2 Chronicles Chapter 23
Jehoiada and the Crowning of Joash
A. The plan is put into practice
1. (2 Chronicles 23:1–7) Jehoiada and his plan to restore Joash to the throne of Judah
“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. 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. 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 said of the sons of David. 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; And a third part shall be at the king’s house; and a third part at the gate of the foundation: and all the people shall be in the courts of the house of the LORD. But let none come into the house of the LORD, save the priests, and they that minister of the Levites; they shall go in, for they are holy: but all the people shall keep the watch of the LORD. 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.”
a. Jehoiada strengthened himself, and took the captains of hundreds.
Jehoiada did not act impulsively or emotionally. The phrase “strengthened himself” indicates deliberate resolve, moral courage, and spiritual preparedness. He recognized that the preservation of the Davidic line required decisive action. Jehoiada was not only a priest, but also a guardian of the covenant promises made to David. As the husband of Jehoshabeath, he was already personally invested in protecting Joash, yet he waited patiently until the proper time. Righteous leadership often requires waiting for the moment when obedience and opportunity converge.
i. Meyer rightly notes that it would have been easier for Jehoiada to remain within the safety of the temple and allow events to unfold. Yet righteousness demanded engagement. Faithfulness sometimes requires stepping beyond comfort and confronting entrenched evil directly.
ii. The presence of captains of hundreds shows that Jehoiada understood the necessity of lawful authority and organized strength. This was not mob action or rebellion for rebellion’s sake, but a lawful restoration of God’s ordained king.
b. And they went about in Judah, and gathered the Levites out of all the cities of Judah.
The Levites were central to this plan because they were guardians of worship, the Law, and the sanctity of the temple. Their gathering indicates that true worship of the LORD had not been extinguished under Athaliah’s reign. Though suppressed, covenant faithfulness still existed among the people. God always preserves a remnant, even during seasons of severe apostasy.
c. And all the congregation made a covenant with the king in the house of God.
The covenant was made not merely with Jehoiada, but with the king himself, though he was still a child. The location matters greatly. This covenant was sworn in the house of God, underscoring that Joash’s kingship was not merely political, but covenantal. Judah’s allegiance was being realigned under the authority of the LORD.
d. Behold, the king’s son shall reign, as the LORD hath said of the sons of David.
This declaration is the theological center of the passage. Joash’s right to the throne rested on God’s promise, not popular opinion or military strength. “The LORD hath sworn in truth unto David; he will not turn from it; Of the fruit of thy body will I set upon thy throne” (Psalm 132:11). For six years, the nation believed the royal line was extinguished. This announcement shattered Athaliah’s illusion of finality.
i. Many submit to illegitimate rule because they are unaware that a rightful king exists. Ignorance of truth often sustains tyranny longer than force.
e. This is the thing that ye shall do.
Jehoiada laid out a precise and disciplined plan. The timing was intentional. The Sabbath was chosen because the rotation of priestly divisions allowed for a larger armed presence without arousing suspicion. Obedience required coordination, patience, and trust in God’s timing.
i. Trapp’s observation highlights Jehoiada’s wisdom. The Sabbath, the temple, and the gathered congregation created conditions where righteousness could act decisively with legitimacy and restraint.
2. (2 Chronicles 23:8–11) Joash is crowned king
“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. Moreover Jehoiada the priest delivered to the captains of hundreds spears, and bucklers, and shields, that had been king David’s, which were in the house of God. And he set all the people, every man having his weapon in his hand, from the right side of the temple to the left side of the temple, along by the altar and the temple, by the king round about. Then they brought out the king’s son, and put upon him the crown, and gave him the testimony, and made him king. And Jehoiada and his sons anointed him, and said, God save the king.”
a. So the Levites and all Judah did according to all things that Jehoiada the priest had commanded.
The success of this moment depended upon obedience. Unity among the Levites and the people was essential. Athaliah’s reign had fractured the nation morally, but here obedience to godly leadership restored order. Righteous action often requires submission to lawful authority guided by God’s Word.
b. Spears, and bucklers, and shields, that had been king David’s.
The use of David’s weapons is rich with symbolism. These were not merely ancient arms, but tangible reminders of God’s covenant with David. The restoration of David’s line was accompanied by the tools of David’s victories. God’s past faithfulness becomes encouragement for present obedience.
c. And they brought out the king’s son.
The rightful king could no longer remain hidden. Revelation preceded restoration. Until Joash was revealed, the people could not respond. Truth must be brought into the open before it can rule.
d. And put upon him the crown.
The crown signified public recognition and legitimate authority. Joash did not seize the throne, it was placed upon him. Authority under God is received, not grasped.
e. And gave him the testimony.
