God’s Word Translation
2 Chronicles 23:4
4This is what you must do: One third of you, the priests and Levites who are on duty on the day of rest—a holy day, must guard the gates.
2 Chronicles 23:4 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)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;
- New International Version (NIV)Now this is what you are to do: A third of you priests and Levites who are going on duty on the Sabbath are to keep watch at the doors,
- English Standard Version (ESV)This is the thing that you shall do: of you priests and Levites who come off duty on the Sabbath, one third shall be gatekeepers,
- New King James Version (NKJV)This is what you shall do: One-third of you entering on the Sabbath, of the priests and the Levites, shall be keeping watch over the doors;
Context of 2 Chronicles 23:4
2They went around Judah, gathered the Levites from all the cities of Judah and the leaders of the families of Israel, and came to Jerusalem. 3The whole assembly made an agreement with the king in God’s temple. Then Jehoiada said to them, “Here is the king’s son. He should be king, as the Lord said about David’s descendants. This is what you must do: One third of you, the priests and Levites who are on duty on the day of rest—a holy day, must guard the gates. 5Another third must be at the royal palace. And another third must be at Foundation Gate. All the people must be in the courtyards of the Lord’s temple. 6No one should come into the Lord’s temple except the priests and the Levites who are on duty with them. They may enter because they are holy, but all other people should follow the Lord’s regulations.
Read all of 2 Chronicles 232 Chronicles 23:4 word by word
זֶ֥ה הַדָּבָ֖ר אֲשֶׁ֣ר תַּעֲשׂ֑וּ הַשְּׁלִשִׁ֨ית מִכֶּ֜ם בָּאֵ֣י הַשַּׁבָּ֗ת לַכֹּֽהֲנִים֙ וְלַלְוִיִּ֔ם לְשֹֽׁעֲרֵ֖י הַסִּפִּֽים׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- the thingדָּבָרdâbâr · word: thingH1697
- that ye shall doעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
- A third partשְׁלִישִׁיshelîyshîy · thirdH7992
- of you enteringבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
- on the sabbathשַׁבָּתshabbâth · SabbathH7676
- of the priestsכֹּהֵןkôhên · priestH3548
- and of the Levitesלֵוִיlêvîyîy lêvîy · LeviH3881
- portersשֹׁעֵרshô‛êr shô‛êr · gatekeeperH7778
- of the doorsסַףsaph · thresholdH5592
Cross-references for 2 Chronicles 23:4
- 1 Chronicles 23:3Every male Levite who was at least 30 years old was counted. There were 38,000.
- 1 Chronicles 24:3David, Eleazar’s descendant Zadok, and Ithamar’s descendant Ahimelech divided Aaron’s descendants into groups for service.
- Luke 1:8Zechariah was on duty with his division of priests. As he served in God’s presence,
- 1 Chronicles 26:13They drew lots by families, youngest and oldest alike, for every gate.
Commentaries on 2 Chronicles 23:4
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 4The writer of Chronicles relates the orders that were given to the Levites, the author of Kings those received by the royal body-guard (2 Kings 11:5 note).Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 4-6The best time for the coup was during the temple guard change. This was when many people moved around. One-third of the guards started their shifts. They were stationed in three places to do their usual tasks and to watch for any palace activity. The rest of the armed force stayed in the Lord’s temple courtyards, forming a human wall to protect the king.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 23:4
In the dictionaries
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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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