So the Levites and all Judah did according to all things that Jehoiada the priest had commanded, and took every man his men that were to come in on the sabbath, with them that were to go out on the sabbath: for Jehoiada the priest dismissed not the courses.
So the Levites and all the people of Judah did everything exactly as Jehoiada the priest had instructed them. Each leader gathered his men who were supposed to start their duty on the Sabbath, along with those who were finishing their duty on the Sabbath, because Jehoiada the priest kept both groups on duty instead of letting the off-duty group leave.
The writer is showing how the priest Jehoiada carefully organized both the incoming and outgoing temple guards to ensure he had enough loyal men for his plan to restore the rightful king.
📚 Historical Context
This takes place during the coup to overthrow the wicked Queen Athaliah and restore young Prince Joash as the rightful king of Judah. Jehoiada the priest was secretly organizing loyal temple guards and military leaders to carry out this dangerous plan. By keeping both shifts of guards on duty, he doubled his forces for the crucial moment when they would need to protect the boy king and remove the usurper queen.
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