This is one of the most important acts in the coronation. The testimony refers to the Law of God. “And it shall be, when he sitteth upon the throne of his kingdom, that he shall write him a copy of this law in a book out of that which is before the priests the Levites” (Deuteronomy 17:18). Joash was crowned not only with authority, but with accountability to God’s Word. Kings in Judah were never above the Law.
i. Wiseman correctly notes that this practice influenced later coronation traditions. God’s Word was placed above the king even at the moment of enthronement.
f. And made him king.
Though Joash had a rightful claim, his reign was received by the people. Legitimate authority flourishes where it is willingly acknowledged under God.
g. And Jehoiada and his sons anointed him.
The anointing symbolized divine empowerment. Without God’s Spirit, Joash could not rule righteously. The oil marked him as set apart for God’s purposes.
h. And said, God save the king.
The proclamation was not mere celebration, but prayer. The people recognized that Joash’s success depended upon God’s preservation.
i. The pattern here reflects the proper reception of Jesus Christ. He must be revealed, crowned, received, submitted to under God’s Word, and honored as King.
ii. Meyer’s reflection is penetrating. Christ may dwell within the temple of a believer’s life, yet remain confined while illegitimate rule governs the heart. There must be an enthroning of the rightful King over every area of life.
B. Athaliah’s demise
1. (2 Chronicles 23:12–13) Her distress upon discovering the plot against her
“Now when Athaliah heard the noise of the people running and praising the king, she came to the people into the house of the LORD. 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.”
a. When she heard the noise of the people running and praising the king.
Athaliah’s rule was maintained by secrecy, fear, and the false assumption that the Davidic line had been extinguished. The sudden sound of public rejoicing shattered that illusion. The Chronicler emphasizes the contrast between her dark reign and the joyful eruption of praise. Public celebration is often the first sign that tyranny has lost its grip. What she hears is not disorder, but ordered praise centered on the rightful king.
b. And she looked, and, behold, the king stood at his pillar at the entering in.
This was the decisive and horrifying moment for Athaliah. The pillar was the customary place for royal presentation and covenant affirmation. “Moreover the king stood by a pillar, as the manner was” (2 Kings 11:14). Joash was not hiding, not fleeing, not cowering. He stood openly, lawfully, and publicly as king. The very place of his standing testified against Athaliah’s illegitimacy. The usurper saw with her own eyes that her reign was built on a lie.
c. And the princes and the trumpets by the king.
Royal authority was visibly restored. Princes represent civil authority, trumpets represent sacred proclamation, and singers represent worship. The reunification of civil leadership, priestly worship, and public joy signals that the nation was being reordered under God’s covenant. Athaliah’s regime had severed these bonds. Joash’s enthronement restored them.
d. And all the people of the land rejoiced.
This statement is critical. Athaliah ruled for six years, yet the people did not mourn her fall. Their joy reveals pent up relief. Wicked rulers often mistake silence for loyalty. In reality, silence frequently masks longing for deliverance. When the rightful king appeared, the people responded immediately with praise.
e. Then Athaliah rent her clothes, and said, Treason, Treason.
Athaliah’s accusation was technically correct in one sense. This was treason against her rule. Yet morally and theologically, it was righteous treason. Scripture repeatedly affirms that rebellion against ungodly authority is justified when it restores obedience to God’s covenant. Athaliah had no lawful claim to the throne. Her cry of treason exposed her desperation, not her innocence.
2. (2 Chronicles 23:14–15) She and her supporters are executed
“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. For the priest said, Slay her not in the house of the LORD. So they laid hands on her; and when she was come to the entering of the horse gate by the king’s house, they slew her there.”
a. Then Jehoiada the priest brought out the captains of hundreds.
Jehoiada acted decisively, lawfully, and with moral clarity. This was not mob violence or emotional revenge. It was judicial action carried out by recognized authorities. Jehoiada, though a priest, understood the necessity of civil order in executing justice. Godly leadership does not shrink from action when righteousness demands it.
b. Have her forth of the ranges, and whoso followeth her, let him be slain with the sword.
This command served two purposes. It prevented Athaliah from rallying loyalists, and it ensured the complete removal of Baal aligned leadership. Partial justice would have left room for continued rebellion. Scripture consistently warns against leaving remnants of idolatrous power structures intact. “Thou shalt utterly destroy them” (Deuteronomy 7:2).
c. Slay her not in the house of the LORD.
Jehoiada’s concern for the sanctity of the temple is striking. Though Athaliah deserved death, the house of the LORD was not to be defiled by her execution. This distinction reinforces the holiness of God’s dwelling place. Judgment was necessary, but it was not to corrupt worship.
d. And when she was come to the entering of the horse gate by the king’s house, they slew her there.
Athaliah died not in honor, but in disgrace. The horse gate was associated with royal stables and military traffic, not worship or burial. Her end was public, decisive, and final. The woman who murdered royal children to secure power was herself removed without ceremony. Divine justice often mirrors the character of the sin it addresses.
i. Morgan’s observation is exact. Athaliah’s treason against the true King of Judah was exposed and overthrown. Those who plot against God’s covenant purposes may appear to succeed for a time, but their defeat is inevitable. The revelation of truth always precedes the collapse of wicked power.
