2 Chronicles 23:6

2 Chronicles 23:6 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)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.
• New International Version (NIV)No one is to enter the temple of the Lord except the priests and Levites on duty; they may enter because they are consecrated, but all the others are to observe the Lord’s command not to enter.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Let no one enter the house of the Lord except the priests and ministering Levites. They may enter, for they are holy, but all the people shall keep the charge of the Lord.
• New King James Version (NKJV)But let no one come into the house of the Lord except the priests and those of the Levites who serve. They may go in, for they are holy; but all the people shall keep the watch of the Lord.

Context of 2 Chronicles 23:6

4This is what you shall do: a third of you, of the priests and Levites who are resuming service on the Sabbath, shall be gatekeepers, 5a [second] third shall be at the king’s house (palace), and a [final] third at the Gate of the Foundation; and all the people shall be in the courtyards of the house of the Lord. But let no one enter the house (temple) of the Lord except the priests and the Levites who minister; they may enter, for they are holy. And let all the people carefully observe the law of the Lord. 7The Levites shall surround the [young] king, every man with his weapons in his hand; and whoever comes into the temple [breaking through the ranks of the guard to get near Joash] is to be killed. You are to be with the king when he comes in [from the temple chamber where he is hiding] and when he goes out.” 8So the Levites and all Judah acted in accordance with everything that Jehoiada the priest had commanded; and every man took his men who were to resume duty on the Sabbath, with those who were to go off duty on the Sabbath, for Jehoiada the priest did not dismiss [any of] the divisions [from their duties].

2 Chronicles 23:6 word by word

וְאַל־יָב֣וֹא בֵית־יְהוָ֗ה כִּ֤י אִם־הַכֹּֽהֲנִים֙ וְהַמְשָׁרְתִ֣ים לַלְוִיִּ֔ם הֵ֥מָּה יָבֹ֖אוּ כִּי־קֹ֣דֶשׁ הֵ֑מָּה וְכָל־הָעָ֔ם יִשְׁמְר֖וּ מִשְׁמֶ֥רֶת יְהוָֽה׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• But let none comeבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
• into the houseבַּ֫יִתbayith · house: templeH1004
• of the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• save the priestsכֹּהֵןkôhên · priestH3548
• and they that ministerשָׁרַתshârath · to ministerH8334
• of the Levitesלֵוִיlêvîyîy lêvîy · LeviH3881
• holyקֹ֫דֶשׁqôdesh · holinessH6944
• but all the peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
• shall keepשָׁמַרshâmar · to keep: obeyH8104
• the watchמִשְׁמֶ֫רֶתmishmereth · chargeH4931

Cross-references for 2 Chronicles 23:6

• 2 Kings 11:6(a third shall also be at the [city] gate Sur, and a third at the gate behind the guards); so you shall keep watch over the palace [from three posts] for defense.
• 1 Chronicles 23:28For their duty is to assist [the priests] the sons of Aaron in the service of the house of the Lord, in [caring for] the courtyards, the chambers, the purifying of all holy things, and any work of the service of the house of God,

Commentaries on 2 Chronicles 23:6

• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 6Keep the watch of the Lord - i. e. guard against any attempt that might be made by the Baal-worshippers to force their way through the courts into the temple.Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 6-7Only the priests and Levites on duty could enter the temple, so the Levites had to stop others from entering.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 4-94-9. This is the thing that ye shall do--The arrangements made for defense are here described. The people were divided into three bodies; one attended as guards to the king, while the other two were posted at all the doors and gates, and the captains and military officers who entered the temple unarmed to lull suspicion, were furnished with weapons out of the sacred armory, where David had deposited his trophies of victory and which was reopened on this…Read the comment

Topics related to 2 Chronicles 23:6

• Israel, Prophecies Concerning
• Zeal, Religious

In the dictionaries

• Covenant
• Athaliah
• Criticism
• Genealogy
• Jehoash; Joash
• Jehoiada
• Priests and Levites

Commentaries on 2 Chronicles 23

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings