Bible Commentaries
2 Kings 11

Introduction

Second Kings Chapter 11

2 Kings 11:1 "And when Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she arose and destroyed all the seed royal."

Athaliah was queen mother, when all of this happened. She was the daughter of Ahab and Jezebel, and was very evil. She had brought the worship of Baal into Judah, when she married Jehoram. The seed royal would be speaking of anyone who might ascend to the throne from the house of David. It seemed not to matter, that she was the mother and grandmother of some of them. She was as wicked as her mother, Jezebel. Notice, the word "all" in the Scripture above. This means a large number of people. She did not want to give up her position as queen mother.

2 Kings 11:2 "But Jehosheba, the daughter of king Joram, sister of Ahaziah, took Joash the son of Ahaziah, and stole him from among the king’s sons [which were] slain; and they hid him, [even] him and his nurse, in the bedchamber from Athaliah, so that he was not slain."

Another name for Jehosheba was Jehoshabeath. It appears that she secretly entered where Joash was and had his nurse to sneak him out and hide him. He was the only one of the king’s sons that was saved alive. This was a very brave thing for her to do seeing how wicked Athaliah was. It appears, that she hid him in a storage room where extra, mattresses and things were kept. In fact, it was very near the queens bedroom. This would have been a place seldom used. They were soon moved to the temple and hidden there.

2 Kings 11:3 "And he was with her hid in the house of the LORD six years. And Athaliah did reign over the land."

His aunt and Joash were both hidden in the temple for 6 years. It appears, that Athaliah was so caught up in the worship of Baal, she did not come to the temple, and did not know they were there. This wicked queen ruled over Judah during this time.

2 Kings 11:4 "And the seventh year Jehoiada sent and fetched the rulers over hundreds, with the captains and the guard, and brought them to him into the house of the LORD, and made a covenant with them, and took an oath of them in the house of the LORD, and shewed them the king’s son."

Jehoiada was the high priest in the temple at this time. He had helped Joash and his aunt. It would not be an unusual thing for the high priest to call these leaders to the temple. They were, probably, worshippers of Jehovah. Jehoiada told them of Joash, and asked them to remove this wicked queen, and anoint the 7 year old king of Israel. They all agreed, and took an oath to do just that. These leaders would have to find people throughout the land who would be faithful to the cause. They would come to Jerusalem on the sabbath, so as not to raise suspicion.

2 Kings 11:5 "And he commanded them, saying, This [is] the thing that ye shall do; A third part of you that enter in on the Sabbath shall even be keepers of the watch of the king’s house;"

This happens after an interval of time, where they have had time to make their plans and get the people involved. All of this had been done so quietly, that the queen had not suspicioned anything. A third of the people, who come in on the sabbath, are to circle the king’s palace and watch it.

2 Kings 11:6 "And a third part [shall be] at the gate of Sur; and a third part at the gate behind the guard: so shall ye keep the watch of the house, that it be not broken down."

This is explaining the sides of the palace, where they are to wait at the various gates. They do not want the palace destroyed. They just want the queen destroyed.

2 Kings 11:7 "And two parts of all you that go forth on the sabbath, even they shall keep the watch of the house of the LORD about the king."

The remaining two-thirds are to guard the house of the LORD. The young king is in the house of the LORD. If Athaliah found out about him being in the temple, she would gather her troops, and try to kill him. The men guarding the house of the LORD would keep that from happening.

2 Kings 11:8 "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."

These guards were to build a human shield around the king. Anyone, who tried to get to the king, would be killed instantly. They could take no chances with his life. They are to stay with the young king at all times. When he goes to another room, they are to go with him.

2 Kings 11:9 "And the captains over the hundreds did according to all [things] that Jehoiada the priest commanded: and they took every man his men that were to come in on the sabbath, with them that should go out on the sabbath, and came to Jehoiada the priest."

There were five centurions, and they did exactly as Jehoida had commanded them to do. They knew that the LORD’s will was spoken through Jehoida. 2 Chronicles 23:7 "And the Levites shall compass the king round about, every man with his weapons in his hand; and whosoever [else] cometh into the house, he shall be put to death: but be ye with the king when he cometh in, and when he goeth out." 2 Chronicles 23:8 "So the Levites and all Judah did according to all things that Jehoiada the priest had commanded, and took every man his men that were to come in on the sabbath, with them that were to go [out] on the sabbath: for Jehoiada the priest dismissed not the courses."

2 Kings 11:10 "And to the captains over hundreds did the priest give king David’s spears and shields, that [were] in the temple of the LORD."

It appears, there was an armory of some sort in the temple. This could have been because they were made with expensive metals, such as gold. We do know from the Scripture above, there were swords, spears, and shields.

2 Kings 11:11 "And the guard stood, every man with his weapons in his hand, round about the king, from the right corner of the temple to the left corner of the temple, [along] by the altar and the temple."

These guards stood man to man around all of the walls, so there would be no way an intruder would be able to get to the king. They were so ready, that they did not have their swords in their sheaths, but in their hands.

2 Kings 11:12 "And he brought forth the king’s son, and put the crown upon him, and [gave him] the testimony; and they made him king, and anointed him; and they clapped their hands, and said, God save the king."

The anointing of the young Joash was done in the temple of the LORD. It was Jehoida who crowned him, and it was Jehoida who anointed him. This shows the approval of the LORD of Joash as king of Judah. The statement "gave him the testimony" means that Jehoiada held the law over his head. This showed that, even though Joash was king, he was still under the law. The clapping of the hands, and the shouts of God save the king, showed the approval of Joash as king.

