2 Chronicles 23

Joas at the ages of seven years is made king by Jojada’s direction, ver.1,&c. Athalia is put to death, 12. The covenant between the LORD and the King with his people is renewed, 16. Idolatry removed, 17. Ecclesiastical order re-established, 18. And the King brought home to his house with Joy. 20.

1. But in the seventh year, [To wit, after that Joas the kings son had been hid by Josabath his Aunt, left he should be murdered by Athalia his grand-mother. For he was hid six years in the temple, above chap.22.12. and this happened the year following: at which time also Joas was seven years old, below chap.24.1.] Jojada strengthened himself, and took the Captains of the hundreds, Azaria the son of Jeroham, and Ismael the so of Hadaja, and Elisaphat the son of Sichri, into a covenant with him. [See likewise this history with some expositions, 2 Kings 11:4, etc. where the same is first set down.]

2. They went about in Juda, and gathered the Levites out of all the cities of Juda, and the heads of the fathers [Observe, that two sorts of persons were gathered, 1. The Levites, which were in the Church-office. 2. The heads of the Fathers, that is, of the fatherly Houses, or Families: meaning the chiefest and eldest of the congregation] of Israel: [that is, of Juda and Benjamin, together with the cities of Israel that joined themselves to them. Compare herewith, above chap.15.17. and 21.2. and the Annotations] and they came to Jerusalem.

3. And all that congregation made a covenant with the king in the house of God: and be [Namely, Jojada the High Priest] said unto them; Behold, the kings son shall be king, according as the LORD had spoken of the sons of David. [See 2 Sam.7.13. 2 Chron.21.7.]

4. This is the thing, that ye shall do: A third part of you, that enter in on the Sabbath, of the Priests, and of the Levites, shall be porters of the thresholds. [Others, Sippim: holding it be the name of a gate. See 2 Kings 11.on vers.6.]

5. And a third part shall be at the kings house; and a third part at the foundation-gate: [The chiefest gate of the Temple, standing East-ward, and called the gate of the foundation, because it was the lowermost, standing upon the foundation of the temple, at the greatest, and lowermost Court. It is also called the gate of Sur, 2 kings.11.6. and the high gate, 2King.15.35. Item the beautiful gate, Acts 3:2.] and all the people [meaning, the other Levites, which had not then the ordinary guard, together with the common people] shall be in the courts of the house of the LORD. [That is, in the outermost, and great Court, called the peoples court, because the congregation met there; and it’s put here in the Plural Number, viz. Courts, because of the diversity of parts, the several partitions that were in it. So likewise the Temple is called Sanctuaries, because it consisted of divers partitions, Lev.26.31.]

6. But let none come into the house of the LORD, [Understand the foremost part of the house of the Lord, called the holy place, 1 Kings 8:10.] save the Priests, and the levites, that minister; they shall go in, for they are holy; [Hebr. holiness, that is, separated to an holy service. So Numb.16.5. and Ezra 8:28.] but all the people shall keep the watch of the Lord. [To wit, to keep them out by force, that would violently break in. Or, shall keep the watch of the LORD, that is, the command of the LORD, tarrying in the Court, without entering into the holy place.]

7. Now the Levites shall compass the King round about, every man with his weapons in his hand, [Namely, those Levites that went out on the Sabbath: that is, those that had discharge their duty, and had finished their function in course, 2 Kings 11:7.] and he that cometh into the house, [that is, unto the Temple, between the ranks and files of the guard that was set, 2 Kings 11:8.] shall be to death: but be ye with the king, when he cometh in, [to wit, in the Temple, below vers.11.] and goeth out. [To wit, out of the Temple, below vers.20.]

8. And the Levites, and all Juda, did according to all, that Jojada the Priest had commanded; and they [Namely, the Captains of hundreds, of whom see above vers.1. and compare 2 Kings 11:9.] took every man his men, [to wit, that were designed them of the Levites by Jojada the Priest had not given the divisions [of these divisions, or, courses, see 1 Chron.23,24,25,26. Chap.] leave (to depart) [Out of these courses or divisions no man might step away, unless he had leave given him to depart: which for the present Jojada would not grant even to those that came off from the guard, to the end that there might be a double watch, to dispatch this business.]

