Athaliah's usurpation.

BEFORE CHRIST 884.

12 Kings 9.

6,7.

k 2 Kings 10. 10, 11. 13, 14.

12 Kings10.

m 2 Kings 9.27, at

the kingdom of Samaria.

k

of Nimshi, whom the LORD had anointed to cut off the house of Ahab. 8 And it came to pass, that, when Jehu was executing judgment upon the house of Ahab, and found the princes of Judah, and the sons of the brethren of Ahaziah, that ministered to Ahaziah, he slew them.

9 m And he sought Ahaziah: and Megiddo in they caught him, (for he was hid in Samaria,) and brought him to Jehu: and when they had slain him, they buried him: Because, said they, he is the son of Jehoshaphat, who sought the LORD with all his heart. So the house of Ahaziah had no power to keep still the kingdom.

n ch. 17. 4.

884.

• 2 Kings 11. 1, &c.

p2 Kingall. Jehosheba.

878. ■ 2 Kings 11. 4, &c.

b 2 8am. 7. 12.

1 Kings 2. 4. & 9. 5. ch. 6. 16. & 7. 18. & 21.7.

• 1 Chr. 9. 25.

8 Heb. thresholds.

n

-10 But when Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she arose and destroyed all the seed royal of the house of Judah.

11 But P Jehoshabeath, the daughter of the king, took Joash the son of Ahaziah, and stole him from among the king's sons that were slain, and put him and his nurse in a bedchamber. So Jehoshabeath, the daughter of king Jehoram, the wife of Jehoiada the priest, (for she was the sister of Ahaziah,) hid him from Athaliah, so that she slew him not.

12 And he was with them hid in the house of God six years: and Athaliah reigned over the land.

CHAPTER XXIII.

1 Jehoiada, having set things in order, maketh Joash king. 12 Athaliah is slain. 16 Jehoiada restoreth the worship of God.

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

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

3 And all the congregation made a covenant with the king in the house of God. And he said unto them, Behold, the king's son shall reign, as the LORD hath b said of the sons of David.

Joash made king.

878.

5 And a third part shall be at the BEFORE king's house; and a third part at the CHRIST gate of the foundation: and all the people shall be in the courts of the house of the LORD.

28, 29.

6 But let none come into the house of the LORD, save the priests, and d they that minister of the Levites; d1 Chr. 28. they shall go in, for they are holy: but all the people shall keep the watch of the LORD.

7 And the Levites shall compass the king round about, every man with his weapons in his hand; and whosoever else cometh into the house, he shall be put to death: but be ye with the king when he cometh in, and when he goeth out.

8 So the Levites and all Judah did according to all things that Jehoiada the priest had commanded, and took every man his men that were to come in on the sabbath, with them that were to go out on the sabbath: for Jehoiada the priest dismissed not the courses.

12 Now when Athaliah heard king live. the noise of the people running and praising the king, she came to the people into the house of the LORD:

13 And she looked, and, behold, the king stood at his pillar at the entering in, and the princes and the trumpets by the king: and all the people of the land rejoiced, and sounded with trumpets, also the singers with instruments of musick, and such as taught to sing praise. Then Athaliah rent her clothes, and said, Treason, Treason.

5

14 Then Jehoiada the priest brought out the captains of hundreds that were set over the host, and said unto them, Have her forth of the ranges: and whoso followeth her, let him be slain with the sword.

81 Chr.25.8.

6 Heb. Conspiracy.

Athaliah is slain.

BEFORE CHRIST 878.

For the priest said, Slay her not in the house of the LORD.

15 So they laid hands on her; and when she was come to the entering Neh. 3.28. of the horse gate by the king's house, they slew her there.

16 And Jehoiada made a covenant between him, and between all the people, and between the king, that they should be the LORD's people.

17 Then all the people went to the house of Baal, and brake it down, and brake his altars and his images in 1 Deut.18.9. pieces, and slew Mattan the priest of Baal before the altars.

18 Also Jehoiada appointed the offices of the house of the LORD by the hand of the priests the Levites, 1 Chr.23.6, whom David had distributed in the 30,31.& 24.1. house of the LORD, to offer the burnt offerings of the LORD, as it is written in the law of Moses, with rejoicing and with singing, as it was ordained 2 by David.

1Num.28.2.

3 Heb.by the

hands of David. 1Chr.25.2,6.

m 1 Chr. 26.

1, &c.

19 And he set the porters at the gates of the house of the LORD, that none which was unclean in any thing should enter in.

