2 Kings 11:14

14 As she looked, there was the king standing by the pillar according to the custom. The commanders and the trumpeters were by the king, and all the people of the land were rejoicing and blowing trumpets.[a] Athaliah tore her clothes and screamed "Treason! 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 He brought out the king's son, put the crown on him, gave him the testimony,and made him king. They anointed him and clapped their hands and cried, "Long live the king!"
13 When Athaliah heard the noise from the guard [and] the crowd, she went out to the people at the Lord's temple.
14 As she looked, there was the king standing by the pillar according to the custom. The commanders and the trumpeters were by the king, and all the people of the land were rejoicing and blowing trumpets. Athaliah tore her clothes and screamed "Treason! Treason!"
15 Then Jehoiada the priest ordered the commanders of hundreds in charge of the army, "Take her out between the ranks, and put anyone who follows her to death by the sword," for the priest had said, "She is not to be put to death in the Lord's temple."
16 So they arrested her, and she went out by way of the Horses' Entrance to the king's palace, where she was put to death.

Footnotes 1

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