And the Levites shall compass the king round about, every man with his weapons in his hand; and whosoever else cometh into the house, he shall be put to death: but be ye with the king when he cometh in, and when he goeth out.
The Levites will surround the king on all sides, each one holding his weapons. If anyone else enters the temple, they must be killed. Stay close to the king wherever he goes, whether coming in or going out.
The writer is describing how the Levites were commanded to form a protective guard around the young king with weapons ready, killing any unauthorized person who tried to enter the temple.
📚 Historical Context
This verse occurs during the dramatic rescue of young Prince Joash from his murderous grandmother Queen Athaliah, who had killed most of the royal family to seize power. The high priest Jehoiada was orchestrating a carefully planned coup to restore the rightful heir to David's throne. The Levites were the temple guards and priests who were loyal to God's covenant with David's family.
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