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 , some think this was the brazen scaffold erected by Solomon, 2 Chronicles 6:13 , though Vitringa (e) 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 (f), 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. (e) Proleghom. de Synagog.

2 Kings 11:14 . Behold, the king stood by a pillar, as the manner was — It is generally supposed that the royal throne was erected near one of the pillars, described 1 Kings 7:15 ; 1 Kings 7:21 , unless we may suppose that what is here called a pillar was that brazen scaffold five cubits long, &c., which Solomon made at first on his dedicating the temple, ( 2 Chronicles 6:13 ,) and which was afterward continued for the king to appear upon on solemn occasions, and where, doubtless, there was a throne of state. See Calmet.

And when she looked, behold, the king stood by a {n} 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. (n) Where the king's place was in the temple.

By a pillar; possibly by one of the two famous pillars of the temple; of which see 1 Kings 7:21 ; nigh unto which the throne was erected. If it be said, that none but priests might come thither; I answer, ordinarily they might not; but the king being a sacred person, especially upon such extraordinary occasions, might be there. Or, upon a scaffold ; possibly that brazen scaffold which Solomon erected, 2 Chronicles 6:13 , and left there for such purposes. See 2 Kings 23:3 .

(14) And when she looked. —Having entered the court, the whole scene met her astonished gaze. The king stood by a pillar.—Rather, the king was standing on the stand. (Comp. 2Kings 23:3.) The stand (Vulg., “tribunal”) was apparently a dais reserved for the king only, which stood before the great altar, at the entrance to the inner court (2Chronicles 23:13; 2Chronicles 6:13). Thenius maintains that the king stood on the top of the flight of steps leading into the sanctuary. Why, then, does not the text express this meaning more exactly? (Comp. 2Kings 9:13.) As the manner was—i.e., according to the custom on such occasions. The princes.—The chiefs of the people, not the centurions of the royal guard, who have their full designation throughout the chapter. (See 2Kings 11:4; 2Kings 11:9-10; 2Kings 11:15; 2Kings 11:19.) The present account has nowhere stated that the nobles were present in the Temple; but this sudden mention of them, as if they had been present throughout the proceedings, is in striking harmony with the chronicler’s express assertion that, after their conference with Jehoiada, the centurions of the guard assembled the Levites and the heads of the clans in the Temple (2Chronicles 23:3). (The LXX. and Vulg. render “singers,” because they read shārîm, “singers,” instead of sārîm, “princes.”) The trumpeters.—Literally, the trumpets; as we speak of “the violins,” meaning the players on them.

The sacred trumpets or clarions blown on solemn occasions by the priests are intended. (Comp. 2Kings 12:14; Numbers 10:2; 1Chronicles 15:24.) This is an indication that the priests and Levites were present as the chronicle so conspicuously represents, and as, indeed, was to be expected on an occasion when the high priest took the lead, and when the scene of action was the Temple. The acting classes of priests and Levitical musicians, warders, and priestly attendants must certainly have participated in the proceedings. All the people of the land.—Secrecy was no longer necessary, as Thenius supposes, when once the centurions of the guard had heartily taken up with the plot. Rejoiced . . . blew.—Rejoicing . . . blowing. Treason.—Literally, Conspiracy.

14 . And when she looked, behold, the king ] R.V. And she looked and behold the king . This, the literal translation of the Hebrew, is the form adopted in 2 Chron. The original is the same in both places. stood by a [R.V. the ] pillar ] By this word is clearly designated some spot which was the special position of the king on such occasions. We see that Athaliah took in the whole scene at a glance and knew without telling what was going on. The word ‘pillar’ is the same which is used for the two, Jachin and Boaz ( 1 Kings 7:21 ), which stood as ornamental pillars in the porch of the temple, and which being ornamental could doubtless be seen by all in the court. If we suppose one of these set apart as the station of the king at his coronation, the position would be admirably suited for the purpose. Otherwise we must understand some special erection in the court of the temple, of which there is no mention till this passage, and afterwards in chap. 2 Kings 23:3 . The situation of the pillar is described in 2 Chronicles 23:13 as ‘at the entering in’, words which would not unfitly describe the position of the two pillars erected in the temple porch. as the manner was] Hence it was a well-known spot appropriated to such occasions. and the princes and the trumpeters ] R.V. the captains and the trumpets .

The ‘captains’ were those ‘over hundreds’ mentioned before. ‘Trumpets’ of course implies ‘trumpeters’ but the word is literally translated in 2 Chron., and the two places should agree. The persons who blew with the trumpets were probably the Levites, for in chap. 2 Kings 12:13 , ‘trumpets’ are recounted as among the furniture of the temple, and these would be used only by priests or Levites. In 2 Chronicles 7:6 ; 2 Chronicles 13:14 we have the priests sounding trumpets. and all the people of the land rejoiced ] Shewing that there was a numerous convocation. The gathering would be larger than usual because the Sabbath had been chosen for these operations. and [R.V. Then ] Athaliah rent her clothes ] Seeing with horror that priests and soldiery and the assembled people were all of one mind, and against her.