The Pulpit Commentary — 2 Chronicles — Section 271

EXPOSITION. CHAI'TER XXIII. ia anything known more to his honour than this-that hie name is here recorded. It is This chapter records first those careful said with the most perfect simplicity of even p1·epare.tions of Jehoie.da. whioh eventuated Hebrew language, that he took them with in the safe proclaiming of Joa.eh king (vers. him in oovenant. 1-11) ; then the tragic demonstration and Ver. 2.-No mention ie made in tb.e parallel of the Levites, whom our writer ia tragio end of Athaliah (vers. 12-15); and sure to signalize. The fa.there of Israel. lastly, the beneficent action of Jehoia.da. over The sacredness of the phrase ma.de it dear, people and king, to the complete restoration above the narrowness of the distincti ,e of the worship and temple-services of the appellation Judah, though the worthies all true God (vers. 16-21). The chapter is were gathered, as jnst, implied, out of very closely paralleled by 2 Kings xi. 4--21; ••Judah." Ver. 3.-All the congregation ; i.e. all while the characteristic and to be expected who have been mentioned in vers. 1 and 2; differences on the pa.rt of our text nre very for eo the parallel makes plain. Ma.de a conspicuous. These will be noted as they covenant. This we.s the second wider and occur, While ea.oh compiler so definitely more embracing covenant. This covenant keeps on that side of the line which is between a.ll the gathered representatives and the young king, Jehoia.da no doubt e.ns,vers the me.in purpose of hie hi.story, putting all things into she.pe. And he sa.id in the abundant material common to both, unto them, Behold, the king's son shall reign. and to which both resorted, all harmonizes The he ie J ehoiade., as of course. In view still with the supposed objects of the two of the last clause of ver. 4-in the parallel, works respectively, "Jehoiada showed them the king's son" -the likelier rendering of our text here is, Behold Ver. 1.-J'ehoiada strengthened himself the king's son ; he shall reign, as, etc. As the (see our note, eh. xii. 1 ; xiii. 7). He nerved Lord he.th said of the sons of David (see eh. himself with courage, o.nd that courage vi. 16; vii. 18; 2 Sam. vii. 12; 1 Kings ii. which results from couviotion of duty e.nd 4; ix. 5). The hereditary nature of the of ripe time to achieve it. The oa.pte.ins of mone.rohy (2 Sam. vii.), pervaded ever by hundreds (or, centurions of the royal guards) the spirit of tlie covenant, is evidently aro not mentioned in the parallel by no.me, glanced at. It is probable that the exist- but the significant mention the1·e (2 Kings ence of Jol\sh was news to those to whom xi. 5-7) of five detachments (three "third J ehoia.de., as the parallel h11s it, "showed ... po.rte," plUB "two parts" of another body) the king's sou," so that double significance tally with the number fi,e, who are here lios in the word " showed." meutioned by nnme. The five detachments Ver. 4.-Tho first thing that is to be prob11bly summed up e. force ofnominlllly five observed is the distinct 11nd repeated men- hundred. It is interesting to note how often tion of the Levites, as those on whom the high religious enterprises hl\Ve been due to critical and onerous service that ea.me of the tru~ting mutul\l co-operation of very few Jehoia.da's resolution was devolved, whilo to begin with, e.nd them a.wakened and led the pa.re.lie! does not so much as mention by one. Of no one of those five named hero them. It may next be noted that our first 272 THE SECOND BOOK OF THE CHRONICLES. (orr. xxm. 1-21,