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Saturday, July 19th, 2025
the Week of Proper 10 / Ordinary 15
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Read the Bible

The NET Bible®

2 Chronicles 23:4

This is what you must do. One third of you priests and Levites who are on duty during the Sabbath will guard the doors.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Israel, Prophecies Concerning;   Porters;   Zeal, Religious;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Gates;   Kings;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Athaliah;   Joash or Jehoash;   Levites;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Athaliah;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Jehoiada;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Chronicles, I;   Priests and Levites;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Jehoiada ;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Joash;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Anoint;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Criticism (the Graf-Wellhausen Hypothesis);   Doorkeeper;   Jehoiada;   Priests and Levites;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Athaliah;   Threshold;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
This is what you are to do: a third of you, priests and Levites who are coming on duty on the Sabbath, are to be gatekeepers.
Hebrew Names Version
This is the thing that you shall do: a third part of you, who come in on the Shabbat, of the Kohanim and of the Levites, shall be porters of the thresholds;
King James Version
This is the thing that ye shall do; A third part of you entering on the sabbath, of the priests and of the Levites, shall be porters of the doors;
English Standard Version
This is the thing that you shall do: of you priests and Levites who come off duty on the Sabbath, one third shall be gatekeepers,
New Century Version
Now this is what you must do: You priests and Levites go on duty on the Sabbath. A third of you will guard the doors.
Amplified Bible
"This is what you shall do: a third of you, of the priests and Levites who are resuming service on the Sabbath, shall be gatekeepers,
New American Standard Bible
"This is the thing which you shall do: a third of you, of the priests and Levites who come in on the Sabbath, shall be gatekeepers,
World English Bible
This is the thing that you shall do: a third part of you, who come in on the Sabbath, of the priests and of the Levites, shall be porters of the thresholds;
Geneva Bible (1587)
This is it that ye shal do, The third part of you that come on the Sabbath of the Priests, and the Leuites, shalbe porters of the doores.
Legacy Standard Bible
This is the thing which you shall do: one-third of you, of the priests and Levites who come in on the sabbath, shall be gatekeepers at the thresholds,
Berean Standard Bible
This is what you are to do: A third of you priests and Levites who come on duty on the Sabbath shall keep watch at the doors,
Contemporary English Version
Here is what we will do. Three groups of priests and Levites will be on guard duty on the Sabbath—one group will guard the gates of the temple,
Complete Jewish Bible
Here is what you are to do: of you cohanim and L'vi'im who come on duty on Shabbat, a third are to guard the gates,
Darby Translation
This is the thing which ye shall do: a third part of you that come in on the sabbath, of the priests and of the Levites, shall be keepers of the doors;
Easy-to-Read Version
Now, this is what you must do: One-third of you priests and Levites who go on duty on the Sabbath will guard the doors.
George Lamsa Translation
This is the thing that you shall do: a third part of you who enter the temple on the sabbath, of the priests and of the Levites and of the porters shall be on guard;
Good News Translation
This is what we will do. When the priests and Levites come on duty on the Sabbath, one third of them will guard the Temple gates,
Lexham English Bible
This is the thing that you must do: one third of you priests and Levites coming off duty on the Sabbath shall be gatekeepers at the entrances,
Literal Translation
This is what you shall do: the third of you going in on the sabbath, of the priests, and of the Levites, shall be keepers of the doors;
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
This is it therfore yt ye shal do: The thirde parte of you that entre on the Sabbath, shalbe amonge the prestes & Leuites, which are dorekepers at the thresholdes:
American Standard Version
This is the thing that ye shall do: a third part of you, that come in on the sabbath, of the priests and of the Levites, shall be porters of the thresholds;
Bible in Basic English
This is what you are to do: let a third of you, of the priests and Levites, who come in on the Sabbath, keep the doors;
Bishop's Bible (1568)
This is it therfore that ye shal do: The thirde part of you shall on the Sabbath come to the priestes, Leuites, & kepers of the porches,
JPS Old Testament (1917)
This is the thing that ye shall do: a third part of you, that come in on the sabbath, of the priests and of the Levites, shall be porters of the doors;
King James Version (1611)
This is the thing that yee shall doe, A third part of you entring on the Sabbath, of the priests and of the Leuites, shalbe porters of the doores.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
Now this is the thing which ye shall do. Let a third part of you, even of the priests and of the Levites, enter in on the sabbath, even into the gates of the entrances;
English Revised Version
This is the thing that ye shall do: a third part of you, that come in on the sabbath, of the priests and of the Levites, shall be porters of the doors;
