2 Kings 11:8

8 Station yourselves around the king, each of you with weapon in hand. Anyone who approaches your ranks[a] is to be put to death. Stay close to the king wherever he goes.”

2 Kings 11:8 in Other Translations

KJV
8 And ye shall compass the king round about, every man with his weapons in his hand: and he that cometh within the ranges, let him be slain: and be ye with the king as he goeth out and as he cometh in.
ESV
8 shall surround the king, each with his weapons in his hand. And whoever approaches the ranks is to be put to death. Be with the king when he goes out and when he comes in."
NLT
8 Form a bodyguard around the king and keep your weapons in hand. Kill anyone who tries to break through. Stay with the king wherever he goes.”
CSB
8 You must completely surround the king with weapons in hand. Anyone who approaches the ranks is to be put to death. You must be with the king in all his daily tasks."

2 Kings 11:8 Meaning and Commentary

2 Kings 11:8

And ye shall compass the king round about, every man with his
weapons in his hand
Afterwards given them, ( 2 Kings 11:10 ) ,

and he that cometh within the ranges, let him be slain;
any strange man that was not of them, that came into the ranks in which they were formed, was to be put to death as a spy, who might go and inform the queen what was doing; according to Jarchi, the word for "ranges" signifies the place through which the king went from his own house to the house of God F4; and here it seems the guards were placed:

and be ye with the king as he goeth out and as he cometh in
when brought forth to be crowned and anointed, and returned again.


FOOTNOTES:

F4 Vid. David. de Pomis Lexic. fol. 205. 3.

2 Kings 11:8 In-Context

6 a third at the Sur Gate, and a third at the gate behind the guard, who take turns guarding the temple—
7 and you who are in the other two companies that normally go off Sabbath duty are all to guard the temple for the king.
8 Station yourselves around the king, each of you with weapon in hand. Anyone who approaches your ranks is to be put to death. Stay close to the king wherever he goes.”
9 The commanders of units of a hundred did just as Jehoiada the priest ordered. Each one took his men—those who were going on duty on the Sabbath and those who were going off duty—and came to Jehoiada the priest.
10 Then he gave the commanders the spears and shields that had belonged to King David and that were in the temple of the LORD.

Footnotes 1

  • [a]. Or "approaches the precincts"
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