2 Chronicles 23:11

Then they brought out the king's son, and put upon him the crown, and gave him the testimony, and made him king. And Jehoiada and his sons anointed him, and said, God save the king.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(11) Then.—And. So in 2Chronicles 23:14; 2Chronicles 23:17.

They brought out . . . and put.—2Kings 11:12 : “he (Jehoiada) brought out . . . and put.”

Put upon him the crown, and gave him the testimony.—Literally, put upon him the crown (nēzer; Exodus 29:6; 2Samuel 1:10) and the law (ha-’êdûth; Exodus 25:21-22; Exodus 31:18). Was a scroll of the ten words wrapped round the diadem, or laid on the king’s shoulder? (Comp. Vulg., “imposuerunt ei diadema testimonium dederuntque in manu ejus tenendam legem;” as if a copy of the law was solemnly presented to the newly-crowned king.)

Jehoiada and his sons.—The chronicler adds this to make it clear that it was the priests who anointed the king. (Comp. 1Kings 1:39.)

Benson Commentary

2 Chronicles 23:11. Jehoiada and his sons anointed him — Among which sons was Zechariah, whom he afterward most ungratefully slew.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

23:12-20 A warning from God was sent to Jehoram. The Spirit of prophecy might direct Elijah to prepare this writing in the foresight of Jehoram's crimes. He is plainly told that his sin should certainly ruin him. But no marvel that sinners are not frightened from sin, and to repentance, by the threatenings of misery in another world, when the certainty of misery in this world, the sinking of their estates, and the ruin of their health, will not restrain them from vicious courses. See Jehoram here stripped of all his comforts. Thus God plainly showed that the controversy was with him, and his house. He had slain all his brethren to strengthen himself; now, all his sons are slain but one. David's house must not be wholly destroyed, like those of Israel's kings, because a blessing was in it; that of the Messiah. Good men may be afflicted with diseases; but to them they are fatherly chastisements, and by the support of Divine consolations the soul may dwell at ease, even when the body lies in pain. To be sick and poor, sick and solitary, but especially to be sick and in sin, sick and under the curse of God, sick and without grace to bear it, is a most deplorable case. Wickedness and profaneness make men despicable, even in the eyes of those who have but little religion.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

And took every man his men ... - i. e. the relief, already organized by Jehoiada into three bodies 2 Chronicles 23:4-5, was further strengthened by the members of the outgoing "course," who were associated in the work to be done.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

11. Then they brought out the king's son, and put upon him the crown, and gave him the testimony—Some think that the original word rendered "testimony," as its derivation warrants, may signify here the regalia, especially the bracelet (2Sa 1:10); and this view they support on the ground that "gave him" being supplemented, the text properly runs thus, "put upon him the crown and testimony." At the same time, it seems equally pertinent to take "the testimony" in the usual acceptation of that term; and, accordingly, many are of opinion that a roll containing a copy of the law (De 17:18) was placed in the king's hands, which he held as a scepter or truncheon. Others, referring to a custom of Oriental people, who when receiving a letter or document from a highly respected quarter, lift it up to their heads before opening it, consider that Joash, besides the crown, had the book of the law laid upon his head (see Job 31:35, 36).

God save the king—literally, "Long live the king."

Matthew Poole's Commentary

Jehoiada and his sons; and Zechariah among the rest, whom afterwards he ungratefully slew, 2 Chronicles 24:21.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

The contents of this chapter are the same with 2 Kings 11:4 and need no other explanation than what may be found in the notes there, to which the reader is referred.See Gill on 2 Kings 11:4. See Gill on 2 Kings 11:5. See Gill on 2 Kings 11:6. See Gill on 2 Kings 11:7. See Gill on 2 Kings 11:8. See Gill on 2 Kings 11:9. See Gill on 2 Kings 11:10. See Gill on 2 Kings 11:11. See Gill on 2 Kings 11:12. See Gill on 2 Kings 11:13. See Gill on 2 Kings 11:14. See Gill on 2 Kings 11:15. See Gill on 2 Kings 11:16. See Gill on 2 Kings 11:17. See Gill on 2 Kings 11:18. See Gill on 2 Kings 11:19. See Gill on 2 Kings 11:20.

Geneva Study Bible

Then they brought out the king's son, and put upon him the crown, and gave him the {g} testimony, and made him king. And Jehoiada and his sons anointed him, and said, God save the king.

(g) That is, the book of the law or as some read they put on him his royal apparel.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

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!

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 11. - Then they brought out. The parallel (ver. 12) has, "he brought out," etc. The last clause of our verse harmonizes even this simple point, indicating that the "they" designates "Jehoiada and his sons;" of which group Jehoiada himself was, of course, the greatest part. It will be noted that it is not said from what exact place Joash was brought out. Put upon him the crown and... the testimony. It is quite unnecessary, at any rate, to suppose that the testimony, as well as the crown, was put on the head of Joash. It may be taken for granted that the testimony was put into his hands (Deuteronomy 17:18-20; Deuteronomy 31:24-29). If something new and so out of the way as resting the testimony (i.e. the book of the Law) on the head were purported, it is likely that a distincter point would have been made of it. God save the king! Hebrew, יחְיִ הַמֶּלֶך: "Let the king live!" (1 Samuel 10:24; 2 Samuel 16:16; 1 Kings 1:25, 31, 34, 39). 2 Chronicles 23:11

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

The coronation of Joash, as in 2 Kings 11:12. The subject of ויּוציאוּ and ויּתּנוּ is those present, while in ויּוציא and ויּתּן (Kings), Jehoiada as leader of the whole is referred to. In the Chronicle, Jehoiada and his sons, i.e., the high priest with the priests assisting him, are expressly named as subject to ימליכוּ and ויּמשׁצהוּ, where in Kings also the plural is used; while, on the contrary, "the clapping of the hands" as a sign of joyful acclamation (Kings) is omitted, as being unimportant.