Albert Barnes Commentary 2 Chronicles 23
Albert Barnes Commentary
2 Chronicles 23
Albert Barnes Commentary
2 Chronicles 23
"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." — 2 Chronicles 23:1 (ASV)
The five names do not occur in Kings; only, and incidentally, the five divisions of the royal guard (2 Kings 11:5 note).
"And they went about in Judah, and gathered the Levites out of all the cities of Judah, and the heads of fathers` [houses] of Israel, and they came to Jerusalem." — 2 Chronicles 23:2 (ASV)
Jehoiada was unwilling to trust the success of the revolution wholly and entirely to the royal bodyguard. Accordingly, the captains gathered from the cities of Judah a strong body of Levites and the heads of the families of Israel (that is, “Judah,” see the note on 2 Chronicles 20:34), who were brought to Jerusalem.
"And all the assembly made a covenant with the king in the house of God. And he said unto them, Behold, the king`s son shall reign, as Jehovah hath spoken concerning the sons of David." — 2 Chronicles 23:3 (ASV)
The phrase all the congregation here refers to the people mentioned in 2 Chronicles 23:2.
"This is the thing that ye shall do: a third part of you, that come in on the sabbath, of the priests and of the Levites, shall be porters of the thresholds;" — 2 Chronicles 23:4 (ASV)
The writer of Chronicles relates the orders that were given to the Levites; the author of Kings, those received by the royal bodyguard (see the note on 2 Kings 11:5).
"But let none come into the house of Jehovah, save the priests, and they that minister of the Levites; they shall come in, for they are holy: but all the people shall keep the charge of Jehovah." — 2 Chronicles 23:6 (ASV)
Keep the watch of the Lord — that is, guard against any attempt that might be made by the Baal-worshippers to force their way through the courts into the temple.
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