12 Then he brought out the king's son, and put the crown on him, and (gave him) the testimony; and they made him king, and anointed him; and they clapped their hands, and said, "Long live the king!"
*Minor differences ignored. Grouped by changes, with first version listed as example.
The testimony - i. e., "The Book of the Law" which was kept in the ark of the covenant (Dent. 31:26). This Jehoiada placed ou the king's head at the moment of coronation, perhaps to indicate that the king was not to be above, but under, the direction of the Law of his country.
Put the crown upon him - This was a diadem or golden band that went round the head.
And - the testimony - Probably the book of the law, written on a roll of vellum. This was his scepter. Some think that it was placed upon his head, as well as the diadem. The diadem, the testimony, and the anointing oil, were essential to his consecration.
They clapped their hands - This I believe is the first instance on record of clapping the hands as a testimony of joy.
God save the king - יחי המלך yechi hannmelech; May the king live! So the words should be translated wherever they occur.
And he brought forth (l) the king's son, and put the crown upon him, and [gave him] (m) the testimony; and they made him king, and anointed him; and they clapped their hands, and said, God save the king.
(l) That is, Joash, who had been kept secret six years.
(m) Meaning, the law of God, which is his chief charge, and by which only his throne is established.
And he brought forth the king's son,.... Out of the apartment in the temple where he had been brought up:
and put the crown upon him; the crown royal, which seems to have been kept in the temple:
and gave him the testimony; the book of the law, which he was to read in all his days, and according to it govern the people; and which was a testimony of the will of God both to him and them: Kimchi and Ben Melech interpret it of royal garments put upon him:
and they made him king, and anointed him; proclaimed and declared him king, and anointed him, for the confirmation of it, because of the pretension Athaliah made to the kingdom; otherwise, as the Jewish writers say, the son of a king was not anointed; and hence, they say, it was, that Solomon was anointed, because of the claim of Adonijah:
and they clapped their hands; in token of joy:
and said, God save the king; or, "let the king live"; or, "may he prosper", as the Targum; may health and prosperity attend him in his government. In 2-Chronicles 23:11, it is said; "Jehoiada and his sons anointed him", and said those words; among whom must be Zechariah, whom this king afterwards slew, which was an instance of great ingratitude, 2-Chronicles 24:20.
After the approaches to the temple had all been occupied in this manner, Jehoiada brought out the king's son from his home in the temple; or, he brought him forth, set the crown upon him, and handed him the testimony, i.e., the book of the law, as the rule of his life and action as king, according to the precept in Deuteronomy 17:18-19. ואת־העדוּת is connected with את־הנּזר עליו יתּן, because עליו יתּן has the general meaning "delivered to him, handed him," and does not specially affirm the putting on of the crown. ימליכוּ, they made him king. The subject is the persons present, through, as a matter of course, the anointing was performed by Jehoiada and the priests, as the Chronicles expressly affirm. Clapping the hands was a sign of joyful acclamation, like the cry, "Long live the king" (cf. 1-Kings 1:39).
Testimony - The book of the law, which he put into the king's hand, to mind him of his duty at his entrance upon his kingdom, which was to read and write out that holy book, Deuteronomy 17:18, and to govern himself and his kingdom by it: the law of God being frequently and most properly called a testimony, because it is a witness of God's will, and man's duty.
*More commentary available at chapter level.