2 Chronicles 23:2
in 2 Chronicles 23So they went throughout Judah and gathered the Levites from all the cities of Judah and the heads of the families of Israel. And when they came to Jerusalem,
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And they went about in Judah, and gathered the Levites out of all the cities of Judah, and the heads of fathers’ houses of Israel, and they came to Jerusalem.
KJV
And they went about in Judah, and gathered the Levites out of all the cities of Judah, and the chief of the fathers of Israel, and they came to Jerusalem.
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This verse in 2 Chronicles 23
Commentary
4 notes on this verseThis site's exposition
Jehoiada strengthened himself
on 2 Chronicles 23:1-2
Chronicles opens the coup where 2 Kings 11 does, but the muster differs. The commanders gather “the Levites from all the cities of Judah and the heads of the families of Israel”. The priestly order stands where the parallel account names palace troops, the men David had organized into divisions.
This site's exposition
gathered the Levites from all the cities of Judah
The captains carry the plan through the country. Barnes observes that Jehoiada wanted a strong body of Levites and family heads beside the royal guard. Jamieson, Fausset and Brown suggest the gathering was timed for one of the annual feasts, when crowds coming to Jerusalem would draw no notice.
The record, by era
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
Having cautiously entrusted the secret of the young prince's preservation to all the leading men in the kingdom, he enlisted their interest in the royal cause and got their pledge to support it by a secret oath of fidelity. they came to Jerusalem--The time chosen for the grand discovery was, probably, one of the annual festivals, when there was a general concourse of the nation at the capital.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
Jehoiada was unwilling to trust the success of the revolution wholly and entirely to the royal body-guard. Accordingly, the captains collected from the cities of Judah a strong body of Levites and the chief of the fathers of Israel (i. e. “Judah,” see 2Ch 20:34 note) who were brought up to Jerusalem.
The words behind it
14 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיָּסֹ֙בּוּ֙ | vaiyasobu | and they went around | H5437 → | 161 times |
| בִּֽיהוּדָ֔ה | bihudah | in Judah | H3063 → | 819 times |
| וַיִּקְבְּצ֤וּ | vaiyikbetzu | and they gathered | H6908 → | 127 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| הַלְוִיִּם֙ | halviyim | the Levites | H3881 → | 291 times |
| מִכָּל־ | mikol | from all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| עָרֵ֣י | ʾarei | [the] cities of | H5892 → | 1090 times |
| יְהוּדָ֔ה | yehudah | Judah | H3063 → | 819 times |
| וְרָאשֵׁ֥י | verashei | and [the] heads of | H7218 → | 599 times |
| הָאָב֖וֹת | haavot | the fathers | H1 → | 1212 times |
| לְיִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל | leyisrael | of Israel | H3478 → | 2507 times |
| וַיָּבֹ֖אוּ | vaiyavou | and they came | H935 → | 2568 times |
| אֶל־ | ʾel- | to | H413 → | 5510 times |
| יְרוּשָׁלִָֽם׃ | yerushalim | Jerusalem | H3389 → | 643 times |
וַיָּסֹ֙בּוּ֙and they went around
vaiyasobuH5437 →161 times
בִּֽיהוּדָ֔הin Judah
bihudahH3063 →819 times
וַיִּקְבְּצ֤וּand they gathered
vaiyikbetzuH6908 →127 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
הַלְוִיִּם֙the Levites
halviyimH3881 →291 times
מִכָּל־from all
mikolH3605 →5413 times
עָרֵ֣י[the] cities of
ʾareiH5892 →1090 times
יְהוּדָ֔הJudah
yehudahH3063 →819 times
וְרָאשֵׁ֥יand [the] heads of
verasheiH7218 →599 times
הָאָב֖וֹתthe fathers
haavotH1 →1212 times
לְיִשְׂרָאֵ֑לof Israel
leyisraelH3478 →2507 times
וַיָּבֹ֖אוּand they came
vaiyavouH935 →2568 times
אֶל־to
ʾel-H413 →5510 times
יְרוּשָׁלִָֽם׃Jerusalem
yerushalimH3389 →643 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Ephesians 5:15Pay careful attention, then, to how you walk, not as unwise but as wise,
it leads to
- Colossians 4:5
Act wisely toward outsiders, redeeming the time.
- James 3:13
Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good conduct, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom.
- Philippians 1:27
Nevertheless, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm…
- 1 Corinthians 14:20
Brothers, stop thinking like children. In regard to evil be infants, but in your thinking be mature.
- Proverbs 14:8
The wisdom of the prudent is to discern his way, but the folly of fools deceives them.
- Colossians 4:5
Through
Psalms 112:5It is well with the man who is generous and lends freely, whose affairs are guided by justice.
it leads to
- Psalms 37:21
The wicked borrow and do not repay, but the righteous are gracious and giving.
- Proverbs 2:20
So you will follow in the ways of the good, and keep to the paths of the righteous.
- Ephesians 5:15
Pay careful attention, then, to how you walk, not as unwise but as wise,
- Psalms 37:21
About 2 Chronicles

Who and where
2 names in this verse with a page on the site.
- PersonPatriarchsJudahJacob's fourth son who pledges himself for Benjamin; the tribe that carries the scepter to Shiloh (49:10) and the line to Christ (…
- PlaceJerusalemJerusalemThe city David took from the Jebusites and made his capital, where Solomon built the temple, where Christ was crucified and rose,…
This page draws on Albert Barnes, Notes on the Old Testament; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible and Keil, The Books of the Chronicles.
