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耶何耶大谋攻亚她利雅

23 第七年,耶何耶大奋勇自强,将百夫长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细基利的儿子以利沙法召来,与他们立约。 他们走遍犹大,从犹大各城里招聚利未人和以色列的众族长到耶路撒冷来。 会众在神殿里与王立约。耶何耶大对他们说:“看哪,王的儿子必当做王,正如耶和华指着大卫子孙所应许的话。” 又说:“你们当这样行:祭司和利未人,凡安息日进班的,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,众百姓要在耶和华殿的院内。 除了祭司和供职的利未人之外,不准别人进耶和华的殿,唯独他们可以进去,因为他们圣洁;众百姓要遵守耶和华所吩咐的。 利未人要手中各拿兵器,四围护卫王,凡擅入殿宇的必当治死。王出入的时候,你们当跟随他。”

利未人和犹大众人都照着祭司耶何耶大一切所吩咐的去行,各带所管安息日进班出班的人来,因为祭司耶何耶大不许他们下班。 祭司耶何耶大便将神殿里所藏大卫王的枪、盾牌、挡牌交给百夫长, 10 又分派众民手中各拿兵器,在坛和殿那里,从殿右直到殿左,站在王子的四围。 11 于是领王子出来,给他戴上冠冕,将律法书交给他,立他做王。耶何耶大和众子膏他,众人说:“愿王万岁!”

亚她利雅被杀

12 亚她利雅听见民奔走、赞美王的声音,就到民那里,进耶和华的殿。 13 看见王站在殿门的柱旁,百夫长和吹号的人侍立在王左右,国民都欢乐、吹号,又有歌唱的用各样的乐器领人歌唱赞美,亚她利雅就撕裂衣服,喊叫说:“反了!反了!” 14 祭司耶何耶大带管辖军兵的百夫长出来,吩咐他们说:“将她赶到班外,凡跟随她的必用刀杀死。”因为祭司说:“不可在耶和华殿里杀她。” 15 众兵就闪开让她去,她走到王宫的门,便在那里把她杀了。

耶何耶大与民及王立约

16 耶何耶大与众民和王立约,都要做耶和华的民。 17 于是众民都到巴力庙,拆毁了庙,打碎坛和像,又在坛前将巴力的祭司玛坦杀了。 18 耶何耶大派官看守耶和华的殿,是在祭司利未人手下;这祭司利未人是大卫分派在耶和华殿中,照摩西律法上所写的给耶和华献燔祭,又按大卫所定的例欢乐、歌唱。 19 且设立守门的把守耶和华殿的各门,无论为何事,不洁净的人都不准进去。 20 又率领百夫长和贵胄与民间的官长,并国中的众民,请王从耶和华殿下来,由上门进入王宫,立王坐在国位上。 21 国民都欢乐,合城都安静。众人已将亚她利雅用刀杀了。

耶何耶大立約阿施為猶大王

23 第七年,耶何耶大發憤圖強,召來一些百夫長與他們立約。他們是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,以及細基利的兒子以利法。 他們走遍猶大各城,把利未人和以色列的各族長召集到耶路撒冷。 全體會眾到上帝的殿中與王立約。耶何耶大對他們說:「王的兒子當做王!這是耶和華對大衛子孫的應許。 你們要這樣做,三分之一在安息日值班的祭司和利未人要把守各門, 三分之一要把守王宮,三分之一要把守基址門,所有民眾要留在耶和華殿的院子裡。 只有祭司和供職的利未人可以進耶和華的殿,因為他們是聖潔的。其他人一律不准進殿。所有的人都要遵守耶和華的吩咐。 利未人要手持兵器護衛在王周圍。凡擅自進殿的,一律處死。無論王去哪裡,你們都要緊隨左右。」

於是,利未人和所有猶大人遵照耶何耶大祭司的命令而行,各自帶來在安息日值班和休班的屬下,因為耶何耶大祭司沒有讓他們休班。 耶何耶大祭司把上帝殿中大衛王的矛槍和大小盾牌交給百夫長。 10 耶何耶大安排眾民手持兵器,從殿右到殿左,在祭壇和殿周圍護衛王, 11 然後他們領王子出來,給他戴上王冠,把律法書交給他。耶何耶大及其眾子膏立王子為王。眾人高呼:「願王萬歲!」

