Ch. 2 Chronicles 23:1-11 (= 2 Kings 11:4-12). The Conspiracy against Athaliah

1. strengthened himself] Cp. 2 Chronicles 1:1 (note); the phrase does not occur in the parallel passage of Kings.

Azariah, etc.] These names do not occur in Kings.

captains of hundreds] In 2 Kin. “captains over hundreds of the Carites (i.e. Cherethites) and of the guard.” The Chronicler takes the captains to be captains of Levites.

2. gathered the Levites] This statement is not found in Kings, nor is it there stated as here (2 Chronicles 23:6) that only Levites were allowed inside the Temple to guard the king.

the chief of the fathers] R.V. the heads of fathers’ houses.

Israel] See 2 Chronicles 11:3 (note).

3. made a covenant] Cp. 1 Chronicles 11:3 (note).

hath said of] R.V. hath spoken concerning. Cp. 2 Samuel 7:16; 1 Chronicles 17:17.

4. This is the thing that ye shall do] The main features of the arrangement as given here and in 2 Kin. are clear, although some details are obscure. From Kings it appears that it was the custom on the Sabbath for two-thirds of the royal guards to be free and for one-third to be on duty at the palace. In order to avoid arousing suspicion this last third was, according to Jehoiada’s directions, to be at the palace as usual, but it was to be subdivided into thirds and so distributed as to close the various means of communication between the palace and the rest of the city. Thus Athaliah was to be held as in a trap by her own guards (2 Kings 11:5-6). The two-thirds who were free from duty on the Sabbath were to be stationed in the Temple about the young king to guard him at his coronation.

The arrangements are differently (and no doubt less accurately) stated in Chron. In the first place Levitical Temple guards take the place of the royal guards, secondly, the only division of the guards recognised is a simple division into thirds, finally, the stations of the different divisions are differently given, viz., one-third in the Temple, one-third in the palace, and one-third at “the gate of the foundation.”

Using the modern terms “battalion” and “company” for the divisions and subdivisions given in Kings, the arrangements may be stated in a form which allows easy comparison between Kings and Chron., as fallows:—

(A) 2 Kings 11:5-7.

(Royal guards in three battalions.)

1st battalion on duty at the king’s house (palace).

A company within the palace (2 Chronicles 23:5),

B company at the gate of Sur (SVR Heb.),

C company at another gate (“behind the guard,” 2 Chronicles 23:6).

2nd and 3rd battalions off duty, but brought into the house of the Lord (the Temple) by Jehoiada (2 Chronicles 23:7).

(B) 2 Chronicles 23:4-5.

(Levites in three bands.)

Band I. (= 1st battalion C company of 2 Kin.) in the house of God, the Chronicler supposing that “the house” (2 Kings 11:6) means the house of the Lord. More probably it means “the house of the king” (2 Kings 11:5).

Band II. (= 1st battalion A company of 2 Kin.) at the king’s house (so 2 Kin.).

Band III. (= 1st battalion B company of 2 Kin.) at the gate of “the foundation” (JSVD Heb.).

(The Chronicler passes over the 2nd and 3rd battalions, because he has already assigned their duty to 1st battalion C company.)

of the priests and of the Levites] Not in Kings. The words are a mistaken gloss of the Chronicler, for it is clear that in Kings lay guards are meant.

porters of the doors] R.V. mg., of the thresholds, i.e. of the Temple acc. to the Chronicler, for the word for “doors” (or “thresholds,” sippim in Heb.) is always used for the thresholds of some sanctuary, e.g. of the Tabernacle (1 Chronicles 9:19; 1 Chronicles 9:22), of the Temple of Solomon (2 Chronicles 3:7), of (apparently) some Israelite shrine (Amos 9:1). In the parallel passage (2 Kings 11:6) however “the watch of the house” clearly means “the watch of the king’s house” (ibid. 2 Kings 11:5).

5. a third part shall be at the king’s house; and a third part at the gate of the foundation] These two-thirds according to the scheme given above were both stationed about the palace, but they are not to be reckoned as two-thirds of the whole guard.

the gate of the foundation] “Gate of JSVD” (Heb.). This is certainly the “Gate of Sur” (SVR in Heb.) of 2 Kings 11:6. Probably however we should read “Gate of SVS (or SVSIM),” i.e. “Horse Gate” (2 Chronicles 23:15; cp. 2 Kings 11:16) both here and in Kings.

6. let none come into the house of the Lord] It is clear on the contrary from Kings (2 Chronicles 23:11) that the royal guards (who were laymen) were brought into the Temple itself under Jehoiada’s directions. Ritual custom was broken through for such a crisis.

all the people] Not mentioned in Kings; but cp. 2 Kings 11:14.

7. into the house] 2 Kin. “within the ranges” (“within the ranks,” R.V.). Any one who should attempt to break through the ranks of the guard to get near to the king was to be killed. According to the Chronicler Jehoiada’s precaution would protect the sanctity of the Temple as well as the person of the young king.

he shall be put to death] R.V. let him be slain (so 2 Kin.).

