2 Kings 11:14

14 She saw the king standing upon a tribunal, as the manner was, and the singers, and the trumpets near him, and all the people of the land rejoicing, and sounding the trumpets: and she rent her garments, and cried: A conspiracy, a conspiracy.

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 And he brought forth the king’s son, and put the diadem upon him, and the testimony: and they made him king, and anointed him: and clapping their hands, they said: God save the king.
13 And Athalia heard the noise of the people running: and going in to the people into the temple of the Lord,
14 She saw the king standing upon a tribunal, as the manner was, and the singers, and the trumpets near him, and all the people of the land rejoicing, and sounding the trumpets: and she rent her garments, and cried: A conspiracy, a conspiracy.
15 But Joiada commanded the centurions that were over the army, and said to them: Have her forth without the precinct of the temple, and whosoever shall follow her, let him be slain with the sword. For the priest had said: Let her not be slain in the temple of the Lord.
16 And they laid hands on her: and thrust her out by the way by which the horses go in, by the palace, and she was slain there.
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