C. The reforms of Jehoiada the priest
1. (2 Chronicles 23:16–17) Jehoiada makes a covenant
“And Jehoiada made a covenant between him, and between all the people, and between the king, that they should be the LORD’S people. Then all the people went to the house of Baal, and brake it down, and brake his altars and his images in pieces, and slew Mattan the priest of Baal before the altars.”
a. A covenant between him, and between all the people, and between the king.
This covenant formally reordered the nation under God. It involved three parties, the priesthood represented by Jehoiada, the civil authority represented by the king, and the population represented by the people. This structure demonstrates that God never intended kings to rule autonomously, nor the people to act independently of godly leadership. Authority and responsibility were shared under divine law. Judah was restored not merely politically, but covenantally.
i. Payne rightly notes that Jehoiada’s political revolution was inseparable from religious renewal. True reform is never merely structural, it must be spiritual. King, priest, and people together acknowledged that their identity and purpose were defined by belonging to the LORD.
ii. Selman accurately identifies the covenant as the climax of the chapter. The crowning of Joash restored the throne, but the covenant restored the nation’s relationship with God. Without this covenant renewal, political restoration would have been hollow.
b. That they should be the LORD’S people.
The heart of the covenant was recommitment to covenant identity. Judah was reminded that they were not Athaliah’s people, not Baal’s people, and not merely David’s people, but the LORD’S people. “Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people” (Exodus 19:5). Obedience, worship, and loyalty were again directed to the LORD alone.
c. Then all the people went to the house of Baal, and brake it down.
Covenant renewal demanded decisive action against idolatry. The people themselves destroyed Baal’s temple in Jerusalem. This was fitting, because Athaliah’s reign had imposed Baal worship upon the nation. Now the people publicly rejected it. This was not symbolic reform, but physical eradication of false worship.
i. The destruction extended beyond the structure to the altars and images. Scripture consistently demands complete separation from idolatry. Partial reform leaves seeds for future corruption.
ii. And slew Mattan the priest of Baal before the altars.
The execution of Mattan was judicial, not vengeful. The Law of God prescribed death for those who led others into idolatry. “And that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams, shall be put to death; because he hath spoken to turn you away from the LORD your God” (Deuteronomy 13:5). This act marked the formal end of Baal’s priesthood in Judah and demonstrated that covenant obedience included righteous judgment.
2. (2 Chronicles 23:18–21) Jehoiada restores the proper plans of worship and service
“Also Jehoiada appointed the offices of the house of the LORD by the hand of the priests the Levites, whom David had distributed in the 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 by David. 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. 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 went through the high gate into the king’s house, and set the king upon the throne of the kingdom. And all the people of the land rejoiced: and the city was quiet, after that they had slain Athaliah with the sword.”
a. Whom David had distributed…as it is written in the law of Moses.
Jehoiada’s reforms were not innovative, they were restorative. He returned worship to its biblical foundations, aligning practice with the Law of Moses and the organizational patterns established by David. “According to the commandment of David, and of Gad the king’s seer, and Nathan the prophet: so was the commandment of the LORD by his prophets” (2 Chronicles 29:25). True revival is marked by obedience to Scripture, not creativity.
i. Worship was restored with rejoicing and singing, emphasizing that obedience to God produces joy rather than oppression. God’s law is not burdensome when rightly applied.
b. And he set the porters at the gates of the house of the LORD.
Holiness was reestablished alongside worship. Gatekeepers ensured that those who were ceremonially unclean did not enter. This was not cruelty, but reverence. God’s holiness required boundaries. “Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in his holy place? He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart” (Psalm 24:3–4).
i. Trapp’s comment reflects the longing for spiritual discernment in worship. God’s ordinances must be protected from corruption, not opened indiscriminately.
c. And brought down the king from the house of the LORD.
Once covenant worship was restored, Joash was publicly installed as king in the proper place. The movement from temple to palace symbolized the harmony between worship and governance. Judah was again ordered rightly, God at the center, king under God, people under the king.
d. And set the king upon the throne of the kingdom.
This act finalized the restoration of David’s line. Joash was no longer a hidden heir, but a reigning king. God’s promise to David remained intact despite six years of satanic opposition.
e. And all the people of the land rejoiced; and the city was quiet.
Joy and peace followed obedience. The removal of Athaliah and the restoration of rightful worship brought stability to Jerusalem. Scripture repeatedly associates obedience with peace. “And Asa did that which was good and right in the eyes of the LORD his God… and the land had rest” (2 Chronicles 14:2, 5).
i. Selman rightly notes that this quietness was a sign of divine blessing. Peace was not the result of compromise, but of righteous action taken in faith and obedience.
