2 Chronicles 23:3
New International Version
the whole assembly made a covenant with the king at the temple of God. Jehoiada said to them, “The king’s son shall reign, as the LORD promised concerning the descendants of David.

New Living Translation
They all gathered at the Temple of God, where they made a solemn pact with Joash, the young king. Jehoiada said to them, “Here is the king’s son! The time has come for him to reign! The LORD has promised that a descendant of David will be our king.

English Standard Version
And all the assembly made a covenant with the king in the house of God. And Jehoiada said to them, “Behold, the king’s son! Let him reign, as the LORD spoke concerning the sons of David.

Berean Standard Bible
the whole assembly made a covenant with the king in the house of God. “Behold, the king’s son!” said Jehoiada. “He must reign, just as the LORD promised concerning the descendants of David.

King James Bible
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.

New King James Version
Then all the assembly made a covenant with the king in the house of God. And he said to them, “Behold, the king’s son shall reign, as the LORD has said of the sons of David.

New American Standard Bible
Then all the assembly made a covenant with the king in the house of God. And Jehoiada said to them, “Behold, the king’s son shall reign, as the LORD has spoken concerning the sons of David.

NASB 1995
Then all the assembly made a covenant with the king in the house of God. And Jehoiada said to them, “Behold, the king’s son shall reign, as the LORD has spoken concerning the sons of David.

NASB 1977
Then all the assembly made a covenant with the king in the house of God. And Jehoiada said to them, “Behold, the king’s son shall reign, as the LORD has spoken concerning the sons of David.

Legacy Standard Bible
Then all the assembly cut a covenant with the king in the house of God. And Jehoiada said to them, “Behold, the king’s son shall reign, as Yahweh has spoken concerning the sons of David.

Amplified Bible
Then all the assembly made a covenant in the house of God with the king [that is, with the child Joash, to overthrow Athaliah by proclaiming his sovereignty]. And Jehoiada [the priest] said to them, “Behold, the king’s son [Joash] shall reign, as the LORD has said in regard to the sons of David.

Christian Standard Bible
Then the whole assembly made a covenant with the king in God’s temple. Jehoiada said to them, “Here is the king’s son! He will reign, just as the LORD promised concerning David’s sons.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Then the whole assembly made a covenant with the king in God’s temple. Jehoiada said to them, “Here is the king’s son! He must reign, just as the LORD promised concerning David’s sons.

American Standard Version
And all the assembly made a covenant with the king in the house of God. And he said unto them, Behold, the king's son shall reign, as Jehovah hath spoken concerning the sons of David.

Contemporary English Version
and gathered at the temple, where they agreed to help Joash. Jehoiada said to them: Joash will be our next king, because long ago the LORD promised that one of David's descendants would always be king.

English Revised Version
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 spoken concerning the sons of David.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
The whole assembly made an agreement with the king in God's temple. Then Jehoiada said to them, "Here is the king's son. He should be king, as the LORD said about David's descendants.

Good News Translation
They all gathered in the Temple, and there they made a covenant with Joash, the king's son. Jehoiada said to them, "Here is the son of the late king. He is now to be king, as the LORD promised that King David's descendants would be.

International Standard Version
Everybody went to Jerusalem, and the whole group made a covenant with the king in God's Temple, where Jehoiada addressed them: "Look! The king's son is going to rule, just as the LORD promised David's descendants.

Majority Standard Bible
the whole assembly made a covenant with the king in the house of God. “Behold, the king’s son!” said Jehoiada. “He must reign, just as the LORD promised concerning the descendants of David.

NET Bible
and the whole assembly made a covenant with the king in the temple of God. Jehoiada said to them, "The king's son will rule, just as the LORD promised David's descendants.

New Heart English Bible
All the assembly made a covenant in the house of God with the king. And he showed them the king's son. And he said to them, "Look, the king's son shall reign, as the LORD has spoken concerning the descendants of David.

Webster's Bible Translation
And all the congregation made a covenant with the king in the house of God. And he said to them, Behold, the king's son shall reign, as the LORD hath said of the sons of David.