亞她利雅被處死

12 亞她利雅聽到人們奔走稱頌王的聲音,便走進耶和華的殿,眾人都聚集在那裡。 13 她看見王站在門口的柱旁,百夫長和吹號的人侍立在王左右,眾民都歡呼吹號,歌樂手用各種樂器帶領眾人唱歌頌揚,便撕裂衣服,喊道:「反了!反了!」 14 耶何耶大祭司認為不可在耶和華的殿裡處死亞她利雅,便命令帶兵的百夫長出來,對他們說:「把她帶出去。要用刀殺死所有跟隨她的人。」 15 他們抓住她,把她帶到馬匹進出王宮的入口,在那裡殺了她。

耶何耶大的改革

16 耶何耶大讓民眾和王與他一起立約,要做耶和華的子民。 17 於是,民眾出去拆毀了巴力廟,砸碎祭壇和偶像,在壇前殺了巴力的祭司瑪坦。 18 耶何耶大照大衛的吩咐讓利未祭司負責耶和華殿裡的事務。大衛曾吩咐利未祭司在耶和華的殿中司職,照摩西的律法向耶和華獻燔祭,歡呼歌唱。 19 耶何耶大還派門衛把守耶和華殿的各門,禁止一切不潔淨的人入內。 20 他率領百夫長、貴族、首領和全體民眾護送王從耶和華的殿裡下來,經上門進入王宮,擁立王登上王位。 21 民眾都歡喜快樂,城裡安定,因為亞她利雅已死在刀下。

23 In the seventh year Jehoiada showed his strength. He made a covenant with the commanders of units of a hundred: Azariah son of Jeroham, Ishmael son of Jehohanan, Azariah son of Obed, Maaseiah son of Adaiah, and Elishaphat son of Zikri. They went throughout Judah and gathered the Levites(A) and the heads of Israelite families from all the towns. When they came to Jerusalem, the whole assembly made a covenant(B) with the king at the temple of God.

Jehoiada said to them, “The king’s son shall reign, as the Lord promised concerning the descendants of David.(C) Now this is what you are to do: A third of you priests and Levites who are going on duty on the Sabbath are to keep watch at the doors, a third of you at the royal palace and a third at the Foundation Gate, and all the others are to be in the courtyards of the temple of the Lord. No one is to enter the temple of the Lord except the priests and Levites on duty; they may enter because they are consecrated, but all the others are to observe(D) the Lord’s command not to enter.[a] The Levites are to station themselves around the king, each with weapon in hand. Anyone who enters the temple is to be put to death. Stay close to the king wherever he goes.”

The Levites and all the men of Judah did just as Jehoiada the priest ordered.(E) Each one took his men—those who were going on duty on the Sabbath and those who were going off duty—for Jehoiada the priest had not released any of the divisions.(F) Then he gave the commanders of units of a hundred the spears and the large and small shields that had belonged to King David and that were in the temple of God. 10 He stationed all the men, each with his weapon in his hand, around the king—near the altar and the temple, from the south side to the north side of the temple.

11 Jehoiada and his sons brought out the king’s son and put the crown on him; they presented him with a copy(G) of the covenant and proclaimed him king. They anointed him and shouted, “Long live the king!”

12 When Athaliah heard the noise of the people running and cheering the king, she went to them at the temple of the Lord. 13 She looked, and there was the king,(H) standing by his pillar(I) at the entrance. The officers and the trumpeters were beside the king, and all the people of the land were rejoicing and blowing trumpets, and musicians with their instruments were leading the praises. Then Athaliah tore her robes and shouted, “Treason! Treason!”

14 Jehoiada the priest sent out the commanders of units of a hundred, who were in charge of the troops, and said to them: “Bring her out between the ranks[b] and put to the sword anyone who follows her.” For the priest had said, “Do not put her to death at the temple of the Lord.” 15 So they seized her as she reached the entrance of the Horse Gate(J) on the palace grounds, and there they put her to death.

16 Jehoiada then made a covenant(K) that he, the people and the king[c] would be the Lord’s people. 17 All the people went to the temple of Baal and tore it down. They smashed the altars and idols and killed(L) Mattan the priest of Baal in front of the altars.

