mh_parser/vol_split/12 - 2Kings/Chapter 11.xml

<div2 id="iiKi.xii" n="xii" next="iiKi.xiii" prev="iiKi.xi" progress="66.98%" title="Chapter XI">
<h2 id="iiKi.xii-p0.1">S E C O N D   K I N G S</h2>
<h3 id="iiKi.xii-p0.2">CHAP. XI.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="iiKi.xii-p1">The revolution in the kingdom of Israel was soon
perfected in Jehu's settlement; we must now enquire into the
affairs of the kingdom of Judah, which lost its head (such as it
was) at the same time, and by the same hand, as Israel lost its
head; but things continued longer there in distraction than in
Israel, yet, after some years, they were brought into a good
posture, as we find in this chapter. I. Athaliah usurps the
government and destroys all the seed-royal, <scripRef id="iiKi.xii-p1.1" osisRef="Bible:2Kgs.11.1" parsed="|2Kgs|11|1|0|0" passage="2Ki 11:1">ver. 1</scripRef>. II. Joash, a child of a year old, is
wonderfully preserved, <scripRef id="iiKi.xii-p1.2" osisRef="Bible:2Kgs.11.2-2Kgs.11.3" parsed="|2Kgs|11|2|11|3" passage="2Ki 11:2,3">ver. 2,
3</scripRef>. III. At six years' end he is produced, and, by the
agency of Jehoiada, made king, <scripRef id="iiKi.xii-p1.3" osisRef="Bible:2Kgs.11.4-2Kgs.11.12" parsed="|2Kgs|11|4|11|12" passage="2Ki 11:4-12">ver.
4-12</scripRef>. IV. Athaliah is slain, <scripRef id="iiKi.xii-p1.4" osisRef="Bible:2Kgs.11.13-2Kgs.11.16" parsed="|2Kgs|11|13|11|16" passage="2Ki 11:13-16">ver. 13-16</scripRef>. V. Both the civil and
religious interests of the kingdom are well settled in the hands of
Joash, <scripRef id="iiKi.xii-p1.5" osisRef="Bible:2Kgs.11.17-2Kgs.11.21" parsed="|2Kgs|11|17|11|21" passage="2Ki 11:17-21">ver. 17-21</scripRef>. And
thus, after some interruption, things returned with advantage into
the old channel.</p>
<scripCom id="iiKi.xii-p0.1_1" osisRef="Bible:2Kgs.11" parsed="|2Kgs|11|0|0|0" passage="2Ki 11" type="Commentary"/>
<scripCom id="iiKi.xii-p0.2_1" osisRef="Bible:2Kgs.11.1-2Kgs.11.3" parsed="|2Kgs|11|1|11|3" passage="2Ki 11:1-3" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:2Kgs.11.1-2Kgs.11.3">
<h4 id="iiKi.xii-p1.8">The Death of Athaliah. (<span class="smallcaps" id="iiKi.xii-p1.9">b. c.</span> 878.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="iiKi.xii-p2">1 And when Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw
that her son was dead, she arose and destroyed all the seed royal.
  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 <i>which were</i> slain; and they hid him,
<i>even</i> him and his nurse, in the bedchamber from Athaliah, so
that he was not slain.   3 And he was with her hid in the
house of the <span class="smallcaps" id="iiKi.xii-p2.1">Lord</span> six years. And
Athaliah did reign over the land.</p>
<p class="indent" id="iiKi.xii-p3">God had assured David of the continuance of
his family, which is called his <i>ordaining a lamp for his
anointed;</i> and this cannot but appear a great thing, now that we
have read of the utter extirpation of so many royal families, one
after another. Now here we have David's promised lamp almost
extinguished and yet wonderfully preserved.</p>
<p class="indent" id="iiKi.xii-p4">I. It was almost extinguished by the
barbarous malice of Athaliah, the queen-mother, who, when she heard
that her son Ahaziah was slain by Jehu, <i>arose and destroyed all
the seed-royal</i> (<scripRef id="iiKi.xii-p4.1" osisRef="Bible:2Kgs.11.1" parsed="|2Kgs|11|1|0|0" passage="2Ki 11:1"><i>v.</i>
1</scripRef>), all that she knew to be akin to the crown. Her
husband Jehoram had slain all his brethren the sons of Jehoshaphat,
<scripRef id="iiKi.xii-p4.2" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.21.4" parsed="|2Chr|21|4|0|0" passage="2Ch 21:4">2 Chron. xxi. 4</scripRef>. The
Arabians had slain all Jehoram's sons except Ahaziah, <scripRef id="iiKi.xii-p4.3" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.22.1" parsed="|2Chr|22|1|0|0" passage="2Ch 22:1">2 Chron. xxii. 1</scripRef>. Jehu had slain all
their sons (<scripRef id="iiKi.xii-p4.4" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.22.8" parsed="|2Chr|22|8|0|0" passage="2Ch 22:8">2 Chron. xxii.
