2 Kings 11:1-8

1 Forsooth Athaliah, the mother of Ahaziah, saw (that) her son (was) dead, and she rose up, and killed all the seed of the king (and killed all of the king's descendants).
2 And Jehosheba, the daughter of king Jehoram , (and) the sister of Ahaziah, took Joash , the son of Ahaziah, and stole him from the midst of the sons of the king, that were slain (who were killed); and she (also) took the nurse of him from the house of three stages; and she hid him from the face of Athaliah, so that he were not slain.
3 And he was with her in the house of the Lord privily six years (And he was hid with her in the House of the Lord for six years). Forsooth Athaliah reigned upon the land six years.
4 But in the seventh year Jehoiada, the priest, sent, and took (the) chieftains upon hundreds, and (the) knights, and he brought them to him into the temple of the Lord; and covenanted with them a bond of peace (and made a covenant with them), and he made them to swear in the temple of the Lord, and showed to them the son of the king.
5 And he commanded to them, and said, This is the word, that ye ought to do; the third part of you enter in (on) the sabbath day, and keep ye the watches of the king's house; (And he commanded to them, and said, This is the thing, that ye ought to do; a third part of you be on duty on the sabbath day, and keep ye watch over, or guard, the palace;)
6 and another third part be at the gate of Sur; and the third part be at the gate that is behind the dwelling place of the makers of shields; and ye shall keep the watches of the house of Masah. (and a third part be at the Sur Gate; and a third part be at the gate that is behind the dwelling place of the shield-makers; and so ye shall keep watch over the House of the Lord behind the other guards.)
7 Forsooth two parts of you all going out in the sabbath, keep they the watches of the house of the Lord about the king. (And so the two parts of you that be off-duty on the sabbath, keep they watch over the king in the House of the Lord.)
8 And ye shall compass the king, and ye shall have arms in your hands; and if any man enter into the closing of the temple, be he slain; and ye shall be with the king going in and going out. (And ye shall encompass, or surround, the king, and ye shall have weapons in your hands; and if anyone enter into the enclosing, or the interior, of the Temple, they shall be killed; and ye shall be with the king coming in and going out.)

2 Kings 11:1-8 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.

Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.