2 Kings 11:14

14 and she saw the king standing on the throne (and she saw the king standing by the throne), (as) by custom, and singers, and companies nigh him, and all the people of the land being glad, and singing with trumps. And she rent her clothes, and cried, Swearing together! swearing together!/Conjuration! conjuration! either treason.

2 Kings 11:14 Meaning and Commentary

2 Kings 11:14

And when she looked, behold, the king stood by a pillar, as
the manner was
Of kings, when they came into the temple on any occasion, civil or religious, therefore it is called his pillar, ( 2 Chronicles 23:13 ) ( 2 Kings 23:3 ) ( 2 Chronicles 34:1 ) , some think this was the brazen scaffold erected by Solomon, ( 2 Chronicles 6:13 ) , though Vitringa F5 and Bishop Patrick suppose it to be the post of the east gate of the inner court, from ( Ezekiel 46:2 ) , according to Jacob Leo F6, this was the royal throne in the court of the Israelites, near the high or upper gate, on a marble pillar, where the kings of the house of David sat, when they came into the sanctuary to see the Lord in the second temple; this throne was like an high tower, standing upon two pillars, each twenty cubits high, and their circumference twelve; here sat Joash, and Hezekiah, and Josiah; however, Athaliah saw Jehoash with the crown on his head, and in the place where kings used to sit or stand:

and the princes and the trumpeters by the king;
the rulers of the courses of the priests, and the Levites, blowing the trumpets:

and all the people of the land rejoiced, and blew with trumpets;
it is added, in ( 2 Chronicles 23:13 ) that the singers played also on musical instruments; that were then and there assembled:

and Athaliah rent her clothes;
through grief, and as one almost distracted:

and cried, treason, treason!
to try if she could get any to take her part, and seize on the new king, and those that set him up.


FOOTNOTES:

F5 Proleghom. de Synagog. Vet. c. 4. p. 32.
F6 Apud Wagenseil. Sotah, p. 680.

2 Kings 11:14 In-Context

12 And he brought forth the son of the king, and put upon his head a diadem, and the witnessing; and they made him king, and anointed him; and they clapped with the hand[s], and said, The king live! (And he brought forth the king's son, and put the crown on his head, and gave him the warrant; and then they anointed him king; and they clapped their hands, and said, Long live the king!)
13 Forsooth Athaliah heard the voice(s) of the people running, and she entered to the companies into the temple of the Lord, (And Athaliah heard all the noise that the people made, and she came into the Temple of the Lord,)
14 and she saw the king standing on the throne (and she saw the king standing by the throne), (as) by custom, and singers, and companies nigh him, and all the people of the land being glad, and singing with trumps. And she rent her clothes, and cried, Swearing together! swearing together!/Conjuration! conjuration! either treason.
15 Certainly Jehoiada commanded to the chieftains (upon hundreds), that were upon the host, and said to them, Lead ye her out of the closings of the temple; and whoever followeth her, be he smitten with [a] sword. And the priest said, Be she not slain in the temple of the Lord. (And Jehoiada commanded to the chieftains upon hundreds, who were over the army, and said to them, Take ye her out of the enclosings of the Temple; and whoever followeth her, let him be struck down with a sword. And the priest said, She shall not be killed in the Temple of the Lord.)
16 And they putted hands on her, and hurled her by the way of the entering of [the] horses beside the palace; and she was slain there.
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.