8</scripRef>) and Ahaziah himself. Surely never was royal blood so
profusely shed. Happy the men of inferior birth, who live below
envy and emulation! But, as if all this were but a small matter,
Athaliah destroyed all that were left of the seed-royal. It was
strange that one of the tender sex could be so barbarous, that one
who had been herself a king's daughter, a king's wife, and a king's
mother, could be so barbarous to a royal family, and a family into
which she was herself ingrafted; but she did it, 1. From a spirit
of ambition. She thirsted after rule, and thought she could not get
to it any other way. That none might reign with her, she slew even
the infants and sucklings that might have reigned after her. For
fear of a competitor, not any must be reserved for a successor. 2.
From a spirit of revenge and rage against God. The house of Ahab
being utterly destroyed, and her son Ahaziah among the rest,
because he was akin to it, she resolved, as it were, by way of
reprisal, to destroy the house of David, and cut off his line, in
defiance of God's promise to perpetuate it—a foolish attempt and
fruitless, for who can disannul what God hath purposed?
Grandmothers have been thought more fond of their grandchildren
than they were of their own; yet Ahaziah's own mother is the wilful
murderer of Ahaziah own sons, and in their infancy too, when she
was obliged, above any other, to nurse them and take care of them.
Well might she be called <i>Athaliah, that wicked woman</i>
(<scripRef id="iiKi.xii-p4.5" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.24.7" parsed="|2Chr|24|7|0|0" passage="2Ch 24:7">2 Chron. xxiv. 7</scripRef>),
Jezebel's own daughter; yet herein God was righteous, and visited
the iniquity of Joram and Ahaziah, those degenerate branches of
David's house, upon their children.</p>
<p class="indent" id="iiKi.xii-p5">II. It was wonderfully preserved by the
pious care of one of Joram's daughters (who was wife to Jehoiada
the priest), who stole away one of the king's sons, Joash by name,
and hid him, <scripRef id="iiKi.xii-p5.1" osisRef="Bible:2Kgs.11.2-2Kgs.11.3" parsed="|2Kgs|11|2|11|3" passage="2Ki 11:2,3"><i>v.</i> 2,
3</scripRef>. This was a brand plucked out of the fire; what number
were slain we are not told, but, it seems, this being a child in
the nurse's arms was not missed, or not enquired after, or at least
no found. The person that delivered him was his own aunt, the
daughter of wicked Joram; for God will raise up protectors for
those whom he will have protected. The place of his safety was the
house of the Lord, one of the chambers belonging to the temple, a
place Athaliah seldom troubled. His aunt, by bringing him hither,
put him under God's special protection, and so hid him by faith, as
Moses was hidden. Now were David's words made good to one of his
seed (<scripRef id="iiKi.xii-p5.2" osisRef="Bible:Ps.27.5" parsed="|Ps|27|5|0|0" passage="Ps 27:5">Ps. xxvii. 5</scripRef>), <i>In
the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me.</i> With good reason
did this Joash, when he grew up, set himself to repair the house of
the Lord, for it had been a sanctuary to him. Now was the promise
made to David bound up in one life, and yet it did not fail. Thus
to the son of David will God, according to his promise, secure a
spiritual seed, which, though sometimes reduced to a small number,
brought very low, and seemingly lost, will be perpetuated to the
end of time, hidden sometimes and unseen, but hidden in God's
pavilion and unhurt. It was a special providence that Joram, though
a king, a wicked king, married his daughter to Jehoiada a priest, a
godly priest. Some perhaps thought it a disparagement to the royal
family to marry a daughter to a clergyman, but it proved a happy
marriage, and the saving of the royal family from ruin; for
Jehoiada's interest in the temple gave <i>her</i> an opportunity to
preserve the child, and her interest in the royal family gave
<i>him</i> an opportunity to set him on the throne. See the wisdom
and care of Providence, and how it prepares for what it designs;
and see what blessings those lay up in store for their families
that marry their children to those that are wise and good.</p>
</div><scripCom id="iiKi.xii-p0.3" osisRef="Bible:2Kgs.11.4-2Kgs.11.12" parsed="|2Kgs|11|4|11|12" passage="2Ki 11:4-12" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:2Kgs.11.4-2Kgs.11.12">
<p class="passage" id="iiKi.xii-p6">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 <span class="smallcaps" id="iiKi.xii-p6.1">Lord</span>, and made a covenant with them, and took an
oath of them in the house of the <span class="smallcaps" id="iiKi.xii-p6.2">Lord</span>, and showed them the king's son.   5
And he commanded them, saying, This <i>is</i> 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;   6 And a
third part <i>shall be</i> 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.   7 And two parts of all you that
go forth on the sabbath, even they shall keep the watch of the
house of the <span class="smallcaps" id="iiKi.xii-p6.3">Lord</span> about the king.
