John Gill's Bible Commentary Ver. 5. And he commanded them, saying, this is the thing that ye shall do , etc.] These were the rulers over hundreds among the priests and Levites, and which he, as high priest, could command, and whom he could convene without suspicion, being such as he had a connection with, and were unarmed men: and for the better understanding of what follows, it should be observed, that the priests, in the times of David, were divided into twenty four courses, which were by turns to serve a week in the temple; the course that came in entered when the sabbath began, and that which went out went out when it ended, and each course consisted of a thousand men: now with respect to both these courses, both that which went in and that which went out, Jehoiada gave them the following charge: a third part of you that enter in on the sabbath ; on the beginning of it, to do duty in the temple the week following: shall even be keepers of the watch of the king’s house , which, according to some, was that part of the temple where the king was hid and brought up, supposed to be the north part of it: or rather these were set at the north gate of the temple, which led to the royal palace, lest any should rush out of that, and kill the king.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-12 - Athaliah destroyed all she knew to be akin to the crown. Jehoash, on of the king's sons, was hid. Now was the promise made to David bound u in one life only, and yet it did not fail. Thus to the Son of David the Lord, according to his promise, will secure a spiritual seed hidden sometimes, and unseen, but hidden in God's pavilion, and unhurt Six years Athaliah tyrannized. Then the king was brought forward. child indeed, but he had a good guardian, and, what was better, a goo God to go to With such joy and satisfaction must the kingdom of Chris be welcomed into our hearts, when his throne is set up there, and Sata the usurper is cast out. Say, Let the King, even Jesus, live, for eve live and reign in my soul, and in all the world.
Original Hebrew ויצום6680 לאמר559 זה2088 הדבר1697 אשׁר834 תעשׂון6213 השׁלשׁית7992 מכם4480 באי935 השׁבת7676 ושׁמרי8104 משׁמרת4931 בית1004 המלך׃4428
