2 Kings 11:18

17-21 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....

Verse 2 Kings 11:18. _HIS ALTARS AND IMAGES BRAKE THEY IN PIECES_] It is probable that Athaliah had set up the worship of Baal in Judah, as Jezebel had done in Israel; or probably it had never been removed since the days of Solomon. It was no wonder that Jehoiada began his reform with this act, when we learn from 2 Chronicles 24:7, that _the sons of Athaliah, that wicked woman, had broken up the house_ _of God; and also all the dedicated things of the house of the Lord_ _did they bestow upon Baalim_....

A temple had been built to Baal at Jerusalem itself by Athaliah, Ahaziah, or Jehoram. According to Josephus, it was constructed in the reign of Jehoram. Its exact position is uncertain. IMAGES - The word used here is not the same as in 2 Kings 10:26, but a word which implies likeness. The Phoenicians had fashioned images, besides their unfashioned pillar-idols. THE PRIEST APPOINTED ... - The temple worship having been discontinued during Athaliah’s rule, it devolved on Jehoiada now to re-establish it (see marginal reference). He had already summoned the Levites out of all the cities of Judah 2 Chronicles 23:2, and had made use of them in the events of the day. He therefore proceeded at o

EXPOSITION 2 KINGS 11:1 REVOLUTION IN JUDAH, FOLLOWING THE REVOLUTIONARY MOVEMENTS IN ISRAEL. REIGN OF ATHALIAH OVER JUDAH. CONSPIRACY OF JEHOIADA, AND DEATH OF ATHALIAH. 2 KINGS 11:1 On learning the death of Ahaziah (2 Kings 9:27), Athaliah, daughter of Ahab and Jezebel, the queen-mother, murders all h

AND ALL THE PEOPLE OF THE LAND,.... That were at Jerusalem, and the parts adjacent, that came from the country, hearing what was done: went into the house of Baal; a temple of his Athaliah had built, either in Jerusalem, or near it; perhaps on the mount of Olives, called the mount of corruption, 2 Kings 23:13 from the idolatry there committed: AND BRAKE IT DOWN, HIS ALTARS AND HIS IMAGES BRAKE THEY IN PIECES THOROUGHLY; made an entire destruction of them all, temple, altars, the images of Baal and other deities: AND SLEW MATTAN THE PRIEST OF BAAL BEFORE THE ALTAR; either as he was sacrificing, or that he might be a sacrifice, or where he had fled for refuge: AND THE PRIEST APPOINTED OFFICERS OVER THE HOUSE OF THE LORD; priests to offer sacrifices, Levites to sing the praises of God, porters at the door of the temple, and watches i

3. ATHALIAH AND JEHOIADA'S REVIVAL CHAPTER 11 _ 1. Athaliah's wicked reign (2 Kings 11:1; 2 Chronicles 22:10)_ 2. Joash (Jehoash) proclaimed king (2 Kings 11:4; 2 Chronicles 23:1) 3. The death of Athaliah (2 Kings 11:13; 2 Chronicles 23:12) 4. Jehoiada's revival (2 Kings 11:17;...

2 KINGS 11. USURPATION OF ATHALIAH. CORONATION OF JOASH AND EXECUTION OF ATHALIAH. Athaliah, mother of Ahaziah, a daughter of Ahab, destroyed the royal family of Judah, except Joash, a child who was saved by Jehosheba and kept concealed for six years, during which time Athaliah reigned (2 Kings 11:1). The author gives no notice, as is customary, of her regnal years; and S. A. Cook (EBi, col. 381) remarks on her maintaining herself on the throne for six years as a singular fact, which raises questions more easily asked than answered. At the end of this period Jehoiada, according to 2 Chronicles 22:11, the husband of Jehosheba, made a conspiracy with the troops, showed them the king's son, and arranged for the overthrow of Athaliah ...

_went_into [R.V. TO] _the house of Baal_ Athaliah had set up Baal worship in Judah after the fashion of the northern kingdom. We are told also in 2 Chronicles 24:7 that the sons of Athaliah had broken up (i.e. broken into) the house of God, and bestowed the dedicated things of the house of the Lord upon the Baalim. It is clear from this that the house of Baal was not any portion of the temple which had been appropriated to the idolatrous worship, but a separate building, into which spoils from the temple had been conveyed. It may have been on the same hill with the temple, though of that we cannot be certain. There can however be no doubt that the Baal worship had not extended largely in Judah. Hence the readiness of the people of the land, called to Jerusalem by some festival, to go to the Baalite edifice and destroy it. _brake they in pieces throughly_ That th

II. TURMOIL IN JUDAH 11:1-12:21 In 2 Kings 11:1 the history of Judah is taken up where it left off at the end of chapter 8. The forty-five years covered in Chapter s 11-12 are. characterized for the most part by political turmoil. The brief and turbulent reign of Athaliah (2 Kings 11:1-20) was followed by the lengthy but disappointing reign of Joash (2 Kings 11:21 2 Kings 12:21). A. THE REIGN OF ATHALIAH IN JUDAH 11:1-20 The revolution of 841 B.C. is crucial in the history of Judah as well as of Israel. King Ahaziah and forty-two members of the royal house were slain by the zealot Jehu. This set the stage for a usurp

THE USURPATION OF ATHALIAH AND PRESERVATION OF JOASH 1. Athaliah] She was the daughter of Ahab and Jezebel (2 Kings 8:18; 2 Kings 8:26), possessed her mother's high courage, and, like her, was a devoted worshipper of Baal. Her position as queenmother she would naturally lose on the accession of Ahaziah's son, the deceased monarch's wife becoming queen-mother in her stead. She, therefore, took measures to place herself on the throne by removing all rivals, and then proceeded to make the worship of Baal predominant in the land: see 2 Chronicles 24:7....