  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.   9 And the captains over the hundreds did
according to all <i>things</i> 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.   10 And to the captains over hundreds
did the priest give king David's spears and shields, that
<i>were</i> in the temple of the <span class="smallcaps" id="iiKi.xii-p6.4">Lord</span>.   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, <i>along</i>
by the altar and the temple.   12 And he brought forth the
king's son, and put the crown upon him, and <i>gave him</i> the
testimony; and they made him king, and anointed him; and they
clapped their hands, and said, God save the king.</p>
<p class="indent" id="iiKi.xii-p7">Six years Athaliah tyrannised. We have not
a particular account of her reign; no doubt it was of a piece with
the beginning. While Jehu was extirpating the worship of Baal in
Israel, she was establishing it in Judah, as appears, <scripRef id="iiKi.xii-p7.1" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.24.7" parsed="|2Chr|24|7|0|0" passage="2Ch 24:7">2 Chron. xxiv. 7</scripRef>. The court and
kingdom of Judah had been debauched by their alliance with the
house of Ahab, and now one of that house is a curse and a plague to
both: sinful friendships speed no better. All this while, Joash lay
hid, entitled to a crown and intended for it, and yet buried alive
in obscurity. Though the sons and heirs of heaven are now hidden,
<i>the world knows them not</i> (<scripRef id="iiKi.xii-p7.2" osisRef="Bible:1John.3.1" parsed="|1John|3|1|0|0" passage="1Jo 3:1">1 John
iii. 1</scripRef>), yet the time is fixed when they shall appear in
glory, as Joash in his seventh year; by that time he was ready to
be shown, not a babe, but, having served his first apprenticeship
to life and arrived at his first climacterical year, he had taken a
good step towards manhood; by that time the people had grown weary
of Athaliah's tyranny and ripe for a revolution. How that
revolution was effected we are here told.</p>
<p class="indent" id="iiKi.xii-p8">I. The manager of this great affair was
Jehoiada the priest, probably the high priest, or at least the
<i>sagan</i> (as the Jews called him) or suffragan to the high
priest. By his birth and office he was a man in authority, whom the
people were bound by the law to observe and obey, especially when
there was no rightful king upon the throne, <scripRef id="iiKi.xii-p8.1" osisRef="Bible:Deut.17.12" parsed="|Deut|17|12|0|0" passage="De 17:12">Deut. xvii. 12</scripRef>. By marriage he was allied to
the royal family, and, if all the seed-royal were destroyed, his
wife, as daughter to Joram, had a better title to the crown than
Athaliah had. By his eminent gifts and graces he was fitted to
serve his country, and better service he could not do it than to
free it from Athaliah's usurpation; and we have reason to think he
did not make this attempt till he had first asked counsel of God
and known his mind, either by prophets or Urim, perhaps by
both.</p>
<p class="indent" id="iiKi.xii-p9">II. The management was very discreet and as
became so wise and good a man as Jehoiada was.</p>
<p class="indent" id="iiKi.xii-p10">1. He concerted the matter with the
<i>rulers of hundreds and the captains,</i> the men in office,
ecclesiastical, civil, and military; he got them to him to the
temple, consulted with them, laid before them the grievances they
at present laboured under, gave them an oath of secresy, and,
finding them free and forward to join with him, <i>showed them the
king's son</i> (<scripRef id="iiKi.xii-p10.1" osisRef="Bible:2Kgs.11.4" parsed="|2Kgs|11|4|0|0" passage="2Ki 11:4"><i>v.</i>
4</scripRef>), and so well satisfied were they with his fidelity
that they saw no reason to suspect an imposition. We may well think
what a pleasing surprise it was to the good people among them, who
feared that the house and lineage of David were quite cut off, to
find such a spark as this in the embers.</p>