2 Kings 11:13 "And when Athaliah heard the noise of the guard [and] of the people, she came to the people into the temple of the LORD."

These evil queen had finally heard the noise of the shouting and the clapping of the hands. She came to the temple to see just exactly what was going on. She was not a worshipper of Jehovah, so she had not come to the temple during all of this preparation. Now she comes, not to worship, but to check up on these happenings.

2 Kings 11:14 "And when she looked, behold, the king stood by a pillar, as the manner [was], and the princes and the trumpeters by the king, and all the people of the land rejoiced, and blew with trumpets: and Athaliah rent her clothes, and cried, Treason, Treason."

It appears, up until this moment, Athaliah had no idea there was anything going on, that she should know about. When she walked in and saw the young man crowned king, and everyone rejoicing, she suddenly realized what had happened, and cried treason. The people, who had been admitted in to the coronation of the king, blew trumpets proclaiming their new king. This queen had been so evil, none of the people here would help her.

2 Kings 11:15 "But Jehoiada the priest commanded the captains of the hundreds, the officers of the host, and said unto them, Have her forth without the ranges: and him that followeth her kill with the sword. For the priest had said, Let her not be slain in the house of the LORD."

She was captured in the house of the LORD, but they were not to kill her, here. They would carry her out away from the temple to kill her, because they did not want to defile the temple. It was highly unlikely that anyone would have followed her to help her, but if they did, they were to be killed, also.

2 Kings 11:16 "And they laid hands on her; and she went by the way by the which the horses came into the king’s house: and there was she slain."

This is not a literal laying of hands on her, because she was a queen. They, probably, surrounded her and walked her away from the temple to be killed. This shamed her even more, to be killed in such a place, where they carried the horses in. She did not deserve to be treated differently, however.

2 Kings 11:17 "And Jehoiada made a covenant between the LORD and the king and the people, that they should be the LORD’S people; between the king also and the people."

At this point, Jehoiada was still in charge of all the happenings. The covenant {agreement} between the LORD and the King had to do with the people of Judah belonging to God. Their first obligation was to their God, and then, to their king and nation. This agreement, that was made, was actually between three parties. God was the first part. The people of the land were the second part, and the young king was the third. The king must respect the LORD and the people. The people must obey God and the king. As long as they were obedient to God, they would be blessed.

2 Kings 11:18 "And all the people of the land went into the house of Baal, and brake it down; his altars and his images brake they in pieces thoroughly, and slew Mattan the priest of Baal before the altars. And the priest appointed officers over the house of the LORD."

This house of Baal, and the false images, and altars had been brought into the land by Athaliah. They tear them down, as they had killed her. They, also, killed the priest of Baal, Mattan, so that this worship of the false god would die out. Jehoiada appointed officers over the house of the LORD. Jehoiada re-established the worship in the temple. The Levites would, again, serve in the temple.

2 Kings 11:19 "And he took the rulers over hundreds, and the captains, and the guard, and all the people of the land; and they brought down the king from the house of the LORD, and came by the way of the gate of the guard to the king’s house. And he sat on the throne of the kings."

Joash had been hidden in a storage room just a very short time, until he could be taken to the temple for hiding. During all of the seven years in hiding, Joash had been hidden in the temple. Even all of the anointing services and the coronation had taken place at the temple, as well. Now, this young king will be taken to his palace and established as king. There was a large group of his captains and people who accompanied him to the palace to be set on the throne. He will keep a large number of these same men to guard the palace.

2 Kings 11:20 "And all the people of the land rejoiced, and the city was in quiet: and they slew Athaliah with the sword [beside] the king’s house."

We just read that she was killed at the entrance, where they brought the horses in to the palace. That would have been very near the palace. Both Scriptures are correct. This evil queen’s death would bring joy to all of the people, for being out from under her oppression.

2 Kings 11:21 "Seven years old [was] Jehoash when he began to reign."

He had to have been just a tiny baby, when he was hidden from the evil queen. I cannot think of any woman as evil as she was. She undoubtedly had killed her children and grandchildren to become queen. Jehoash is the same as Joash. "Joash" means whom Jehovah gave. What an appropriate name for the new king. He would have a big job for such a little boy, but Jehoiada and others would help him. His main help would come from God. There was peace, because that tyrant Athaliah was dead.

2 Kings 11 Questions

1. What terrible thing did the mother of Ahaziah do, when she heard he was dead?

2. What was this evil woman’s name?

3. When she married Jehoram, what false worship did she bring in the land?

4. Why did she kill her relatives?

5. Who hid one of the baby sons of Ahaziah?

6. What is another name for Jehosheba?

7. Where did she hide him at first?

8. Where was he kept hidden 6 years?

9. Why did this evil queen not know he was there?

10. Who was the high priest in the temple at the time?

11. Who did the high priest call to the temple to covenant with?

12. How did the people find out about this?

13. When were they to meet at the temple?

14. How many were to watch the king’s house?

15. Who were to guard the house of the LORD?

16. How closely would they guard Joash?

17. Quote 2 Chronicles 23:7-8.

18. Where did the spears and shields come from?

19. How ready were the guards?

20. Who crowned the boy, Joash, and anointed him to be king?

21. Why did Athaliah come to the temple?

22. What did she cry out, when she saw what was happening?

23. What did they do to her?

24. Where did they kill her?

25. Who did Jehoiada make a covenant with?

26. After they had killed the queen, what did they do to cleanse the land?

27. Who chose the leaders for the temple?

28. Where had the little king been living?

29. Who went with him, when they took him to the palace?

30. What does "Joash" mean?

Verse 1

2Ki 11:1