Joash’s inauguration was protected by a priestly strategy, doubling the guard and ensuring the Davidic line would continue.
So the captains of hundreds did according to all that Jehoiada the priest commanded. And each one of them took his men who were to come in on the sabbath, with those who were to go out on the sabbath, and came to Jehoiada the priest (v.9).
In the mid-ninth century BC, King Jehoram of Judah died, leaving his wife Athaliah, daughter (or granddaughter) of the wicked King Ahab of Israel, to seize the throne. She attempted to destroy the royal family (2 Kings 11:1-3). Jehoiada, the high priest, took action to preserve the rightful heir, Joash, hidden in the temple. 2 Kings 11:9 explains that the temple guards, referred to here as the captains of hundreds, worked in shifts, rotating their service each sabbath. When the text says they took “his men who were to come in on the sabbath, with those who were to go out,” it is describing the strategic moment in which the incoming and outgoing troops overlapped. It therefore maximized the number of armed men to protect the young prince.
This pivotal event occurred in Jerusalem, the capital of the southern kingdom of Judah. The city was situated on a hilltop with the temple standing on Mount Moriah. There, the priest Jehoiada covertly orchestrated a coup to restore a Davidic king to Judah’s throne . Jehoiada was likely in his role sometime around 835 BC, because Joash (also spelled Jehoash) took the throne around that year when he was seven years old (2 Kings 11:21). By having guarded shifts overlapping in the temple courtyard, Jehoiada could safeguard Joash from any attempt by Athaliah to disrupt his anointing and preserve the Davidic line, in fulfillment of God’s promises to David (2 Samuel 7:16).
Jehoiada’s faithfulness to God’s covenant guided him to intervene and protect the royal heir, ultimately ensuring the future accomplishment of God’s grand redemptive plan leading to Jesus Christ, who also descended from David (Matthew 1:1). In a greater sense, Jehoiada’s success underscores the theme of God preserving His promises despite human wickedness. This moment prefigures how God keeps His covenant and promises intact, always providing a way for His redemption plan to advance.
God used this priest to orchestrate a strategic plan: stacking the guard shift so that more troops would be present at once. By citing both the coming and going of these forces, the verse highlights Jehoiada’s wisdom and practical reliance on divine oversight. In this way, 2 Kings 11:9 exemplifies how God’s instruments—whether kings, priests, or soldiers—can unite for the purpose of fulfilling His will.
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2 Kings 11:9 meaning
So the captains of hundreds did according to all that Jehoiada the priest commanded. And each one of them took his men who were to come in on the sabbath, with those who were to go out on the sabbath, and came to Jehoiada the priest (v.9).
In the mid-ninth century BC, King Jehoram of Judah died, leaving his wife Athaliah, daughter (or granddaughter) of the wicked King Ahab of Israel, to seize the throne. She attempted to destroy the royal family (2 Kings 11:1-3). Jehoiada, the high priest, took action to preserve the rightful heir, Joash, hidden in the temple. 2 Kings 11:9 explains that the temple guards, referred to here as the captains of hundreds, worked in shifts, rotating their service each sabbath. When the text says they took “his men who were to come in on the sabbath, with those who were to go out,” it is describing the strategic moment in which the incoming and outgoing troops overlapped. It therefore maximized the number of armed men to protect the young prince.
This pivotal event occurred in Jerusalem, the capital of the southern kingdom of Judah. The city was situated on a hilltop with the temple standing on Mount Moriah. There, the priest Jehoiada covertly orchestrated a coup to restore a Davidic king to Judah’s throne . Jehoiada was likely in his role sometime around 835 BC, because Joash (also spelled Jehoash) took the throne around that year when he was seven years old (2 Kings 11:21). By having guarded shifts overlapping in the temple courtyard, Jehoiada could safeguard Joash from any attempt by Athaliah to disrupt his anointing and preserve the Davidic line, in fulfillment of God’s promises to David (2 Samuel 7:16).
Jehoiada’s faithfulness to God’s covenant guided him to intervene and protect the royal heir, ultimately ensuring the future accomplishment of God’s grand redemptive plan leading to Jesus Christ, who also descended from David (Matthew 1:1). In a greater sense, Jehoiada’s success underscores the theme of God preserving His promises despite human wickedness. This moment prefigures how God keeps His covenant and promises intact, always providing a way for His redemption plan to advance.
God used this priest to orchestrate a strategic plan: stacking the guard shift so that more troops would be present at once. By citing both the coming and going of these forces, the verse highlights Jehoiada’s wisdom and practical reliance on divine oversight. In this way, 2 Kings 11:9 exemplifies how God’s instruments—whether kings, priests, or soldiers—can unite for the purpose of fulfilling His will.