2 Kings 11:4

“In the seventh year Jehoiada sent and took the commanders of hundreds of the Carites and of the runners and brought them to him into the house of YHWH; and he made a covenant with them and made them swear in the house of YHWH, and he showed them the king’s son.”

2 Kings 11:4 · direct translation from the Hebrew
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2 Kings 11:4, word by word

In the seventhשְּׁבִיעִיתsheviit

seventh

Seventh.

Where else “sheviit” appears
yearשָּׁנָהshana

year

Each full turn of the seasons, by which time is counted.

Where else “shana” appears
Jehoiadaיְהוֹיָדָעyehoyada

Jehoiada

Jehoiada: the name of several men; among them the father of Benaiah (2 Samuel 8:18) and the priest who protected King Joash (2 Kings 11). It means "YHWH knows."

Where else “yehoyada” appears
sentשָׁלַחshalach

send

To send someone or something.

Where else “shalach” appears
and tookיִּקַּחyikach

take

To grasp something in the hand to carry or use it.

Where else “yikach” appears
the commandersשָׂרֵיsare

chief

Someone set over others, in the army or in the state.

Where else “sare” appears
of hundredsמֵּאוֹתmeot

captain of hundred

Leaders of groups of 100 soldiers.

Where else “meot” appears
of the Caritesכָּרִיkari

Carites

Carites. The name of a body of soldiers who formed the king's guard in Jerusalem (2 Kings 11:4, 19). The lexicon explains it as "life-guardsmen."

Where else “kari” appears
and of the runnersרָצִיםratsim

runner

The swift messenger or guard on foot.

Where else “ratsim” appears
and broughtיָּבֵאyave

bring

To bring something or someone.

Where else “yave” appears
into the houseבֵּיתbet

temple

The temple: "the house of YHWH".

Where else “bet” appears
of YHWHיְהוָהyehva

YHWH

The personal name of the God of Israel, written in Hebrew with four letters, Y-H-W-H, without vowels. Out of reverence Jews stopped pronouncing it and read "Adonai" (Lord), so many Bibles put "the LORD" or "Jehovah". This translation keeps the four letters. The name is related to the verb "to be" (Exodus 3:14-15). He is not a god other than Elohim: "YHWH Elohim" is the same Creator God, called by his name.

Where else “yehva” appears
and he madeיִּכְרֹתyichrot

make a covenant

Literally "cut": to seal a solemn agreement, splitting animals.

Where else “yichrot” appears
a covenantבְּרִיתberit

covenant

The commitment God makes with his people, with promises and commands.

Where else “berit” appears
and made them swearיַּשְׁבַּעyashba

put under oath

To make someone swear.

Where else “yashba” appears
and he showedיַּרְאyar

show

To make someone see something.

Where else “yar” appears
the king’sמֶּלֶךְmelech

king

A king who rules a people.

Where else “melech” appears
sonבֶּןben

son

The male born of a father and mother; in the plural, also sons and daughters.

Where else “ben” appears

Translation note

“The Carites”: soldiers of the king’s guard, probably foreigners (see 2 Samuel 20:23, where what is written says the same). “The runners”: another part of the guard; the word means “those who run.”

Parallel passages

Other books that tell the same thing or quote these words.

Athaliah and King Joash

2 Chronicles 22:10–23:21

See them side by side

2 Kings 11:1-21

1Athaliah, the mother of Ahaziah, saw that her son was dead, and she rose and destroyed all the royal offspring. 2But Jehosheba, the daughter of King Joram, sister of Ahaziah, took Joash son of Ahaziah and stole him from among the king’s sons who were being put to death, him and his nurse, and put them in the room of the beds; and they hid him from Athaliah, and he was not put to death. 3He was with her in the house of YHWH, hidden, six years, while Athaliah was reigning over the land. 4In the seventh year Jehoiada sent and took the commanders of hundreds of the Carites and of the runners and brought them to him into the house of YHWH; and he made a covenant with them and made them swear in the house of YHWH, and he showed them the king’s son. 5He commanded them, saying, “This is the thing that you are to do: a third of you, those who come in on the Sabbath, will be keeping watch over the house of the king; 6a third will be at the gate Sur; and a third at the gate behind the runners; and you will keep watch over the house in turns. 7And the two divisions of you, all who go out on the Sabbath, will keep watch over the house of YHWH for the king. 8You will surround the king all around, each man with his weapons in his hand; and whoever comes into the ranks is to be put to death. Be with the king when he goes out and when he comes in.” 9The commanders of hundreds did according to all that Jehoiada the priest commanded; each took his men, those who were coming in on the Sabbath with those who were going out on the Sabbath, and they came to Jehoiada the priest. 10The priest gave the commanders of hundreds the spears and the shields that had belonged to King David, which were in the house of YHWH. 11The runners stood, each man with his weapons in his hand, from the right side of the house to the left side of the house, by the altar and by the house, around the king. 12He brought out the king’s son and put on him the crown and the testimony; and they made him king and anointed him, and they clapped their hands and said, “Long live the king!” 13Athaliah heard the noise of the runners and the people, and she came to the people in the house of YHWH. 14She looked, and there was the king standing by the pillar, according to the custom, and the commanders and the trumpets beside the king, and all the people of the land rejoicing and blowing the trumpets. Athaliah tore her clothes and cried out, “Conspiracy! Conspiracy!” 15Jehoiada the priest commanded the commanders of hundreds, those appointed over the army, and said to them, “Bring her out between the ranks, and whoever comes after her, put to death with the sword.” For the priest had said, “Let her not be put to death in the house of YHWH.” 16They laid hands on her, and she went by the way of the entrance of the horses to the house of the king, and there she was put to death. 17Jehoiada made the covenant between YHWH and the king and the people, that they should be a people for YHWH; and between the king and the people. 18All the people of the land went to the house of Baal and tore it down; its altars and its images they smashed thoroughly, and Mattan, the priest of Baal, they killed before the altars. And the priest set guards over the house of YHWH. 19He took the commanders of hundreds, and the Carites, and the runners, and all the people of the land, and they brought down the king from the house of YHWH and came by the way of the gate of the runners to the house of the king; and he sat on the throne of the kings. 20All the people of the land rejoiced, and the city was quiet; and Athaliah they had put to death with the sword at the house of the king. 21Joash was seven years old when he began to reign.

