And the Levites shall compass. — Kings, “And ye (i.e., the centurions of the royal guard) shall compass.” (See Note on 2 Chronicles 23:4.) The chronicler characteristically dwells on the share of the Levites in the matter; but he does not expressly exclude the royal guard; and it is utterly unfair to allege that he has metamorphosed the guardsmen of Kings into Levites, “in order to divert to the priesthood the honour which properly belonged to the Praetorians” (Thenius). The truth may perhaps be that the high priest Jehoiada brought about a combination of the royal guard with the Levitical warders of the Temple; and that the united body acted under the command of the five centurions of the guard.
Cometh into the house. — 2 Kings 11:8 has, “into the ranks;” a rare word (sedçrôth), occurring only four times, viz., in this narrative thrice, and once in 1 Kings 6:8 (in a different sense).
But be ye. — So Kings. But some MSS. and the LXX., Vulg., Targ., and Arab. read here: “and let them (i.e., the Levites) be.” (See Note on 2 Kings 11:8.)