As often as the king entered into Yahweh’s house, the guard came and bore them, then brought them back into the guard room.
Parallel translations
- KJV And when the king entered into the house of the LORD, the guard came and fetched them, and brought them again into the guard chamber.
- BSB And whenever the king entered the house of the LORD, the guards would go with him, bearing the shields, and later they would return them to the guardroom.
- NKJV And whenever the king entered the house of the Lord, the guard would go and bring them out; then they would take them back into the guardroom.
- NASB As often as the king entered the house of the Lord, the guards came and carried them and then brought them back into the guards’ room.
- NLT Whenever the king went to the Temple of the Lord, the guards would also take the shields and then return them to the guardroom.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
The guards carry the bronze shields whenever the king goes to the temple, then return them to the guardroom. The reduced glory becomes part of royal routine.
Overview
This ceremonial detail shows the kingdom adapting to its lessened state, parading bronze where gold once gleamed. The ritual preserves a semblance of grandeur while quietly confessing what has been lost. It stands as an enduring reminder of the consequences of forsaking the LORD.
Cross-references & the web
No cross-references recorded for this verse.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.
Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.
Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.
Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.
The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).
Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
Christ at the center
Temple, priesthood, and the repeated need for a faithful king who seeks the LORD all point past every imperfect reign to the King and Temple who finally and fully dwell with God's people.
How 2 Chronicles 12:11 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.