2 Kings 11:15-21

15 And Jehoiada the priest commanded the captains of hundreds who were appointed over the army and said to them, "Bring her out between * * the ranks, and whoever follows * her put to death with the sword." For the priest said, "Let her not be put to death in the house of the LORD."

16 So they seized * her, and when she arrived at the horses' entrance of the king's house, she was ¹put to death there.

17 Then ²Jehoiada made a covenant between the LORD and the king and the people, that they would be the LORD'S people, also ³between the king and the people.

18 All the people of the land went to ⁴the house of Baal, and tore it down; ⁵his altars and his images they broke in pieces thoroughly, and ⁶killed Mattan the priest of Baal before the altars. And the priest appointed officers over the house of the LORD.

19 He took the captains of hundreds and the ⁷Carites and the guards and all the people of the land; and they brought the king down from the house of the LORD, and came by the way of ⁸the gate of the guards to the king's house. And he sat on the throne of the kings.

20 So ⁹all the people of the land rejoiced and the city was quiet. For they had put Athaliah to death with the sword at the king's house.

21 ¹⁰Jehoash was seven years old when he became king.

2 Kings 11:15-21 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO 2 KINGS 11

This chapter relates how that Joash the son of Ahaziah, king of Judah, being hid and preserved, when his grandmother murdered all the seed royal, after six years was produced, 2Ki 11:1-3, when Jehoiada the priest set a sufficient guard about him, and the king's house, and anointed him king, 2Ki 11:4-12, and Athaliah his grandmother, who had reigned six years, was put to death by the order of the priest, 2Ki 10:13-16, and then a covenant was made between the Lord, and the king, and the people, and between the king and the people; and he was placed on the throne, to the satisfaction of the people, and the quiet thereof, 2Ki 10:17-21.

Cross References

• 1. Genesis 9:6; Leviticus 24:17
• 2. Joshua 24:25; 2 Chronicles 15:12-14; 2 Chronicles 34:31
• 3. 1 Samuel 10:25; 2 Samuel 5:3
• 4. 2 Kings 10:26, 27
• 5. Deuteronomy 12:2, 3
• 6. 1 Kings 18:40
• 7. 2 Kings 11:4
• 8. 2 Kings 11:6
• 9. Proverbs 11:10
• 10. 2 Chronicles 24:1-14

Footnotes

• [a] Lit "from within"
• [b] Lit "placed hands to her"
• [c] Lit "offices"
• [d] Lit "runners"
• [e] Lit "runners"
• [f] Ch 12:1 in Heb