2 Kings 11:15

15 Jehoiada the priest ordered the military officers, "Drag her outside and kill anyone who tries to follow her!" (The priest had said, "Don't kill her inside The Temple of God.")

2 Kings 11:15 Meaning and Commentary

2 Kings 11:15

But Jehoiada the priest commanded the captains of the
hundreds, the officers of the host
Of the priests and Levites:

and said unto them, have her forth without the ranges;
the ranks of the guards, which were at the gate leading to the palace, or rather "within" them F7; the meaning is, that he ordered her to be had out of the court of the temple, and be put within their ranks, and enclosed by them, that her blood might not be shed in the temple, and yet not escape them:

and him that followeth her, kill with the sword:
that takes her part, and offers to help and assist her, passing through the ranks after her, dispatch him at once:

for the priest had said, let her not be slain in the house of the Lord:
that it might not be defiled with her blood; by which it appears that the guards had orders concerning her before, should she come to the temple, see ( 2 Kings 11:13 ) .


FOOTNOTES:

F7 (trdvl tybm) "intra ordines", Munster, Junius, Tremellius, Piscator, Noldius, p. 79. No. 365. So Jarchi, Kimchi, Ben Gersom, & Ben Melech.

2 Kings 11:15 In-Context

13 Athaliah heard the shouting of guards and people and came to the crowd gathered at The Temple of God.
14 Astonished, she saw the king standing beside the throne, flanked by the captains and heralds, with everybody beside themselves with joy, trumpets blaring. Athaliah ripped her robes in dismay and shouted, "Treason! Treason!"
15 Jehoiada the priest ordered the military officers, "Drag her outside and kill anyone who tries to follow her!" (The priest had said, "Don't kill her inside The Temple of God.")
16 So they dragged her out to the palace's horse corral; there they killed her.
17 Jehoiada now made a covenant between God and the king and the people: They were God's people. Another covenant was made between the king and the people.
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.