New Living Translation
2 Kings 11:5
5Jehoiada told them, “This is what you must do. A third of you who are on duty on the Sabbath are to guard the royal palace itself.
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 remained hidden in the Temple of the Lord for six years while Athaliah ruled over the land. 4In the seventh year of Athaliah’s reign, Jehoiada the priest summoned the commanders, the Carite mercenaries, and the palace guards to come to the Temple of the Lord. He made a solemn pact with them and made them swear an oath of loyalty there in the Lord’s Temple; then he showed them the king’s son. Jehoiada told them, “This is what you must do. A third of you who are on duty on the Sabbath are to guard the royal palace itself. 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. 7The other two units who are off duty on the Sabbath must stand guard for the king at the Lord’s Temple.
Read all of 2 Kings 112 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 the villages came regularly to share their duties for seven-day periods.
- 1 Chronicles 23:3All the Levites who were thirty years old or older were counted, and the total came to 38,000.
- 1 Chronicles 24:3With the help of Zadok, who was a descendant of Eleazar, and of Ahimelech, who was a descendant of Ithamar, David divided Aaron’s descendants into groups according to their various duties.
- Luke 1:8One day Zechariah was serving God in the Temple, for his order was on duty that week.
- 2 Kings 11:19Then the commanders, the Carite mercenaries, the palace guards, and all the people of the land escorted the king from the Temple of the Lord. They went through the gate of the guards and into the palace, and the king took his seat on the royal throne.
- 2 Kings 16:18In deference to the king of Assyria, he also removed the canopy that had been constructed inside the palace for use on the Sabbath day, as well as the king’s outer entrance to the Temple of the Lord.
- 1 Kings 10:5she was overwhelmed. She was also amazed at the food on his tables, the organization of his officials and their splendid clothing, the cup-bearers, and the burnt offerings Solomon made at the Temple of the Lord.
- Jeremiah 26:10When the officials of Judah heard what was happening, they rushed over from the palace and sat down at the New Gate of the Temple to hold court.
- Ezekiel 44:2And the Lord said to me, “This gate must remain closed; it will never again be opened. No one will ever open it and pass through, for the Lord, the God of Israel, has entered here. Therefore, it must always remain shut.
- Ezekiel 46:2The prince will enter the entry room of the gateway from the outside. Then he will stand by the gatepost while the priest offers his burnt offering and peace offering. He will bow down in worship inside the gateway passage and then go back out the way he came. The gateway will not be closed 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
In the dictionaries
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
New Living Translation — © 1996, 2004, 2015 Tyndale House Foundation
Commentaries