2 Chronicles 23 — Joash is crowned and the covenant renewed — Hebrew and Greek compared
Disparate in this chapter: 23:14, 23:20
Each card keeps the independently rendered source readings above their shared comparison and reception notes. The badge records the source’s governing classification; disparate readings are marked in red. Each reading retains its original reference.
Chapter 23 — Joash is crowned and the covenant renewed
The covenant and the guard assignments
Verse 23:1 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[BHS 23:1] In the seventh year Jehoiada strengthened himself and brought the commanders of hundreds into covenant with him: Azariah son of Jeroham, Ishmael son of Jehohanan, Azariah son of Obed, Maaseiah son of Adaiah, and Elishaphat son of Zichri.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[LXX 23:1] In the seventh year Jehoiada grew strong and took the commanders of hundreds with him into a house: Azarias son of Joram, Ismael son of Joanan, Azarias son of Obed, Maasaias son of Adaia, and Elisaphan son of Zacharias.
Classification & Notes
Different
Text: Hebrew brings the commanders into covenant; Greek brings them into a house. Several names differ, especially Jeroham/Joram, Elishaphat/Elisaphan, and Zichri/Zacharias.
Verse 23:2 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[BHS 23:2] They went throughout Judah and gathered the Levites from all Judah's cities and the ancestral heads of Israel. They came to Jerusalem.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[LXX 23:2] They went around Judah and gathered the Levites from all Judah's cities and the ancestral rulers of Israel. They came to Jerusalem.
Classification & Notes
Same
Text: Both describe the collection of Levites and ancestral leaders at Jerusalem.
Verse 23:3 Divergent
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[BHS 23:3] The whole assembly made a covenant with the king in God's house. He said to them, “Look, the king's son shall reign, as YHWH spoke concerning David's sons.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[LXX 23:3] The whole assembly of Judah made a covenant with the king in God's house. He showed them the king's son and said to them, “Look, let the king's son reign, as the Lord spoke concerning David's house.
Classification & Notes
Divergent
Text: Greek identifies the assembly as Judah's and adds the presentation of the prince. David's sons become David's house.
Verse 23:4 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[BHS 23:4] This is what you shall do: a third of you priests and Levites who come on duty on the Sabbath shall be gatekeepers at the thresholds;
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[LXX 23:4] Now this is what you shall do: let a third of you, from the priests and Levites, enter on the Sabbath, at the gates of the entrances;
Classification & Notes
Different
Text: Hebrew explicitly assigns threshold-keeping; Greek describes entry at entrance gates without naming gatekeepers here.
Verse 23:5 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[BHS 23:5] a third shall be at the king's house, and a third at the Foundation Gate. All the people shall be in the courtyards of YHWH's house.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[LXX 23:5] a third shall be in the king's house, and a third at the Middle Gate. All the people shall be in the courtyards of the Lord's house.
Classification & Notes
Different
Text: The third station is the Foundation Gate in Hebrew, the Middle Gate in Greek.
Verse 23:6 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[BHS 23:6] Let no one enter YHWH's house except the priests and the ministering Levites. They may enter, because they are holy. All the people shall keep YHWH's charge.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[LXX 23:6] Let no one enter the Lord's house except the priests, the Levites, and the ministering Levites. They may enter, because they are holy. Let all the people keep the Lord's charges.
Classification & Notes
Different
Text: Greek separately includes the Levites before the ministering Levites; Hebrew names only priests and ministering Levites.
Verse 23:7 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[BHS 23:7] The Levites shall surround the king, each with his weapons in hand. Anyone entering the house shall be put to death. Stay with the king when he comes in and goes out.”
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[LXX 23:7] The Levites shall surround the king, each man's weapon in his hand. Anyone entering the house will die. They shall be with the king when he enters and leaves.”
Classification & Notes
Different
Text: Hebrew uses an execution formula and then a direct command to the hearers; Greek says will die and continues with third-person instructions about the Levites.
The king crowned
Verse 23:8 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[BHS 23:8] The Levites and all Judah did everything Jehoiada the priest commanded. Each took his men, those coming on duty on the Sabbath together with those going off duty on the Sabbath, because Jehoiada the priest had not released the divisions.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[LXX 23:8] The Levites and all Judah did everything Jehoiada the priest commanded. Each took his men from the beginning of the Sabbath until the Sabbath's departure, because Jehoiada had not dismissed the divisions.
Classification & Notes
Different
Text: Hebrew combines incoming and outgoing Sabbath shifts; Greek instead describes the period from Sabbath's beginning to its end.
Verse 23:9 Divergent
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[BHS 23:9] Jehoiada the priest gave the commanders of hundreds the spears, shields, and bucklers that had belonged to King David and were in God's house.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[LXX 23:9] He gave the swords, large shields, and weapons that had belonged to King David, in God's house.
Classification & Notes
Divergent
Text: Greek lacks Jehoiada's name, priestly title, and the named recipients. Its equipment list begins with swords rather than spears.
Verse 23:10 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[BHS 23:10] He stationed all the people, each with his weapon in hand, from the right side of the house to the left side of the house, by the altar and the house, surrounding the king.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[LXX 23:10] He stationed all the people, each with his weapons, from the house's right side to the left side of the altar and the house, surrounding the king.
Classification & Notes
Different
Text: Hebrew repeats side of the house before separately locating the group by altar and house; Greek grammatically joins altar and house to the left side.
Verse 23:11 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[BHS 23:11] They brought out the king's son and placed the crown and the testimony upon him. They made him king, and Jehoiada and his sons anointed him and said, “Long live the king!”
