Darby Bible Translation

New Living Translation

Joash Anointed King in Judah

And in the seventh year Jehoiada strengthened himself, and took the captains of the 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.

1

Revolt against Athaliah

In the seventh year of Athaliah’s reign, Jehoiada the priest decided to act. He summoned his courage and made a pact with five army commanders: Azariah son of Jeroham, Ishmael son of Jehohanan, Azariah son of Obed, Maaseiah son of Adaiah, and Elishaphat son of Zicri.

2

And they went about in Judah and gathered together the Levites out of all the cities of Judah, and the chief fathers of Israel; and they came to Jerusalem.

2

These men traveled secretly throughout Judah and summoned the Levites and clan leaders in all the towns to come to Jerusalem.

3

And all the congregation made a covenant with the king in the house of God. And he said to them, Behold, the king's son shall reign, as Jehovah has said of the sons of David.

3

They all gathered at the Temple of God, where they made a solemn pact with Joash, the young king.
Jehoiada said to them, “Here is the king’s son! The time has come for him to reign! The LORD has promised that a descendant of David will be our king.

4

This is the thing which ye shall do: a third part of you that come in on the sabbath, of the priests and of the Levites, shall be keepers of the doors;

4

This is what you must do. When you priests and Levites come on duty on the Sabbath, a third of you will serve as gatekeepers.

5

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 Jehovah.

5

Another third will go over to the royal palace, and the final third will be at the Foundation Gate. Everyone else should stay in the courtyards of the LORD’s Temple.

6

But let none come into the house of Jehovah except the priests and those of the Levites that do the service; they shall go in, for they are holy; but all the people shall keep the watch of Jehovah.

6

Remember, only the priests and Levites on duty may enter the Temple of the LORD, for they are set apart as holy. The rest of the people must obey the LORD’s instructions and stay outside.

7

And the Levites shall encompass the king round about, every man with his weapons in his hand; and he that comes into the house shall be put to death; and ye shall be with the king when he comes in and when he goes out.

7

You Levites, form a bodyguard around the king and keep your weapons in hand. Kill anyone who tries to enter the Temple. Stay with the king wherever he goes.”

8

And the Levites and all Judah did according to all that Jehoiada the priest commanded; and they took every man his men, those that were to come in on the sabbath, with them that were to go forth on the sabbath; for Jehoiada the priest did not liberate the divisions.

8

So the Levites and all the people of Judah did everything as Jehoiada the priest ordered. The commanders took charge of the men reporting for duty that Sabbath, as well as those who were going off duty. Jehoiada the priest did not let anyone go home after their shift ended.

9

And Jehoiada the priest gave to the captains of the hundreds king David's spears and shields and targets, which were in the house of God.

9

Then Jehoiada supplied the commanders with the spears and the large and small shields that had once belonged to King David and were stored in the Temple of God.

10

And he set all the people, every man with his javelin in his hand, from the right side of the house to the left side of the house, toward the altar and the house, by the king round about.

10

He stationed all the people around the king, with their weapons ready. They formed a line from the south side of the Temple around to the north side and all around the altar.

11

And they brought forth the king's son, and put the crown upon him, and [gave him] the testimony, and made him king. And Jehoiada and his sons anointed him, and said, Long live the king!

11

Then Jehoiada and his sons brought out Joash, the king’s son, placed the crown on his head, and presented him with a copy of God’s laws.a They anointed him and proclaimed him king, and everyone shouted, “Long live the king!”

12

The Death of Athaliah

And Athaliah heard the noise of the people running and praising the king, and she came to the people into the house of Jehovah.

12

The Death of Athaliah

When Athaliah heard the noise of the people running and the shouts of praise to the king, she hurried to the LORD’s Temple to see what was happening.

13

And she looked, and behold, the king stood on his dais at the entrance, and the princes and the trumpets were by the king; and all the people of the land rejoiced, and blew with trumpets; and the singers [were there] with the instruments of music, and such as taught to sing praise. And Athaliah rent her garments, and said, Conspiracy! Conspiracy!

13

When she arrived, she saw the newly crowned king standing in his place of authority by the pillar at the Temple entrance. The commanders and trumpeters were surrounding him, and people from all over the land were rejoicing and blowing trumpets. Singers with musical instruments were leading the people in a great celebration. When Athaliah saw all this, she tore her clothes in despair and shouted, “Treason! Treason!”

14

And Jehoiada the priest brought out the captains of the hundreds that were set over the host, and said to them, Lead her forth without the ranks; and whosoever follows her, let him be slain with the sword; for the priest said, Ye shall not put her to death in the house of Jehovah.

14

Then Jehoiada the priest ordered the commanders who were in charge of the troops, “Take her to the soldiers in front of the Temple,b and kill anyone who tries to rescue her.” For the priest had said, “She must not be killed in the Temple of the LORD.”

15

And they made way for her, and she went through the entrance of the horse-gate into the king's house, and they put her to death there.

15

So they seized her and led her out to the entrance of the Horse Gate on the palace grounds, and they killed her there.

16

Jehoiada Restores the Worship of God

And Jehoiada made a covenant between himself and all the people and the king, that they should be the people of Jehovah.

16

Jehoiada’s Religious Reforms

Then Jehoiada made a covenant between himself and the king and the people that they would be the LORD’s people.

17

And all the people went into the house of Baal, and broke it down; and they broke his altars and his images in pieces, and slew Mattan the priest of Baal before the altars.

17

And all the people went over to the temple of Baal and tore it down. They demolished the altars and smashed the idols, and they killed Mattan the priest of Baal in front of the altars.

18

And Jehoiada appointed the offices of the house of Jehovah under the hand of the priests, the Levites, whom David had set by classes over the house of Jehovah to offer up Jehovah's burnt-offerings, as it is written in the law of Moses, -- with rejoicing and with singing according to the directions of David.

18

Jehoiada now put the priests and Levites in charge of the Temple of the LORD, following all the directions given by David. He also commanded them to present burnt offerings to the LORD, as prescribed by the Law of Moses, and to sing and rejoice as David had instructed.

19

And he set the doorkeepers at the gates of the house of Jehovah, that no one unclean in anything should enter in.

19

He also stationed gatekeepers at the gates of the LORD’s Temple to keep out those who for any reason were ceremonially unclean.

20

And he took the captains of the 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 Jehovah; and they came through the upper gate into the king's house, and set the king upon the throne of the kingdom.

20

Then the commanders, nobles, rulers, and all the people of the land escorted the king from the Temple of the LORD. They went through the upper gate and into the palace, and they seated the king on the royal throne.

21

And all the people of the land rejoiced, and the city was quiet; and they had slain Athaliah with the sword.

21

So all the people of the land rejoiced, and the city was peaceful because Athaliah had been killed.

Parallel

Darby Bible Translation

New Living Translation

2 Chronicles 23

2 Chronicles 23