1 After waiting six years Jehoiada the priest decided to take action. He sent for the commanders of hundreds: Azariah son of Jehoram, Ishmael son of Jehohanan, Azariah son of Obed, Maaseiah son of Adaiah and Elishaphat son of Zichri, and made a pact with them.
2 They went through Judah, gathering the Levites from all the towns of Judah, and the heads of the Israelite families. They came to Jerusalem,
3 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 Yahweh has promised regarding the descendants of David!
4 This is what you must do: one third of you, priests, Levites and keepers of the gate, must come in for the sabbath,
5 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 Yahweh's House.
6 No one is to enter Yahweh's House except the priests and the Levites on duty, since they are consecrated and may enter. The people must all obey Yahweh's instructions and stay outside.
7 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."
8 The Levites and all Judah carried out all the orders of Jehoiada the priest. Every commander summoned both those who went off duty on the Sabbath, and those coming on duty, because Jehoiada did not except anyone.
9 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.
10 He stationed the men from the west wing to the east wing, between the House and the altar, each with spear in hand, to protect the king.
11 Then they brought out the king's son, crowned him and put on him the ornaments, and they proclaimed him king. Jehoiada and his sons then anointed him and shouted, "Long live the king!"
12 Athaliah, on hearing the shouts of the people who were rushing to the king and acclaiming him, went to Yahweh's House where the people were.
13 When she saw the king standing there at the entrance beside the pillar, with the captains and trumpeters at his side, and all the people from the countryside rejoicing and sounding trumpets, and the cantors with their musical instruments leading the hymns, Athaliah tore her clothes in distress and shouted, "Treason, treason!"
14 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 Yahweh's House."
15 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.
16 Jehoiada made a covenant between the king and all the people, by which they would be the people of Yahweh.
17 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.
18 Jehoiada posted sentries to guard Yahweh's House under the authority of the levitical priests. David had appointed them in Yahweh's House to offer the burnt offerings of Yahweh according to the Law of Moses, and to sing joyfully the songs of David.
19 He stationed gatekeepers at the gates of the Temple of Yahweh so that no one who was in any way unclean might enter.
20 Then taking the commanders of hundreds, the notables, 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.
21 All the people from the countryside were delighted, and the city was quiet. Athaliah was put to death.
Versículos relacionados com 2 Chronicles, 23:
Chapter 23 of 2 Chronicles reports the rise of Joas to the throne of Judah after Atalia's death, a wicked queen who had usurped the throne and eliminated the descendants of David. Priest Joiada led a revolt and consecrated Joas as king, restoring the covenant of the people with God. Below are five verses related to the topics covered in this chapter:
Genesis 17:7: "I will establish my covenant between me and you and your descendants in the course of your generations, perpetual covenant, to be your God and the God of your descent." The covenant between God and the people of Israel is a recurring theme throughout the Bible, and in this chapter, the importance of restoring this covenant that had been broken by the previous government was highlighted.
Deuteronomy 17:18-20: "When sitting on the throne of his kingdom, he will have a copy of this law, according to the original of the priests, Levites. Life, to learn to fear the Lord, his God, and to observe all the words of this law and these precepts, to fulfill them; so that his heart is not elevated upon his brothers and not to deviate from this commandment or to the right or the right to the left; and that it may prolong his days in his kingdom, he and his children in the midst of Israel. " The importance of following God's law is highlighted in this verse, and the consecration of Joas as king included the fulfillment of these laws.
Psalm 45:6: "Your throne, O God, is eternal and perpetual; the scepter of your kingdom is a scepter of equity." This psalm describes the king as an instrument of God, and the rise of Joas to the throne is seen as a restoration of God's will to the people of Judah.
Jeremiah 33:17: "For thus says the Lord, the David man who settles upon the throne of Israel will never be lacking." This verse refers to God's promise to David that his descent would always rule over Israel, and the rise of Joas is seen as the fulfillment of this promise.
Malachi 4:2: "But to you others who fear my name will be born the sun of justice, bringing salvation into its wings; and you will leave and jump like calves loose in the corral." This verse highlights the importance of fearing God and following his will, and the consecration of Joas as king is seen as a moment of spiritual renewal for the people of Judah.
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