Matthew Poole's Commentary And in the seventh year Jehoiada strengthened himself, and took the captains of hundreds, Azariah the son of Jeroham, and Ishmael the son of Jehohanan, and Azariah the son of Obed, and Maaseiah the son of Adaiah, and Elishaphat the son of Zichri, into covenant with him. Jehoiada maketh Joash king, 2 Chronicles 23:1-11. Athaliah is slain, 2 Chronicles 23:12-15. The pure worship of God is restored, 2 Chronicles 23:16-21. Took the captains of hundreds; not all, but those here following, in whom he put most trust. But this chapter is almost all taken out of 2 Kings 11, where it is explained. And they went about in Judah, and gathered the Levites out of all the cities of Judah, and the chief of the fathers of Israel, and they came to Jerusalem. Gathered the Levites out of all the cities of Judah; partly because they could do this without any suspicion, upon pretence of some solemn feast; which time, it is probable, was chosen for this purpose; and partly because he knew them to be well affected to the cause of God and the king, to which they were obliged by the two firmest ties, conscience and interest. The chief of the fathers of Israel, i.e. both of the two tribes, and of the ten tribes, all which are called Israel; and he useth the name of Israel rather than that of Judah, because there were now great numbers of the other tribes incorporated with Judah; and these he esteemed more faithful than many of Judah, having given better proofs of the truth of their religion than they; and therefore he picked out of the chief men of the other tribes as well as of Judah and Benjamin. 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. No text from Poole on this verse. This is the thing that ye shall do; A third part of you entering on the sabbath, of the priests and of the Levites, shall be porters of the doors; Both that of Sur, 2 Kings 11:6, and other doors adjoining or leading to it. And a third part shall be at the king's house; and a third part at the gate of the foundation: and all the people shall be in the courts of the house of the LORD. At the gate of the foundation; at the east gate, thought to be so called, because it stood lower than the rest of the doors, at the foot of the steps, by which they went up from the king’s house to the temple. In the courts; either, 1. In the two courts; and so by the people he understands as well the generality of the Levites, who had no particular stations allotted to them, as their brethren had, 2 Chronicles 23:4,5, which were to be in the priests’ court, as the people, who were in the court of the people: or, 2. In the court of the people, which may be called courts, the plural number being put for the singular, in regard of great amplitude, and divers quarters and partitions, into which it was or might be divided; as the temple is called sanctuaries, because of its division into divers parts, Leviticus 26:31. But let none come into the house of the LORD, save the priests, and they that minister of the Levites; they shall go in, for they are holy: but all the people shall keep the watch of the LORD. Into the house of the Lord; strictly so called, as it is distinguished from the courts, into which others were permitted to come, 2 Chronicles 23:5, to wit, into the holy place. The priests, and they that minister of the Levites; they who are to minister in course, or by my present appointment. The watch of the Lord, i.e. of the house of the Lord; as the phrase may be filled up out of this place and 2 Kings 11:6. The sense is, Let them stand in their court to prevent and oppose any person who shall endeavour violently to break into the house to seize upon the king, or to disturb their present work; which he expected Athaliah and her accomplices would do. And the Levites shall compass the king round about, every man with his weapons in his hand; and whosoever else cometh into the house, he shall be put to death: but be ye with the king when he cometh in, and when he goeth out. No text from Poole on this verse. So the Levites and all Judah did according to all things that Jehoiada the priest had commanded, and took every man his men that were to come in on the sabbath, with them that were to go out on the sabbath: for Jehoiada the priest dismissed not the courses. No text from Poole on this verse. Moreover Jehoiada the priest delivered to the captains of hundreds spears, and bucklers, and shields, that had been king David's, which were in the house of God. No text from Poole on this verse. And he set all the people, every man having his weapon in his hand, from the right side of the temple to the left side of the temple, along by the altar and the temple, by the king round about. No text from Poole on this verse. 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. Jehoiada and his sons; and Zechariah among the rest, whom afterwards he ungratefully slew, 2 Chronicles 24:21. Now when Athaliah heard the noise of the people running and praising the king, she came to the people into the house of the LORD: No text from Poole on this verse. And she looked, and, behold, the king stood at his pillar at the entering in, and the princes and the trumpets by the king: and all the people of the land rejoiced, and sounded with trumpets, also the singers with instruments of musick, and such as taught to sing praise. Then Athaliah rent her clothes, and said, Treason, Treason. No text from Poole on this verse. Then Jehoiada the priest brought out the captains of hundreds that were set over the host, and said unto them, Have her forth of the ranges: and whoso followeth her, let him be slain with the sword. For the priest said, Slay her not in the house of the LORD. No text from Poole on this verse. So they laid hands on her; and when she was come to the entering of the horse gate by the king's house, they slew her there. No text from Poole on this verse. And Jehoiada made a covenant between him, and between all the people, and between the king, that they should be the LORD'S people. 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. Then all the people went to the house of Baal, and brake it down, and brake his altars and his images in pieces, and slew Mattan the priest of Baal before the altars. No text from Poole on this verse. Also Jehoiada appointed the offices of the house of the LORD by the hand of the priests the Levites, whom David had distributed in the house of the LORD, to offer the burnt offerings of the LORD, as it is written in the law of Moses, with rejoicing and with singing, as it was ordained by David. Appointed the offices of the house of the Lord by the hand or, as it is in the Hebrew, put the offices of the house of the Lord into the hand, i.e. he restored the priests and Levites, either, 1. To their places and offices, which possibly in the time of the idolatrous kings, and of Athaliah, had been disposed of to persons of other tribes, partly to gratify their wicked friends, and partly to bring God’s house and worship into disgrace; or, 2. To the exercise of their offices, from which they had been in a great measure hindered. And he set the porters at the gates of the house of the LORD, that none which was unclean in any thing should enter in. No text from Poole on this verse. And he took the captains of hundreds, and the nobles, and the governors of the people, and all the people of the land, and brought down the king from the house of the LORD: and they came through the high gate into the king's house, and set the king upon the throne of the kingdom. Through the high gate, to wit, of the court belonging and leading to the king’s palace. And all the people of the land rejoiced: and the city was quiet, after that they had slain Athaliah with the sword. No text from Poole on this verse. |
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