v. 1. And in the seventh year, namely, after Athaliah had usurped the power in Judah, Jehoiada strengthened himself, was filled with courage and energy, 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, these commanders of the guard being exceptionally trustworthy men. Cf 2Ki_11:4.
v. 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. So the centurions of the guard were reinforced by the Levites and by the tribe-chiefs, the heads of the father houses. All these were pledged to support the plan of Jehoiada, as it was put in operation in the Temple on a certain day.
v. 3. And all the congregation, whose cooperation had been secured by the wise plan of Jehoiada, made a covenant with the king in the house of God, pledging him their support, in overthrowing Athaliah's tyranny and in upholding the rightful heir to the throne. And he, Jehoiada, said unto them, Behold, the king's son shall reign, as the Lord hath said of the sons of David,2Sa_7:12.
v. 4. This is the thing that ye shall do: A third part of you entering on the Sabbath, of the priests and of the Levites, shall be porters of the doors, guarding the thresholds. It should be remembered that a certain part of the Levites retired from service every Sabbath, while an equal number resumed their ministry on that day. On this occasion they were apparently placed under the command of the centurions of the guards to insure proper military order, in case necessity should arise.
v. 5. And a third part shall be at the king's house, posted near the royal palace, able to guard the entire passageway between palace and Temple; and a third part at the gate of the foundation, at the gate Jesod or Sur, 2Ki_11:6; and all the people shall be in the courts of the house of the Lord, it being an easy matter to have such an assembly at one of the great annual festivals, when the number of visitors in Jerusalem was very great.
v. 6. But let none come into the house of the Lord, the inner Temple, the Sanctuary proper with its court, save the priests and they that minister of the Levites, namely, in assisting in the offering of sacrifices; they shall go in, for they are holy, set apart especially for this duty; but all the people shall keep the watch of the Lord, behaving in a manner which would be in full accordance with all the precepts of the Lord.
v. 7. And the Levites shall compass the king round about, every man with his weapons in his hand, furnished from the armory of David on the Temple grounds; and whosoever else cometh into the house, without being authorized to enter the inner Temple grounds, he shall be put to death; but be ye with the king when he cometh in and when he goeth out, to guard his life at all times.
v. 8. So the Levites and all Judah, under the command of the centurions of the guard, 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, for their regular term of duty, with them that were to go out on the Sabbath; for Jehoiada, the priest, dismissed not the courses, he, upon this occasion, detained those who would ordinarily have been excused, because he needed as large a force as he could possibly gather.
v. 9. Moreover, Jehoiada, the priest, delivered to the captains of hundreds of spears and bucklers and shields that had been King David's, which were in the house of God, for captured arms were deposited as trophies in the house of God, 1Ch_18:7 ff. ; 2Ch_9:24; 2Ch_12:10.
v. 10. And he set all the people, those selected for this special work, every man having his weapon in his hand, from the right side of the Temple to the left side of the Temple, all the way across its entire area, along by the altar and the Temple, both the altar of burnt offering and the Sanctuary itself being included in this ring of defenders, by the king round about, who was placed inside this cordon.
v. 11. Then they brought out the king's son, from his place of concealment somewhere in the Temple chambers, and put upon him the crown, and gave him the testimony, either a copy of the entire Law, or of that part which related to the duties of a king, Deu_17:18, and made him king. And Jehoiada and his sons anointed him and said, God save the king! literally, "May the king live!" an acclamation of loyalty. After days of darkness and affliction the Lord often sends days of special joy and blessing upon His people.