2 Kings 11:7-11 sits inside this longer paragraph.
1Now when Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she arose and destroyed all the royal offspring. 2But Jehosheba, the daughter of king Joram, sister of Ahaziah, took Joash the son of Ahaziah, and stole him away from among the king’s sons who were slain, even him and his nurse, and put them in the bedroom; and they hid him from Athaliah, so that he was not slain. 3He was with her hidden in Yahweh’s house six years while Athaliah reigned over the land. 4In the seventh year Jehoiada sent and fetched the captains over hundreds of the Carites and of the guard, and brought them to him into Yahweh’s house; and he made a covenant with them, and made a covenant with them in Yahweh’s house, and showed them the king’s son. 5He commanded them, saying, “This is what you must do: a third of you, who come in on the Sabbath, shall be keepers of the watch of the king’s house; 6a third of you shall be at the gate Sur; and a third of you at the gate behind the guard. So you shall keep the watch of the house, and be a barrier. 7The two companies of you, even all who go out on the Sabbath, shall keep the watch of Yahweh’s house around the king. 8You shall surround the king, every man with his weapons in his hand; and he who comes within the ranks, let him be slain. Be with the king when he goes out, and when he comes in.”
9The captains over hundreds did according to all that Jehoiada the priest commanded; and they each took his men, those who were to come in on the Sabbath, with those who were to go out on the Sabbath, and came to Jehoiada the priest. 10The priest delivered to the captains over hundreds the spears and shields that had been king David’s, which were in Yahweh’s house. 11The guard stood, every man with his weapons in his hand, from the right side of the house to the left side of the house, along by the altar and the house, around the king. 12Then he brought out the king’s son, and put the crown on him, and gave him the covenant; and they made him king, and anointed him; and they clapped their hands, and said, “Long live the king!”
Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain On vv7, 9, 10 Whose charge is ended.
Whose charge is ended.
Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.
John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain On vv7–11 2Ki 11:7 And two parts of all you that…
2Ki 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.
Ver. 7. Shall keep the watch of the house of the Lord.] To keep the place from pollution, and the young king from danger.
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain On vv7, 8, 10, 11 You that go forth on the sabbath, i.e. who…
You that go forth on the sabbath, i.e. who having finished their course and week, should have gone home, but were detained, 2Ch 23:8.
They shall keep the watch of the house of the Lord about the king; whilst the rest guard the doors and entrances into the temple, these shall have a special care of the king’s person, part on his right, and part on his left hand.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain On vv7–11 And two parts of all you that go forth…
And two parts of all you that go forth on the sabbath,.... The course that went out of service at the end of the sabbath; these were not suffered, not any of them, to go into the country, but were detained for the present purpose, and divided into two parts:
even they shall keep the watch of the house of the Lord about the king, these were placed in the temple where the king was, or where he should be brought forth, and be a guard on his right and left; this interpretation seems to be agreeably to the order of the text here, and is the sense of Jarchi; but there is this objection to it, that, by such a distribution of both courses, no provision is made for the services of the temple; wherefore Dr. Lightfoot (c) divides them into six parts, each into three, one third of the course that came in for service, the other to keep the watch at the king's house, and the other third at the gate Sur; and the course that went out, one third of them was placed at the gate behind the guard, and the other two to keep the watch of the house for the king's safety; but according to the account in Ch2 23:4, there were but three ranks or orders of them in all; wherefore the sense of Kimchi, Ben Gersom, and Abarbinel, seems most agreeable, that the first consisted of those that went in on the sabbath, not of all, but half of them, the other half being employed in the service of the sanctuary; and the other two of the course that went out, even all of them, they being entirely at leisure, who were divided into two parts, and disposed of as above.
Read full note →
(c) Prospect of the Temple, c. 20.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain On vv7–8 That go, &c. - Who having finished their course,…
That go, &c. - Who having finished their course, should have gone home, but were detained, 2 Chron. xxiii, 8. Shall keep - While the rest guard the entrances into the temple; these shall have a special care of the king's person.