18 Then Jehoiada placed the oversight of the temple of the Lord in the hands of the Levitical priests,(M) to whom David had made assignments in the temple,(N) to present the burnt offerings of the Lord as written in the Law of Moses, with rejoicing and singing, as David had ordered. 19 He also stationed gatekeepers(O) at the gates of the Lord’s temple so that no one who was in any way unclean might enter.

20 He took with him the commanders of hundreds, the nobles, the rulers of the people and all the people of the land and brought the king down from the temple of the Lord. They went into the palace through the Upper Gate(P) and seated the king on the royal throne. 21 All the people of the land rejoiced, and the city was calm, because Athaliah had been slain with the sword.(Q)

Footnotes

  1. 2 Chronicles 23:6 Or are to stand guard where the Lord has assigned them
  2. 2 Chronicles 23:14 Or out from the precincts
  3. 2 Chronicles 23:16 Or covenant between the Lord and the people and the king that they (see 2 Kings 11:17)

Jehoiada Makes Joash King of Judah

(2 Kings 11.4-21)

23 After Ahaziah's son Joash had hidden in the temple for six years, Jehoiada the priest knew that something had to be done. So he made sure he had the support of several army officers. They were Azariah son of Jeroham, Ishmael son of Jehohanan, Azariah son of Obed, Maaseiah son of Adaiah, and Elishaphat son of Zichri. These five men went to the towns in Judah and called together the Levites and the clan leaders. They all came to Jerusalem (A) and gathered at the temple, where they agreed to help Joash.

Jehoiada said to them:

Joash will be our next king, because long ago the Lord promised that one of David's descendants would always be king. Here is what we will do. Three groups of priests and Levites will be on guard duty on the Sabbath—one group will guard the gates of the temple, one will guard the palace, and the other will guard Foundation Gate. The rest of you will stand guard in the temple courtyards. Only the priests and Levites who are on duty will be able to enter the temple, because they will be the only ones who have gone through the ceremony to make themselves clean and acceptable. The others must stay outside in the courtyards, just as the Lord has commanded. You Levites must protect King Joash. Don't let him out of your sight! And keep your swords ready to kill anyone who comes into the temple.

The Levites and the people of Judah followed Jehoiada's orders. The guards going off duty were not allowed to go home, and so each commander had all his guards available—those going off duty as well as those coming on duty. Jehoiada went into the temple and brought out the swords and shields that had belonged to King David, and he gave them to the commanders. 10 They gave the weapons to the guards, and Jehoiada then made sure that the guards took their positions around the temple and the altar to protect the king on every side.

11 Jehoiada and his sons brought Joash outside, where they placed the crown on his head and gave him a copy of the instructions for ruling the nation. Olive oil was poured on his head to show that he was now king, and the crowd cheered and shouted, “Long live the king!”

12 As soon as Queen Athaliah heard the crowd cheering for Joash, she went to the temple. 13 There she saw Joash standing by one of the columns near the entrance, which was the usual place for the king. The commanders and the trumpet players were standing next to him, and the musicians were playing instruments and leading the people as they celebrated and blew trumpets. Athaliah tore her clothes in anger and shouted, “You betrayed me, you traitors!”

14 At once, Jehoiada said to the army commanders, “Don't kill her near the Lord's temple. Take her out in front of the troops, and be sure to kill all of her followers!” 15 She tried to escape, but the commanders caught and killed her near the gate where horses are led into the palace.

16 Jehoiada asked King Joash and the people to join with him in being faithful to the Lord. They agreed, 17 then rushed to the temple of the god Baal and tore it down. They smashed the altars and the idols and killed Mattan the priest of Baal in front of the altars.

18 Jehoiada assigned the priests and Levites their duties at the temple, just as David had done. They were in charge of offering sacrifices to the Lord according to the Law of Moses, and they were responsible for leading the celebrations with singing. 19 Jehoiada ordered the guards at the temple gates to keep out anyone who was unclean.

20 Finally, Jehoiada called together the army commanders, the most important citizens of Judah, and the government officials. The crowd of people followed them as they led Joash from the temple, through the Upper Gate, and into the palace, where he took his place as king of Judah. 21 Everyone celebrated because Athaliah had been killed and Jerusalem was peaceful again.

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.