2 Chronicles 23
New American Standard Bible
Jehoiada Sets Joash on the Throne of Judah
23 (A)Now in the seventh year, Jehoiada gathered his courage, and took captains of hundreds: Azariah the son of Jeroham, Ishmael the son of Johanan, Azariah the son of Obed, Maaseiah the son of Adaiah, and Elishaphat the son of Zichri, and they entered into a covenant with him. 2 And they went throughout Judah and gathered the Levites from all the cities of Judah, and the heads of the fathers’ households of (B)Israel, and they came to Jerusalem. 3 Then all the assembly made a covenant with the king in the house of God. And [a]Jehoiada said to them, “Behold, the king’s son shall reign, (C)as the Lord has spoken concerning the sons of David. 4 This is the thing which you shall do: a third of you, of the priests and Levites (D)who come in on the Sabbath, shall be gatekeepers, 5 and a third shall be at the king’s house, and a third at the Gate of the Foundation; and all the people shall be in the courtyards of the house of the Lord. 6 But no one is to enter the house of the Lord except the priests and (E)the ministering Levites; they may enter, for they are holy. And all the people are to keep the command of the Lord. 7 The Levites will surround the king, each man with his weapons in his hand; and whoever enters the house is to be put to death. Therefore be with the king when he comes in and when he goes out.”
8 The Levites and all Judah did according to all that Jehoiada the priest commanded. And each one of them took his men who were to come in on the Sabbath, with those who were to go out on the Sabbath, for Jehoiada the priest did not dismiss any of (F)the divisions. 9 Then Jehoiada the priest gave the captains of hundreds the spears and the shields and quivers which had been King David’s, which were in the house of God. 10 He stationed all the people, each man with his weapon in his hand, from the right [b]side of the house to the left [c]side of the house, by the altar and by the house, around the king. 11 Then they brought out the king’s son and put the crown on him, and gave him (G)the testimony and made him king. And Jehoiada and his sons anointed him and said, “(H)Long live the king!”
Athaliah Murdered
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 She looked, and behold, the king was standing by his pillar at the entrance, and the captains and the [d]trumpeters were beside the king. And all the people of the land rejoiced and blew trumpets, the singers with their musical instruments [e]leading the praise. Then Athaliah tore her clothes and said, “Conspiracy! Conspiracy!” 14 And Jehoiada the priest brought out the captains of hundreds who were appointed over the army, and said to them, “Bring her out [f]between the ranks, and whoever follows her is to be put to death with the sword.” For the priest said, “You shall not put her to death in the house of the Lord.” 15 So they [g]seized her, and when she arrived at the entrance of (I)the Horse Gate of the king’s house, they (J)put her to death there.
Reforms Carried Out
16 Then (K)Jehoiada made a covenant between himself and all the people and the king, that they would be the Lord’s people. 17 And all the people went to the house of Baal and tore it down, and they broke in pieces his altars and his images, and (L)killed Mattan the priest of Baal before the altars. 18 Moreover, Jehoiada placed the offices of the house of the Lord under the [h]authority of (M)the Levitical priests, (N)whom David had assigned over the house of the Lord, to offer the burnt offerings of the Lord, as it is written in the Law of Moses—(O)with rejoicing and singing according to the [i]order of David. 19 He stationed (P)the gatekeepers of the house of the Lord, so that no one would enter who was in any way unclean. 20 (Q)He took the captains of hundreds, the nobles, the rulers of the people, and all the people of the land, and brought the king down from the house of the Lord, and went through the upper gate to the king’s house. And they seated the king upon the royal throne. 21 So (R)all of the people of the land rejoiced and the city was at rest. For they had put Athaliah to death with the sword.
Footnotes
- 2 Chronicles 23:3 Lit he
- 2 Chronicles 23:10 Lit shoulder
- 2 Chronicles 23:10 Lit shoulder
- 2 Chronicles 23:13 Lit trumpets
- 2 Chronicles 23:13 Lit and leading for praising
- 2 Chronicles 23:14 Lit from within
- 2 Chronicles 23:15 Lit put hands to her
- 2 Chronicles 23:18 Lit hand
- 2 Chronicles 23:18 Lit hands of
2 Chronicles 23
King James Version
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.
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.
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.
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;
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
2 Chronicles 23
Living Bible
23 In the seventh year of the reign of Queen Athaliah, Jehoiada the priest got up his courage and took some of the army officers into his confidence: Azariah (son of Jeroham), Ishmael (son of Jehohanan), Azariah (son of Obed), Maaseiah (son of Adaiah), and Elishaphat (son of Zichri). 2-3 These men traveled out across the nation secretly to tell the Levites and clan leaders about his plans and to summon them to Jerusalem. On arrival they swore allegiance to the young king, who was still in hiding at the Temple.
“At last the time has come for the king’s son to reign!” Jehoiada exclaimed. “The Lord’s promise—that a descendant of King David shall be our king—will be true again. 4 This is how we’ll proceed: A third of you priests and Levites who come off duty on the Sabbath will stay at the entrance as guards. 5-6 Another third will go over to the palace, and a third will be at the Lower Gate. Everyone else must stay in the outer courts of the Temple, as required by God’s laws. For only the priests and Levites on duty may enter the Temple itself, for they are sanctified. 7 You Levites, form a bodyguard for the king, weapons in hand, and kill any unauthorized person entering the Temple. Stay right beside the king.”
8 So all the arrangements were made. Each of the three leaders led a third of the priests arriving for duty that Sabbath, and a third of those whose week’s work was done and were going off duty—for Jehoiada the chief priest didn’t release them to go home. 9 Then Jehoiada issued spears and shields to all the army officers. These had once belonged to King David and were stored in the Temple. 10 These officers, fully armed, formed a line from one side to the other in front of the Temple and around the altar in the outer court. 11 Then they brought out the little prince and placed the crown upon his head, and handed him a copy of the law of God, and proclaimed him king.
A great shout went up, “Long live the king!” as Jehoiada and his sons anointed him.
12 When Queen Athaliah heard all the noise and commotion and the shouts of praise to the king, she rushed over to the Temple to see what was going on—and there stood the king by his pillar at the entrance, with the army officers and the trumpeters surrounding him, and people from all over the land rejoicing and blowing trumpets, and the singers singing, accompanied by an orchestra leading the people in a great psalm of praise.
Athaliah ripped her clothes and screamed, “Treason! Treason!”
13-14 “Take her out and kill her,” Jehoiada the priest shouted to the army officers. “Don’t do it here at the Temple. And kill anyone who tries to help her.”
15-17 So the crowd opened up for them to take her out, and they killed her at the palace stables.
Then Jehoiada made a solemn contract that he and the king and the people would be the Lord’s. And all the people rushed over to the temple of Baal and knocked it down, and broke up the altars, and knocked down the idols, and killed Mattan the priest of Baal before his altar. 18 Jehoiada now appointed the Levite priests as guards, and to sacrifice the burnt offering to the Lord as prescribed in the law of Moses. He made the identical assignments of the Levite clans that King David had. They sang with joy as they worked. 19 The guards at the Temple gates kept out everything that was not consecrated and all unauthorized personnel.
20 Then the army officers, nobles, governors, and all the people escorted the king from the Temple, wending their way from the Upper Gate to the palace, and seated the king upon his throne. 21 So all the people of the land rejoiced, and the city was quiet and peaceful because Queen Athaliah was dead.
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The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.