World English Bible
All the assembly made a covenant with the king in God’s house. Jehoiada said to them, “Behold, the king’s son must reign, as Yahweh has spoken concerning the sons of David.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
and all the assembly make a covenant in the house of God with the king, and he says to them, “Behold, the son of the king reigns, as YHWH spoke concerning the sons of David.

Young's Literal Translation
and all the assembly make a covenant in the house of God with the king, and he saith to them, 'Lo, the son of the king doth reign, as Jehovah spake concerning the sons of David.

Smith's Literal Translation
And all the convocation will cut out a covenant in the house of God with the king. And he will say to them, Behold, the king's son shall reign, as Jehovah spake concerning the sons of David.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And all the multitude made a covenant with the king in the house of God: and Joiada said to them: Behold the king's son shall reign, as the Lord hath said of the sons of David.

Catholic Public Domain Version
Then the entire multitude formed a pact with the king, in the house of God. And Jehoiada said to them: “Behold, the son of the king shall reign, just as the Lord has said concerning the sons of David.

New American Bible
The whole assembly made a covenant with the king in the house of God. Jehoiada said to them: “Here is the king’s son who must reign, as the LORD promised concerning the sons of David.

New Revised Standard Version
Then the whole assembly made a covenant with the king in the house of God. Jehoiada said to them, “Here is the king’s son! Let him reign, as the LORD promised concerning the sons of David.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And all the congregation made a covenant in the presence of the king in the house of the LORD. And Jehoiadah said to them. Behold, the king's son shall reign over you, as the LORD has spoken to David his servant.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And all the people swore with oaths in the house of LORD JEHOVAH before the King, and he said to them: “Behold, he is son of the King! He shall reign over you just as LORD JEHOVAH spoke with David his Servant.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
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 spoken concerning the sons of David.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
and all the congregation of Juda made a covenant with the king in the house of God. And he shewed them the king's son, and said to them, Lo, let the king's son reign, as the Lord said concerning the house of David.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Joash Anointed King in Judah
2So they went throughout Judah and gathered the Levites from all the cities of Judah and the heads of the families of Israel. And when they came to Jerusalem, 3the whole assembly made a covenant with the king in the house of God. “Behold, the king’s son!” said Jehoiada. “He must reign, just as the LORD promised concerning the descendants of David. 4This is what you are to do: A third of you priests and Levites who come on duty on the Sabbath shall keep watch at the doors,…

Cross References
2 Kings 11:17
Then Jehoiada made a covenant between the LORD and the king and the people that they would be the LORD’s people. He also made a covenant between the king and the people.

2 Samuel 5:3
So all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, where King David made with them a covenant before the LORD. And they anointed him king over Israel.

1 Kings 1:39
Zadok the priest took the horn of oil from the tabernacle and anointed Solomon. Then they blew the ram’s horn, and all the people proclaimed, “Long live King Solomon!”

1 Samuel 10:24
Samuel said to all the people, “Do you see the one the LORD has chosen? There is no one like him among all the people.” And all the people shouted, “Long live the king!”

1 Samuel 11:14-15
Then Samuel said to the people, “Come, let us go to Gilgal and renew the kingship there.” / So all the people went to Gilgal and confirmed Saul as king in the presence of the LORD. There they sacrificed peace offerings before the LORD, and Saul and all the Israelites rejoiced greatly.

2 Samuel 2:4
Then the men of Judah came to Hebron, and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah. And they told David, “It was the men of Jabesh-gilead who buried Saul.”

2 Samuel 3:21
Then Abner said to David, “Let me go at once, and I will gather all Israel to my lord the king, that they may make a covenant with you, and that you may rule over all that your heart desires.” So David dismissed Abner, and he went in peace.

2 Samuel 5:1-2
Then all the tribes of Israel came to David at Hebron and said, “Here we are, your own flesh and blood. / Even in times past, while Saul was king over us, you were the one who led Israel out and brought them back. And to you the LORD said, ‘You will shepherd My people Israel, and you will be ruler over them.’”

1 Kings 1:34
There Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet are to anoint him king over Israel. You are to blow the ram’s horn and declare, ‘Long live King Solomon!’

1 Kings 1:45
Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet have anointed him king at Gihon, and they have gone up from there with rejoicing that rings out in the city. That is the noise you hear.

