2 Chronicles 23:4

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 traveled throughout Judah and assembled the Levites from all the cities of Judah, as well as the Israelite family leaders. They came to Jerusalem, 3and the whole assembly made a covenant with the king in the temple of God. Jehoiada said to them, “The king’s son will rule, just as the Lord promised David’s descendants. This is what you must do. One third of you priests and Levites who are on duty during the Sabbath will guard the doors. 5Another third of you will be stationed at the royal palace and still another third at the Foundation Gate. All the others will stand in the courtyards of the Lord’s temple. 6No one must enter the Lord’s temple except the priests and Levites who are on duty. They may enter because they are ceremonially pure. All the others should carry out their assigned service to the Lord.

2 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 23:3The Levites who were thirty years old and up were counted; there were 38,000 men.
• 1 Chronicles 24:3David, Zadok (a descendant of Eleazar), and Ahimelech (a descendant of Ithamar) divided them into groups to carry out their assigned responsibilities.
• Luke 1:8Now while Zechariah was serving as priest before God when his division was on duty,
• 1 Chronicles 26:13They cast lots, both young and old, according to their families, to determine which gate they would be responsible for.

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

• Israel, Prophecies Concerning
• Porters
• Zeal, Religious

In the dictionaries

• Covenant
• Athaliah
• Criticism
• Doorkeeper
• 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