2 Chronicles 23:3 kjv
And all the congregation made a covenant with the king in the house of God. And he said unto them, Behold, the king's son shall reign, as the LORD hath said of the sons of David.
2 Chronicles 23:3 nkjv
Then all the assembly made a covenant with the king in the house of God. And he said to them, "Behold, the king's son shall reign, as the LORD has said of the sons of David.
2 Chronicles 23:3 niv
the whole assembly made a covenant with the king at the temple of God. Jehoiada said to them, "The king's son shall reign, as the LORD promised concerning the descendants of David.
2 Chronicles 23:3 esv
And all the assembly made a covenant with the king in the house of God. And Jehoiada said to them, "Behold, the king's son! Let him reign, as the LORD spoke concerning the sons of David.
2 Chronicles 23:3 nlt
They all gathered at the Temple of God, where they made a solemn pact with Joash, the young king. Jehoiada said to them, "Here is the king's son! The time has come for him to reign! The LORD has promised that a descendant of David will be our king.
2 Chronicles 23 3 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 2 Sam 7:12 | "I will set up thy seed after thee...and I will establish his kingdom." | God's promise of an enduring Davidic dynasty. |
| 2 Sam 7:16 | "And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever before thee" | Davidic covenant of an eternal throne. |
| Psa 89:3 | "I have made a covenant with my chosen, I have sworn unto David my servant" | Reinforces God's oath to David's lineage. |
| Psa 89:4 | "Thy seed will I establish for ever, and build up thy throne to all generations." | God's everlasting promise for David's throne. |
| Psa 132:11 | "The LORD hath sworn in truth unto David; he will not turn from it; Of the fruit of thy body will I set upon thy throne." | Divine oath ensuring a Davidic successor. |
| Psa 132:12 | "If thy children will keep my covenant...their children shall also sit upon thy throne for evermore." | Conditional element of Davidic promise. |
| 1 Chr 17:11-14 | "I will set up thy seed...and I will establish his throne for ever..." | Chronicler's parallel to 2 Samuel 7, emphasizing divine covenant. |
| Isa 9:6 | "For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given...and the government shall be upon his shoulder" | Prophecy of the coming messianic King. |
| Isa 9:7 | "Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David" | Eternal nature of the Messiah's Davidic reign. |
| Jer 23:5 | "Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch" | Prophecy of a righteous King from David's line. |
| Jer 33:17 | "For thus saith the LORD; David shall never want a man to sit upon the throne of the house of Israel" | God's absolute commitment to David's royal line. |
| Luke 1:32 | "He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David" | Jesus' direct fulfillment as heir to David's throne. |
| Luke 1:33 | "And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end." | Jesus' eternal kingdom fulfilling the Davidic covenant. |
| Acts 2:29 | "Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us" | Peter connecting David's physical death to the ultimate promise. |
| Acts 2:30 | "Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne" | Peter's sermon explaining Jesus as David's prophesied successor. |
| Rom 1:3 | "Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh" | Jesus' literal descent from David. |
| Rev 22:16 | "I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star." | Jesus identifies Himself as the ultimate fulfillment of David's line. |
| 1 Sam 16:13 | "Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him...And the Spirit of the LORD came upon David from that day forward." | David's original anointing by divine decree. |
| Psa 2:2 | "The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed." | The Lord's Anointed, hinting at a coming Messiah. |
| Isa 61:1 | "The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek" | Prophetic anointing for a redemptive purpose, fulfilled by Jesus. |
| Luke 4:18 | "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor" | Jesus quotes Isa 61:1, proclaiming His anointing. |
| 2 Kgs 11:17 | "And Jehoiada made a covenant between the LORD and the king and the people" | The parallel account emphasizing a threefold covenant relationship. |
2 Chronicles 23 verses
2 Chronicles 23 3 Meaning
This verse recounts a solemn covenant established between the congregation of Israel and the newly proclaimed king, Joash, taking place within the sacred confines of the Temple. It underscores the high priest Jehoiada's declaration that Joash, as "the LORD's anointed," is the rightful ruler whose reign is firmly rooted in God's divine promise concerning the perpetual dynasty of David. This event marked the restoration of legitimate, God-ordained kingship in Judah after a period of usurpation.
2 Chronicles 23 3 Context
The setting for 2 Chronicles 23:3 is a pivotal moment in the history of Judah. The narrative preceding this verse details the reign of Athaliah, the ruthless queen mother who seized the throne by massacring almost the entire royal Davidic family, with the sole exception of the infant Joash, who was hidden by the priest Jehoiada and his wife Jehoshabeath (2 Chron 22:10-12). This period marked a severe breach in the divine promise of an unbroken Davidic line, introducing idolatry and instability.
Jehoiada, a faithful high priest, orchestrates a clandestine coup. He gathers the Levites and military leaders, strategically revealing the rightful heir, Joash. This verse describes the formal establishment of Joash's reign. The covenant sealed in the "house of God" – the Temple – imbued the transfer of power with divine legitimacy and solemnity, signaling a return to covenant faithfulness after Athaliah’s reign of idolatry and illegitimate rule. The Chronicler emphasizes the role of the Temple and the priesthood in preserving the legitimate Davidic kingship and covenant.
