English · ASV

2 Kings 11

Listen to this chapter
0:00 0:00

Athaliah Seizes the Throne 1–3

1
Now when Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she arose and destroyed all the seed royal. ​
2
But Jehosheba, the daughter of king Joram, sister of Ahaziah, took Joash the son of Ahaziah, and stole him away from among the king’s sons that were slain, even him and his nurse, and put them in the bedchamber; and they hid him from Athaliah, so that he was not slain; ​
3
And he was with her hid in the house of Jehovah six years. And Athaliah reigned over the land. ​

Jehoiada Organizes the Coup 4–12

4
And in the seventh year Jehoiada sent and fetched the captains over hundreds of the Carites and of the guard, and brought them to him into the house of Jehovah; and he made a covenant with them, and took an oath of them in the house of Jehovah, and showed them the king’s son. ​
5
And he commanded them, saying, This is the thing that ye shall do: a third part of you, that come in on the sabbath, shall be keepers of the watch of the king’s house; ​
6
and a third part shall be at the gate Sur; and a third part at the gate behind the guard: so shall ye keep the watch of the house, and be a barrier.
7
And the two companies of you, even all that go forth on the sabbath, shall keep the watch of the house of Jehovah about the king.
8
And ye shall compass the king round about, every man with his weapons in his hand; and he that cometh within the ranks, let him be slain: and be ye with the king when he goeth out, and when he cometh in.
9
And the captains over hundreds did according to all that Jehoiada the priest commanded; and they took every man his men, those that were to come in on the sabbath, with those that were to go out on the sabbath, and came to Jehoiada the priest.
10
And the priest delivered to the captains over hundreds the spears and shields that had been king David’s, which were in the house of Jehovah. ​
11
And the guard stood, every man with his weapons in his hand, from the right side of the house to the left side of the house, along by the altar and the house, by the king round about.
12
Then he brought out the king’s son, and put the crown upon him, andgave himthe testimony; and they made him king, and anointed him; and they clapped their hands, and said, Longlive the king. ​

Athaliah Is Executed 13–16

13
And when Athaliah heard the noise of the guardand ofthe people, she came to the people into the house of Jehovah:
14
and she looked, and, behold, the king stood by the pillar, as the manner was, and the captains and the trumpets by the king; and all the people of the land rejoiced, and blew trumpets. Then Athaliah rent her clothes, and cried, Treason! treason! ​
15
And Jehoiada the priest commanded the captains of hundreds that were set over the host, and said unto them, Have her forth between the ranks; and him that followeth her slay with the sword. For the priest said, Let her not be slain in the house of Jehovah. ​
16
So they made way for her; and she went by the way of the horses’ entry to the king’s house: and there was she slain.

Restoration of the Davidic Covenant 17–20

17
And Jehoiada made a covenant between Jehovah and the king and the people, that they should be Jehovah’s people; between the king also and the people. ​
18
And all the people of the land went to 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 officers over the house of Jehovah. ​
19
And he took the captains over hundreds, and the Carites, and the guard, and all the people of the land; and they brought down the king from the house of Jehovah, and came by the way of the gate of the guard unto the king’s house. And he sat on the throne of the kings.
20
So all the people of the land rejoiced, and the city was quiet. And Athaliah they had slain with the sword at the king’s house.

Jehoash Begins His Reign 21

21
Jehoash was seven years old when he began to reign. ​

Bible text: American Standard Version (1901) · Public domain

Study Notes for 2 Kings 11

Verse 1

destroyed all the seed royal — 'Seed' (zera) is the word of the promise to David, 'I will set up thy seed after thee' (2 Sam 7:12), so what Athaliah strikes is the line that promise was made to. She acts when she sees 'that her son was dead' (9:27). 2 Chr 22:10 adds 'of the house of Judah'.

Verse 2

Jehosheba, the daughter of king Joram — 2 Chr 22:11 names her 'the wife of Jehoiada the priest' and again 'the sister of Ahaziah', and calls her father Jehoram. She 'stole' (ganab) the child Joash from among the king's sons who were being slain, and hid him with his nurse 'in the bedchamber'. The line promised 'a light' (8:19) is kept by her act.

Verse 3

hid in the house of the LORD six years — The child is kept in the house of the LORD for the years of Athaliah's reign, as 2 Chr 22:12 also records. 'Hid' is chaba, to hide oneself away. Jehoiada's move 'the seventh year' (v.4) ends the hiding.

Verse 4

made a covenant with them, and took an oath of them — Jehoiada brings the captains 'into the house of the LORD', and both covenant (berit) and oath are taken there, before 'the king's son' is shown to them. 2 Chr 23:1 names the five captains of hundreds he took into covenant. The place gives the pledge the LORD as its witness.

Verse 5

on the sabbath — The plan rests on the changing of the watch: 'his men that were to come in on the sabbath, with them that should go out on the sabbath' (v.9). A third of those entering are to keep the watch of the king's house. 2 Chr 23:4 says this third was 'of the priests and of the Levites, shall be porters of the doors'.

Verse 10

king David's spears and shields — They were kept 'in the temple of the LORD'. David had taken 'the shields of gold that were on the servants of Hadadezer' and brought them to Jerusalem (2 Sam 8:7), and 2 Chr 23:9 says the arms Jehoiada gave out 'had been king David's'. The captains are armed from the store of the king whose line they are defending.

Verse 12

gave him the testimony — 'Testimony' (edut) is the word for what was put 'into the ark' (Ex 25:16). It is handed to the king with the crown; compare the king's 'copy of this law' in Deut 17:18. 'God save the king' is literally 'let the king live' (chayah), the shout of 1 Sam 10:24, which is also heard at Solomon's anointing (1 Kgs 1:39).

Verse 14

by a pillar, as the manner was — The king stands at the pillar, as Josiah later did when he 'made a covenant before the LORD' (2 Kgs 23:3). Athaliah's 'Treason' is qesher, an unlawful alliance, the noun of the verb used of Jehu, 'conspired' (9:14). The people 'blew with trumpets', as for Solomon (1 Kgs 1:39).

Verse 15

Let her not be slain in the house of the LORD — Jehoiada commands the captains to take her 'without the ranges' (sederot, rows or ranks of soldiers) and to kill whoever follows. The temple is kept free of her death; v.16 has her led 'by the way by the which the horses came into the king's house', and 'there was she slain'.

Verse 17

a covenant between the LORD and the king and the people — The first covenant is that they 'should be the LORD'S people', as Moses said: 'that he may establish thee to day for a people unto himself' (Deut 29:13). The second, 'between the king also and the people', is like David's league with the elders 'before the LORD' (2 Sam 5:3).

Verse 18

slew Mattan the priest of Baal — The people break the house of Baal, its altars and images, as Deut 12:3 commanded of such places, and kill its priest 'before the altars'. 2 Chr 24:7 says Athaliah's sons had given 'all the dedicated things of the house of the LORD' to the Baalim. The priest then 'appointed officers over the house of the LORD'.

Verse 21

Seven years old was Jehoash — 'Jehoash' (Yehoash) and 'Joash' (Yoash) in v.2 are one name in two forms. 2 Chr 24:1 gives the same age and forty years of reign, and 2 Chr 24:2 says he 'did that which was right in the sight of the LORD all the days of Jehoiada the priest'. 12:1 dates his reign to 'the seventh year of Jehu'.