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 must do. When you priests and Levites come on duty on the Sabbath, a third of you will serve as gatekeepers. 5Another third will go over to the royal palace, and the final third will be at the Foundation Gate. Everyone else should stay in the courtyards of the Lord’s Temple. Remember, only the priests and Levites on duty may enter the Temple of the Lord, for they are set apart as holy. The rest of the people must obey the Lord’s instructions and stay outside. 7You Levites, form a bodyguard around the king and keep your weapons in hand. Kill anyone who tries to enter the Temple. Stay with the king wherever he goes.” 8So the Levites and all the people of Judah did everything as Jehoiada the priest ordered. The commanders took charge of the men reporting for duty that Sabbath, as well as those who were going off duty. Jehoiada the priest did not let anyone go home after their shift ended.

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 11:6Another third of you are to stand guard at the Sur Gate. And the final third must stand guard behind the palace guard. These three groups will all guard the palace.
• 1 Chronicles 23:28The work of the Levites was to assist the priests, the descendants of Aaron, as they served at the house of the Lord. They also took care of the courtyards and side rooms, helped perform the ceremonies of purification, and served in many other ways in 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