2 Chronicles 23
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
23 But in the seventh year Jehoiada strengthened himself and entered into a compact with the commanders of the hundreds, Azariah son of Jeroham, Ishmael son of Jehohanan, Azariah son of Obed, Maaseiah son of Adaiah, and Elishaphat son of Zichri.(A) 2 They went around through Judah and gathered the Levites from all the towns of Judah and the heads of families of Israel, and they came to Jerusalem. 3 Then the whole assembly made a covenant with the king in the house of God. Jehoiada[a] said to them, “Here is the king’s son! Let him reign, as the Lord promised concerning the sons of David.(B) 4 This is what you are to do: one-third of you, priests and Levites, who come on duty on the Sabbath shall be gatekeepers,(C) 5 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. 6 Do not let anyone enter the house of the Lord except the priests and ministering Levites; they may enter, for they are holy, but all the other[b] people shall observe the instructions of the Lord. 7 The Levites shall surround the king, each with his weapons in his hand, and whoever enters the house shall be killed. Stay with the king in his comings and goings.”(D)
Joash Crowned King
8 The Levites and all Judah did according to all that the priest Jehoiada commanded; each brought his men who were to come on duty on the Sabbath with those who were to go off duty on the Sabbath, for the priest Jehoiada did not dismiss the divisions.(E) 9 The priest Jehoiada delivered to the captains the spears and the large and small shields that had been King David’s, which were in the house of God,(F) 10 and he set all the people as a guard for the king, everyone with weapon in hand, from the south side of the house to the north side of the house, around the altar and the house. 11 Then he brought out the king’s son, put the crown on him, and gave him the covenant; they proclaimed him king, and Jehoiada and his sons anointed him, and they shouted, “Long live the king!”(G)
Death of Athaliah
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;(H) 13 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. Athaliah tore her clothes and cried, “Treason! Treason!” 14 Then the priest Jehoiada brought out the captains who were set over the army, saying to them, “Bring her out between the ranks; anyone who follows her is to be put to 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; she went into the entrance of the Horse Gate of the king’s house, and there they put her to death.(I)
16 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, and they killed Mattan, the priest of Baal, in front of the altars.(J) 18 Jehoiada assigned the care of the house of the Lord to the Levitical priests whom David had organized to be in charge of the house of the Lord, to offer burnt offerings to the Lord, as it is written in the law of Moses, with rejoicing and with singing, according to the order of David.(K) 19 He stationed the gatekeepers at the gates of the house of the Lord so that no one should enter who was in any way unclean.(L) 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 through the upper gate to the king’s house. They set the king on the royal throne.(M) 21 So all the people of the land rejoiced, and the city was quiet after Athaliah had been killed with the sword.
2 Chronicles 23
International Standard Version
Jehoiada Establishes Joash as King(A)
23 Seven years later, Jehoiada mustered up some courage and made a deal with the officers who commanded units of hundreds of soldiers, including Jehoram’s son Azariah, Jehochanan’s son Ishmael, Obed’s son Azariah, Adaiah’s son Maaseiah, and Zichri’s son Elishaphat. 2 They traveled throughout Judah and gathered together the descendants of Levi from all the cities of Judah, along with the Israeli family leaders. 3 Everybody went to Jerusalem, and the whole group made a covenant with the king in God’s Temple, where Jehoiada[a] addressed them:
“Look! The king’s son is going to rule, just as the Lord promised David’s descendants. 4 So here’s what you’ll need to do: One third of you priests and descendants of Levi who are on duty during the Sabbath will serve as guards at the temple gates. 5 Another third of you priests and descendants of Levi[b] will take your places in the royal palace, while another third of you priests and descendants of Levi[c] will stand near the Foundation Gate. The rest of you will remain in the courtyard of the Lord’s Temple. 6 Nobody is to enter the Lord’s Temple except for the priests and descendants of Levi who are on duty. They may enter because they are ceremonially holy, but all the rest of the people must observe the Lord’s instructions. 7 The descendants of Levi will surround the king, brandishing weapons in their hands, and anybody who enters the Temple will be killed. Stay near the king wherever he enters and leaves.”
8 What Jehoiada the priest ordered is precisely what the descendants of Levi and all of Judah did. Each of them took the men who were on duty on the Sabbath as well as those who were off duty. Jehoiada the priest did not release the divisions from service, 9 and Jehoiada the priest issued the spears and shields that King David had placed in storage in God’s Temple to the officers in charge of the units of hundreds. 10 He set the rest of the people to serve as guards for the king, and each one brandished weapons in his hand, from the south side of the Temple to the north side of the Temple, around the altar, and surrounding the palace. 11 Then he brought out the king’s son, put a crown on him, and presented him with the Testimony,[d]
Joash is Crowned and Athaliah Executed(B)
12 When Athaliah heard all the commotion of the people running around and praising the king, she went straight to the Lord’s Temple to confront[e] the people. 13 She looked around, and there was the king, standing by his pillar at the gate, accompanied by officers and trumpeters who stood beside the king, along with all the people of the land rejoicing and sounding trumpets while singers lead the celebration with their musical instruments. Athaliah tore her robes and yelled “Treason! Treason!”
14 But Jehoiada the priest summoned the captains of hundreds who had been appointed in charge over the army and ordered them, “Bring her out between the ranks, and execute anyone who follows her.” The priest also told them, “Don’t execute her in the Lord’s Temple.” 15 So they arrested her when she arrived at the entrance to the Horse Gate near the royal palace, and then they executed her there.
Jehoiada’s Reforms(C)
16 After this, Jehoiada drew up a covenant between himself as an individual with all the people, and between himself as king, that they would be the Lord’s people. 17 Then all the people went to the temple of Baal, broke its altars and idols to pieces, and executed Mattan, the priest of Baal, in front of the altars. 18 Jehoiada also placed the offices of the Lord’s Temple under the authority of the Levitical priests whom David had assigned over the Lord’s Temple, just as is required by the Law of Moses, to offer the Lord’s burnt offerings with joy and singing, just as David had ordered. 19 Jehoiada[f] also stationed inspectors[g] at the Lord’s Temple so that no one would enter who was ritually unclean in any manner. 20 He also took the captains of hundreds, the nobles, the people’s governors, and all the people of the land, and they all marched with the king from the Lord’s Temple through the upper gate to the royal palace, where they installed the king on his royal throne. 21 There all of the people of the land rejoiced and the city stayed quiet, because they had executed Athaliah with a sword.
Footnotes
- 2 Chronicles 23:3 Lit. he
- 2 Chronicles 23:5 The Heb. lacks priests and descendants of Levi
- 2 Chronicles 23:5 The Heb. lacks priests and descendants of Levi
- 2 Chronicles 23:11 I.e. the tablets that were stored in the ark; cf. Ex 25:16, 31:18
- 2 Chronicles 23:12 The Heb. lacks confront
- 2 Chronicles 23:19 Lit. He
- 2 Chronicles 23:19 Lit. gatekeepers
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