2 Chronicles 23

1 Then in the seventh year, Jehoiada [Jehovah knows, a high priest] strengthened [to be strong, courageous] himself and made a covenant [a promise, agreement, or treaty] with the commanders [leaders, captains] of hundreds—with Azariah [God has helped, a friend of God] son of Jeroham, Ishmael [God will hear, a son of Jehohanan] son of Jehohanan, Azariah son of Obed, Maaseiah [work of Jehovah, a servant of God] son of Adaiah, and Elishaphat [God has judged, a just ruler] son of Zichri [together, in alliance]. word study 2 So they went throughout [around] Judah [the tribe descended from Judah] and gathered [brought together, assembled] the Levites [descendants of Levi, the priestly tribe] from all [every, the whole] the cities [towns, populated areas] of Judah and the heads [chiefs, leaders] of the families [households, clans] of Israel [the people of God, descendants of Jacob]. And when they came [approached, entered] to [toward, into] Jerusalem [the city of peace, the capital], word study 3 the whole [entire, complete] assembly [congregation, group of people] made a covenant [promise, agreement] with the king [ruler, monarch] in the house [temple, dwelling place] of God [Elohim, the supreme God]. “Behold [look, see], the king’s son [heir, descendant]!” said Jehoiada. “He must reign [rule, have authority], just as the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] promised [spoken, declared] concerning the descendants [sons, offspring] of David [the youngest son of Jesse, a king of Israel]. word study 4 This is what you are to do: A third [one of three parts] of you priests [spiritual leaders, mediators] and Levites [descendants of Levi, temple servants] who come on duty [entering their period of service] on the Sabbath [a day of rest, a day of worship] shall keep watch [be gatekeepers, guard] at the doors [the entrances, the thresholds], word study 5 a third [one portion out of three] shall be at the royal [king’s] palace, and a third [one portion out of three] at the Foundation [starting point] Gate, while all [the entire assembly] the others are in the courtyards [open spaces, villages] of the house [dwelling place, temple] of the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God]. word study 6 No one [not a single person, none] is to enter the house [temple, place of worship] of the LORD [Yehovah, the covenant God] except the priests [those set apart for sacred service] and those Levites [descendants of Levi, assistants to the priests] who serve [minister, attend to the needs of others]; they may enter because they are consecrated [set apart, made holy], but all [every single one] the people [nation, community] are to obey [keep, guard] the requirement [charge, command] of the LORD [the Lord’s will, divine instruction]. word study 7 The Levites [descendants of Levi, temple servants] must surround [compass, encircle] the king [royal person, monarch] with weapons [articles, utensils] in hand [an open hand; strength, a side or share], and anyone who enters [comes into, approaches] the temple [house, dwelling place] must be put to death [slain, killed]. You must stay close [be with, near] to the king [royal person, monarch] wherever he goes [comes in, goes out].” word study 8 So the Levites [descendants of Levi, the priestly tribe] and all Judah [the tribe of Judah, a son of Jacob] did everything [obeyed completely, followed instructions] that Jehoiada [Jehovah knows, a high priest] the priest [a spiritual leader, one who serves God] had ordered [commanded, given instructions]. Each of them took his men—those coming on duty [starting their shift, entering service] on the Sabbath [a day of rest, a day of worship] and those going off duty [finishing their shift, departing]—for Jehoiada the priest had not released [dismissed, sent away] any of the divisions [sections, groups of people]. word study 9 Then Jehoiada [the high priest, a spiritual leader] the priest gave to the commanders [rulers, captains] of hundreds the spears [thrusting weapons, lances] and the large [bucklers] and small [protective] shields of King David [the youngest son of Jesse, a king of Israel] that were in the house [dwelling place, temple] of God [Elohim, the supreme God]. word study 10 He stationed all [every single one, the entire group] the troops, with their [instruments of war] weapons in hand, surrounding [encircling, encompassing] the king by the [place of sacrifice] altar and the [dwelling place] temple, from the [right, southern] south side to the [left, northern] north side of the [house of God] temple. word study 11 Then Jehoiada [the high priest, God’s servant] and his sons brought out the king’s son [the rightful heir, Joash], put the crown on him, presented him with the Testimony [God’s laws, instructions, covenant], and proclaimed him king [to reign, rule over the people]. They anointed [set apart, consecrated] him