Word Analysis
- And all the congregation: This refers to the assembled body of priests, Levites, and the heads of fathers’ houses (from v.1-2), representing the entirety of the community that had gathered. This broad participation signifies a unified endorsement of the restoration and emphasizes the collective commitment to God's covenant.
- made a covenant: The Hebrew verb is karat brit (כָּרַת בְּרִית), literally meaning "to cut a covenant." This idiom denotes the formal, binding, and often solemn nature of an agreement, typically involving an oath or sacrifice, emphasizing its unbreakable quality. Here, it is a formal compact of allegiance.
- with the king: Refers specifically to Joash, the young, legitimate heir of David. This covenant affirms his rightful position not merely through human ascent but through divine mandate, contrasting with the preceding usurper, Athaliah.
- in the house of God: Beit HaElohim (בֵּית הָאֱלֹהִים), meaning the Temple in Jerusalem. This location adds immense theological weight to the covenant. It signifies God's active presence as a witness and sanctioner of the agreement, reinforcing its sacred and binding nature under divine authority.
- And he said unto them: This refers to Jehoiada, the high priest. His voice carries the weight of priestly authority and divine insight, proclaiming the truth of Joash's claim and grounding it in God's promises. He is the divine messenger in this political-theological crisis.
- Behold: The Hebrew interjection hinneh (הִנֵּה). It serves as an emphatic particle, drawing attention to the significant declaration that follows, urging the listeners to take note of this profound truth.
- the LORD’s anointed: Meshiach Yahweh (מְשִׁיחַ יְהוָה). "Anointed" (mashiach) directly relates to the Hebrew word from which "Messiah" derives. In this context, it refers to the king consecrated by oil as God’s chosen ruler. It signifies divine appointment and authorization, underscoring that the king's authority ultimately derives from God. This title connects all legitimate kings back to David, who was also God's anointed, and points forward to the ultimate Messiah, Jesus Christ.
- shall reign: The verb yimloch (יִמְלֹךְ) means "he shall reign" or "he will rule." It is a definite declaration, not a mere possibility. It asserts the divine certainty of Joash's ascension and future rule, implying divine intervention to ensure the continuity of the Davidic line.
- as the LORD hath said: ka'asher dibber Yahweh (כַּאֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר יְהוָה). This phrase points to prior divine pronouncements, specifically referring to the Davidic Covenant established in 2 Samuel 7 (and 1 Chronicles 17). It grounds the legitimacy of Joash's kingship in the immutable word of God.
- of the sons of David: livnei David (לִבְנֵי דָּוִיד). This refers to the direct descendants of King David. By stating this, Jehoiada explicitly ties Joash's reign to the divinely guaranteed continuity of the Davidic dynasty, affirming his place in the unbroken line, despite Athaliah's destructive actions. This connection is central to the Chronicler's theological emphasis.
2 Chronicles 23 3 Bonus section
- The emphasis on "all the congregation" participating in the covenant highlights a critical aspect of Judah's history: the relationship between the king, the people, and God. It was not merely a unilateral enthronement but a reciprocal agreement, establishing obligations for both the ruler and the ruled under God's watchful eye.
- This passage functions as a direct theological counter-narrative to Athaliah's pagan and illegitimate reign. While she ruled by bloodshed and deviation from God's law, Joash's rule is founded on covenant, divine promise, and sanctioned by the spiritual leadership, re-establishing Mosaic and Davidic principles.
- The role of Jehoiada, the high priest, is central. He acts not only as a guardian of the royal heir but as a faithful custodian of God's covenant and word, demonstrating the priesthood's vital role in upholding the Davidic covenant and guarding against corruption. His leadership is pivotal in orchestrating this return to God-centered governance.
- The "cutting of the covenant" itself (referencing karat brit) implies a sacrificial component, signifying the solemnity and potentially dire consequences of breaking such an oath. It's a deep and lasting commitment.
2 Chronicles 23 3 Commentary
2 Chronicles 23:3 forms the theological bedrock for the restoration of the legitimate Davidic monarchy after the severe crisis of Athaliah's usurpation. The verse succinctly captures the essence of God's covenant faithfulness through Jehoiada's bold declaration. The "covenant" established by "all the congregation" with the king within the "House of God" transformed a political act into a sacred event, ensuring public endorsement and divine sanction for Joash's enthronement.
The core theological assertion is Jehoiada’s proclamation that Joash is "the LORD’s anointed," who "shall reign, as the LORD hath said of the sons of David." This powerfully reaffirms the enduring nature of the Davidic Covenant (2 Sam 7; Ps 89; 132). Despite human failures, wickedness, and attempts to thwart God's plans (like Athaliah's), God's promises for an eternal Davidic dynasty stand. The title "the LORD's anointed" highlights the king's sacred role as God's representative and foreshadows the ultimate King, the Messiah, Jesus Christ, who perfectly embodies the anointing and the everlasting reign promised to David's seed. The scene signifies a restoration of divinely ordered kingship and purity of worship.