耶何耶大立约阿施为犹大王

23 第七年,耶何耶大发愤图强,召来一些百夫长与他们立约。他们是耶罗罕的儿子亚撒利雅,约哈难的儿子以实玛利,俄备得的儿子亚撒利雅,亚大雅的儿子玛西雅,以及细基利的儿子以利法。 他们走遍犹大各城,把利未人和以色列的各族长召集到耶路撒冷。 全体会众到上帝的殿中与王立约。耶何耶大对他们说:“王的儿子当做王!这是耶和华对大卫子孙的应许。 你们要这样做,三分之一在安息日值班的祭司和利未人要把守各门, 三分之一要把守王宫,三分之一要把守基址门,所有民众要留在耶和华殿的院子里。 只有祭司和供职的利未人可以进耶和华的殿,因为他们是圣洁的。其他人一律不准进殿。所有的人都要遵守耶和华的吩咐。 利未人要手持兵器护卫在王周围。凡擅自进殿的,一律处死。无论王去哪里,你们都要紧随左右。”

于是,利未人和所有犹大人遵照耶何耶大祭司的命令而行,各自带来在安息日值班和休班的属下,因为耶何耶大祭司没有让他们休班。 耶何耶大祭司把上帝殿中大卫王的矛枪和大小盾牌交给百夫长。 10 耶何耶大安排众民手持兵器,从殿右到殿左,在祭坛和殿周围护卫王, 11 然后他们领王子出来,给他戴上王冠,把律法书交给他。耶何耶大及其众子膏立王子为王。众人高呼:“愿王万岁!”

亚她利雅被处死

12 亚她利雅听到人们奔走称颂王的声音,便走进耶和华的殿,众人都聚集在那里。 13 她看见王站在门口的柱旁,百夫长和吹号的人侍立在王左右,众民都欢呼吹号,歌乐手用各种乐器带领众人唱歌颂扬,便撕裂衣服,喊道:“反了!反了!” 14 耶何耶大祭司认为不可在耶和华的殿里处死亚她利雅,便命令带兵的百夫长出来,对他们说:“把她带出去。要用刀杀死所有跟随她的人。” 15 他们抓住她,把她带到马匹进出王宫的入口,在那里杀了她。

耶何耶大的改革

16 耶何耶大让民众和王与他一起立约,要做耶和华的子民。 17 于是,民众出去拆毁了巴力庙,砸碎祭坛和偶像,在坛前杀了巴力的祭司玛坦。 18 耶何耶大照大卫的吩咐让利未祭司负责耶和华殿里的事务。大卫曾吩咐利未祭司在耶和华的殿中司职,照摩西的律法向耶和华献燔祭,欢呼歌唱。 19 耶何耶大还派门卫把守耶和华殿的各门,禁止一切不洁净的人入内。 20 他率领百夫长、贵族、首领和全体民众护送王从耶和华的殿里下来,经上门进入王宫,拥立王登上王位。 21 民众都欢喜快乐,城里安定,因为亚她利雅已死在刀下。

Jehoiada Makes Joash King

23 (A)Now in the seventh year Jehoiada strengthened himself, and took commanders of hundreds: Azariah the son of Jeroham, Ishmael the son of Johanan, Azariah the son of Obed, Maaseiah the son of Adaiah, and Elishaphat the son of Zichri, and they entered into a covenant with him. And they went around Judah and gathered the Levites from all the cities of Judah, and the heads of the fathers’ households of (B)Israel, and they came to Jerusalem. Then all the assembly cut a covenant with the king in the house of God. And [a]Jehoiada said to them, “Behold, the king’s son shall reign, (C)as Yahweh has spoken concerning the sons of David. This is the thing which you shall do: one-third of you, of the priests and Levites (D)who come in on the sabbath, shall be gatekeepers at the thresholds, and one-third shall be at the king’s house, and one-third at the Gate of the Foundation; and all the people shall be in the courts of the house of Yahweh. But let no one enter the house of Yahweh except the priests and (E)the ministering Levites; they may enter, for they are holy. And let all the people keep the charge of Yahweh. And the Levites will surround the king, each man with his weapons in his hand; and whoever enters the house, let him be put to death. And be with the king when he comes in and when he goes out.”

So the Levites and all Judah did according to all that Jehoiada the priest commanded. And each one of them took his men who were to come in on the sabbath, with those who were to go out on the sabbath, for Jehoiada the priest did not dismiss any of (F)the divisions. Then Jehoiada the priest gave to the commanders of hundreds the spears and the shields and small shields which had been King David’s, which were in the house of God. 10 And he caused all the people to stand, each man with his weapon in his hand, from the right [b]side of the house to the left [c]side of the house, by the altar and by the house, around the king. 11 Then they brought out the king’s son and put the crown on him, and gave him (G)the testimony and made him king. And Jehoiada and his sons anointed him and said, “(H)Long live the king!”

Athaliah Put to Death

12 Then Athaliah heard the noise of the people running and praising the king, so she came into the house of Yahweh to the people. 13 And she looked, and behold, the king was standing by his pillar at the entrance, and the commanders and the [d]trumpeters were beside the king. And all the people of the land were glad and blew trumpets, the singers with their musical instruments [e]leading the praise. Then Athaliah tore her clothes and said, “Treason! Treason!” 14 Then Jehoiada the priest brought out the commanders of hundreds who were appointed over the military force and said to them, “Bring her out [f]between the ranks; and whoever follows her, let him be put to death with the sword.” For the priest said, “You shall not put her to death in the house of Yahweh.” 15 So they laid hands on her, and when she arrived at the entrance of (I)the Horse Gate of the king’s house, they (J)put her to death there.

Jehoiada Cuts a Covenant

16 Then (K)Jehoiada cut a covenant between himself and all the people and the king, that they would be the people of Yahweh. 17 And all the people came to the house of Baal and tore it down, and his altars and his images they broke in pieces, and they (L)killed Mattan the priest of Baal before the altars. 18 And Jehoiada placed the assignments concerning the house of Yahweh in the hand of (M)the Levitical priests, (N)whom David had divided by lot to be over the house of Yahweh, to offer the burnt offerings of Yahweh, as it is written in the law of Moses—(O)with gladness and singing according to the [g]order of David. 19 And he caused (P)the gatekeepers of the house of Yahweh to stand, so that no one would enter who was in any way unclean. 20 (Q)And he took the commanders of hundreds, the nobles, the rulers of the people, and all the people of the land, and brought the king down from the house of Yahweh, and they came through the upper gate to the king’s house. And they sat the king upon the royal throne. 21 So (R)all of the people of the land were glad, and the city was quiet. For they had put Athaliah to death with the sword.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Chronicles 23:3 Lit he
  2. 2 Chronicles 23:10 Lit shoulder
  3. 2 Chronicles 23:10 Lit shoulder
  4. 2 Chronicles 23:13 Lit trumpets
  5. 2 Chronicles 23:13 Lit and leading for praising
  6. 2 Chronicles 23:14 Lit from within
  7. 2 Chronicles 23:18 Lit hands of