The Defenders of the Davidic Line
The Carites are identified as a special body of troops or guards within the Kingdom of Judah who played a central, providential role in preserving the rightful heir to the throne from a murderous usurper. Their story is a powerful illustration of how God uses human instruments—even professional soldiers—to advance His covenant plan against spiritual and political wickedness.
The Name and the KJV Translation
The term Carites (from the Hebrew Kari) is found in modern English translations of 2 Kings 11:4, 19. However, the King James Version (KJV) frequently renders this Hebrew word as “captains” or associates them with the “guard” or the “Cherethites” (David’s foreign bodyguards).
Let us look at the KJV reference where the Carites are implied or referenced:
“And in the seventh year Jehoiada sent and fetched the rulers over hundreds, with the captains and the guard, and brought them to him into the house of the LORD, and made a covenant with them, and took an oath of them in the house of the LORD, and showed them the king’s son.” (2 Kings 11:4, KJV)
Many scholars agree that these “captains” or “guards” refer to the Carites, a special corps that had continued the tradition of loyalty established by King David’s famous Cherethites and Pelethites (2 Samuel 8:18), who were often foreign mercenaries prized for their singular allegiance to the king.
The Crisis of Athaliah’s Apostasy
The Carites appear at one of the darkest moments in the history of Judah. After the death of King Ahaziah, his mother, the wicked Queen Athaliah (daughter of Jezebel), seized the throne. She attempted to utterly destroy the Davidic royal seed:
“And when Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she arose and destroyed all the seed royal.” (2 Kings 11:1, KJV)
This act was the highest form of apostasy—a direct assault against God’s covenant promise that David would never lack a man to sit on his throne (2 Samuel 7:16). Athaliah was attempting to prevent the lineage of the Messiah from continuing.
The Carites’ Role in Divine Preservation
The High Priest Jehoiada miraculously saved the infant Prince Joash, the rightful heir, and hid him in the Temple for six years. In the seventh year, Jehoiada initiated the courageous counter-coup.
The Carites, as royal guards and enforcers, were essential to this plan. Jehoiada brought their commanders into the holy Temple and made a solemn, covenantal oath with them. Their critical mission involved:
- Protecting the Heir: They were strategically stationed within the Temple precincts to guard the boy-king Joash.
- Enthroning the King: They formed the necessary military presence to bring Joash out and crown him as the rightful monarch.
- Executing the Usurper: They facilitated the execution of Queen Athaliah, restoring the throne to the divinely appointed Davidic line.
“He took the rulers over hundreds, and the captains, and the guard, and all the people of the land; and they brought down the king from the house of the LORD, and came by the way of the gate of the guard to the king’s house. And he sat on the throne of the kings.” (2 Kings 11:19, KJV)
The Spiritual Lesson of the Carites
The role of the Carites offers a potent prophetic parallel for the believers defending the truth:
- Loyalty to the Rightful King: They demonstrated unwavering loyalty to the true, albeit hidden, King (Joash), even when the usurper (Athaliah) held all the visible power. This parallels the necessity of allegiance to Christ, the Son of David, even when the world is ruled by the spirit of the Antichrist.
- Instruments of Providence: Their service confirms that God uses those who remain faithful to their charge, regardless of their origin, to protect the stream of His prophetic truth and preserve the lineage that would ultimately bring forth the Lord’s Return.