2 Chronicles 23 – New American Standard Bible 2020 (NASB20)

Jehoiada Sets Joash on the Throne of Judah

1 Now in the seventh ^H7637 year ^H8141, Jehoiada ^H3077 gathered ^H2388 his courage ^H2388, and took ^H3947 captains ^H8269 of hundreds ^H3967: Azariah ^H5838 the son ^H1121 of Jeroham ^H3395, Ishmael ^H3458 the son ^H1121 of Johanan ^H3076, Azariah ^H5838 the son ^H1121 of Obed ^H5744, Maaseiah ^H4641 the son ^H1121 of Adaiah ^H5718, and Elishaphat ^H478 the son ^H1121 of Zichri ^H2147, and they entered into a covenant ^H1285 with him.

2 And they went ^H5437 throughout ^H5437 Judah ^H3063 and gathered ^H6908 the Levites ^H3881 from all ^H3605 the cities ^H5892 of Judah ^H3063, and the heads ^H7218 of the fathers’ ^H1 households of Israel ^H3478, and they came ^H935 to Jerusalem ^H3389. 3 Then all ^H3605 the assembly ^H6951 made ^H3772 a covenant ^H1285 with the king ^H4428 in the house ^H1004 of God ^H430. And [fn]Jehoiada said ^H559 to them, “Behold ^H2009, the king’s ^H4428 son ^H1121 shall reign ^H4427, as the LORD ^H3068 has spoken ^H1696 concerning ^H5921 the sons ^H1121 of David ^H1732. 4 This ^H2088 is the thing ^H1697 which ^H834 you shall do ^H6213: a third ^H7992 of you, of the priests ^H3548 and Levites ^H3881 who come ^H935 in ^H935 on the Sabbath ^H7676, shall be gatekeepers ^H7778 H5592, 5 and a third ^H7992 shall be at the king’s ^H4428 house ^H1004, and a third ^H7992 at the Gate ^H8179 of the Foundation ^H3247; and all ^H3605 the people ^H5971 shall be in the courtyards ^H2691 of the house ^H1004 of the LORD ^H3068. 6 But no ^H408 one is to enter ^H935 the house ^H1004 of the LORD ^H3068 except ^H3588 H518 the priests ^H3548 and the ministering ^H8334 Levites ^H3881; they may enter ^H935, for they are holy ^H6944. And all ^H3605 the people ^H5971 are to keep ^H8104 the command ^H4931 of the LORD ^H3068. 7 The Levites ^H3881 will surround ^H5362 H5439 the king ^H4428, each ^H376 man ^H376 with his weapons ^H3627 in his hand ^H3027; and whoever enters ^H935 the house ^H1004 is to be put ^H4191 to ^H4191 death ^H4191. Therefore be with the king ^H4428 when he comes ^H935 in ^H935 and when he goes ^H3318 out ^H3318.”

8 The Levites ^H3881 and all ^H3605 Judah ^H3063 did ^H6213 according to all ^H3605 that Jehoiada ^H3077 the priest ^H3548 commanded ^H6680. And each ^H376 one ^H376 of them took ^H3947 his men ^H376 who were to come ^H935 in ^H935 on the Sabbath ^H7676, with those who were to go ^H3318 out ^H3318 on the Sabbath ^H7676, for Jehoiada ^H3077 the priest ^H3548 did not dismiss ^H6362 any of the divisions ^H4256. 9 Then Jehoiada ^H3077 the priest ^H3548 gave ^H5414 the captains ^H8269 of hundreds ^H3967 the spears ^H2595 and the shields ^H4043 and quivers ^H7982 which ^H834 had been King ^H4428 David’s ^H1732, which ^H834 were in the house ^H1004 of God ^H430. 10 He stationed ^H5975 all ^H3605 the people ^H5971, each ^H376 man ^H376 with his weapon ^H7973 in his hand ^H3027, from the right ^H3233 [fn]side ^H3802 of the house ^H1004 to the left ^H8042 [fn]side ^H3802 of the house ^H1004, by the altar ^H4196 and by the house ^H1004, around ^H5439 the king ^H4428. 11 Then they brought ^H3318 out ^H3318 the king’s ^H4428 son ^H1121 and put ^H5414 the crown ^H5145 on him, and gave him the testimony ^H5715 and made ^H4427 him king ^H4427. And Jehoiada ^H3077 and his sons ^H1121 anointed ^H4886 him and said ^H559, “Long live ^H2421 the king ^H4428!”