9. Moreover, Jojada the Priest delivered to the captains of hundreds, the spears, and the buckers, and the shields, that had been king Davids, [See 2 Kings 11.on vers.10.] which were in the house of God.

10. And he set all the people, and every man with his weapon [The word in the original signifieth properly such kind of weapon, as a man throweth out of his hand at another to hurt him therewith] in his hand, [to wit, that no man might violently break into the Priests Court, or into the holy place. Compare herewith above the end of vers.6.] from the right side of the house, to the left side of the house, toward the Altar, [meaning, the Altar of burnt-offering, which stood in the Priests Court] and toward the house, [to wit, the Sanctuary] by the King round about.

11. Then they brought forth the Kings son, [To wit, out of his chamber, in which he had been hidden six years, above chap.22.11.] and put upon him the crown, [an head-ornament pertaining to Kings, 2 Sam.1.10. Psalms 89:40. and 132.8.] and (gave him) the testimony, [see 2 Kings 11.on vers.12.] and they made him king: and Jojada, and his sons anointed him, and said; Let the King live. [Compare 1 Sam.10.4. 1 Kings 1:39.]

12. Now when Athalia heard the voice of the people, that ran together, and praised the king, she came to the people into the house of the LORD.

13. And she looked on, and behold, the king stood by his pillar, [Where the royal scaffold was; of which see also 1 Kings 11.on vers.14. and above chap 6.on vers.13.] at the entering; [to wit, of the inner court called the Priests court, above chap.4.9. Item, the new court, above chap.20.5. See of it further 1 Kings 6.on vers.36.] and the rulers [to wit, of the people of the Jews] and the trumpets [that is, the Trumpeters] were by the king; and all the people of the land rejoiced, and blew with trumpets; [to wit, by the Priests, to whom that work properly belonged, as appeareth by the Law, Numb.10.8. and by examples, and the Singers were there [or, (rejoiced) which word goeth before, and may now again anew be fitly inserted] with musical instruments, and signified, that praise ought to be sung: [namely, unto the Lord] then Athalia rent her clothes, and she cried; Treason, Treason.

14. But Jojada the Priest brought the captains of the hundreds, that were set over the host, and said unto them; Bring her forth without the ranks, [See 2 Kings 11.on vers.8.] and whoso followeth her, shall be slain with the sword: for the Priest had said, Ye shall not slay her in the house of the LORD.

15. And they laid hands on her, [Others, they made room for her: or, they placed a side-guard upon her, or, they gave her room, to wit, to go forth out of the Temple] and she went towards the entering of the horse-gate, [see 2 Kings 11.on vers.16.] towards the Kings house, and they slew her there.

16. And Jojada made a covenant between him, [Namely, the LORD, as may be gathered from 2 Kings 11:17. and here from the end of this verse] and between all the people, and between the King; that they should be a people unto the LORD. [Others, between himself, and between all the people, etc. meaning, that Jojada, the people, and the king had bound themselves together in a firm league and covenant, to be the LORDS people, or to be a people unto the LORD. See the like example, Jos.24.25.]

17. After that all the people went into the house of Baal, and brake that down, and they brake his altars, and his images in pieces: and they slew Matthan the Priests of Baal before the Altars.

18. Now Jojada appointed the officers in the house of the LORD, under the hand of the Levitical Priests; 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 Moseh, with rejoicing, and with singing; according to Davids institution. [Hebr. according to Davids hands: that is, as David by the instinct of Gods spirit had ordained, and had delivered, and left to the Church of God. So below chap.29.27. and Ezra 3:10.]

19. And he set the porters at the gate of the house of the LORD: that none being unclean in any thing, might enter in.

20. And he took the captains of the hundreds, and the mighty (one.) [Or, the honorable, respectful, most excellent (ones)] and those that had the dominion among the people; and all the people of the land, and brought down the king from the house of the LORD, and (they) came thorough the midst of the high gate, [some do understand hereby the greatest, and the chiefest gate of the kings house, at which the kings guards kept watch and ward, and is therefore called the Guards gate, 2 Kings 11:19.] in this sense this gate is to be distinguished from the gate of the Temple, whereof above vers.5. See the Annotations there] into the Kings house: and they set the King upon throne of the Kingdom.

21. And all the people of the land rejoiced, and all the city was quiet; after they had slain Athalia with the sword.