(3) And all the congregation.--Of the assembled Levites and family chiefs, as well as the royal guard.

Made a covenant with the king.--Comp. 2Kings 11:4 : "And he made a covenant for them," i.e., imposed a compact on them, made them swear fidelity to the young prince. (Comp. also 2Samuel 3:21; 2Samuel 5:3.)

The king's son shall reign.--Or, Behold the king's son! Let him be king.

As the Lord hath said.--Spake concerning the sons of David, in the oracle delivered by the prophet Nathan (2Samuel 7:4-17).

Verse 3. - All the congregation; i.e. all who have been mentioned in vers. 1 and 2; for so the parallel makes plain. Made a covenant. This was the second wider and more embracing covenant. This covenant is between all the gathered representatives and the young king, Jehoiada no doubt putting all things into shape. And he said unto them, Behold, the king's son shall reign. The he is Jehoiada, as of course. In view of the last clause of ver. 4 - in the parallel, "Jehoiada showed them the king's son " - the likelier rendering of our text here is, Behold the king's son; he shall reign, as, etc. As the Lord hath said of the sons of David (see 2 Chronicles 6:16; 2 Chronicles 7:18; 2 Samuel 7:12; 1 Kings 2:4; 1 Kings 9:5). The hereditary nature of the monarchy (2 Samuel 7.), pervaded ever by the spirit of the covenant, is evidently glanced at. It is probable that the existence of Joash was news to those to whom Jehoiada, as the parallel has it, "showed... the king's son," so that double significance lies in the word "showed."

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.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.