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain On v10 Verse 10. King David's spears and shields] Josephus expressly…
Verse 10. King David's spears and shields] Josephus expressly says that David had provided an arsenal for the temple, out of which Jehoiada took those arms. His words are; Ανοιξας δε Ιωαδος την εν τῳ ἱερῳ ὁπλοθηκην, ἡν Δαβιδης κατεσκευασε, διεμερισε τοις ἑκατονταρχαις ἁμα και ἱεροισι και Λευιταις ἁπανθ' ὁσα εὑρεν εν αυτῃ δορατα τε και φαρετρας, και ει τι ἑτερον ειδος ὁπλου κατελαβε. "And Jehoiada having opened the arsenal in the temple, which David had prepared, he divided among the centurions, priests, and Levites, the spears, (arrows,) and quivers, and all other kinds of weapons which he found there." - Ant. lib. ix., c. 7, s. 8.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Joseph Benson 1811 · Public Domain On vv7, 10, 11 2Ki 11:7-8. Two parts that go forth on the…
2Ki 11:7-8. Two parts that go forth on the sabbath — Who, having finished their course, should have gone home, but were detained, 2Ch 23:8. Shall keep — While the rest guard the entrances into the temple, these shall have a special care of the king’s person. Ye shall compass the king, &c. — When you have set your watches and guards, all the rest of you shall draw near to the king, to preserve his royal person from all assaults and dangers. He that cometh within the ranges — Or fences, the walls wherewith the courts of the temple were environed; or your ranks. If any of Athaliah’s guard shall attempt to break in upon you, or come within your bounds. As he goeth out, and as he cometh in — Whether the king shall go out of the temple to assault and subdue his enemies, or retire hither to defend himself, do you always accompany him.
Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain On v11 From the right corner ... - Rather, “from the…
From the right corner ... - Rather, “from the right side of the temple buildings to the left side” - i. e., right across the temple court from the one side to the other, by the altar of burnt offerings, etc. This altar stood exactly in front of the temple-porch. Here the king was stationed; and before him and behind him, (“round about” him) stood the soldiers, drawn up several ranks deep across the entire court, just in front of the sacred building.
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary 1859 · Public Domain On vv7, 8, 10, 11 Of you. Levites, who waited on the king’s person…
Of you. Levites, who waited on the king’s person alternately. (Calmet) --- They were divided into three parts, being in actual service, ver. 6. Those who went out of office were twice the number, and are here told what to do. Sa thinks that those who entered upon duty, and those who went out, formed two thirds of the Levites, ver. 9., and 2 Paralipomenon xxiii. 8. (Menochius)
George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain On vv7–11 7. Two parts of all you that go forth…
7. Two parts of all you that go forth on the sabbath — Those who went forth on the Sabbath were the course of Levites who were relieved on that day from their term of temple service by the coming in of another course. Instead of departing from the temple and returning home, as usual they were to form themselves into two parts or divisions, (literally, hands,) and to be the immediate bodyguard of the youthful king. Their particular duty is more fully given in 2Ki_11:8, and they are identical with the guard mentioned in 2Ki_11:11.
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain On vv7–11 7. And two parts of all you that go…
7. And two parts of all you that go forth] R.V. And the two companies of you, even all that go forth. All those men who were going off duty at the palace were to divide themselves into two bodies, and go and serve at the temple to protect the king. The ‘of you’ refers to the purely military body, as in verse 5. We see in verse 2 that their duty was outside the temple building, while the narrative in Chronicles in almost identical language appoints the Levites for duty within the temple.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain On vv7, 9, 10, 11 (7, 8) The whole body of guards relieved on…
(7, 8) The whole body of guards relieved on the Sabbath are to guard the Temple and the young prince.
(7) And two parts of all you . . . sabbath.—Rather, and the two branches among you, all that go out on the Sabbath. The two “branches” means the two fundamental divisions—viz., Carians (or executioners) and Couriers. The troops relieved on the Sabbath were not to be posted in three companies at three different points, like those who came on duty in their place; but they were to form in two ranks—Carians on one side and Couriers on the other—for the purpose of guarding the Temple, and especially the king’s person.
Read full note →
About.—Literally, in the direction of—i.e., with regard to, over. “The house of the Lord” is obviously contrasted with “the king’s house” (2Ki_11:5).
(8) Ye shall compass the king round about.—They were to form two lines, between which the king might walk safely from the Temple to the palace.
The ranges.—Rather, the ranks—scil., the two lines of the guard formed for the protection of the king. If any one attempted to force his way through the ranks in order to attack the king he was to be slain.
Be ye with the king . . . cometh in.—When he leaves the Temple, and when he enters the palace.
