旧约 - 历代记下(2 Chronicles)第23章
And in the seventh year Jehoiada strengthened himself, and took the captains of hundreds, Azariah the son of Jeroham, and Ishmael the son of Jehohanan, and Azariah the son of Obed, and Maaseiah the son of Adaiah, and Elishaphat the son of Zichri, into covenant with him. |
And they went about in Judah, and gathered the Levites out of all the cities of Judah, and the chief of the fathers of Israel, and they came to Jerusalem. |
And all the congregation made a covenant with the king in the house of God. And he said unto them, Behold, the king's son shall reign, as the LORD hath said of the sons of David. |
This is the thing that ye shall do; A third part of you entering on the sabbath, of the priests and of the Levites, shall be porters of the doors; |
And a third part shall be at the king's house; and a third part at the gate of the foundation: and all the people shall be in the courts of the house of the LORD. |
But let none come into the house of the LORD, save the priests, and they that minister of the Levites; they shall go in, for they are holy: but all the people shall keep the watch of the LORD. |
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. |
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. |
Moreover Jehoiada the priest delivered to the captains of hundreds spears, and bucklers, and shields, that had been king David's, which were in the house of God. |
And he set all the people, every man having his weapon in his hand, from the right side of the temple to the left side of the temple, along by the altar and the temple, by the king round about. |
Then they brought out the king's son, and put upon him the crown, and gave him the testimony, and made him king. And Jehoiada and his sons anointed him, and said, God save the king. |
Now when Athaliah heard the noise of the people running and praising the king, she came to the people into the house of the LORD: |
And she looked, and, behold, the king stood at his pillar at the entering in, and the princes and the trumpets by the king: and all the people of the land rejoiced, and sounded with trumpets, also the singers with instruments of musick, and such as taught to sing praise. Then Athaliah rent her clothes, and said, Treason, Treason. |
Then Jehoiada the priest brought out the captains of hundreds that were set over the host, and said unto them, Have her forth of the ranges: and whoso followeth her, let him be slain with the sword. For the priest said, Slay her not in the house of the LORD. |
So they laid hands on her; and when she was come to the entering of the horse gate by the king's house, they slew her there. |
And Jehoiada made a covenant between him, and between all the people, and between the king, that they should be the LORD's people. |
Then all the people went to the house of Baal, and brake it down, and brake his altars and his images in pieces, and slew Mattan the priest of Baal before the altars. |
Also Jehoiada appointed the offices of the house of the LORD by the hand of the priests the Levites, whom David had distributed in the house of the LORD, to offer the burnt offerings of the LORD, as it is written in the law of Moses, with rejoicing and with singing, as it was ordained by David. |
And he set the porters at the gates of the house of the LORD, that none which was unclean in any thing should enter in. |
And he took the captains of hundreds, and the nobles, and the governors of the people, and all the people of the land, and brought down the king from the house of the LORD: and they came through the high gate into the king's house, and set the king upon the throne of the kingdom. |
And all the people of the land rejoiced: and the city was quiet, after that they had slain Athaliah with the sword. |
历代志下第廿三章
第 23 章
代下 23:1> 这少数挺身而出的祭司,维护了大卫的脉裔;在持守真理上,我是否属于那少数的一群?
23:1 太后亚她利雅篡位七年以后,祭司耶何耶大终于奋勇自强采取行动,除去这个拜偶像的统治者。按神的律法向君王(或王后)进谏,本是历世历代每个祭司的责任,可惜许多祭司胆怯,不敢肩负起使命,只有少数祭司敢挺身而出。
代下 23:1> 我有没有耶何耶大那样的勇气,在肯定所当做的事之后,挺身坚持下去?
23:1 祭司耶何耶大冒着可能会丧失性命的危险,做了当做之事──恢复圣殿的敬拜,膏立新王。我们有时必须矫正错误、放胆直言,遇到恶劣的情势,当鼓起勇气来行事。
代下 23:12-15> 无论好像拥有多大的权力,并竭力的去维护,都可以突然间消失,因为……
23:12-15 亚她利雅本以为大事已定,她篡位以后,把所有可能继承王位之人都杀了;但是恶人千虑,总有一失,真相一显明,她立即被推翻。生活即使不能尽如你所望的,可是按真理而行,还是安全可靠的多。
代下 23:15-17> 亚她利雅统治下的犹大已远离神;我们也要留心,所追随的领袖在属灵上是怎样的光景……
23:15-17 亚她利雅像她母亲耶洗别一样遭处死,结束了一生。她拜偶像又篡谋国位,神就惩罚她,使她早早覆亡。犹大在这时已远离神,耶路撒冷也敬拜巴力。
代下 23:18> 耶何耶大对圣殿的敬拜礼仪有何贡献?
