And he commanded them, saying, This is the thing that ye shall do; A third part of you that enter in on the sabbath shall even be keepers of the watch of the king’s house;
And he gave them orders, saying, 'This is what you must do: One third of you who come on duty on the Sabbath will guard the king's palace;'
The writer is describing how Jehoiada the priest organized his guards, with one-third assigned to protect the king's palace on the Sabbath.
📚 Historical Context
In the biblical narrative of 2 Kings 11, Jehoiada the priest is orchestrating a covert plan to restore the rightful heir, Joash, to the throne of Judah after the murderous usurpation by Queen Athaliah, who had eliminated most of the royal family. He commands the temple guards to divide into thirds for specific duties on the Sabbath, a day when they would naturally assemble, to secure key locations like the king's house and protect Joash during the planned coup. This reflects the broader historical struggle in Judah between loyalty to God and the influence of idolatry from surrounding cultures.
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