2 Crônicas 23

ARC · Chapter 23/36

1Porém no setimo anno Joiada se esforçou, e tomou comsigo em alliança os chefes das centenas, a Azarias, filho de Joroão, e a Ishmael, filho de Jahanan, e a Azarias, filho d'Obed, e a Maaseias, filho d'Adaias, e a Elisaphat, filho de Sicri.

2Estes rodeiaram a Judah e ajuntaram os levitas de todas as cidades de Judah e os cabeças dos paes d'Israel, e vieram para Jerusalem.

3E toda aquella congregação fez alliança com o rei na casa de Deus: e Joiada lhes disse: Eis que o filho do rei reinará, como o Senhor fallou a respeito dos filhos de David.

4Esta é a coisa que haveis de fazer: uma terça parte de vós, os sacerdotes e os levitas que entram de sabbado, serão porteiros das portas;

5E uma terça parte estará na casa do rei; e a outra terça parte á porta do fundamento: e todo o povo estará nos pateos da casa do Senhor.

6Porém ninguem entre na casa do Senhor, senão os sacerdotes e os levitas que ministram; estes entrarão, porque sanctos são; mas todo o povo vigiará a guarda do Senhor,

7E os levitas rodeiarão ao rei em volta, cada um com as suas armas na mão; e qualquer que entrar na casa morrerá; porém vós estareis com o rei, quando entrar e quando sair

8E fizeram os levitas e todo o Judah conforme a tudo o que ordenara o sacerdote Joiada; e tomou cada um os seus homens, os que entravam no sabbado com os que sahiam do sabbado; porque o sacerdote Joiada não tinha despedido as turmas.

9Tambem o sacerdote Joiada deu aos chefes das centenas as lanças, e os escudos, e as rodelas que foram do rei David os quaes estavam na casa de Deus.

10E dispoz todo o povo, e a cada um com as suas armas na sua mão, desde a banda direita da casa até á banda esquerda da casa, da banda do altar e da casa, á roda do rei

11Então tiraram para fóra ao filho do rei, e lhe pozeram a corôa; deram-lhe o testemunho, e o fizeram rei: e Joiada e seus filhos o ungiram, e disseram: Viva o rei!

12Ouvindo pois Athalia a voz do povo que concorria e louvava o rei, veiu ao povo, á casa do Senhor.

13E olhou: e eis-que o rei estava perto da sua columna, á entrada, e os chefes, e as trombetas junto ao rei; e todo o povo da terra estava alegre, e tocava as trombetas; e tambem os cantores tocavam instrumentos musicos, e davam a entender que se deviam cantar louvores: então Athalia rasgou os seus vestidos, e clamou: Traição, traição!

14Porém o sacerdote Joiada tirou para fóra os centuriões que estavam postos sobre o exercito e disse-lhes: Tirae-a para fóra das fileiras, e o que a seguir, morrerá á espada: porque dissera o sacerdote: Não a matareis na casa do Senhor

15E elles lhe lançaram as mãos, e ella foi á entrada da porta dos cavallos, da casa do rei: e ali a mataram.

16E Joiada fez alliança entre si, e o povo, e o rei, que seriam o povo do Senhor.

17Depois todo o povo entrou na casa de Baal, e a derribaram, e quebraram os seus altares, e as suas imagens, e a Mathan, sacerdote de Baal, mataram diante dos altares.

18E Joiada ordenou os officios na casa do Senhor, debaixo da mão dos sacerdotes, os levitas a quem David repartira na casa do Senhor, para offerecerem os holocaustos do Senhor, como está escripto na lei de Moysés, com alegria e com canto, conforme a instituição de David.

19E poz porteiros ás portas da casa do Senhor, para que não entrasse n'ella ninguem immundo em coisa alguma.

20E tomou os centuriões, e os poderosos, e os que tinham dominio entre o povo e todo o povo da terra, e conduziu o rei da casa do Senhor, e entraram na casa do rei pelo meio da porta maior, e assentaram o rei no throno do reino.

21E todo o povo da terra se alegrou, e a cidade ficou em paz, depois que mataram a Athalia á espada.

📖 Chapter study

Summary

After six years of Athaliah's usurped reign, the priest Jehoiada organizes a carefully planned revolt, reveals the young Joash as the rightful heir, and crowns him king. Athaliah is executed, and the people tear down the altars of Baal, restoring proper worship at the temple.

