The Second Book of the Kings, commonly called the Fourth Book of the Kings
2 Kings 11
Chapter XI · Vol. II, pp. 782–783
1 Jehoash, being saved by Jehosheba his aunt from Athaliah's massacre of the seed royal of Judah, is hid six years in the house of God. 4 Jehoiada, giving order to the captains, in the seventh year anointeth him king. 13 Athaliah is slain. 17 Jehoiada restoreth the worship of God.
1 And when aAthaliah,1 the mother of Ahaziah, saw that her son was dead, she arose, and bdestroyed all the seed royal.2
2 But cJehosheba, the daughter of king Joram, sister of Ahaziah, took Joash the son of Ahaziah, and stole him from among the king's sons which were slain; and they hid3 him, even him and his nurse, in the dbed-chamber from Athaliah, so that he was not slain.
3 And he was with her hid in the house of the LORD six years: and Athaliah4 did ereign over the land.5
4 She fulfilled a part of the mission against the house of Ahab, which Jehu could not execute; for through herself the taint of Ahab's blood had been given to the house of David.—I.
e Ps.12.8. Mal.3.15. Re.17.1,7.
5 It is evident from the whole narrative that Jehoiada the high-priest was the moving spirit in this whole transaction. Jehosheba may have first discovered the infant, still alive among the bodies of the slain; but the high-priest must at once have been made acquainted with the discovery, and must have advised the placing of the child in his own apartments in the temple. Jehoiada was evidently a man distinguished for sagacity, courage, and faithfulness to God. He was thus qualified for taking a leading part in the affairs of the kingdom in a time of great danger. All his plans were laid with skill, and carried out with success.—P.
4 And the seventh year6 Jehoiada sent and fetched the frulers over hundreds, with the captains and the guard, and brought them to him into the house of the LORD, and made a gcovenant with them, and took an oath of them in the house of the LORD, and showed them the king's son.
5 And he commanded them, saying, This is the thing that ye shall do; A third part hof you that enter in on the sabbath shall even be keepers of the watch of the king's house;
h 1 Ch.23.3-6; 24.3-31; 9.25. Lu.1.8,9.
6 And a third part shall be at ithe gate of Sur; and a third part at the gate behind the guard:7 so shall ye keep the watch of the house, that it be not broken down.8
i 2 Ch.23.4,5. 1 Ch.26.16,17. Ac.4.1.
7 The temple had three gates: that of Sur is supposed to have been the east; on the west there was none. C.—According to this, it was determined that the partisans of the young prince should be divided into three bodies: one of which was to guard him in the temple, the second to keep all the avenues, and the third was placed at the gate leading to the royal palace.—I.
8 Or, from breaking up.
7 And two 9parts1 of all you that kgo forth on the sabbath, even they shall keep the watch of the house of the LORD about the king.2
9 Or, companies.
1 Heb bands.
k ver.5. 1 Ch.26.25. 2 Ch.23.6.
2 The outgoing weekly guard, instead of returning home, were to form two bands for a body-guard to the young king.—C.
8 And ye shall compass the king round about, every man with his weapons in his hand; and he that cometh within the ranges,3 letl him be slain: and be ye with the king as he goeth out, and as he cometh in.
3 Within the ranks of the guard.—C.
9 And the captains over the hundreds did according to all things that Jehoiada the priest commanded: and they took every man his men that were to come in on the sabbath, with them that should go out on the sabbath, and came to Jehoiada the priest.
10 And to the captains over hundreds did the priest give king mDavid's spears and shields,3 that were in the temple of the LORD.
A.M. 3126. B.C. 878.
3 The guards were most probably not soldiers, but the Levitical courses, 2 Ch. 23. 1, 2. They were consequently unarmed, but now are furnished either from the trophies deposited by David, or from an arsenal in the temple called by his name.—C.
11 And the guard stood, every man with his weapons in his hand, round about the king, from the right corner4 of the temple5 to the left corner of the temple, along by the naltar and the temple.
12 And he brought forth othe king's son, and put the crown upon him, and gave him the ptestimony;6 and they made him king, and anointedq him; and rthey clapped their hands, and said, sGod save the king.
o ver.2. 2 Ch.23.11.
p Ex.25.16. Ps.78.5. Is.8.16,20. De.17.18-20.
