covenant with the king in the house of God. And Jehoiada[a] said to them, “Behold, the king's son! Let him reign, (C)as the Lord spoke concerning the sons of David. This is the thing that you shall do: (D)of you priests and Levites who come off duty on the Sabbath, one third shall be gatekeepers, and one third shall be at the king's house and one third at the Gate of the Foundation. And all the people shall be in the courts of the house of the Lord. Let no one enter the house of the Lord except the priests (E)and ministering Levites. They may enter, for they are holy, but all the people shall keep the charge of the Lord. The Levites shall surround the king, each with his weapons in his hand. And whoever enters the house shall be put to death. Be with the king when he comes in and when he goes out.”

The Levites and all Judah did according to all that Jehoiada the priest commanded, and they each brought his men, who were to go off duty on the Sabbath, with those who were to come on duty on the Sabbath, for Jehoiada the priest did not dismiss (F)the divisions. And Jehoiada the priest gave to the captains the spears and the large and small shields that had been King David's, which were in the house of God. 10 And he set all the people as a guard for the king, every man with his weapon in his hand, from the south side of the house to the north side of the house, around the altar and the house. 11 Then they brought out the king's son and put the crown on him and gave him (G)the testimony. And they proclaimed him king, and Jehoiada and his sons anointed him, and they said, (H)“Long live the king.”

Athaliah Executed

12 When Athaliah heard the noise of the people running and praising the king, she went into the house of the Lord to the people. 13 And when she looked, there was the king standing by his pillar at the entrance, and the captains and the trumpeters beside the king, and all the people of the land rejoicing and blowing trumpets, and the singers with their musical instruments leading in the celebration. And Athaliah tore her clothes and cried, “Treason! Treason!” 14 Then Jehoiada the priest brought out the captains who were set over the army, saying to them, “Bring her out between the ranks, and anyone who follows her is to be put to death with the sword.” For the priest said, “Do not put her to death in the house of the Lord.” 15 So they laid hands on her,[b] and she went into the entrance of (I)the horse gate of the king's house, and they put her to death there.

Jehoiada's Reforms

16 And Jehoiada made a covenant between himself and all the people and the king that they should be the Lord's people. 17 Then all the people went to the house of Baal and tore it down; his altars and his images they broke in pieces, (J)and they killed Mattan the priest of Baal before the altars. 18 And Jehoiada posted watchmen for the house of the Lord under the direction of (K)the Levitical priests and the Levites (L)whom David had organized to be in charge of the house of the Lord, to offer burnt offerings to the Lord, (M)as it is written in the Law of Moses, with rejoicing and with singing, (N)according to the order of David. 19 He stationed (O)the gatekeepers at the gates of the house of the Lord so that no one should enter who was in any way unclean. 20 And he took the captains, the nobles, the governors of the people, and all the people of the land, and they brought the king down from the house of the Lord, marching (P)through the upper gate to the king's house. And they set the king on the royal throne. 21 So all the people of the land rejoiced, and the city was quiet after Athaliah had been put to death with the sword.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Chronicles 23:3 Hebrew he
  2. 2 Chronicles 23:15 Or they made a passage for her

Priest Jehoiada and King Joash

23 After six years, Jehoiada showed his strength and made an agreement with the captains. These captains were 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 of Judah. They also gathered the leaders of the families of Israel. Then they went to Jerusalem. All the people meeting together made an agreement with the king in God’s Temple.

Jehoiada said to the people, “The king’s son will rule. That is what the Lord promised about David’s descendants. Now, this is what you must do: One-third of you priests and Levites who go on duty on the Sabbath will guard the doors. And one-third of you will be at the king’s palace, and one-third of you will be at the Foundation Gate. But all the other people will stay in the yards of the Lord’s Temple. Only the priests and Levites who serve in the Lord’s Temple are permitted to enter it. They are the only ones who have been made holy. Don’t let anyone else enter. All the others must do only the work 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 that person. You must stay with the king everywhere he goes.”

The Levites and all the people of Judah obeyed all that Jehoiada the priest commanded. Jehoiada the priest did not excuse anyone from the groups of the priests. So each captain and all his men came in on the Sabbath with those who went out on the Sabbath. Jehoiada the priest gave the spears and the large and small shields that belonged to King David to the officers. The weapons were kept in God’s Temple. 10 Then Jehoiada told the men where to stand. Every man had his weapon in his hand. The men stood all the way from the right side of the Temple to the left side of the Temple. They stood near the altar and the Temple, and near the king. 11 They brought out the king’s son and put the crown on him. They gave him a copy of the agreement.[a] Then they made Joash king. Jehoiada and his sons anointed Joash and said, “Long live the king!”

12 Athaliah heard the noise of the people running to the Temple and praising the king. She came into the Lord’s Temple to the people. 13 She looked and saw the king standing by his column at the front entrance. The officers and the men who blew trumpets were near the king. The people of the land were happy and blowing trumpets. The singers were playing on instruments of music. They led the people in singing praises. Then Athaliah tore her clothes[b] and said, “Treason! Treason!”[c]

14 Jehoiada the priest brought out the army captains. He said to them, “Take Athaliah outside among the army. Use your swords to kill anyone who follows her.” Then the priest warned the soldiers, “Don’t kill Athaliah in the Lord’s Temple.” 15 Then those men grabbed Athaliah when she came to the entrance of the Horse Gate at the king’s palace. Then they killed her there.

16 Then Jehoiada made an agreement with all the people and the king. They all agreed that they all would be the Lord’s people. 17 All the people went into the temple of the idol Baal and tore it down. They also broke the altars and idols that were in Baal’s temple. They killed Mattan the priest of Baal in front of the altars of Baal.

18 Then Jehoiada chose the priests to be responsible for the Lord’s Temple. The priests were Levites, and David had given them the job of being responsible for the Lord’s Temple. They were to offer the burnt offerings to the Lord the way the Law of Moses commanded. They offered the sacrifices with much joy and singing the way David commanded. 19 Jehoiada put guards at the gates of the Lord’s Temple to prevent any unclean person from entering the Temple.

20 Jehoiada took the army captains, the leaders, the rulers of the people, and all the people of the land with him. Then Jehoiada took the king out of the Lord’s Temple. They went through the Upper Gate to the king’s palace and put the king on the throne. 21 All the people of Judah were very happy, and the city of Jerusalem had peace because Athaliah was killed with a sword.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Chronicles 23:11 a copy of the agreement Literally, “testimony.” This could be a copy of the Law of Moses (see Deut. 17:18) or a special agreement between God and the king (see 1 Sam. 10:25; 2 Kings 11:17).
  2. 2 Chronicles 23:13 tore her clothes A way to show that she was very upset.
  3. 2 Chronicles 23:13 Treason Turning against the government. Here, Athaliah was blaming the people for turning against her government.

23 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.

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.

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.

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;

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 musick, 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.