2 Chronicles 23

2 Chronicles 23:1

23:1-7 Until he felt that Joash was old enough, Jehoiada had to bide his time while the usurper sat on David’s throne. But in the seventh year he called together the princes and Levites and plotted Athaliah’s overthrow. Word went out throughout the kingdom and many entered into a covenant to set Joash on his father’s throne. The words in verse 6b “all the people shall keep the watch of the LORD” mean that they were to observe the law forbidding entrance into the temple (see v. 6a). The Levites and princes were given their assignments, and a Sabbath was chosen as the fateful day. 23:8-11 As new divisions came to the temple, the old divisions were not dismissed; thus Jehoiada was able to gather a large number of men without drawing suspicion. The men were equipped with David’s weapons, which were in the temple, and when all the preparations were complete, seven-year-old Joash was brought out of the temple and crowned. He was given a copy of the law (the Testimony) in accordance with the word of Moses (Deu_17:18-20). Some think this was the original copy of the law which had been placed in the ark (Exo_25:21; 2Ch_5:10). 23:12-15 Queen Athaliah came to the people in the temple to investigate the cheering and shouting, only to find a child rival she thought long dead now wearing a royal crown. But what must have alarmed her even more was the realization that the people were solidly behind him. No one listened to her charge of treason. After all, she was the usurper, not Joash. Jehoiada ordered her killed, but not inside the temple. She was taken to the Horse Gate, where she was put to death for the atrocities she had committed in Judah. 23:16-19 With Athaliah out of the way, reform was swift. Jehoiada and the people covenanted to be the LORD’s. To demonstrate their commitment, they destroyed the temple of Baal and killed Mattan, the priest of Baal. As a priest, Jehoiada was sensitive concerning the temple and divine worship. One of the first things he did was to set the temple service in order, as had been commanded by Moses and David. The Levites and priests were assigned to their duties. The holiness of the temple was no longer to be treated as a light thing; gatekeepers were to keep out ceremonially unclean people. Jehoiada knew that reform must begin in the house of the LORD. 23:20, 21 Joash was taken to the king’s house. The people looked forward with expectancy to life under Joash, thankful that a son of David sat on Judah’s throne once more.