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Therfor this is the word, which ye schulen do.
Update Bible Version
This is the thing that you shall do: a third part of you, that come in on the Sabbath, of the priests and of the Levites, shall be porters of the thresholds;
Webster's Bible Translation
This [is] the thing that ye shall do: A third part of you entering on the sabbath, of the priests, and of the Levites, [shall be] porters of the doors;
New King James Version
This is what you shall do: One-third of you entering on the Sabbath, of the priests and the Levites, shall be keeping watch over the doors;
New Living Translation
This is what you must do. When you priests and Levites come on duty on the Sabbath, a third of you will serve as gatekeepers.
New Life Bible
This is what you must do. One third of you religious leaders and Levites who come in on the Day of Rest will watch the gates.
New Revised Standard
This is what you are to do: one-third of you, priests and Levites, who come on duty on the sabbath, shall be gatekeepers,
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
This, is the thing that ye shall do, - A third of you entering on the sabbath, both of the priests and of the Levites, as doorkeepers of the porch;
Douay-Rheims Bible
And this is the thing that you shall do:
Revised Standard Version
This is the thing that you shall do: of you priests and Levites who come off duty on the sabbath, one third shall be gatekeepers,
Young's Literal Translation
`This [is] the thing that ye do: The third of you, going in on the sabbath, of the priests, and of the Levites, [are] for gatekeepers of the thresholds,
THE MESSAGE
In the seventh year the priest Jehoiada decided to make his move and worked out a strategy with certain influential officers in the army. He picked Azariah son of Jeroham, Ishmael son of Jehohanan, Azariah son of Obed, Maaseiah son of Adaiah, and Elishaphat son of Zicri as his associates. They dispersed throughout Judah and called in the Levites from all the towns in Judah along with the heads of families. They met in Jerusalem. The gathering met in The Temple of God. They made a covenant there in The Temple. The priest Jehoiada showed them the young prince and addressed them: "Here he is—the son of the king. He is going to rule just as God promised regarding the sons of David. Now this is what you must do: A third of you priests and Levites who come on duty on the Sabbath are to be posted as security guards at the gates; another third will guard the palace; and the other third will guard the foundation gate. All the people will gather in the courtyards of The Temple of God . No one may enter The Temple of God except the priests and designated Levites—they are permitted in because they've been consecrated, but all the people must do the work assigned them. The Levites are to form a ring around the young king, weapons at the ready. Kill anyone who tries to break through your ranks. Your job is to stay with the king at all times and places, coming and going." All the Levites and officers obeyed the orders of Jehoiada the priest. Each took charge of his men, both those who came on duty on the Sabbath and those who went off duty on the Sabbath, for Jehoiada the priest hadn't exempted any of them from duty. Then the priest armed the officers with spears and the large and small shields originally belonging to King David that were stored in The Temple of God. Well-armed, the guards took up their assigned positions for protecting the king, from one end of The Temple to the other, surrounding both Altar and Temple. Then the priest brought the prince into view, crowned him, handed him the scroll of God's covenant, and made him king. As Jehoiada and his sons anointed him they shouted, "Long live the king!" Athaliah, hearing all the commotion, the people running around and praising the king, came to The Temple to see what was going on. Astonished, she saw the young king standing at the entrance flanked by the captains and heralds, with everybody beside themselves with joy, trumpets blaring, the choir and orchestra leading the praise. Athaliah ripped her robes in dismay and shouted, "Treason! Treason!" Jehoiada the priest ordered the military officers, "Drag her outside—and kill anyone who tries to follow her!" (The priest had said, "Don't kill her inside The Temple of God .") So they dragged her out to the palace's horse corral and there they killed her. Jehoiada now made a covenant between himself and the king and the people: they were to be God 's special people. The people poured into the temple of Baal and tore it down, smashing altar and images to smithereens. They killed Mattan the priest of Baal in front of the altar. Jehoiada turned the care of God 's Temple over to the priests and Levites, the way David had directed originally. They were to offer the Whole-Burnt-Offerings of God as set out in The Revelation of Moses, and with praise and song as directed by David. He also assigned security guards at the gates of God 's Temple so that no one who was unprepared could enter. Then he got everyone together—officers, nobles, governors, and the people themselves—and escorted the king down from The Temple of God , through the Upper Gate, and placed him on the royal throne. Everybody celebrated the event. And the city was safe and undisturbed—Athaliah had been killed; no more Athaliah terror.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
"This is the thing which you shall do: one third of you, of the priests and Levites who come in on the sabbath, shall be gatekeepers,