2 Chronicles 22:10–23:21

22:10Athaliah, the mother of Ahaziah, saw that her son was dead, and she rose and destroyed all the royal offspring of the house of Judah. 22:11But Jehoshabeath, the daughter of the king, took Joash son of Ahaziah and stole him from among the king’s sons who were being put to death, and she put him and his nurse in the room of the beds. So Jehoshabeath, the daughter of King Joram, the wife of Jehoiada the priest —for she was the sister of Ahaziah— hid him from Athaliah, and she did not put him to death. 22:12He was with them in the house of Elohim, hidden, six years, while Athaliah was reigning over the land. 23:1In the seventh year Jehoiada strengthened himself and took the commanders of hundreds into a covenant with him: Azariah son of Jeroham, Ishmael son of Jehohanan, Azariah son of Obed, Maaseiah son of Adaiah, and Elishaphat son of Zichri. 23:2They went around through Judah and gathered the Levites from all the cities of Judah, and the heads of the fathers’ houses of Israel, and they came to Jerusalem. 23:3All the assembly made a covenant in the house of Elohim with the king. And Jehoiada said to them, “Look, the son of the king shall reign, as YHWH spoke concerning the sons of David. 23:4This is the thing that you are to do: a third of you, those who come in on the Sabbath, of the priests and of the Levites, will be gatekeepers of the thresholds; 23:5and a third will be at the house of the king; and a third at the gate of the Foundation; and all the people will be in the courts of the house of YHWH. 23:6Let no one enter the house of YHWH except the priests and the Levites who minister; they may enter, for they are holy; and all the people shall keep the charge of YHWH. 23:7The Levites shall surround the king all around, each man with his weapons in his hand; and whoever comes into the house is to be put to death. Be with the king when he comes in and when he goes out.” 23:8The Levites and all Judah did according to all that Jehoiada the priest commanded; each took his men, those who were coming in on the Sabbath with those who were going out on the Sabbath, for Jehoiada the priest had not dismissed the divisions. 23:9Jehoiada the priest gave to the commanders of hundreds the spears and the shields and the bucklers that had belonged to King David, which were in the house of Elohim. 23:10He stationed all the people, each man with his weapon in his hand, from the right side of the house to the left side of the house, by the altar and by the house, around the king. 23:11They brought out the king’s son and put on him the crown and the testimony, and made him king; and Jehoiada and his sons anointed him, and they said, “Long live the king!” 23:12Athaliah heard the noise of the people running and praising the king, and she came to the people in the house of YHWH. 23:13She looked, and there was the king standing by his pillar at the entrance, and the commanders and the trumpets beside the king, and all the people of the land rejoicing and blowing the trumpets, and the singers with instruments of song leading the praise. Athaliah tore her clothes and said, “Conspiracy! Conspiracy!” 23:14Jehoiada the priest brought out the commanders of hundreds, those appointed over the army, and said to them, “Bring her out between the ranks, and whoever comes after her, let him be put to death with the sword.” For the priest had said, “Do not put her to death in the house of YHWH.” 23:15They laid hands on her, and she came to the entrance of the gate of the Horses of the house of the king, and there they put her to death. 23:16Jehoiada made a covenant between himself and all the people and the king, that they should be a people for YHWH. 23:17All the people went to the house of Baal and tore it down; its altars and its images they smashed, and Mattan, the priest of Baal, they killed before the altars. 23:18Jehoiada put the offices of the house of YHWH in the hand of the priests, the Levites, whom David had divided over the house of YHWH, to offer the burnt offerings of YHWH, as it is written in the law of Moses, with joy and with song, under the direction of David. 23:19He stationed the gatekeepers at the gates of the house of YHWH, so that no unclean person would enter for any reason. 23:20He took the commanders of hundreds, and the nobles, and those who governed among the people, and all the people of the land, and brought down the king from the house of YHWH; and they came through the Upper Gate to the house of the king, and they seated the king on the throne of the kingdom. 23:21All the people of the land rejoiced, and the city was quiet; and Athaliah they had put to death with the sword.

The context

3He was with her in the house of YHWH, hidden, six years, while Athaliah was reigning over the land.

4 · This verse (above)

5He commanded them, saying, “This is the thing that you are to do: a third of you, those who come in on the Sabbath, will be keeping watch over the house of the king;

Read all of 2 Kings 11

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