2 Kings 11:12
Then Jehoiada brought out the king’s son, put the crown on him, presented him with the Testimony, and proclaimed him king. They anointed him, and the people clapped their hands and declared, “Long live the king!”

2 Kings 11:4
Then in the seventh year, Jehoiada sent for the commanders of hundreds, the Carites, and the guards, and had them brought into the house of the LORD. There he made a covenant with them and put them under oath. He showed them the king’s son

2 Kings 11:9
So the commanders of hundreds did everything that Jehoiada the priest had ordered. Each of them took his men—those coming on duty on the Sabbath and those going off duty—and came to Jehoiada the priest.

2 Kings 11:19
He took with him the commanders of hundreds, the Carites, the guards, and all the people of the land, and they brought the king down from the house of the LORD and entered the royal palace by way of the Gate of the Guards. Then Joash took his seat on the royal throne,

2 Chronicles 21:7
Yet the LORD was unwilling to destroy the house of David, because of the covenant He had made with David, and since He had promised to maintain a lamp for David and his descendants forever.


Treasury of Scripture

And all the congregation made a covenant with the king in the house of God. And he said to them, Behold, the king's son shall reign, as the LORD has said of the sons of David.

made a covenant

2 Chronicles 23:16
And Jehoiada made a covenant between him, and between all the people, and between the king, that they should be the LORD'S people.

2 Samuel 5:3
So all the elders of Israel came to the king to Hebron; and king David made a league with them in Hebron before the LORD: and they anointed David king over Israel.

2 Kings 11:17
And Jehoiada made a covenant between the LORD and the king and the people, that they should be the LORD'S people; between the king also and the people.

as the Lord

2 Chronicles 6:16
Now therefore, O LORD God of Israel, keep with thy servant David my father that which thou hast promised him, saying, There shall not fail thee a man in my sight to sit upon the throne of Israel; yet so that thy children take heed to their way to walk in my law, as thou hast walked before me.

2 Chronicles 7:18
Then will I stablish the throne of thy kingdom, according as I have covenanted with David thy father, saying, There shall not fail thee a man to be ruler in Israel.

2 Chronicles 21:7
Howbeit the LORD would not destroy the house of David, because of the covenant that he had made with David, and as he promised to give a light to him and to his sons for ever.

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Agreement Assembly Congregation Covenant David Descendants House Jehoiada Jehoi'ada King's Promised Reign Temple Whole
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Agreement Assembly Congregation Covenant David Descendants House Jehoiada Jehoi'ada King's Promised Reign Temple Whole
2 Chronicles 23
1. Jehoiada, having set things in order, makes joash king
12. Athaliah is slain
16. Jehoiada restores the worship of God














the whole assembly
This phrase refers to the collective gathering of the people of Judah, including the priests, Levites, and other leaders. In the Hebrew context, "assembly" (קָהָל, qahal) often denotes a sacred gathering, emphasizing the unity and communal responsibility of God's people. Historically, such assemblies were significant in Israel's religious and political life, underscoring the importance of collective decision-making in accordance with God's will.

made a covenant
The act of making a covenant (בְּרִית, berit) is deeply rooted in the Hebrew tradition, signifying a solemn and binding agreement. Covenants in the Bible often involve commitments between God and His people, or between individuals under divine witness. This covenant signifies a renewal of loyalty and obedience to God's ordained leadership, reflecting the seriousness and sacredness of the occasion.

with the king
The reference to "the king" here is to Joash, the rightful heir to the throne of David. This highlights the restoration of the Davidic line, which is central to God's promises to Israel. The king's role is not just political but also spiritual, serving as a representative of God's rule on earth.

at the house of God
The "house of God" refers to the temple in Jerusalem, the central place of worship and the dwelling place of God's presence among His people. This setting underscores the religious significance of the covenant, as actions taken here are done in the sight of God, reinforcing the divine approval and blessing upon the proceedings.