23:18 耶何耶大按照历代志上 24 、 25 章所记,依大卫的原意,恢复圣殿的班次定例和敬拜事奉。──《灵修版圣经注释》
历代志下第廿三章
重掌王权(二十三 1 ~ 21 )
亚她利雅篡位后第七年,约阿施在耶何耶大协助下重掌王权。
.作王前的准备( 1 ~ 7 )──耶何耶大想到,先有实力作后盾才能取回政权,乃分别召见一些领袖及利未人,而且不限于居住耶路撒冷者,还包括犹大各城。立约就是订定盟约,彼此同意,达致共识。他们最大的目标是恢复神的心意,让大卫子孙作王,不准别人进耶和华的殿,目的是保护王免受杀害。
.正式立王( 8 ~ 11 )──王正式出来接受冠冕。“戴上冠冕”象征王将自己献给神,愿按神的律法管治子民。“律法书”也可译作“见证书”,就是指王每天要阅读内里的见证,叫他要守约、敬畏神、行律法等。“膏”是将油浇灌在头上,象征神拣选他作王。
.除掉罪魁祸首( 12 ~ 15 )──就是杀死亚她利雅。“柱旁”是指波阿斯柱或雅斤柱。王站在这里,是敬拜时的特定位置。女王说反了、反了,从她眼中看确是造反,但从原来权力看却不是。不在耶和华殿里杀她,是不想玷污圣殿。
.进行改革( 16 ~ 21 )──新的行动包括同心在神面前献心、除偶像、重建敬拜生活及让全国都尊约阿施为王。“安静”是神赐给忠心者的福分。
神喜悦祂的旨意行在地上,然罪恶势力一时得逞,但终久必被除掉。在这个逆转的过程中,基督徒可扮演什么角色呢?我想我们必须如耶何耶大一样,晓得并坚持神的心意,又把握良机让它展现在地上。“重掌王权”意味神与其子民的关系再次恢复。今天,我为“神人关系相通”的事工又摆上多少呢?
思想 面对教会信徒种种衰败及俗世的生活表现,你曾作过何种改善与努力?──《新旧约辅读》
历代志下 历代志下 第廿三章 注释
1-21 约阿施复得王位
本章所载,参王下 11:4-20。
1-15 耶何耶大替约阿施夺回王位
首先他召聚通国领袖,使他们在圣殿中与年纪只有七岁的约阿施立约
,奉约阿施为王,又使祭司和利未人保护幼王。亚她利雅发觉这计谋
之後,不久即被士兵所杀,约阿施终於顺利登位。
1 耶何耶大所发起的政变有军官的支持。
4
本书作者与列王纪作者在记述整件事之时,采了不同观点,导
致记载上的差异:前者显然着重圣职人员的参与,因为政变是
在圣殿发生;後者的着眼点则在军人的参与。综合来说,圣职
人员与军人在是次政变中都担当了重要的角色。
5 「王宫」:应作圣殿,见王下11:5-6注。
6 「耶和华的殿」:指圣所。
7 「利未人 ......
兵器」:这是利未人的另一荣誉(参王下11:8)。
8
「犹大众人」:作者喜欢提到全体百姓对王的支持,以强调大
卫王朝受欢迎的程度。(比较王下11:9的「众百夫长」)。
9
「大卫王的枪、盾牌、挡牌」:见代上18:7-11。
10
「众民」:见8注(比较王下11:11「护卫长」)。
14 「班」:即「班次」,见王下11:8注。
15
「王宫的马门」:参王下11:16的「从马路上王宫去」。
16-21 耶何耶大与王和众民立约
誓要忠於耶和华,并肃清崇邪风气,重整圣殿的敬拜。
约阿施登基,通国一片欢乐。
这样,犹大国暂不受北国崇邪的风气影响。
思想问题(第 22, 23章)
1 亚她利雅可算是当时的「女强人」,可惜手段阴毒,险令大卫子
孙灭绝,王位後继无人。
她是在什麽情形下剿灭王室的呢?
这事背後有何超然因素?参 22:4-7; 24:2。
2 试追查亚哈谢的家谱,找出暗利、亚哈和亚她利雅的关系,以及
他们的作风(王上 16:25, 28-33; 代下18:1;
22:2)。
诗人说:「不从恶人的计谋、不站罪人的道路、不坐亵慢人的座
位。」(诗 1:1)这话给你什麽提醒?
3 耶何耶大深信神对大卫的应许必不落空( 23:3),但这信念并没
有使他静待神工作,他既抚养约阿施,又争取军方和民间领袖的
合作,策动推翻亚她利雅的计谋。
这对神的应许(主权)和人的责任(计划)二者的关系有何提示?
4 在亚她利雅当权的黑暗年日中,你若是敬虔的犹太人,坚信神曾
应许大卫的後裔永远作王(撒下 7:16),你的心情会如何?
当消息传出,原来王子约阿施仍在世并将登基时,你会作个怎样
的祷告?
5 耶何耶大顺利地把「真命天子」送上宝座,并在国中进行改革,
他这样做为什麽会使所有国民都欢乐、合城都安静( 23:21)?
