2 Kings 11:2

2 But Jehosheba, King Jehoram's daughter and Ahaziah's sister, secretly took Ahaziah's son Jehoash from the rest of the royal children who were about to be murdered and hid him in a bedroom along with his nurse. In this way Jehoash was hidden from Athaliah and wasn't murdered.

2 Kings 11:2 Meaning and Commentary

2 Kings 11:2

But Jehosheba, the daughter of King Joram
Not by Athaliah, but another woman; for an high priest, as her husband was, would not have married the daughter of such an idolatrous woman, nor would she have married her to him:

sister of Ahaziah, took Joash the son of Ahaziah, and stole him from
among the king's sons which were slain:
among whom he lay; either being cast there by the murderer, or her associates, supposed to be dead, or by his nurse, that he might be thought to be so, who acquainting his aunt with it, went and privately took him away:

and they hid him, even him and his nurse, in the bedchamber from
Athaliah, so that he was not slain;
that is, Jehosheba and her husband hid him and his nurse in a bedchamber; or "chamber of beds" F25, in which there were more beds than one; one of the chambers of the priests and Levites in the temple, that is, which were adjoining to it; for into the sanctuary itself it was not usual to bring beds F26; wherefore

the house of the Lord,
in the next verse, must be understood largely as including all the appendages of it.


FOOTNOTES:

F25 (twjmh rdxb) "in cubiculo lectorum", Pagninus, Montanus. So Sept. &c.
F26 T. Bab. Tamid, c. 1. fol. 26. 2.

2 Kings 11:2 In-Context

1 When Athaliah, Ahaziah's mother, learned of her son's death, she immediately destroyed the entire royal family.
2 But Jehosheba, King Jehoram's daughter and Ahaziah's sister, secretly took Ahaziah's son Jehoash from the rest of the royal children who were about to be murdered and hid him in a bedroom along with his nurse. In this way Jehoash was hidden from Athaliah and wasn't murdered.
3 He remained hidden with his nurse in the LORD's temple for six years while Athaliah ruled the country.
4 But in the seventh year Jehoiada sent for the commanders of the Carites and of the guards and had them come to him at the LORD's temple. He made a covenant with them, and made them swear a solemn pledge in the LORD's temple. Then he showed them the king's son.
5 He commanded them, "This is what you must do: A third of you coming on sabbath duty will guard the palace,

Footnotes 3

  • [a]. Heb Joram; the king’s name is usually spelled in its long form Jehoram (cf 2 Chron 22:11).
  • [b]. Heb Joash; the king’s name is variously spelled in either long Jehoash or short Joash forms. The latter is the form used in 2 Chron.
  • [c]. See 2 Chron 22:11; Heb lacks hid.
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