8. the Levites and all Judah] In 2 Kin. “the captains over the hundreds.” See notes on 2 Chronicles 23:4.

for Jehoiada the priest dismissed not the courses] Not in Kings. The Levites (1 Chronicles 23:6), the priests (ibid. 1 Chronicles 24:1), and the king’s army (ibid. 1 Chronicles 27:1 ff.) were each divided into “courses,” but it is clear from the context that courses of Levites are meant here.

9. shields] Heb. shĕlâṭîm; see note on 1 Chronicles 18:7.

10. having his weapon] R.V. with his weapon. The Heb. word (shelaḥ) means a “missile weapon.”

the temple] R.V. the house.

11. put upon him the crown, and gave him the Testimony] So LXX. and Heb. both here and in 2 Kings 11:12. It was the custom that the king at his accession should give a kind of charter to his people, and so “the testimony” mentioned here was probably some document testifying to the promises which had been thus made. When the crown was put upon the head of Joash this document was bound on with it, as a sign that his subjects’ allegiance to him depended on his faithfulness towards them. The wearing of an inscription or of a document on a solemn occasion, though strange to Western thought, is not alien from Eastern methods; cp. Exodus 28:36 ff.; Deuteronomy 6:6-8; Job 31:35-36. Wellhausen has a brilliant but unconvincing conjectural emendation of this passage, viz., put upon him the crown and the bracelets; cp. 2 Samuel 1:10. The change in Heb. is a small one, but is it certain that bracelets formed part of the royal insignia? Rashi for “the testimony” gives “the ornaments.”

Jehoiada and his sons] In Kings, “they anointed him” (without specifying the actors).

God save the king] Lit., Let the king live!

12–15 (= 2 Kings 11:13-16). Death of Athaliah

12. Now when] R.V. And when.

praising the king] Perhaps verses were extemporised in praise of a king at his coronation just as over a maiden at her marriage; cp. Psalm 78:63 (A.V. mg. and R.V.).

she came] Athaliah was allowed to pass the palace guard, but now it was too late for her to save her crown.

13. at his pillar] R.V. by his pillar; cp. 2 Kings 23:3 (= 2 Chronicles 34:31, “in his place”). Others translate, upon his platform.

at the entering in] Read (as 2 Kin.) as the manner was.

also the singers … to sing praise] R.V. the singers also played on instruments of music, and led the singing of praise.

14. brought out] Read (as 2 Kin.) commanded.

of the ranges] R.V. between the ranks; she was to be taken out between two lines of guards.

15. they laid hands on her] R.V. they made way for her.

and when she was come to the entering of the horse gate by the king’s house, they etc.] R.V. and she went to the entry of the horse gate to the king’s house: and they etc.

the horse gate] Perhaps the “gate of the foundation” (2 Chronicles 23:5, note).

16–21 (= 2 Kings 11:17-20). The Sequel of the Fall of Athaliah

16. between him … the king] R.V. between himself, and all the people, and the king. Jehoiada puts himself first as regent. Better in 2 Kin. “between the Lord and the king and the people.”

that they should be the Lord’s people] Cp. 2 Chronicles 29:10, 2 Chronicles 34:31; Exodus 24:1-11; Deuteronomy 26:17-18; Nehemiah 9:36-38.

17. Then all] R.V. And all.

the house of Baal] When this was erected is not known, perhaps under Jehoram (2 Chronicles 21:6) or Ahaziah (2 Chronicles 22:3), but it was doubtless intended for the worship of the Tyrian Baal, for Athaliah was probably grand-daughter of a Tyrian king (cp. 2 Kings 8:18 with 1 Kings 16:31).

18. And Jehoiada appointed, etc.] This whole ver. is represented in Kings simply by the words, “And the priest appointed officers (‘offices,’ mg.) over the house of the Lord” (i.e. officers for the care of the Temple, e.g. to see to cleaning and repairing it).

by the hand] R.V. under the hand.

as it was ordained by David] R.V. according to the order of David.

Note that the Chronicler ascribes all sacrificial arrangements to the law of Moses, but all musical arrangements to David.

19. he set the porters] Cp. 1 Chronicles 26:1 ff., 2 Chronicles 26:13 ff. Jehoiada re-established a Davidic arrangement which had fallen into disuse.

20. the nobles] Heb. addîrîm; cp. Nehemiah 3:5 (with Ryle’s note). In 2 Kin., “the Carites”; cp. 2 Chronicles 23:1 (note).

the high gate] R.V. the upper gate; cp. 2 Chronicles 27:3, “the high (‘upper,’ R.V.) gate of the house of the Lord.” In 2 Kin., “by the way of the gate of the guard” (doubtless one of the gates of the palace). The Chronicler writing at a time when the palace had ceased to exist, prefers to fix localities by reference to the Temple.

21. after that they had slain] R.V. and they slew.