2 Chronicles 23:15

_SO THEY LAID HANDS ON HER; AND WHEN SHE WAS COME TO THE ENTERING OF THE HORSE GATE BY THE KING'S HOUSE, THEY SLEW HER THERE._ The entering of the horse gate by the king's house, they slew her there. The high priest; ordered her immediately to be taken out of the temple grounds and put to death; "and they laid hands on her; and she went by the way by the which horses came into the king's house, and there was she slain" (2 Kings 11:16). 'Now, we are not to suppose that horses came into' the kings' house 'of residence, but into the king's (horses') house or hippodrome (the gate of the king's mules) (Josephus) he had built for them on the southeast of the temple, in the immediate vicinity of the horse gate in the valley of Kedron-a valley which was at that time a kind of desecrated place, by the destruction of idols and their appurtenances' ...

Verse 2 Chronicles 23:15. _OF THE HORSE-GATE_] See on 2 Kings 11:16....

EXPOSITION This chapter records first those careful preparations of Jehoiada which eventuated in the safe proclaiming of Joash king (2 Chronicles 23:1); then the tragic demonstration and tragic end of Athaliah (2 Chronicles 23:12); and lastly, the beneficent action of Jehoiada over people and king, to the complete restoration of the worship and temple-services of the true God (2 Chronicles 23:16-14). The chapter is very closely paralleled by 2 Kings 11:4; while the characteristic and to be expected differences on the part of our text are very conspicuous. These will be noted a

2 Chronicles 23:1....

4. REFORMATION UNDER JOASH CHAPTER 23 Joash King and Athaliah's Execution _ 1. Joash made king (2 Chronicles 23:1)_ 2. Athaliah slain (2 Chronicles 23:12) 3. Jehoiada and the revival (2 Chronicles 23:16) The annotations to this interesting page in the history of Judah have already been made in connection with 2 Kings 11. We therefore pass over the preservation of the young child Joash and his hiding away in the LORD's house, on this account. However we call attention to the differences in the two accounts in...

2 CHRONICLES 23, 24. THE REIGN OF JOASH (see notes on 2 Kings 11:4 to 2 Kings 12:21. While the Chronicler bases his narrative, in the main, on the parallel passage in 2 K., he makes changes by means of additions and omissions which leave an entirely different impression on the mind of the reader; this applies more especially to the passage 2 Chronicles 23:1. According to 2 K. it is the captains of hundreds, the royal body-guard composed of foreigners, who enter the Temple at the instance of Jehoiada and proclaim Joash king; the Chronicler, on the other hand, imputes this action, not to the soldiery but to the priests and Levites, because the Law allowed none but priests and Levites to enter the sanctuary. He t

LAID HANDS ON HER: or, made way for her....

_they laid hands on her_ R.V. THEY MADE WAY FOR HER. _and when she was come to the entering of the horse gate_by _the king's house, they_etc.] R.V. AND SHE WENT TO THE ENTRY OF THE HORSE GATE TO THE KING'S HOUSE: AND THEY etc. _the horse gate_ Perhaps the "gate of the foundation" (2 Chronicles 23:5, note)....

8. THE TIMES OF ATHALIAH (2 Chronicles 22:10 to 2 Chronicles 23:15) TEXT 2 Chronicles 22:10. Now when Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she arose and destroyed all the seed royal of the house of Judah. 11. But Jehoshabeath, the daughter of the king, took Joash the son of Ahaziah, and stole him away from among the king's sons that were slain, and put him and his nurse in the bedchamber. So Jehqshabeath, the daughter of king Jehoram, the wife of Jehoiada the priest (for she was the sister of Ahaziah), hid him from Athaliah so that she slew him not. 12. And he was with them hid in the house of God six years: and Athaliah reigned over the land....

REIGN OF JOASH This chapter repeats 2 Kings 11:4, but brings into prominence the ecclesiastical officials in place of the soldiers of the royal guard....