历代志下注释
二三1~7 耶何耶大在觉得约阿施可以作王之前,要容忍篡位的亚他利雅坐在大卫的宝座上。在第七年,他召集众族长和利未人,商量推翻亚他利雅。他派人将这信息传遍全国各地,很多人都立约要让约阿施坐上他父亲的宝座。
第6节说“众百姓要遵守耶和华所吩咐的”,意思是他们遵守不擅闯圣殿的律法。利未人和众族长都各有任务,他们选了安息日作举事之日。
二三8~11 在圣殿换班的时候,耶何耶大不许旧班下班,这样便集结大量人手又不致令人怀疑。耶何耶大又将圣殿里所藏大卫的武器交给他们。当一切准备就绪,他领七岁的约阿施出殿接受加冕。约阿施按着摩西的吩咐(申一七18~20),接过一本律法书(约书)。有人认为这是放在约柜里律法书的原稿(出二五21;代下五10)。
二三12~15 亚他利雅女王到民那里,进殿察看为何百姓有欢呼声。却发现她以为一早已经死掉的小婴孩这时竟戴上王冠。但令她更惊诧的是国民都坚决地站在约阿施的那边,没有人对她所说“反了”的指控有行动。说到底,她才是篡位的人。耶何耶大吩咐人将她杀死,但不要在圣殿之内。她被带到马门,为她在犹大所行的残暴而受刑。
二三16~19 既消灭了亚他利雅,改革便迅速进行。耶何耶大与众民立约,要作耶和华的民。为了表示他们言出必行,他们拆毁巴力庙和杀死巴力的祭司玛坦。耶何耶大身为祭司,对圣殿和敬拜神的事情自然十分敏锐。他首先按着摩西和大卫所定的,设立圣殿中事奉的次序。利未人和祭司各有(派)其职。圣殿的圣洁不容许再被轻视;守门的人将不洁净的人拒诸门外。耶何耶大知道,改革必须从耶和华的殿起首。
历代志下 23:1
耶 何 耶 大: 有
关 他 如 何 推 翻 亚 他 利 雅 (23:10~15) 将 约 阿 施 扶 上 王 位 一 事, 参
历代志下
注释
二十二 10 至二十三 31 亚他利雅
本部分以亚哈谢之死开始,以他母亲亚他利雅之死结束。亚他利雅的「执政」是不正常的。作者并没有用一般的方式来介绍或作结语。她的国位不属于犹大国,更休说她是属于戴维家。她不知道当她自己即位时,一个藏在圣殿中的童子已作了真正的犹大王(二十三 3 、 7 、 10 )。至于她 6 年的统治,作者只以半句话来交代,而整章经文只为了交代她逝世那天发生的事。
犹大在亚他利雅的丈夫和儿子治下的衰落,至此已达致谷底。事情就像两个世纪以前,即扫罗的时候那样,而那是多年不断出现的危机;神的子民为了邻国外邦人看为有价值的事物,出卖自己,直至一天只有戴维家可以拯救他们。这里已是第四次王室全被屠杀,只留下一个余种(二十二 10-11 ;比较 二十一 4 、 16-17 ,二十二 8 ),但这恶谋也意味着,在神的计划中,最后和最没有可能的人,结果会成为祂所拣选的人,像戴维一样(代上二 15 )。本文与路加福音第一章之相似,不应忽略。
第二十三章大部分从列王纪下十一章而来,但历代志作者却有他独特的见解。耶何耶大的计划极其周详远大,是过于人所能想象的。他把有影响力的领袖召集起来(二十三 1 ),又招聚犹大各地的人(二十三 2 ),对于他所作的事,声称是来自耶和华的权柄(二十三 3 ),并指称约阿施已是犹大王(二十三 11 )──把列王纪的版本夸大了。连续被 3 任国君所弃绝的,却因神和祂忠心的子民暗地里保存下来(像约阿施一样)。现在旧事重提: 3 次立约(二十三 1 、 3 、 16 ),重新确定以色列人与耶和华的基本关系。众民支持这行动(二十三 12 ),说明了亚他利雅的灭亡,而她所引入的外邦思想已遭摒弃,所有百姓都遵守戴维和昔日摩西的律例(二十三 16-18 )。这样,国位和圣殿都回复原样,这大变革带来了欢乐和安静(二十三 18-21 )。但从人的角度说,那是危险的事情。
历代志下
历代志下第二十三章
23:1
本章和24章与《王下》11、12两章记的都是约阿施作王的事,可以互参。约阿施在位时期可以分为三个阶段:1,犹大国的大卫王室从被灭边缘为神拯救过来,大祭司耶何耶大率众拥立六岁大的约阿施为王,众民欢乐,因大卫一脉得以继续(23章);2,约阿施在耶何耶大的辅佐下,全民敬拜耶和华,国运兴隆(24:1-16);3,耶何耶大死,约阿施一反旧日施政方针,招来刑罚。亚兰人劫掠犹大,攻占耶京,掳去财物。不久,约阿施也病重而死(24:17-27)。
大祭司成了王朝的保护人和王政的辅佐人,对回归重建家园而又无王治理的以色列民来说,祭司和利未人地位相当重要。
23:13 本意记载歌唱的利未人领人赞美神,为《王下》记事中所无。本书特别看重音乐侍奉(参代上6:31-48及注)。