20 And he took the captains of 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 the LORD: and they came through the high gate into the king's house, and set the king upon the throne of the kingdom.

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

CHAPTER XXIV.

1 Joash reigneth well all the days of Jehoiada. 4 He giveth order for the repair of the temple. 15 Jehoiada's death and honourable burial.

17 Joash, falling to idolatry, slayeth Zechariah the son of Jehoiada. 23 Joash is spoiled by the Syrians, and slain by Zabad and Jehozabad. 27 Amaziah succeedeth him.

9 And they made a proclamation through Judah and Jerusalem, to bring in to the LORD the collection that Moses the servant of God laid upon Israel in the wilderness.

10 And all the princes and all the people rejoiced, and brought in, and cast into the chest, until they had made an end.

9.

Heb. a ver. 6.

voice.

10.

11 Now it came to pass, that at what time the chest was brought unto the king's office by the hand of the Levites, and when they saw that 12 Kings 12. there was much money, the king's scribe and the high priest's officer came and emptied the chest, and took it, and carried it to his place again. Thus they did day by day, and gathered money in abundance.

12 And the king and Jehoiada gave it to such as did the work of the service of the house of the LORD, and hired masons and carpenters to repair the house of the LORD, and also such as wrought iron and brass to mend the house of the LORD.

2 And Joash did that which was right in the sight of the LORD all the days of Jehoiada the priest.

3 And Jehoiada took for him two wives; and he begat sons and daugh

ters.

3

4 ¶ And it came to pass after this, that Joash was minded to repair the house of the LORD.

5 And he gathered together the priests and the Levites, and said to them, Go out unto the cities of Judah,

2 Kings 12. and gather of all Israel money to re

m

14 And when they had finished it, they brought the rest of the money before the king and Jehoiada, whereof were made vessels for the house of the LORD, even vessels to minister, and to offer withal, and spoons, and vessels of gold and silver. And they offered burnt offerings in the house of the LORD continually all the days of Jehoiada.

15 ¶ But Jehoiada waxed old, and was full of days when he died; an

Joash falleth to idolatry.

BEFORE

hundred and thirty years old was he CHRIST when he died.

cir. 850.

cir. 840.

16 And they buried him in the city of David among the kings, because he had done good in Israel, both toward God, and toward his house.

17 Now after the death of Jehoiada came the princes of Judah, and made obeisance to the king. Then the king hearkened unto them.

n

18 And they left the house of the LORD God of their fathers, and served and idols and wrath came groves Judg. 5.8. upon Judah and Jerusalem for this their trespass.

nl Kings 14. 23.

ch. 19. 2. &

28. 13. & 29. 8. & 32. 25.

p ch. 36. 15. Jer. 7.25, 26. & 25.4.

q ch.15.1. & 20.14.

6.34.

:

19 Yet he P sent prophets to them, to bring them again unto the LORD; and they testified against them: but they would not give ear.

r

20 And the Spirit of God 2 came 2Heb.cloth upon Zechariah the son of Jehoiada Glock the priest, which stood above the people, and said unto them, Thus saith God, Why transgress ye the commandments of the LORD, that ye cannot prosper? because ye have forsaken the LORD, he hath also forsaken you.

r Num. 14. 41.

• ch. 15.2.

840.

t Matt. 23. 35. Acts 7. 58, 59.

840.

8 Heb. in the of the year.

revolution

u 2Kings 12.

17.

839.

4 Heb. Darmesek.

- Lev. 26. 8. Deut.32.30.

Is. 30. 17.

21 And they conspired against him, and stoned him with stones at the commandment of the king in the court of the house of the LORD.

22 Thus Joash the king remembered not the kindness which Jehoiada his father had done to him, but slew his son. And when he died, he said, The LORD look upon it, and require it.

23 ¶ And it came to pass at the end of the year, that the host of Syria came up against him: and they came to Judah and Jerusalem, and destroyed all the princes of the people from among the people, and sent all the spoil of them unto the king of 'Damascus.

24 For the army of the Syrians came with a small company of men, and the LORD delivered a very great Lev. 26. 25. host into their hand, because they had forsaken the LORD God of their fathers. So they executed judgment against Joash.

Deut. 28.25,

& ch. 22.8. Is. 10.5.

20.

b ver. 21.

25 And when they were departed from him, (for they left him in great 2 Kings 12. diseases,) "his own servants conspired against him for the blood of the sons of Jehoiada the priest, and slew him on his bed, and he died: and they buried him in the city of David, but they buried him not in the sepulchres of the kings.

