2 Chronicles
Chapter 23
In the seventh year, Jehoiada made a bold move. He made a pact with the officers of the units of hundreds: Azariah, son of Jehoram, Ishmael son of Jehohanan; Azariah, son of Obed, Maaseiah son of Adaiah; and Elishaphat, son of Zichri.
They went through Judah, gathering the Levites from all the towns of Judah, and the heads of the Israelite families. They came to Jerusalem,
and this whole assembly made a pact with the king in the house of God. Jehoiada told them: “Here is the son of the king, let him rule as king as the Lord has promised regarding the descendants of David!
This is what you must do: one-third of you, priests, Levites and keepers of the gate, must come in for the Sabbath,
one third must be at the royal palace, one third at the Gate of Foundation, and all the people will be in the court of the Lord’s house.
No one is to enter the Lord’s house except the priests and the Levites on duty, since they are consecrated and may enter. The people must all obey the Lord’s instructions and stay outside.
The Levites must surround the king, each with his weapons in his hand; anyone who tries to enter the temple is to be put to death. Stay with the king wherever he goes.”
The Levites and all of Judah carried out all the orders of Jehoiada, the priest. Every commander summoned those who went off duty on the Sabbath and those coming on duty because Jehoiada did not exempt anyone.
Then Jehoiada, the priest, provided the commanders of hundreds with King David’s spears and large and small shields, which were in the house of God.
He stationed the men from the west wing to the east wing, between the house and the altar, each with a spear in hand, to protect the king.
Then they brought out the king’s son, crowned him, and put ornaments on him, proclaiming him king. Jehoiada and his sons anointed him and shouted: “Long live the king!”
Athaliah, on hearing the shouts of the people who were rushing to the king and acclaiming him, went to the Lord’s house where the people were.
When she saw the king standing there at the entrance beside the pillar, with the captains and trumpeters at his side. All the people from the countryside were rejoicing and sounding trumpets, and the cantors, with their musical instruments leading the hymns, Athaliah tore her clothes in distress and shouted: “Treason, treason!”
Then Jehoiada, the priest, called out the military officers and ordered them: “Take her outside the temple, and kill anyone who follows her.” And he also said: “You must not put her to death in the Lord’s house.”
They seized her, and when she had reached the palace at the entry to the Gate of the Horses, they put her to death there.
Jehoiada made a Covenant between the king and all the people, by which they would be the people of the Lord.
All the people then went to the house of Baal and tore it down. They smashed his altars and his images and killed Mattan, priest of Baal, in front of the altars.
Jehoiada posted sentries to guard the Lord’s house under the authority of the Levitical priests. David had appointed them in the Lord’s house to offer the burnt offerings of the Lord according to the law of Moses and to sing joyfully the songs of David.
He stationed gatekeepers at the gates of the temple of the Lord so that no one unclean might enter.
Then, taking the commanders of hundreds, the nobles, the ranking officials, and all the people from the countryside, he brought the king in procession from the house to the palace. They entered the royal palace through the main gate and seated the king on the royal throne.
All the people from the countryside were delighted, and the city was quiet. Athaliah was put to death.
Commentaries
The Kings of Judah Until the Exile.
The final section of the Chronicler’s work focuses on the history of the kingdom of Judah, covering from Solomon to the exile, with little mention of the Northern Kingdom. For the Chronicler, the kingdom of Judah represents the entire nation of Israel. The primary standard for judging each king is their loyalty to God. Four notable figures stand out as models of this loyalty: Asa, Jehoshaphat, Josiah, and especially Hezekiah. The prophets are also depicted alongside the kings, delivering messages that include warnings and sincere calls to stay loyal to the Lord. Ultimately, the Chronicler encourages the post-exilic community to seek God and remain faithful to the One who has remained true to his people despite their difficulties.
Positive Phase.
The reign begins by presenting Rehoboam as obedient to the Word of the Lord, who instructs him not to fight against Jeroboam. The list of cities (5-12) is likely authentic, although it is probable that they were only fortified after the invasion of Shishak, Pharaoh of Egypt (12:1-12). Through the removal of priests and Levites (13-17), the author emphasizes that the center of worship is in Jerusalem and that the Levites have been loyal to the Temple from the start.
The Faithfulness of Abijah.
Building on the account in 1 Kings 15:1-8, the Chronicler revises the story from a new perspective. Although he only reigned for three years, the Chronicler presents the king as faithful to God, a worthy successor to David and Solomon. The war against Jeroboam (3) is probably real and offers a chance to include a speech by Abijah to the northern tribes (4-12): those in the north (8.11) are not part of the Lord’s kingdom; they do not have a legitimate dynasty, only a usurper king; they worship idols instead of the true God, and they lack priests or proper worship. To fight against Judah (10) is to fight against the Lord (12). The logical result is Jeroboam’s defeat (13-18).
The Struggle Against Athaliah.
The episode of Athaliah’s death follows 2 Kings 11:1-20 with notable changes: priests, Levites, and even singers carry out the execution instead of soldiers; the acceptance of the new king Joash is universal. The final account of the reform by the priest Jehoiada (23:16-21) is presented as a restoration of the Davidic institutions.