A third part of you that enter, &c.— The captains, and other officers who were admitted to the knowledge of Jehoiada's design, came into the temple unarmed, that they might give no suspicion: but as David had erected a kind of sacred armoury in one of the apartments of the temple, wherein were deposited the weapons and other trophies which he and several other generals had gained from their enemies; Jehoiada took care upon the present occasion to have this magazine of military provisions opened, so that there was no want of any sort of arms. See Exodus 11:10 and Joseph. Antiq. lib. 9: cap. 7.
Related Commentaries of 2 Kings 11:5
2 Kings 11:5
5 And he commanded them, saying, This is the thing that ye shall do; A third part of you that enter in on the sabbath shall even be keepers of the watch of the king's house;