2 Chronicles 23:8

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.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(8) The Levites and all Judah.—2Kings 11:9 reads, “the captains of the hundreds.” The rest of the verse is the same in both narratives so far as the words “go out on the Sabbath.”

For Jehoiada the priest dismissed not the courses.—The companies of priests and Levites, whose weekly duties had been fulfilled, and who under ordinary circumstances would have been formally “dismissed” by the high priest, were detained at the present emergency as auxiliaries to their brethren who were “coming in.”

Instead of this clause Kings has: “And they came to Jehoiada the priest,” i.e., the captains of the hundreds came, to him; a remark which quite naturally preludes the statement of the next verse both there and here.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

23:12-20 A warning from God was sent to Jehoram. The Spirit of prophecy might direct Elijah to prepare this writing in the foresight of Jehoram's crimes. He is plainly told that his sin should certainly ruin him. But no marvel that sinners are not frightened from sin, and to repentance, by the threatenings of misery in another world, when the certainty of misery in this world, the sinking of their estates, and the ruin of their health, will not restrain them from vicious courses. See Jehoram here stripped of all his comforts. Thus God plainly showed that the controversy was with him, and his house. He had slain all his brethren to strengthen himself; now, all his sons are slain but one. David's house must not be wholly destroyed, like those of Israel's kings, because a blessing was in it; that of the Messiah. Good men may be afflicted with diseases; but to them they are fatherly chastisements, and by the support of Divine consolations the soul may dwell at ease, even when the body lies in pain. To be sick and poor, sick and solitary, but especially to be sick and in sin, sick and under the curse of God, sick and without grace to bear it, is a most deplorable case. Wickedness and profaneness make men despicable, even in the eyes of those who have but little religion.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

And took every man his men ... - i. e. the relief, already organized by Jehoiada into three bodies 2 Chronicles 23:4-5, was further strengthened by the members of the outgoing "course," who were associated in the work to be done.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

8. Jehoiada … dismissed not the courses—As it was necessary to have as large a disposable force as he could command on such a crisis, the high priest detained those who, in other circumstances, would have returned home on the expiry of their week of service.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

No text from Poole on this verse.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

The contents of this chapter are the same with 2 Kings 11:4 and need no other explanation than what may be found in the notes there, to which the reader is referred.See Gill on 2 Kings 11:4. See Gill on 2 Kings 11:5. See Gill on 2 Kings 11:6. See Gill on 2 Kings 11:7. See Gill on 2 Kings 11:8. See Gill on 2 Kings 11:9. See Gill on 2 Kings 11:10. See Gill on 2 Kings 11:11. See Gill on 2 Kings 11:12. See Gill on 2 Kings 11:13. See Gill on 2 Kings 11:14. See Gill on 2 Kings 11:15. See Gill on 2 Kings 11:16. See Gill on 2 Kings 11:17. See Gill on 2 Kings 11:18. See Gill on 2 Kings 11:19. See Gill on 2 Kings 11:20.

Geneva Study Bible

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 {e} were to go out on the sabbath: for Jehoiada the priest dismissed not the courses.

(e) Who had finished their course on the Sabbath and so the other part entered to keep their turn.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

8. the Levites and all Judah] In 2 Kin. “the captains over the hundreds.” See notes on 2 Chronicles 23:4.

for Jehoiada the priest dismissed not the courses] Not in Kings. The Levites (1 Chronicles 23:6), the priests (ibid. 1 Chronicles 24:1), and the king’s army (ibid. 1 Chronicles 27:1 ff.) were each divided into “courses,” but it is clear from the context that courses of Levites are meant here.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 8. - All Judah; i.e. all those of Judah's provincial cities who had been honoured with summons to join in this great and solemn enterprise. Dismissed not the courses; i.e. the provincial Levites cooperated with the regulars of Jerusalem. 2 Chronicles 23:8

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

The account of the occupation of the temple thus arranged agrees with 2 Kings 11:9-11. Instead of המּאות שׂרי (Kings), in 2 Chronicles 23:8 are very fittingly named "the Levites (as in 2 Chronicles 23:5) and all Judah," viz., in its chiefs, since the high priest had assured himself of the support of the heads of the fathers'-houses of Israel (2 Chronicles 23:2). Further, to the statement that those who were departing from the service also took part in the affair, it is added, "for Jehoiada had not dismissed the courses." המּחלקות are the divisions which, according to the arrangement made by David (1 Chronicles 24-26), had charge of the temple service at that time. To the captains Jehoiada gave the spears and shields which had been presented to the temple by David as offerings, because they had come into the temple without weapons; see on 2 Kings 11:10. ויּעמד, "and he caused the whole people to take position," is connected formally with ויּתּן, 2 Chronicles 23:9; while in 2 Kings 11:11, we have simply ויּעמדוּ.