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
In the biblical narrative of 2 Chronicles, Athaliah had seized the throne of Judah after the death of her son Ahaziah and attempted to wipe out the entire royal family to secure her power. Jehoiada the priest, who had hidden and protected the young Joash, the rightful heir from the line of David, organized a secret plan to restore him as king. This verse outlines Jehoiada's instructions to the Levites to form a protective guard around Joash with weapons, ensuring that only authorized people could enter the temple area during the coronation.
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