2 Kings 11:5

2 Kings 11:5 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And he commanded them, saying, This is the thing that ye shall do; A third part of you that enter in on the sabbath shall even be keepers of the watch of the king’s house;
• New International Version (NIV)He commanded them, saying, “This is what you are to do: You who are in the three companies that are going on duty on the Sabbath—a third of you guarding the royal palace,
• English Standard Version (ESV)And he commanded them, "This is the thing that you shall do: one third of you, those who come off duty on the Sabbath and guard the king's house
• New King James Version (NKJV)Then he commanded them, saying, “This is what you shall do: one-third of you who come on duty on the Sabbath shall be keeping watch over the king’s house,

Context of 2 Kings 11:5

3Joash was hidden with his nurse in the house (temple) of the Lord for six years, while Athaliah reigned over the land. 4Now in the seventh year Jehoiada [the priest, Jehosheba’s husband] sent for the captains of hundreds of the Carites and of the guard and brought them to him to the house of the Lord. Then he made a covenant with them and put them under oath in the house of the Lord, and showed them the king’s [hidden] son. He commanded them, saying, “This is the thing that you shall do: a third of you who come in [reporting for duty] on the Sabbath shall keep watch over the king’s house 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. 7Two units of you, all those who go out [off duty] on the Sabbath, shall also keep watch over the house (temple) of the Lord for [the protection of] the king.

2 Kings 11:5 word by word

וַיְצַוֵּ֣ם לֵאמֹ֔ר זֶ֥ה הַדָּבָ֖ר אֲשֶׁ֣ר תַּעֲשׂ֑וּן הַשְּׁלִשִׁ֤ית מִכֶּם֙ בָּאֵ֣י הַשַּׁבָּ֔ת וְשֹׁ֣מְרֵ֔י מִשְׁמֶ֖רֶת בֵּ֥ית הַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And he commandedצָוָהtsâvâh · to commandH6680
• them, sayingאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• the thingדָּבָרdâbâr · word: thingH1697
• that ye shall doעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
• A third partשְׁלִישִׁיshelîyshîy · thirdH7992
• of you that enter inבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
• on the sabbathשַׁבָּתshabbâth · SabbathH7676
• shall even be keepersשָׁמַרshâmar · to keep: guardH8104
• of the watchמִשְׁמֶ֫רֶתmishmereth · chargeH4931
• of the king’sמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
• houseבַּ֫יִתbayith · house: homeH1004

Cross-references for 2 Kings 11:5

• 1 Chronicles 9:25Their relatives in their villages were to come in every seven days from time to time to be with them;
• 1 Chronicles 23:3The Levites thirty years old and upward were counted, and their number man by man was 38,000.
• 1 Chronicles 24:3David, with Zadok of the sons of Eleazar and Ahimelech of the sons of Ithamar, divided them according to their offices for their assigned duties.
• Luke 1:8Now it happened while Zacharias was serving as priest before God in the appointed order of his priestly division,
• 2 Kings 11:19Then he took the captains of hundreds, the Carites (royal bodyguards), the guard, and all the people of the land; and they brought the [young] king down from the house of the Lord, and came by way of the guards’ gate to the king’s house. And [little] Joash sat on the throne of the kings.
• 2 Kings 16:18He removed from the house of the Lord the covered way for the Sabbath which they had built in the house, and the outer entrance of the king, because of the king of Assyria [who might confiscate them].
• 1 Kings 10:5the food on his table, the seating of his servants (court officials), the attendance of his waiters and their attire, his cupbearers, his stairway by which he went up to the house (temple) of the Lord, she was breathless and awed [by the wonder of it all].
• Jeremiah 26:10When the princes (court officials) of Judah heard these things, they came up from the king’s house to the house of the Lord and sat in the entrance of the New Gate of the house of the Lord.
• Ezekiel 44:2Then the Lord said to me, “This gate shall be shut; it shall not be opened, and no one shall enter by it, for the Lord, the God of Israel, has entered by it; therefore it shall be shut.
• Ezekiel 46:2The prince shall enter by the porch (portico) of the gate from outside and stand by the post of the gate. The priests shall prepare and provide his burnt offering and his peace offerings, and he shall worship at the threshold of the gate and then go out; but the gate shall not be shut until evening.

Commentaries on 2 Kings 11:5

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 5That enter in on the Sabbath - It appears that Jehoiada chose the Sabbath day to proclaim the young king, because as that was a day of public concourse, the gathering together of the people who were in this secret would not be noticed; and it is likely that they all came unarmed, and were supplied by Jehoiada with the spears and shields which David had laid up in the temple, 2 Kings 11:10. The priests and Levites were divided into twenty-four classes by…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 5-8Verses 5-8 Five divisions of the guard under their five captains are distinguished here. Three of the five divisions “enter in” on the Sabbath; the other two “go forth” on the Sabbath 2 Kings 11:7. By the former phrase seems to be meant the mounting guard at the royal palace (the “king‘s house,” where Athaliah then was); by the latter the serving of escort to the sovereign beyond the palace bounds. Jehoiada orders that of those whose business it would be…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 5-8Jehoiada organized the royal guard into specific groups. Some protected the young king. Others took positions at the palace, the Sur Gate (also called the Foundation Gate, 2 Chronicles 23:5), and behind the palace guard. Additional guards stood watch at the Lord’s temple. Every effort was made to secure the king and the anointing site.Read the comment

Topics related to 2 Kings 11:5

• Armies
• Church and State
• Citizens
• Conspiracy
• Israel, Prophecies Concerning
• Loyalty
• Orphan
• Usurpation
• Women
• Zeal, Religious

In the dictionaries

• Testimony
• Jehoash; Joash
• Jehoiada
• Jezebel
• Joel (2)
• Obed
• Priest, High
• Priests and Levites
• Septuagint

Commentaries on 2 Kings 11

• 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