Explanation

The courageous, strategic leadership of the priest Jehoiada, secretly organizing armed Levites and loyal guards before publicly revealing the hidden heir, shows careful planning combined with decisive courage at the right moment. Athaliah's execution, though violent, is presented as necessary justice to restore the legitimacy of the Davidic line and end her usurping, idolatrous reign. The immediate destruction of the altars of Baal and the reorganization of temple worship, following the patterns established by David centuries earlier, show how political restoration was closely tied to the nation's spiritual restoration.

Fun facts

  • Joash's coronation at only seven years old, with Jehoiada acting as a kind of regent and spiritual mentor during his childhood, is one of the youngest recorded coronations of a king in the Bible.
  • The people's cry upon witnessing the coronation, 'God save the king,' is an expression of royal acclamation used repeatedly throughout the Old Testament at moments of legitimate transfer of power.

Verse-by-verse explanation

  1. 2 Crônicas 23:1The priest Jehoiada organizes a carefully planned coup, using the temple’s own guard rotations as cover, to finally crown Joash, the heir who had been hidden for six years. It is a coordinated political operation carried out inside the sanctuary itself.
  2. 2 Crônicas 23:2Jehoiada’s allies travel throughout Judah gathering Levites from every city and heads of families, bringing everyone to Jerusalem.
  3. 2 Crônicas 23:3This whole assembly makes a covenant with the future king, still hidden, inside the temple itself, and Jehoiada announces: the king’s son will reign, fulfilling the promise made to David’s line.
  4. 2 Crônicas 23:4Jehoiada lays out the plan in detail: a third of the priests and Levites on duty on the Sabbath will serve as gatekeepers.
  5. 2 Crônicas 23:5Another third will stand guard at the palace, and the remaining third at the Foundation Gate, while the common people stay in the courts of the temple.
  6. 2 Crônicas 23:6Jehoiada restricts entry into the temple to priests and Levites on duty, who are considered consecrated; the common people are only to stand guard outside.
  7. 2 Crônicas 23:7The armed Levites surround the king on every side, under orders to kill anyone who tries to force his way into the temple, protecting Joash wherever he goes.
  8. 2 Crônicas 23:8The Levites and all Judah follow Jehoiada’s instructions exactly, arranging the guard shifts without his dismissing anyone from their regular duty.
  9. 2 Crônicas 23:9Jehoiada distributes to the commanders the spears and shields that had belonged to King David, kept in the temple for generations.
  10. 2 Crônicas 23:10All the people take their armed positions around the temple, from the right side to the left, surrounding the altar and the king himself.
  11. 2 Crônicas 23:11At last they bring young Joash out of hiding, place the crown on him, hand him the book of the covenant, and anoint him king, with everyone shouting, “God save the king!”
  12. 2 Crônicas 23:12Hearing the shouting and the people’s praise, Athaliah runs to the temple to see what is happening.
  13. 2 Crônicas 23:13When she arrives, Athaliah sees the new king already crowned, surrounded by commanders, trumpets, and singers celebrating — and she tears her clothes, crying out, “Treason, Treason!”
  14. 2 Crônicas 23:14Jehoiada orders the commanders to bring Athaliah out from among the ranks at the temple, warning that no one should kill her there inside, in the sacred space.
  15. 2 Crônicas 23:15Athaliah is taken to the entrance of the Horse Gate at the palace, and she is put to death right there, outside the temple.
  16. 2 Crônicas 23:16Jehoiada makes a covenant between the people, the king, and God, committing everyone to be the Lord’s people — the formal close of the restoration of the throne.
  17. 2 Crônicas 23:17After crowning Joash, the people tear down the temple of Baal and kill its priest — the religious cleanup of the foreign worship that Athaliah, coming from Ahab’s family, had introduced into Judah.
  18. 2 Crônicas 23:18Jehoiada reorganizes the operation of the temple, restoring the Levitical priests to the duties David had established, including offering sacrifices with joy and singing according to the law of Moses.
  19. 2 Crônicas 23:19Jehoiada also stations gatekeepers at the entrances to the temple, to keep anyone unclean from entering.
  20. 2 Crônicas 23:20Jehoiada leads the new king from the temple to the palace, accompanied by commanders and leaders of the people, entering through the main gate, and seats Joash on the royal throne.
  21. 2 Crônicas 23:21All the people rejoice, and the city returns to peace after Athaliah is put to death — the chapter closes with David’s monarchy restored.

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