Behold, the king’s son shall reign
The word "Behold" (הִנֵּה, hinneh) is an attention-grabbing term, often used in Scripture to introduce something significant or surprising. The declaration that "the king’s son shall reign" reaffirms God's promise and plan for the Davidic dynasty, emphasizing the legitimacy and divine sanction of Joash's kingship.

as the LORD has promised
This phrase underscores the faithfulness of God to His word. The Hebrew word for "promised" (דָּבַר, dabar) also means "spoken," indicating that God's promises are as certain as His spoken word. This assurance is rooted in the covenant God made with David, ensuring that his descendants would continue to rule.

concerning the descendants of David
The Davidic covenant is a central theme in the Old Testament, with God promising David that his lineage would endure forever (2 Samuel 7:12-16). This promise is not only a matter of historical record but also a theological cornerstone, pointing to the ultimate fulfillment in Jesus Christ, the Son of David, whose reign is eternal.

(3) And all the congregation.--Of the assembled Levites and family chiefs, as well as the royal guard.

Made a covenant with the king.--Comp. 2Kings 11:4 : "And he made a covenant for them," i.e., imposed a compact on them, made them swear fidelity to the young prince. (Comp. also 2Samuel 3:21; 2Samuel 5:3.)

The king's son shall reign.--Or, Behold the king's son! Let him be king.

As the Lord hath said.--Spake concerning the sons of David, in the oracle delivered by the prophet Nathan (2Samuel 7:4-17). . . .

Verse 3. - All the congregation; i.e. all who have been mentioned in vers. 1 and 2; for so the parallel makes plain. Made a covenant. This was the second wider and more embracing covenant. This covenant is between all the gathered representatives and the young king, Jehoiada no doubt putting all things into shape. And he said unto them, Behold, the king's son shall reign. The he is Jehoiada, as of course. In view of the last clause of ver. 4 - in the parallel, "Jehoiada showed them the king's son " - the likelier rendering of our text here is, Behold the king's son; he shall reign, as, etc. As the Lord hath said of the sons of David (see 2 Chronicles 6:16; 2 Chronicles 7:18; 2 Samuel 7:12; 1 Kings 2:4; 1 Kings 9:5). The hereditary nature of the monarchy (2 Samuel 7.), pervaded ever by the spirit of the covenant, is evidently glanced at. It is probable that the existence of Joash was news to those to whom Jehoiada, as the parallel has it, "showed... the king's son," so that double significance lies in the word "showed."

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
the whole
כָּל־ (kāl-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

assembly
הַקָּהָ֥ל (haq·qā·hāl)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 6951: Assembly, convocation, congregation

made
וַיִּכְרֹ֨ת (way·yiḵ·rōṯ)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 3772: To cut, to destroy, consume, to covenant

a covenant
בְּרִ֛ית (bə·rîṯ)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 1285: A covenant

with
עִם־ (‘im-)
Preposition
Strong's 5973: With, equally with

the king
הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ (ham·me·leḵ)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 4428: A king

in the house
בְּבֵ֥ית (bə·ḇêṯ)
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 1004: A house

of God.
הָאֱלֹהִ֖ים (hā·’ĕ·lō·hîm)
Article | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 430: gods -- the supreme God, magistrates, a superlative

“Behold,
הִנֵּ֤ה (hin·nêh)
Interjection
Strong's 2009: Lo! behold!

the king's
הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ (ham·me·leḵ)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 4428: A king

son!”
בֶן־ (ḇen-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 1121: A son

said Jehoiada.
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר (way·yō·mer)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

“He must reign,
יִמְלֹ֔ךְ (yim·lōḵ)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 4427: To reign, inceptively, to ascend the throne, to induct into royalty, to take counsel

just as
כַּאֲשֶׁ֛ר (ka·’ă·šer)
Preposition-k | Pronoun - relative
Strong's 834: Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that

the LORD
יְהוָ֖ה (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3069: YHWH

promised
דִּבֶּ֥ר (dib·ber)
Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1696: To arrange, to speak, to subdue

concerning
עַל־ (‘al-)
Preposition
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

the descendants
בְּנֵ֥י (bə·nê)
Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 1121: A son

of David.
דָוִֽיד׃ (ḏā·wîḏ)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 1732: David -- perhaps 'beloved one', a son of Jesse


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OT History: 2 Chronicles 23:3 All the assembly made a covenant (2 Chron. 2Ch iiCh ii ch 2 chr 2chr)
2 Chronicles 23:2
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