Contextual Overview

1 In the seventh year Jehoiada made a bold move. He made a pact with the officers of the units of hundreds: Azariah son of Jehoram, Ishmael son of Jehochanan, Azariah son of Obed, Maaseiah son of Adaiah, and Elishaphat son of Zikri. 2 They traveled throughout Judah and assembled the Levites from all the cities of Judah, as well as the Israelite family leaders. They came to Jerusalem, 3 and the whole assembly made a covenant with the king in the temple of God. Jehoiada said to them, "The king's son will rule, just as the Lord promised David's descendants. 4 This is what you must do. One third of you priests and Levites who are on duty during the Sabbath will guard the doors. 5 Another third of you will be stationed at the royal palace and still another third at the Foundation Gate. All the others will stand in the courtyards of the Lord 's temple. 6 No one must enter the Lord 's temple except the priests and Levites who are on duty. They may enter because they are ceremonially pure. All the others should carry out their assigned service to the Lord . 7 The Levites must surround the king. Each of you must hold his weapon in his hand. Whoever tries to enter the temple must be killed. You must accompany the king wherever he goes." 8 The Levites and all the men of Judah did just as Jehoiada the priest ordered. Each of them took his men, those who were on duty during the Sabbath as well as those who were off duty on the Sabbath. Jehoiada the priest did not release his divisions from their duties. 9 Jehoiada the priest gave to the officers of the units of hundreds King David's spears and shields that were kept in God's temple. 10 He placed the men at their posts, each holding his weapon in his hand. They lined up from the south side of the temple to the north side and stood near the altar and the temple, surrounding the king.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

entering: 1 Chronicles 23:3-6, 1 Chronicles 24:3-6, Luke 1:8, Luke 1:9

porters: 1 Chronicles 26:13-16

doors: Heb. thresholds

Reciprocal: 2 Kings 11:6 - the gate of Sur 1 Chronicles 9:19 - over the host 1 Chronicles 24:19 - the orderings 2 Chronicles 8:14 - the courses Ecclesiastes 10:10 - wisdom Acts 4:1 - the captain

Cross-References

Genesis 3:19
By the sweat of your brow you will eat food until you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you will return."
Genesis 17:8
I will give the whole land of Canaan—the land where you are now residing—to you and your descendants after you as a permanent possession. I will be their God."
Genesis 23:12
Abraham bowed before the local people
Genesis 23:13
and said to Ephron in their hearing, "Hear me, if you will. I pay to you the price of the field. Take it from me so that I may bury my dead there."
Genesis 23:16
So Abraham agreed to Ephron's price and weighed out for him the price that Ephron had quoted in the hearing of the sons of Heth—400 pieces of silver, according to the standard measurement at the time.
Genesis 47:9
Jacob said to Pharaoh, "All the years of my travels are 130. All the years of my life have been few and painful; the years of my travels are not as long as those of my ancestors."
Genesis 49:30
It is the cave in the field of Machpelah, near Mamre in the land of Canaan, which Abraham bought for a burial plot from Ephron the Hittite.
Genesis 50:13
His sons carried him to the land of Canaan and buried him in the cave of the field of Machpelah, near Mamre. This is the field Abraham purchased as a burial plot from Ephron the Hittite.
Leviticus 25:23
The land must not be sold without reclaim because the land belongs to me, for you are foreigners and residents with me.
1 Chronicles 29:15
For we are resident foreigners and nomads in your presence, like all our ancestors; our days are like a shadow on the earth, without security.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

:-.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The writer of Chronicles relates the orders that were given to the Levites, the author of Kings those received by the royal body-guard (2 Kings 11:5 note).


 
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