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[LXX 23:11] He brought out the king's son and placed the royal crown and the testimonies upon him. Jehoiada and his sons made him king and anointed him, and said, “Long live the king!”
Classification & Notes
Different
Text: Greek begins with a singular presenter and has plural testimonies; Hebrew begins with plural agents and singular testimony. The precise physical form of the testimony is not specified.
Athaliah’s fall
Verse 23:12 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[BHS 23:12] Athaliah heard the sound of the people running and praising the king, and she came to the people at YHWH's house.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[LXX 23:12] Athaliah heard the sound of the people running, giving thanks, and praising the king, and she came to the king in the Lord's house.
Classification & Notes
Different
Text: Greek adds thanksgiving and directs her arrival toward the king; Hebrew directs it toward the people.
Verse 23:13 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[BHS 23:13] She looked: there was the king standing by his pillar at the entrance, with the princes and trumpets beside him. All the people of the land were rejoicing and blowing trumpets, and the singers with musical instruments were leading the praise. Athaliah tore her clothes and said, “Treason! Treason!”
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[LXX 23:13] She looked: there was the king at his station, and at the entrance were the rulers and trumpets around the king. All the people rejoiced and blew trumpets, and the singers with instruments were singing and hymning praise. Athaliah tore her robe, cried out, and said, “You are attacking! You are attacking!”
Classification & Notes
Different
Text: Hebrew specifies a pillar and leaders directing praise; Greek describes the king's station and singers hymning. Greek adds a cry and expresses Athaliah's accusation as a repeated charge of attacking.
Verse 23:14 Disparate
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[BHS 23:14] Jehoiada the priest brought out the commanders of hundreds appointed over the force and said to them, “Take her outside the ranks, and anyone following her shall be put to death with the sword.” For the priest had said, “Do not put her to death in YHWH's house.”
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[LXX 23:14] Jehoiada the priest went out and commanded the commanders of hundreds and the leaders of the army: “Throw her outside the house and go in after her, and let her die by the sword.” For the priest had said, “Do not let her die in the Lord's house.”
Classification & Notes
Disparate
Text: Hebrew orders death for anyone following Athaliah and sends her beyond the ranks; Greek commands the officers to follow her outside the house and speaks of her death. Greek also makes the priest himself go out.
Verse 23:15 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[BHS 23:15] They laid hands on her, and she came to the entrance of the Horse Gate at the king's house. They put her to death there.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[LXX 23:15] They gave her room, and she passed through the Gate of the Horsemen at the king's house. They put her to death there.
Classification & Notes
Different
Text: Hebrew's hands idiom is rendered as taking hold of her, though providing a passage is another possible sense; Greek explicitly grants room. The gate is associated with horses versus horsemen.
Covenant and restored order
Verse 23:16 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[BHS 23:16] Jehoiada made a covenant between himself, all the people, and the king, that they should be YHWH's people.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[LXX 23:16] Jehoiada made a covenant between himself, the people, and the king, that they should be the Lord's people.
Classification & Notes
Different
Text: Hebrew explicitly includes all the people; both make the priest a named party to the covenant.
Verse 23:17 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[BHS 23:17] All the people entered Baal's house and tore it down. They broke its altars and images, and killed Mattan the priest of Baal before the altars.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[LXX 23:17] All the people of the land entered Baal's house and pulled it down. They ground its altars and idols fine, and put Matthan the priest of Baal to death before its altars.
Classification & Notes
Different
Text: Greek adds of the land and describes pulverizing the cult objects; Hebrew simply says they broke them.
Verse 23:18 Divergent
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[BHS 23:18] Jehoiada placed oversight of YHWH's house in the hands of the Levitical priests whom David had assigned over YHWH's house, to offer YHWH's burnt offerings as written in Moses' law, with joy and song according to David's direction.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[LXX 23:18] Jehoiada the priest entrusted the work of the Lord's house to priests and Levites and established the divisions of priests and Levites that David had arranged over the Lord's house, to offer burnt offerings to the Lord as written in Moses' law, with rejoicing and songs according to David's direction.
Classification & Notes
Divergent
Text: Greek coordinates priests and Levites and adds an explicit establishment of their divisions; Hebrew has the compact designation priests, the Levites and an oversight assignment.
Verse 23:19 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[BHS 23:19] He stationed gatekeepers at the gates of YHWH's house so that no one unclean in any respect could enter.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[LXX 23:19] The gatekeepers stood at the gates of the Lord's house, and no one unclean in any respect shall enter.
Classification & Notes
Different
Text: Hebrew narrates the appointment; Greek narrates the gatekeepers' standing and states the access rule as a future.
Verse 23:20 Disparate
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[BHS 23:20] He took the commanders of hundreds, the nobles, the people's rulers, and all the people of the land. He brought the king down from YHWH's house, and they entered the king's house through the Upper Gate. They seated the king on the royal throne.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[LXX 23:20] He took the ancestral rulers, the powerful men, the people's rulers, and all the people of the land. They brought the king up into the Lord's house, and he entered the king's house through the Inner Gate. They seated the king on the royal throne.
Classification & Notes
Disparate
Text: Hebrew brings the king down from the sanctuary; Greek brings him up into it before the palace entry. Commanders become ancestral rulers, and the Upper Gate becomes the Inner Gate.
Verse 23:21 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[BHS 23:21] All the people of the land rejoiced, and the city was quiet. They had put Athaliah to death with the sword.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[LXX 23:21] All the people of the land rejoiced, and the city was quiet. They had put Athaliah to death with the sword.
Classification & Notes
Same
Text: Both close with popular rejoicing, civic quiet, and the queen's execution.