and shouted, “Long live [may God bless, preserve] the king [the ruler, monarch]!” word study 12 When Athaliah [the afflicted of the Lord] heard the noise [sound, voice] of the people [nation, crowd] running [rushing, hurrying] and cheering [praising, shouting] the king [royal person, ruler], she went out [came, approached] to them [the crowd, the people] in the house [temple, dwelling place] of the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God]. word study 13 And she looked out [behold, saw with her own eyes] and saw the king [royal person, ruler] standing by his pillar [a pillar or column] at the entrance [the place of entering, gateway]. The officers [rulers, leaders] and trumpeters [those who blow the trumpet, signal important events] were beside the king, and all [every single one, the entire population] the people of the land [nation, territory] were rejoicing [glad, joyful] and blowing trumpets [signaling celebration, praise], while the singers [those who sing, musicians] with musical instruments [articles, utensils of music] were leading the praises [songs of worship, celebration]. Then Athaliah [afflicted of the Lord, one who suffers] tore her clothes [rent her garments, violently parted her robes] and screamed, “Treason [conspiracy, unlawful alliance], treason [broken faith, rebellion]!” word study 14 And Jehoiada [the high priest, spiritual leader] the priest sent out the commanders [captains, rulers] of hundreds in charge of the army, saying, “Bring her out [have her forth, take her outside] between the ranks [rows, lines], and put to the sword [slay, kill] anyone who follows [goes after, pursues] her.” For the priest had said, “She must not be put to death [killed, slain] in the house [temple, dwelling place] of the LORD [Yehovah, the supreme God].” word study 15 So they seized [laid hands on, grabbed hold of] Athaliah as she reached [came to, approached] the entrance [gate, doorway] of the Horse [chariot horses, royal horses] Gate to the palace [king’s house, royal grounds] grounds, and there [at that place, then] they put her to death [killed, slew]. word study 16 Then Jehoiada [the high priest, Jehovah knows] made a covenant [a solemn agreement, promise] between himself and the king [the ruler, monarch] and the people [the nation, Israel] that they would be [exist as, belong to] the LORD’s [Yehovah’s] people [nation, community]. word study 17 So all [the entire congregation, every individual] the people went to the temple [house, place of worship] of Baal [the Phoenician deity, a false god] and tore [completely destroyed, demolished] it down. They smashed [broke into pieces, shattered] the altars [places of sacrifice, worship] and idols [images, false representations] to pieces and killed [slew, put to death] Mattan [a gift, the priest’s name] the priest [one who serves God, a spiritual leader] of Baal [the Phoenician deity, a false god] in front of [before, in the presence of] the altars [places of sacrifice, worship]. word study 18 Moreover, Jehoiada [the high priest, a spiritual leader] put the oversight [care, supervision, or management] of the house [temple, place of worship] of the LORD [Yehovah, the covenant God] into the hands [control, authority] of the Levitical [descendants of Levi, a tribe of Israel] priests, whom David [a king of Israel, a man after God’s heart] had appointed [designated, ordained] over the house [temple, place of worship] of the LORD, to offer [present, sacrifice] burnt offerings [sacrifices completely consumed by fire] to the LORD as is written [recorded, prescribed] in the Law [instruction, teachings] of Moses, with rejoicing [joy, gladness] and song [music, praise], as ordained [established, commanded] by David. word study 19 He stationed [appointed, set in place] gatekeepers [porters, doorkeepers] at the gates [entrances, doors] of the house [temple, dwelling place] of the LORD [Yehovah, the Lord God], so that nothing [none, no one] unclean [impure, defiled] could enter [come in, go in] for any reason [in any thing, under any circumstance]. word study 20 He also took with him the commanders [rulers, leaders] of hundreds, the nobles [great, honorable men], the rulers [governors, those in charge] of the people, and all [every single one] the people of the land, and they brought the king down from the house [temple, dwelling place] of the LORD [Yehovah, the supreme God] and entered the royal palace through the Upper [high, elevated] Gate. They seated King Joash on the royal [king’s, sovereign] throne [seat of power, authority], word study 21 and all [the entire nation, every person] the people of the land [the territory, the earth] rejoiced [to be glad, celebrate with joy]. And the city [a place with walls, a settlement] was quiet [at peace, still], because Athaliah [afflicted of the Lord] had been put to the sword [killed with a cutting instrument, slain]. word study