<p class="indent" id="iiKi.xii-p11">2. He posted the priests and Levites, who
were more immediately under his direction, in the several avenues
to the temple, to keep the guard, putting them under the command of
the <i>rulers of hundreds,</i> <scripRef id="iiKi.xii-p11.1" osisRef="Bible:2Kgs.11.9" parsed="|2Kgs|11|9|0|0" passage="2Ki 11:9"><i>v.</i> 9</scripRef>. David had divided the priests
into courses, which waited by turns. Every sabbath-day morning a
new company came into waiting, but the company of the foregoing
week did not go out of waiting till the sabbath evening, so that on
the sabbath day, when double service was to be done, there was a
double number to do it, both those that were to come in and those
that were to go out. These Jehoiada employed to attend on this
great occasion; he armed them out of the magazines of the temple
with David's spears and shields, either his own or those he had
taken from his enemies, which he devoted to God's honour, <scripRef id="iiKi.xii-p11.2" osisRef="Bible:2Kgs.11.10" parsed="|2Kgs|11|10|0|0" passage="2Ki 11:10"><i>v.</i> 10</scripRef>. If they were old and
unfashionable, yet those that used them might, by their being
David's, be reminded of God's covenant with him, which they were
now acting in the defence of. Two things they were ordered to do:—
(1.) To protect the young king from being insulted; they must
<i>keep the watch of the king's house</i> (<scripRef id="iiKi.xii-p11.3" osisRef="Bible:2Kgs.11.5" parsed="|2Kgs|11|5|0|0" passage="2Ki 11:5"><i>v.</i> 5</scripRef>), <i>compass the king, and be
with him</i> (<scripRef id="iiKi.xii-p11.4" osisRef="Bible:2Kgs.11.8" parsed="|2Kgs|11|8|0|0" passage="2Ki 11:8"><i>v.</i> 8</scripRef>),
to guard him from Athaliah's partizans, for still there were those
that thirsted after royal blood. (2.) To preserve the holy temple
from being profaned by the concourse of people that would come
together on this occasion (<scripRef id="iiKi.xii-p11.5" osisRef="Bible:2Kgs.11.6" parsed="|2Kgs|11|6|0|0" passage="2Ki 11:6"><i>v.</i>
6</scripRef>): <i>Keep the watch of the house, that it be</i>
neither broken through nor broken down, and so strangers should
crowd in, or such as were unclean. He was not so zealous for the
projected revolution as to forget his religion. In times of the
greatest hurry care must be taken, <i>Ne detrimentum capiat
ecclesia</i>—<i>That the holy things of God be not trenched
upon.</i> It is observable that Jehoiada appointed to each his
place as well as his work (<scripRef id="iiKi.xii-p11.6" osisRef="Bible:2Kgs.11.6-2Kgs.11.7" parsed="|2Kgs|11|6|11|7" passage="2Ki 11:6,7"><i>v.</i>
6, 7</scripRef>), for good order contributes very much to the
expediting and accomplishing of any great enterprise. Let every man
know, and keep, and make good, his post, and then the work will be
done quickly.</p>
<p class="indent" id="iiKi.xii-p12">3. When the guards were fixed, then the
king was brought forth, <scripRef id="iiKi.xii-p12.1" osisRef="Bible:2Kgs.11.12" parsed="|2Kgs|11|12|0|0" passage="2Ki 11:12"><i>v.</i>
12</scripRef>. <i>Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Sion!</i> for even
in thy holy mountain thy king appears, a child indeed, but not such
a one as brings a woe upon the land, for he is the son of nobles,
the son of David (<scripRef id="iiKi.xii-p12.2" osisRef="Bible:Eccl.10.17" parsed="|Eccl|10|17|0|0" passage="Ec 10:17">Eccl. x.
17</scripRef>)—a child indeed, but he had a good guardian, and,
which was better, a good God, to go to. Jehoiada, without delay,
proceeded to the coronation of this young king; for, though he was
not yet capable of despatching business, he would be growing up
towards it by degrees. This was done with great solemnity,
<scripRef id="iiKi.xii-p12.3" osisRef="Bible:2Kgs.11.12" parsed="|2Kgs|11|12|0|0" passage="2Ki 11:12"><i>v.</i> 12</scripRef>. (1.) In
token of his being invested with kingly power, he <i>put the crown
upon him,</i> though it was yet too large and heavy for his head.
