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.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

RENEWAL OF THE THEOCRATIC COVENANT AND ABOLITION OF BAAL-WORSHIP

(2Chronicles 23:16-21).

(16) A covenant between . . . the king.—A slight but characteristic variation from 2Kings 11:17 : “the covenant between Jehovah and the king and the people, that they should become a people for Jehovah.”

Between him.—Or rather, himself. The high priest is thus regarded as representing Jehovah in the transaction; and the apparent irreverence of making the Deity a direct co-partner with men in a compact is avoided.

Be the Lord’s people.—Literally, become a people for Jehovah. Kings adds: “and between the king and the people,” a not unimportant clause, for it relates to certain limitations of the royal prerogative, which were usually agreed upon at the beginning of a reign (2Samuel 3:21; 2Samuel 5:3; 1Samuel 10:25).

Benson Commentary

2 Chronicles 23:16. Jehoiada made a covenant between him, &c. — In 2 Kings 11:17, it is said, Jehoiada made a covenant between the Lord, and the king, and the people. Here it is said to be made between him, the people, and the king. But the two passages do not contradict each other. For Jehoiada, as God’s priest, was his representative in this transaction, or a sort of mediator, as Moses was. God covenanted by him to take them for his people; and the king and people covenanted with him to be his; and then the king covenanted with the people to govern them as the people of God; and the people with the king, to be subject to him as the Lord’s people, in his fear, and for his sake. For it must be observed, that this covenant, and others made in like manner, were solemn promises on the part of the Jewish king and people, that, for the future, they would observe God’s laws: in return to which the high-priest promised, on the part of God, that, if they did so, they should enjoy all the blessings promised in those divine laws to obedience.

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

Between him ... - In 2 Kings 11:17 the covenant is said to have been made "between the Lord," etc. To the writer of Chronicles Jehoiada was God's representative, and received the pledges of king and people.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

2Ch 23:16. Jehoiada Restores the Worship of God, and Settles the King.

16. Jehoiada made a covenant—(See on [449]2Ki 11:17).

Matthew Poole's Commentary

Between him, i.e. the Lord, as is sufficiently implied in the end of this verse, and plainly expressed 2 Kings 11:17. Or, between himself; that the people might see that he brought them under no bond but what he would take upon himself.

That they should be the Lord’s people, i.e. that every one in his place and station would maintain the law and worship of God, and root out all false worship; which they did in the next verse.

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

And Jehoiada made a {k} covenant between him, and between all the people, and between the king, that they should be the LORD'S people.

(k) That they would only serve him and renounce all idolatry.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

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.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 16. - Between him. The Revised Version reads "himself," which is the evident meaning. The parallel leaves out, however, mention of Jehoiada as party to the covenant, viewing him rather as the promoter of it. 2 Chronicles 23:16

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

The renewal of the covenant, extirpation of Baal-worship, and the solemn entry of the king into his palace, as in 2 Kings 11:17-20, and already commented on in that place. The remark as to the renewal of the covenant is in 2 Chronicles 23:16 (Chron.) somewhat more brief than in 2 Kings 11:17; and בּינו, between himself, the same as between himself, the high priest, as representative of Jehovah. In 2 Kings 11:17, the matter is more clearly expressed. In 2 Kings 11:18., the statement, "the priest set overseers over the house of Jahve," is expanded by the addition of the words, "by means of the Levitic priests whom David had distributed for the house of Jahve to offer sacrifices;...and he placed doorkeepers at the doors of the house of Jahve," etc. The meaning is: Jehoiada again introduced the old arrangement of the public worship in the temple as David had settled it, it having either fallen into decay or wholly ceased under the rule of the idolatrous Athaliah. As to the remainder, see on 2 Kings 11:19 and 2 Kings 11:20.