A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain On vv7–11 And two parts of all you that go forth…
And two parts of all you that go forth on the sabbath. Three-fifths of the guard having been disposed of about the palace, there remained only two-fifths, or two "companies" (margin of Authorized Version). These Jehoiada commanded to enter the temple and protect the young king. Even they shall keep the watch of the house of the Lord about the king. According to Chronicles, (2Ch_23:7) the great body of the Levites gathered from the cities of Judah was also to be in the temple, and to assist in the protection of the monarch.
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Biblical Illustrator 1887 · Public Domain On v10 King Davids spears and shields, that were in the…
2Ki_11:10
King Davids spears and shields, that were in the temple of the Lord.
Read full note →
New use for old trophies
When David had fought with an adversary, and overcome him, he took away his armour and his weapons, and as other victorious heroes were wont to do, he bore them home as mementoes of his prowess, the trophies of the battle. These were placed in the house of the Lord. Perhaps David at the same time dedicated in like manner the shield and the sword which he had himself used in battle. After Solomon had built the temple, these trophies, which seem to have been very numerous, were hung up there. So they adorned the wails. So they illustrated the valour of noble sires. So they served to kindle emulation, I doubt not, in the breasts of true.hearted sons. Thus it was while generations sprung up and passed away; till at length other days dawned, darker scenes transpired, and sadder things filled up the chronicles of the nation.
I. It is well for us to hang all our trophies in the House of the Lord. We, too, are warriors. Every genuine Christian has to fight. Every inch of the way between here and heaven we shall have to fight, for as hitherto every single step o our pilgrimage has been one prolonged conflict. Sometimes we have victories, a presage of that final victory, that perfect triumph we shall enjoy with our Great Captain for ever. When we have these victories it behoves us to be especially careful that in all good conscience we hang up the trophies thereof in the house of the Lord. The reason for this lies here: it is to the Lord that we owe any success we have ever achieved. We have been defeated when we have gone in our own strength; but when we have been victorious it has always been because the strength of the Lord was put forth for our deliverance. You never fought with a sin, with a temptation, or with a doubt, and overthrew it, except by the Spirits aid. This will save us from pride and self-sufficiency. Scarcely can God trust us with a victory, lest we begin fingering it with our own hands, as if our own ingenuity, our own wisdom, or our own strength had done marvels.
II. These trophies may come in useful at such times as we cannot foresee, and under such circumstances as we wot not of. Little could David have thought when he gave Abiathar the sword of Goliath, that he would ever go to the priests of Gad and ask them to lend him a sword, and that they should say, We have no sword here, save the sword of Goliath, the Philistine whom thou slewest in the Valley of Elah, behold it is wrapped in a cloth behind the ephod. He gave it to God, but he did not think that he would ever have it back again with a priestly blessing on it, so that he should be able to say, There is none like that: give it me. And when, in after years, he hung up the swords and shields which he had taken away from Philistine heroes, he did not surmise that one of his descendants, of the seed royal, would find the need to employ his own, his grandsires, or, further back, from himself--his forefathers trophies--in order to establish himself on the throne. We never know, when we praise God for mercies, hut what the very praises might come back into our bosoms, and the offerings we make to God in the way of thankfulness may be our own enrichment in the days to come. Did you ever have a personal, mental, moral conflict with some great dragon of besetting sin? If so be you have been enabled to smite it valiantly, and slay it utterly, I know you have gained trophies to hang up in the house of God. To do so will be of no small advantage to yourselves, because you can take them down and use them in future; and you will find they are footholds of your strength to fight with the next sin that comes upon you. The strength which God has educated and fostered in the last struggle will greatly assist you in the next. The man who gives way to one sin will very readily give way to another, but a man who through Gods grace has won a very high vantage ground by mastering one sin, will be very likely to win another. The spoils taken from the last Philistine will help us to go forth and win more, and in the name of God we shall get the victory. Now it is a fine, a noble thing, when you have had a conflict in your own soul with some plausible heresy, some seductive perversion of the truth, and have put it to flight with the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God; it is a noble feat, I say, to capture the arms of your assailant and to use the very weapons of the adversary against him. You have detected his sophistry, you have found out devices, and now for the future you will not be so readily carried away with every wind of doctrine. This time,you are too old to be taken with his chaff. You were deceived once, but by Gods grace you are not willing any longer to lend a ready ear to the fair speech which casts a mist over plain facts, hut you henceforth resolve to prove the spirits whether they be of God. So from the spoils of past conflicts you are made strong to win present victories.
