2 Kings11

New King James Version

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¹When Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she arose and destroyed all the royal heirs.

²But 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 who were being murdered; and they hid him and his nurse in the bedroom, from Athaliah, so that he was not killed.

³So he was hidden with her in the house of the Lord for six years, while Athaliah reigned over the land.

⁴In the seventh year Jehoiada sent and brought the captains of hundreds—of the bodyguards and the escorts—and brought them into the house of the Lord to him. And he made a covenant with them and took an oath from them in the house of the Lord, and showed them the king’s son.

⁵Then he commanded them, saying, “This is what you shall do: One-third of you who come on duty on the Sabbath shall be keeping watch over the king’s house,

⁶one-third shall be at the gate of Sur, and one-third at the gate behind the escorts. You shall keep the watch of the house, lest it be broken down.

⁷The two contingents of you who go off duty on the Sabbath shall keep the watch of the house of the Lord for the king.

⁸But you shall surround the king on all sides, every man with his weapons in his hand; and whoever comes within range, let him be put to death. You are to be with the king as he goes out and as he comes in.”

⁹So the captains of the hundreds did according to all that Jehoiada the priest commanded. Each of them took his men who were to be on duty on the Sabbath, with those who were going off duty on the Sabbath, and came to Jehoiada the priest.

¹⁰And the priest gave the captains of hundreds the spears and shields which had belonged to King David, that were in the temple of the Lord.

¹¹Then the escorts stood, every man with his weapons in his hand, all around the king, from the right side of the temple to the left side of the temple, by the altar and the house.

¹²And he brought out the king’s son, put the crown on him, and gave him the Testimony; they made him king and anointed him, and they clapped their hands and said, “Long live the king!”

¹³Now when Athaliah heard the noise of the escorts and the people, she came to the people in the temple of the Lord.

¹⁴When she looked, there was the king standing by a pillar according to custom; and the leaders and the trumpeters were by the king. All the people of the land were rejoicing and blowing trumpets. So Athaliah tore her clothes and cried out, “Treason! Treason!”

¹⁵And Jehoiada the priest commanded the captains of the hundreds, the officers of the army, and said to them, “Take her outside under guard, and slay with the sword whoever follows her.” For the priest had said, “Do not let her be killed in the house of the Lord.”

¹⁶So they seized her; and she went by way of the horses’ entrance into the king’s house, and there she was killed.

¹⁷Then Jehoiada made a covenant between the Lord, the king, and the people, that they should be the Lord’s people, and also between the king and the people.

¹⁸And all the people of the land went to the temple of Baal, and tore it down. They thoroughly broke in pieces its altars and images, and killed Mattan the priest of Baal before the altars. And the priest appointed officers over the house of the Lord.

¹⁹Then he took the captains of hundreds, the bodyguards, the escorts, and all the people of the land; and they brought the king down from the house of the Lord, and went by way of the gate of the escorts to the king’s house. Then he sat on the throne of the kings.

²⁰So all the people of the land rejoiced; and the city was quiet, for they had slain Athaliah with the sword in the king’s house.

²¹Jehoash was seven years old when he became king.

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Chapter Summary

In this chapter: Athaliah usurps the government of Judah, Jehoash made king. (1–12). Athaliah put to death. (13–16). The worship of the Lord restored. (17–21).

vv1-12

Athaliah destroyed all she knew to be akin to the crown. Jehoash, one of the king's sons, was hid. Now was the promise made to David bound up in one life only, and yet it did not fail. Thus to the Son of David, the Lord, according to his promise, will secure a spiritual seed, hidden sometimes, and unseen, but hidden in God's pavilion, and unhurt. Six years Athaliah tyrannized. Then the king was brought forward. A child indeed, but he had a good guardian, and, what was better, a good God to go to With such joy and satisfaction must the kingdom of Christ be welcomed into our hearts, when his throne is set up there, and Satan the usurper is cast out. Say, Let the King, even Jesus, live, for ever live and reign in my soul, and in all the world.

vv13-16

Athaliah hastened her own destruction. She herself was the greatest traitor, and yet was first and loudest in crying, Treason, treason! The most guilty are commonly the most forward to reproach others.

vv17-21

King and people would cleave most firmly to each other, when both had joined themselves to the Lord. It is well with a people, when all the changes that pass over them help to revive, strengthen, and advance the interests of religion among them. Covenants are of use, both to remind us of, and bind us to, the duties already binding on us. They immediately abolished idolatry; and, pursuant to the covenant with one another, they expressed mutual readiness to help each other. The people rejoiced, and Jerusalem was quiet. The way for people to be joyful and at peace, is to engage fully in the service of God; for the voice of joy and thanksgiving is in the dwellings of the righteous, but there is no peace for the wicked.

Key Words

AthaliahH6271Hebrew

עֲתַלְיָה: Athaljah, the name of an Israelitess and two Israelites

motherH517Hebrew

אֵם: a mother (as the bond of the family); in a wide sense (both literally and figuratively (like father))

AhaziahH274Hebrew

אֲחַזְיָה: Achazjah, the name of a Jewish and an Israelite king

sawH7200Hebrew

רָאָה: to see, literally or figuratively (in numerous applications, direct and implied, transitive, intransitive and causative)

thatH3588Hebrew

כִּי: (by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexed

sonH1121Hebrew

בֵּן: a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like father or brother), etc.)

deadH4191Hebrew

מוּת: to die (literally or figuratively); causatively, to kill

aroseH6965Hebrew

קוּם: to rise (in various applications, literal, figurative, intensive and causative)

destroyedH6Hebrew

אָבַד: properly, to wander away, i.e. lose oneself; by implication to perish (causative, destroy)

allH3605Hebrew

כֹּל: properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)