6 The words 'gave him' being supplied, the word translated 'testimony' should rather be referred to the word 'put,' and seems therefore to signify not the book of the law, but some part of the regalia or royal ornaments. C.—The testimony, says Scott, signifies the book of the law; and Joash was instructed by this significant action that he received his authority from God, and was accountable to him for it.—I.
q 1 Sa.10.1; 16.13. 1 Ki.1.39. La.4.20.
r Ps.47.1.
s Heb. let the king live, 1 Ki. 1. 34. 2 Sa. 16. 16. Ps. 72. 15, 17. [This seems to have been the usual shout of loyalty among the Hebrews. In personally addressing the king we find the expression put superlatively, as, 'let the king live for ever.' The same style of address was used to the Babylonian and Persian kings.—I.]
13 And twhen Athaliah heard the noise of the guard and of the people, she came to the people into the temple of the LORD.
14 And when she looked, behold, the king stood by a upillar,7 as the manner was, and the princes and the trumpeters by the king, and allx the people of the land rejoiced, and blew with trumpets: and Athaliah rent her clothes, and cried, yTreason, Treason.
7 On a rostrum beside a pillar (2 Ch. 6. 13), for, had the child not been raised up, the queen could not have seen or distinguished him.—C.
x 1 Ki.1.39,40. 1 Ch.12.40. ver.12. Pr.29.2.
y ver.1,2. 1 Ki.18.17,18. Mat.7.5. Ro.2.1-3.
15 But Jehoiada the priest commanded the captainsz of the hundreds, the officers of the host, and said unto them, Have her forth without the ranges: and him that afolloweth her kill with the sword. For the priest had said, Let her not be slain in the house of the LORD.8
z ver.4,9,10. 2 Ch.23.9,14.
a Eze.30.8. Re.19.20. ch.10.21-25. Je.48.10.
8 She was a murderer, ver. 1, and as such was righteously condemned.—C.
16 And they laid hands on her; and she went by the way by the which the horses came into the king's house: and there bwas she slain.
17 And Jehoiada cmade a covenant between the LORD and the king and the people, that they should be the LORD's people; between thed king also and the people.9
c De.5.2,3; 29.1,12. Jos.24.25. 2 Ch.15.12,14; 29.10; 34.31. Ezr.10.3. Ne.5.12; 9.38.
d De.17.16. 2 Sa.23.3. Ps.122.9. Ro.13.1-5.
9 The true model of a national constitution. First, so far as it may be attained, securing the honour of God's law. Secondly, the co-relative rights and privileges of king and people.—C.
18 And all the people of the land ewent into the house of Baal, and brake it down; his altars and his images brake they in pieces thoroughly, and slew Mattan the priest of Baal before the altars. And the priest appointed officers1 over the house of the LORD.2
e ch.10.25-27. 2 Ch.23.18. Is.2.18. Zec.13.2. 1 Th.1.9.
1 Heb. offices.
2 The high-priest, as natural, from the care he had taken of Joash, was appointed regent.—C.
19 And 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 fgate of the guard to the king's house. And he sat on the throne of the kings.
f ver.5. 2 Ch.23.5,19.
Notes
Reflections.—Mad ambition to reign steels the heart against the most natural affections: and men would be devils incarnate, were it not for the restraining grace of God. Even women would do everything horrid to secure their unlawful power, or wreak their malice against God and his people. What terrible bloodshed, and ruin to a family, does the introduction of one wicked woman produce! [Comp. 2 Ch. 21. 4; 22. 1; 2 Ki. 10. 14; 11. 1.] But however sinners triumph in their wickedness, their judgment lingers not; and believers shall be plucked as brands out of the burning. The promise of God shall be fulfilled, let Satan and his agents do their worst: and all the activity of sinners shall but hasten their own ruin. Evil shall hunt out the remains of accursed families till they be utterly destroyed: and neither wicked calumnies nor loud cries shall avail them. But what a blessing is one great man to a church and nation, when he is active, prudent, and pious! They who first give themselves to the Lord, may comfortably hope for his blessing upon their undertakings: and civil establishments are best founded in a due care of true religion. That kingdom will be truly happy where God's word is made the rule of the monarch's government and of the people's obedience: and when religion comes in fashion, every man will appear zealous; and religion, liberty, and order will support one another.