III. Ancient weapons are good for present use. I should like to show you this by taking you on to a battle-field. We will go to it. It is not Sadowa or Sedan, it is a grander arena far--the old seventy-seventh. Turn to the seventy-seventh Psalm, and you have a battle-field there. Should you ever have to fight the same battle, by looking through this Psalm, you will see Davids shields and spears, and you will soon learn how to screen yourself with the one, and how to do exploits with the other. Here is David fighting with despondency. I daresay some of you are afflicted with it. But observe how he fought with it. The first weapon he drew out of the scabbard was the weapon of all-prayer. And how grandly he used it! I cried unto God with my voice, even unto God with my voice. Despondency soon flies when a man knows how to ply this all-conquering and ever-useful weapon of petition to the Most High. Then note how he used this weapon continually. My hand was stretched out all night, saith he, according to the marginal reading of the second verse. If the first prayer did not help him, he prayed again. When he had used the weapon of prayer, what did he do next? Be took out another spear. It was that of remembering God. He had long enough pored in thought over himself and his present sinfulness and weakness, and now he remembered Gods mercy, Gods faithfulness, Gods loving kindness, Gods power, Gods covenant, God in the person of Christ. Oh! this is indeed to prepare a salvo against the enemy, and to fortify ones own position with fresh succours. He can win the battle that knows how to use this artillery of remembering God. Going on with the strategy of war, what next? Why, in the fifth verse we read how he maintained his courage and his constancy--I considered the days of old. He enquired of hoary fathers, and looked back upon the inspired traditions, if I may be allowed the expression, of the early Church. He turned to see whether God ever did forsake any of His people. But now he used another weapon. He looked to his own experience--see the sixth verse. I called to remembrance my song in the night. Past experience acknowledged gratefully, and taken as the index of what the future will be--this is another of Davids shields and spears.
IV. Did not David herein prefigure Him that was to come--Davids son and Davids Lord? Jesus Christ, our King, has hung up many shields and spears in the house of the Lord. Sin--Christ has borne it in himself, endured its penalty and overcome it; He has hung up the handwriting of ordinances that was against us as a trophy in the house of the Lord. He has nailed it to the cross. Satan--our great foe--He met him foot to foot in the wilderness and discomfited him--met him in the garden--overcame him on the cross. Now hell, too, is vanquished--Christ is Lord. The prince of the power of the air is but his servant. The King of kings hath led captivity captive, and all the crowns of this prince of the power of the air are hung up as trophies. Broken are their spears: their shields all battered and vilely cast away, hang up as memorials of what Christ has done. Death, too, the last enemy, Christ hath taken spoils from him when He rose again himself from His prison house, and ascended on high, leading captivity captive. And the enmity of the human heart. When we look round the temple and see the shields and spears hung up, we say Who did those shields and spears belong to? One says, Why, that is the shield and spear of John Newton, the old blasphemer! Glory be to God, Christ conquered him. Whose shield and spears are those? Why, that is the shield and spear of John Bunyan, the blasphemer on the village green. Gods mercy conquered him. What will heaven be when all of us shall be trophies of His power to save, and when our bodies shall be there as well as our Souls! O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?--when not only souls, but bodies shall be in heaven too, all trophies of what Christ has done when He plucked His people from the jaws of the grave and delivered them from the grasp of the sepulchre. (C. H. Spurgeon.)
.
The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On vv7, 9, 11 General Information:
General Information:
Jehoiada continues giving directions to the soldiers who will protect King Joash.
Read full note →
for the king
They were to keep watch for the purpose of protecting the king from harm. AT: "in order to protect King Joash" (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)
Whoever enters within your ranks
"Anyone who tries to go past you while you are protecting King Joash." A rank refers to a line of soldiers.
let him be killed
This can be stated in active form. AT: "you must kill him" (See: Active or Passive)
You must stay with the king when he goes out, and when he comes in
These two opposite things are a merism that refers to everything the king does. AT: "You must stay near the king at all times" (See: Merism)
translationWords
servant
unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.
Tyndale Open Study Notes 2022 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On v11 11:11-12 With all the palace guards in place and…
11:11-12 With all the palace guards in place and their weapons ready, . . . Jehoiada brought out Joash before the populace and crowned him king. He also presented him a copy of God’s laws. The king was to receive a copy of the law and make a copy for himself and “read it daily as long as he lives” (Deut 17:18-19). Jehoiada provides a strong contrast with Athaliah’s pagan reign.
Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.