Lectionary Calendar
Sunday, December 21st, 2025
the Fourth Week of Advent
Attention!
Take your personal ministry to the Next Level by helping StudyLight build churches and supporting pastors in Uganda.
Click here to join the effort!

Read the Bible

Green's Literal Translation

2 Kings 11:7

And two parts of you, all who go out on the sabbath, they shall keep the watch of the house of Jehovah about the king.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Armies;   Church and State;   Citizens;   Conspiracy;   Israel, Prophecies Concerning;   Levites;   Loyalty;   Orphan;   Usurpation;   Watchman;   Women;   Zeal, Religious;   Thompson Chain Reference - Bible Stories for Children;   Children;   Home;   Pleasant Sunday Afternoons;   Religion;   Stories for Children;   Watch, a Guard;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Fatherless;   Kings;   Levites, the;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Athaliah;   Joash or Jehoash;   King, Kings;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Judah, tribe and kingdom;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Fulfillment;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Judgments of God;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Jehoiada;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Athaliah;   Canaan, History and Religion of;   High Priest;   History;   Kings, 1 and 2;   People of the Land;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Athaliah;   Chronicles, I;   Government;   Jehoash;   Jerusalem;   Marriage;   Priests and Levites;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Athaliah ;   Guard;   Jealousy,;   Jehoiada ;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Athaliah;   Joash;   Queen;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Kingdom of Judah;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Jehoiada;   Joel (2);   Priest, High;   Priests and Levites;   Temple;   Watch;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
“Your two divisions that go off duty on the Sabbath are to provide the king protection at the Lord’s temple.
Hebrew Names Version
The two companies of you, even all who go forth on the Shabbat, shall keep the watch of the house of the LORD about the king.
King James Version
And two parts of all you that go forth on the sabbath, even they shall keep the watch of the house of the Lord about the king.
English Standard Version
And the two divisions of you, which come on duty in force on the Sabbath and guard the house of the Lord on behalf of the king,
New Century Version
The two groups who go off duty on the Sabbath must protect the Temple of the Lord for the king.
New English Translation
The two units who are off duty on the Sabbath will guard the Lord 's temple and protect the king.
Amplified Bible
"Two units of you, all those who go out [off duty] on the Sabbath, shall also keep watch over the house (temple) of the LORD for [the protection of] the king.
New American Standard Bible
"And two parts of you, all who go out on the Sabbath, shall also keep watch over the house of the LORD for the king.
Geneva Bible (1587)
And two parts of you, that is, all that goe out on the Sabbath day, shal keepe the watch of the house of the Lord about the King.
Legacy Standard Bible
And two parts of you, even all who go out on the sabbath, shall also keep watch over the house of Yahweh for the king.
Contemporary English Version
The other two guard units are supposed to be off duty on the Sabbath. But I want both of them to stay here at the temple and protect King Joash.
Complete Jewish Bible
while the other two groups of you who come on duty on Shabbat will guard the house of Adonai , where the king is.
Darby Translation
And the two parts of you, all those that go forth on the sabbath, even they shall keep the watch of the house of Jehovah about the king.
Easy-to-Read Version
Your two divisions who go off duty on the Sabbath day will stand guard at the Lord 's Temple and protect King Joash.
George Lamsa Translation
And two parts of all you that go off duty on the sabbath, even they shall keep the watch of the house of the LORD together with the kings house;
Good News Translation
The two groups that go off duty on the Sabbath are to stand guard at the Temple to protect the king.
Lexham English Bible
Two of the units among you, all who go on duty on the Sabbath, guard the post of the temple of Yahweh for the king.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
But two partes of you all that go of on the Sabbath, shal kepe the watch in the house of the LORDE aboute the kinge
American Standard Version
And the two companies of you, even all that go forth on the sabbath, shall keep the watch of the house of Jehovah about the king.
Bible in Basic English
And the two divisions of you, who go out on the Sabbath and keep the watch of the house of the Lord,
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And two partes of you, that is, al that go out on the Sabbath day, shall keepe the watch of the house of the Lorde about the king.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And the other two parts of you, even all that go forth on the sabbath, shall keep the watch of the house of the LORD about the king.
King James Version (1611)
And two parts of all you, that goe foorth on the Sabbath, euen they shall keepe the watch of the house of the Lord about the King.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And there shall be two parties among you, even every one that goes out on the Sabbath, and they shall keep the guard of the Lord’s house before the king.
English Revised Version
And the two companies of you, even all that go forth on the sabbath, shall keep the watch of the house of the LORD about the king.
Berean Standard Bible
the two divisions that would go off duty on the Sabbath are to guard the house of the LORD for the king.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Forsothe twei partis of you alle goynge out in the sabat, kepe ye the wakyngis of the hows of the Lord aboute the kyng.
Young's Literal Translation
and two parts of you, all going out on the sabbath -- they have kept the charge of the house of Jehovah about the king,
Update Bible Version
And the two companies of you, even all that go forth on the Sabbath, shall keep the watch of the house of Yahweh about the king.
Webster's Bible Translation
And two parts of all you that go forth on the sabbath, even they shall keep the watch of the house of the LORD about the king.
World English Bible
The two companies of you, even all who go forth on the Sabbath, shall keep the watch of the house of Yahweh about the king.
New King James Version
The two contingents of you who go off duty on the Sabbath shall keep the watch of the house of the LORD for the king.
New Living Translation
The other two units who are off duty on the Sabbath must stand guard for the king at the Lord 's Temple.
New Life Bible
And two parts of all of you who go out on the Day of Rest must keep watch over the house of the Lord for the king.
New Revised Standard
and your two divisions that come on duty in force on the sabbath and guard the house of the Lord
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And, two parts of you, are all that are going out on the sabbath, - so shall ye keep the watch of the house of Yahweh, as touching the king.
Douay-Rheims Bible
But let two parts of you all that go forth on the sabbath, keep the watch of the house of the Lord about the king.
Revised Standard Version
and the two divisions of you, which come on duty in force on the sabbath and guard the house of the LORD,
New American Standard Bible (1995)
"Two parts of you, even all who go out on the sabbath, shall also keep watch over the house of the LORD for the king.