5 Or, Jozachiar,

2 Kings 12. 21.

26 And these are they that conspired against him; Zabad the son

1 Amaziah beginneth to reign well. 3 He executeth justice on the traitors. 5 Having hired an army of Israelites against the Edomites, at the word of a prophet he loseth the hundred talents, and dismisseth them. 11 He overthroweth the Edomites. 10, 13 The Israelites, discontented with their dismission, spoil as they return home. 14 Amaziah, proud of his victory, serveth the gods of Edom, and despiseth the admonitions of the prophet. 17 He provoketh Joash to his overthrow. 25 His reign. 27 He is slain by conspiracy. A MAZIAH & was twenty and five 2Kings 14. years old when he began to reign, and he reigned twenty and nine years in Jerusalem. And his mother's

name was Jehoaddan of Jerusalem. 2 And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, but not with a perfect heart.

God, But what shall we do for the hundred talents which I have given to the army of Israel? And the man of God answered, The LORD is able to give thee much more than this.

10 Then Amaziah separated them, to wit, the army that was come to him out of Ephraim, to go home again: their place. wherefore their anger was greatly kindled against Judah, and they returned home 'in great.anger.

4 Heb. in heat of anger. cir. 827. h 2 Kings 14.7.

• Heb. counselled. n 1 Sam. 2. 25.

826. •2 Kings 14. 8, 9, &c.

bush, or, thorn.

11 T And Amaziah strengthened himself, and led forth his people, and went to the valley of salt, and smote of the children of Seir ten thousand. 12 And other ten thousand left alive did the children of Judah carry away captive, and brought them unto the top of the rock, and cast them down from the top of the rock, that they all were broken in pieces.

13 ¶ But the soldiers of the army which Amaziah sent back, that they should not go with him to battle, fell upon the cities of Judah, from Samaria even unto Beth-horon, and smote three thousand of them, and took much spoil.

14 Now it came to pass, after that Amaziah was come from the slaughter of the Edomites, that 'he brought the gods of the children of Seir, and set them up to be his gods, and bowed down himself before them, and burned incense unto them.

15 Wherefore the anger of the LORD was kindled against Amaziah, and he sent unto him a prophet, which said unto him, Why hast thou sought after 'the gods of the people, which could not deliver their own people out of thine hand?

16 And it came to pass, as he talked with him, that the king said unto him, Art thou made of the king's counsel? forbear; why shouldest thou be smitten? Then the prophet forbare, and said, I know that God hath determined to destroy thee, because thou hast done this, and hast not hearkened unto my counsel.

6 n

17 ¶ Then Amaziah king of Judah took advice, and sent to Joash, the son of Jehoahaz, the son of Jehu, king of Israel, saying, Come, let us see one another in the face.

18 And Joash king of Israel sent to Amaziah king of Judah, saying, The Or, furze 7thistle that was in Lebanon sent to the cedar that was in Lebanon, saying, Give thy daughter to my son to wife: and there passed by a wild beast that was in Lebanon, and trode down the thistle.

8 Heb. a beast of the field.

the king of Israel.

19 Thou sayest, Lo, thou hast smitten the Edomites; and thine heart lifteth thee up to boast: abide now at home; why shouldest thou meddle to thine hurt, that thou shouldest fall, even thou, and Judah with thee?

20 But Amaziah would not hear;

for Pit came of God, that he might deliver them into the hand of their enemies, because they sought after the gods of Edom.

BEFORE CHRIST 826.

1 Kings ch. 22.7. ver. 14.

12. 15.

21 So Joash the king of Israel went up; and they saw one another in the face, both he and Amaziah king of Judah, at Beth-shemesh, which belongeth to Judah. 22 And Judah was put to the 2 Heb. worse before Israel, and they fled smitten. every man to his tent.

23 And Joash the king of Israel took Amaziah king of Judah, the son of Joash, the son of Jehoahaz, at Beth-shemesh, and brought him to Jerusalem, and brake down the wall of Jerusalem from the gate of Ephraim to the corner gate, four hundred cubits.

24 And he took all the gold and the silver, and all the vessels that were found in the house of God with Obed-edom, and the treasures of the king's,house, the hostages also, and returned to Samaria.

B

r See ch. 21. 17.

& 22. 1, 6.

Heb. the

gate of it that look

eth.

14. 17.

25 And Amaziah the son of 2 Kings Joash king of Judah lived after the death of Joash son of Jehoahaz king of Israel fifteen years.

26 Now the rest of the acts of Amaziah, first and last, behold, are they not written in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel?