Athaliah, as wife of Joram and mother of Ahaziah, had guided both the internal and the external policy of the Jewish kingdom; she had procured the establishmeut of the worship of Baal in Judaea 2 Kings 8:18, 2 Kings 8:27, and had maintained a close alliance with the sister kingdom 2Ki 8:29; 2 Kings... [ Continue Reading ]
JEHOSHEBA ... SISTER OF AHAZIAH - “Half-sister,” according to Josephus - daughter of Joram, not by Athaliah, but by another wife. She was married to Jehoiada the high priest, and was thus in a position to save and conceal her nephew, Joash, who was only one year old (compare 2 Kings 11:3, 2 Kings 11... [ Continue Reading ]
AND ATHALIAH DID REIGN OVER THE LAND - In these words the writer dismisses the entire reign of Athaliah, whereof he scorns to speak. We gather incidentally from 2 Kings 12:5, compared with 2 Chronicles 24:7, that Athaliah used her power to establish the exclusive worship of BaaI through the kingdom... [ Continue Reading ]
See the marginal reference. THE CAPTAINS - The word used here and in 2 Kings 11:19, הא־כרי _ha_-_kârı̂y_, designates a certain part of the royal guard, probably that which in the earlier times was known under the name of Cherethites 1 Kings 1:38. Others see in the term an ethnic name - “Carians,”... [ Continue Reading ]
Five divisions of the guard under their five captains are distinguished here. Three of the five divisions “enter in” on the Sabbath; the other two “go forth” on the Sabbath 2 Kings 11:7. By the former phrase seems to be meant the mounting guard at the royal palace (the “king’s house,” where Athaliah... [ Continue Reading ]
FROM THE RIGHT CORNER ... - Rather, “from the right side of the temple buildings to the left side” - i. e., right across the temple court from the one side to the other, by the altar of burnt offerings, etc. This altar stood exactly in front of the temple-porch. Here the king was stationed; and befo... [ Continue Reading ]
THE TESTIMONY - i. e., “The Book of the Law” which was kept in the ark of the covenant (Dent. 31:26). This Jehoiada placed ou the king’s head at the moment of coronation, perhaps to indicate that the king was not to be above, but under, the direction of the Law of his country.... [ Continue Reading ]
BY A PILLAR - Rather, “upon the pillar” probably a sort of stand, or pulpit, raised on a pillar. Under the later monarchy the Jewish king seems to have had a special place assigned him in the temple-court, from which on occasions he addressed the people (marginal references).... [ Continue Reading ]
HAVE HER FORTH WITHOUT THE RANGES - Rather, “Conduct her out between your ranks.” Guard her, i. e., on all sides, that the people may not fall upon her and kill her as she passes through the court, thereby polluting the temple.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THEY LAID HANDS ON HER - Most modern critics render - “and they gave her space,” i. e., they cleared a way for her, and allowed her to walk out of the temple not only unharmed but untonched.... [ Continue Reading ]
A COVENANT - Rather, “the covenant,” which either was already an established part of a coronation (marginal reference “k”), or at least became such afterward.... [ Continue Reading ]
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 Phoenicia... [ Continue Reading ]
They conducted the king down from the temple hill, across the valley of the Tyropoeum, and up the opposite hill to the royal palace, entering it not by the “horse-gate” 2 Kings 11:16, where Athaliah had just been slain, but by the “gate of the guard” 2 Kings 11:6, which was probably the main gate of... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY SLEW ATHALIAH WITH THE SWORD - This is one of the many little repetitions which mark the manner of the writer, and which generally contain some little point which has not been mentioned before (compare 2 Kings 11:16).... [ Continue Reading ]