2Ki 11 | TNotes | STEP | Summary for 2Kgs 11:1-16: 11:1-16 Athaliah, the mother of King Ahaziah of Judah , was the daughter of Ahab and Jezebel and the wife of King Jehoram of Judah (8:18 , 26 ). As queen mother, she wielded powerful influence. Unfortunately, it was for evil (8:18 , 27 ; 2 Chr 22:3-4 ) and included her plans to destroy the rest of the royal family (see 2 Chr 22:10 ). The demise of Ahab’s family in Samaria was complete, but Athaliah seized power in Judah in a slaughter that mirrored Jehu’s slaughter of her family in Samaria.

Summary for 2Kgs 11:1-16: 11:1-16 ^a Athaliah, the mother of King Ahaziah of Judah, was the daughter of Ahab and Jezebel and the wife of King Jehoram of Judah (8:18 ^b, 26 ^c). As queen mother, she wielded powerful influence. Unfortunately, it was for evil (8:18 ^d, 27 ^e; 2 Chr 22:3-4 ^f) and included her plans to destroy the rest of the royal family (see 2 Chr 22:10 ^g). The demise of Ahab’s family in Samaria was complete, but Athaliah seized power in Judah in a slaughter that mirrored Jehu’s slaughter of her family in Samaria.
11:2 ^h Jehosheba was probably born to Jehoram by a wife other than Athaliah and was therefore Ahaziah’s half-sister (cp. Josephus, Antiquities 9.7.1).

• The infant Joash was born to Zibiah of Beersheba (2 Chr 24:1 ⁱ), perhaps a lesser wife of Ahaziah. The baby’s birth might therefore have escaped Athaliah’s notice.
11:3 ^j Jehosheba’s concealment of Joash for six years was punishable by death if discovered. Athaliah ruled over the land from 841 to 835 BC.
11:4 ^k Jehoiada knew that what he was doing was treasonous (11:14 ^l), and he was not sure that he could trust the men he was enlisting as his co-conspirators, so he had them swear an oath of loyalty before he revealed to them the existence of the rightful heir to the throne of Judah. These men went out to the towns of Judah and brought the Levites and heads of families to the Temple in Jerusalem, where they made a covenant with Joash (2 Chr 23:3 ^m).

• The Carite mercenaries, from the Aegean, served as bodyguards for the king (2 Sam 20:23 ⁿ).
Summary for 2Kgs 11:5-8: 11:5-8 ^o Jehoiada divided the royal guard into distinctive units: some to guard the young king; others to take up posts at the palace, the Sur Gate (or Foundation Gate, 2 Chr 23:5 ^p), and positions behind the palace guard; and still others to stand guard ... at the Lord’s Temple. All care was taken to secure the king and the site for his anointing.
Summary for 2Kgs 11:11-12: 11:11-12 ^q 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 ^r). Jehoiada provides a strong contrast with Athaliah’s pagan reign.
Summary for 2Kgs 11:13-14: 11:13-14 ^s The pillar may be one of the two pillars that Solomon erected at the Temple entrance (1 Kgs 7:15-22 ^t; 2 Chr 23:13 ^u), or the Hebrew term could mean a raised platform set in place for the occasion so that the new king could be seen by all.

• Athaliah’s cry of treason is ironic, considering her own treasonous murders to seize the throne (2 Kgs 11:1 ^v).
11:16 ^w Athaliah’s death at the gate where horses enter the palace grounds is reminiscent of her mother Jezebel’s death under the hooves of Jehu’s horses (9:33 ^x).
11:17 ^y The renewal of the covenant was especially important after years of pagan rule. Covenant faithfulness accompanied by periodic renewal was mandated in the law (Deut 31:9-13 ^z), and Israel observed it at junctures in its history (see 2 Kgs 23:1-3 ^aa; Josh 24 ^ab).
11:18 ^ac The temple of Baal may be the temple discovered in Ramat Rahel about three miles south of Jerusalem. As Jehu destroyed Baal worship in the northern kingdom (10:18-27 ^ad) so the people of Judah tore ... down this pagan temple and executed its priest.

• Jehoiada ... stationed guards at the Temple as a precaution against further reprisal by those loyal to Athaliah and her false religion.
Summary for 2Kgs 11:19-20: 11:19-20 ^ae The city was peaceful—a mark of the kingdom where God and his law are honored (Isa 35:10 ^af; 65:18-24 ^ag; Jer 33:6-16 ^ah).
Summary for 2Kgs 11:21-12:21: 11:21–12:21 ^ai The reign of Joash is recorded in standard format: accession (11:21–12:3 ^aj), royal activities (12:4-18 ^ak), and closing notice (12:19-21 ^al). Particular focus is on Joash’s efforts to repair the Temple (12:4-16 ^am) and his subsequent stripping of the Temple’s treasures in the face of an Aramean invasion (12:17-18 ^an).