Contextual Overview

4 And in the seventh year, Jehoiada sent and called the rulers of the hundreds, with the Carites and the runners. And he brought them to him into the house of Jehovah, and cut a covenant with them, and took an oath of them in the house of Jehovah.And he revealed the king's son to them. 5 And he commanded them, saying, This is the thing that you shall do. A third of you shall go in on the sabbath for keepers of the watch of the king's house. 6 A third shall be at the Sur Gate. A third shall be at the gate behind the runners. And you shall keep the watch of the house, alternately. 7 And two parts of you, all who go out on the sabbath, they shall keep the watch of the house of Jehovah about the king. 8 And you shall fully surround the king, each with his weapons in his hand. And he that comes within the ranks shall be put to death. And they shall be with the king as he goes in and comes out. 9 And the rulers of the hundreds did according to all that Jehoiada the priest commanded. And each man took his men, going in on the sabbath, with those going out on the sabbath, and came in to Jehoiada the priest. 10 And the priest gave to the rulers of the hundreds King David's spears and the shields, that were in the house of Jehovah. 11 And the runners stood, each with his weapons in his hand, from the right side of the house to the left side of the house, beside the altar and beside the house, by the king all around. 12 And he brought out the son of the king, and put the crown on him, and the testimony. And they made him king, and anointed him, and clapped their hands, and said, Let the king live!

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

parts: or, companies, Heb. hands

go forth: 2 Kings 11:5, 2 Chronicles 23:6

Reciprocal: 1 Chronicles 9:25 - seven

Cross-References

Genesis 1:26
And God said, let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the heavens, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over all the creepers creeping on the earth.
Genesis 3:22
And Jehovah God said, Behold! The man has become as one of Us, to know good and evil. And now, lest he put forth his hand and also take from the Tree of Life, and eat, and live forever,
Genesis 10:5
The coasts of the nations were divided by these in their lands each by his tongue, by their families, in their nations.
Genesis 10:20
These were the sons of Ham, according to their families, according to their tongues, in their countries, in their nations.
Genesis 10:32
These were the families of the sons of Noah, by their generations, in their nations. And from these the nations were divided in the earth after the flood.
Genesis 11:2
And it happened, as they pulled up stakes from the east, they found a level valley in the land of Shinar. And they lived there.
Genesis 11:4
And they said, Come, let us build a city and a tower with its head in the heavens, and make a name for ourselves, that we not be scattered on the face of all the earth.
Genesis 11:5
And Jehovah came down to see the city and the tower which the sons of Adam had built.
Genesis 11:11
And after he fathered Arpachshad, Shem lived five hundred years. And he fathered sons and daughters.
Genesis 11:12
And Arpachshad lived thirty five years and fathered Salah.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And two parts of all you that go forth on the sabbath,.... The course that went out of service at the end of the sabbath; these were not suffered, not any of them, to go into the country, but were detained for the present purpose, and divided into two parts:

even they shall keep the watch of the house of the Lord about the king, these were placed in the temple where the king was, or where he should be brought forth, and be a guard on his right and left; this interpretation seems to be agreeably to the order of the text here, and is the sense of Jarchi; but there is this objection to it, that, by such a distribution of both courses, no provision is made for the services of the temple; wherefore Dr. Lightfoot c divides them into six parts, each into three, one third of the course that came in for service, the other to keep the watch at the king's house, and the other third at the gate Sur; and the course that went out, one third of them was placed at the gate behind the guard, and the other two to keep the watch of the house for the king's safety; but according to the account in 2 Chronicles 23:4, there were but three ranks or orders of them in all; wherefore the sense of Kimchi, Ben Gersom, and Abarbinel, seems most agreeable, that the first consisted of those that went in on the sabbath, not of all, but half of them, the other half being employed in the service of the sanctuary; and the other two of the course that went out, even all of them, they being entirely at leisure, who were divided into two parts, and disposed of as above.

c Prospect of the Temple, c. 20.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

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 to guard the palace on the ensuing Sabbath, one company or cohort should perform that task in the ordinary way, while another should watch the gate of Sur - or better, “the gate of the foundation” 2 Chronicles 23:5 - that by which the palace was usually quitted for the temple, and a third should watch another of the palace gates, called “the gate of the guard” (see 2 Kings 11:19). The two companies whose proper business it would be to serve as the royal escort beyond the palace walls, he orders to enter the temple, and surround the person of the young king.

2 Kings 11:6

That it be not broken down - The one word in the original text of which this is a translation occurs nowhere else; and its meaning is very doubtful.

2 Kings 11:8

Within the ranges - Rather, “within the ranks.” If anyone tried to break through the soldiers’ ranks to the king, or even to disturb their order, he was to be immediately slain.


 
adsfree-icon
Ads FreeProfile