Athaliah Murdered

12 When Athaliah ^H6271 heard ^H8085 the noise ^H6963 of the people ^H5971 running ^H7323 and praising ^H1984 the king ^H4428, she went ^H935 into the house ^H1004 of the LORD ^H3068 to the people ^H5971.

13 She looked ^H7200, and behold ^H2009, the king ^H4428 was standing ^H5975 by his pillar ^H5982 at the entrance ^H3996, and the captains ^H8269 and the [fn]trumpeters ^H2689 were beside ^H5921 the king ^H4428. And all ^H3605 the people ^H5971 of the land ^H776 rejoiced ^H8056 and blew ^H8628 trumpets ^H2689, the singers ^H7891 with their musical ^H7892 instruments ^H3627 [fn]leading ^H3045 the praise ^H1984. Then Athaliah ^H6271 tore ^H7167 her clothes ^H899 and said ^H559, “Conspiracy ^H7195! Conspiracy ^H7195!” 14 And Jehoiada ^H3077 the priest ^H3548 brought ^H3318 out ^H3318 the captains ^H8269 of hundreds ^H3967 who were appointed ^H6485 over the army ^H2428, and said ^H559 to them, “Bring ^H3318 her out ^H3318 [fn]between ^{H413 H4480 H1004} the ranks ^H7713, and whoever follows ^H935 H310 her is to be put ^H4191 to ^H4191 death ^H4191 with the sword ^H2719.” For the priest ^H3548 said ^H559, “You shall not put ^H4191 her to ^H4191 death ^H4191 in the house ^H1004 of the LORD ^H3068.” 15 So they [fn]seized ^H7760 H3027 her, and when she arrived ^H935 at the entrance ^H3996 of the Horse ^H5483 Gate ^H8179 of the king’s ^H4428 house ^H1004, they put ^H4191 her to ^H4191 death ^H4191 there ^H8033.

Reforms Carried Out

16 Then Jehoiada ^H3077 made ^H3772 a covenant ^H1285 between ^H996 himself and all ^H3605 the people ^H5971 and the king ^H4428, that they would be the LORD’S ^H3068 people ^H5971.

17 And all ^H3605 the people ^H5971 went ^H935 to the house ^H1004 of Baal ^H1168 and tore ^H5422 it down ^H5422, and they broke ^H7665 in ^H7665 pieces ^H7665 his altars ^H4196 and his images ^H6754, and killed ^H2026 Mattan ^H4977 the priest ^H3548 of Baal ^H1168 before ^H6440 the altars ^H4196. 18 Moreover, Jehoiada ^H3077 placed ^H7760 the offices ^H6486 of the house ^H1004 of the LORD ^H3068 under the [fn]authority ^H3027 of the Levitical ^H3881 priests ^H3548, whom ^H834 David ^H1732 had assigned ^H2505 over ^H5921 the house ^H1004 of the LORD ^H3068, to offer ^H5927 the burnt ^H5930 offerings ^H5930 of the LORD ^H3068, as it is written ^H3789 in the Law ^H8451 of Moses ^H4872—with rejoicing ^H8057 and singing ^H7892 according ^H5921 to the [fn]order ^H3027 of David ^H1732. 19 He stationed ^H5975 the gatekeepers ^H7778 of the house ^H1004 of the LORD ^H3068, so that no ^H3808 one would enter ^H935 who was in any ^H3605 way ^H1697 unclean ^H2931. 20 He took ^H3947 the captains ^H8269 of hundreds ^H3967, the nobles ^H117, the rulers ^H4910 of the people ^H5971, and all ^H3605 the people ^H5971 of the land ^H776, and brought ^H3381 the king ^H4428 down ^H3381 from the house ^H1004 of the LORD ^H3068, and went ^H935 through ^H8432 the upper ^H5945 gate ^H8179 to the king’s ^H4428 house ^H1004. And they seated ^H3427 the king ^H4428 upon the royal ^H4467 throne ^H3678. 21 So all ^H3605 of the people ^H5971 of the land ^H776 rejoiced ^H8055 and the city ^H5892 was ^H8252 at ^H8252 rest ^H8252. For they had put ^H4191 Athaliah ^H6271 to ^H4191 death ^H4191 with the sword ^H2719.