2 Chronicles 24:17

17 Now after the death of Jehoiada, the chiefs of Judah came and went down on their faces before the king. Then the king gave ear to them.

2 Chronicles 24:17 Meaning and Commentary

2 Chronicles 24:17

Now after the death of Jehoiada came the princes of Judah,
&c.] Who had been secretly inclined to idolatry, but durst not discover it during the life of Jehoiada; whose influence at court was too great for them to counterwork, but when dead they came to court:

and made obeisance to the king;
bowed in a very lowly manner, fawned upon him, and flattered him. Some Jewish writers, as Kimchi observes, understand this of religious adoration, that they made a god of him, and worshipped him, pretending, as a foundation for it, his being hid six months in the temple, and preserved; but it designs no more than civil worship and homage:

then the king hearkened unto them;
coursing with him about divine worship, which the business they came about; desiring that they might, not be obliged to come to Jerusalem to worship, but might make use of the high places, and by that means worship what idol they pleased, which he granted to them; the Targum is,

``he received their idols from them.''

2 Chronicles 24:17 In-Context

15 But Jehoiada became old and full of days, and he came to his end; he was a hundred and thirty years old at the time of his death.

16 And they put him into his last resting-place in the town of David, among the kings, because he had done good in Israel for God and for his house.

17 Now after the death of Jehoiada, the chiefs of Judah came and went down on their faces before the king. Then the king gave ear to them.

18 And they gave up the house of the Lord God of their fathers, and became worshippers of pillars of wood and of the images; and because of this sin of theirs, wrath came on Judah and Jerusalem.

19 And the Lord sent them prophets to make them come back to him; and they gave witness against them, but they would not give ear.