2 KINGS LESSON 11
We will begin this lesson in II 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.
II 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.
II 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.
II 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.
II 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.
II 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.
II 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.
II 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.
II 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. II 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."
II 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."
II 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.
II 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.
II 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.
II 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.
II 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.
II 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.
II 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.
II 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.
II 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.
II 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.
II 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.
II 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 chapter 23 verses 7 and 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?
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