The regalia, it is probable, were kept in the temple, and so the
crown was ready at hand. (2.) In token of his obligation to govern
by law, and to make the word of God his rule, he gave him the
testimony, put into his hand a Bible, in which he must <i>read all
the days of his life,</i> <scripRef id="iiKi.xii-p12.4" osisRef="Bible:Deut.17.18-Deut.17.19" parsed="|Deut|17|18|17|19" passage="De 17:18,19">Deut.
xvii. 18, 19</scripRef>. (3.) In token of his receiving the Spirit,
to qualify him for this great work to which he before was called,
he anointed him. Though notice is taken of the anointing of the
kings only in case of interruption, as here, and in Solomon's case,
yet I know not but the ceremony might be used for all their kings,
at least those of the house of David, because their royalty was
typical of Christ's, who was to be anointed above his fellows,
above all the sons of David. (4.) In token of the people's
acceptance of him and subjection to his government, they clapped
their hands for joy, and expressed their hearty good wishes to him:
<i>Let the king live;</i> and thus they made him king, made him
their king, consented to, and concurred with, the divine
appointment. They had reason to rejoice in the period now put to
Athaliah's tyranny, and the prospect they had of the restoration
and establishment of religion by a king under the tuition of so
good a man as Jehoiada. They had reason to bid him welcome to the
crown whose right it was, and to pray, <i>Let him live,</i>
concerning him who came to them as life from the dead and in whom
the house of David was to live. With such acclamations of joy and
satisfaction must the kingdom of Christ be welcomed into our hearts
when his throne is set up there and Satan the usurper is deposed.
<i>Hosanna, blessed is he that comes:</i> clap hands, and say, "Let
King Jesus live, for ever live and reign, in my soul, and in all
the world;" it is promised (<scripRef id="iiKi.xii-p12.5" osisRef="Bible:Ps.72.15" parsed="|Ps|72|15|0|0" passage="Ps 72:15">Ps. lxxii.
15</scripRef>), <i>He shall live, and prayer shall be made for
him,</i> and his kingdom, <i>continually.</i></p>
</div><scripCom id="iiKi.xii-p0.4" osisRef="Bible:2Kgs.11.13-2Kgs.11.16" parsed="|2Kgs|11|13|11|16" passage="2Ki 11:13-16" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:2Kgs.11.13-2Kgs.11.16">
<p class="passage" id="iiKi.xii-p13">13 And when Athaliah heard the noise of the
guard <i>and</i> of the people, she came to the people into the
temple of the <span class="smallcaps" id="iiKi.xii-p13.1">Lord</span>.   14 And
when she looked, behold, the king stood by a pillar, as the manner
<i>was,</i> 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.   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 <span class="smallcaps" id="iiKi.xii-p13.2">Lord</span>.   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.</p>
<p class="indent" id="iiKi.xii-p14">We may suppose it was designed when they
had finished the solemnity of the king's inauguration, to pay a
visit to Athaliah, and call her to an account for her murders,
usurpation, and tyranny; but, like her mother Jezebel, she saved
them the labour, went out to meet them, and hastened her own
destruction. 1. Hearing the noise, she came in a fright to see what
was the matter, <scripRef id="iiKi.xii-p14.1" osisRef="Bible:2Kgs.11.13" parsed="|2Kgs|11|13|0|0" passage="2Ki 11:13"><i>v.</i>
13</scripRef>. Jehoiada and his friends began in silence, but now
that they found their strength, they proclaimed what they were
doing. It seems, Athaliah was little regarded, else she would have
had intelligence brought her of this daring attempt before with her
own ears she heard the noise; had the design been discovered before
it was perfected, it might have been quashed, but now it was too
late. When she heard the noise it was strange that she was so ill
advised as to come herself, and, for aught that appears, to come
alone. Surely she was not so neglected as to have none to go for
her, or none to go with her, but she was wretchedly infatuated by
the transport both of fear and indignation she was in. Whom God
will destroy he befools. 2. Seeing what was done she cried out for
help. She saw the king's place by the pillar possessed by one to
whom the princes and people did homage (<scripRef id="iiKi.xii-p14.2" osisRef="Bible:2Kgs.11.14" parsed="|2Kgs|11|14|0|0" passage="2Ki 11:14"><i>v.</i> 14</scripRef>) and had reason to conclude her
power at an end, which she knew was usurped; this made her rend her
clothes, like one distracted, and cry, "Treason! treason! Come and
help against the traitors." Josephus adds that she cried to have
him killed that possessed the king's place. What was now doing was
the highest justice, yet it was branded as the highest crime; she
herself was the greatest traitor, and yet was first and loudest in
crying Treason! treason! Those that are themselves most guilty are
commonly most forward to reproach others. 3. Jehoiada gave orders
to put her to death as an idolater, a usurper, and an enemy to the
public peace. Care was taken, (1.) That she should not be killed in
the temple, or any of the courts of it, in reverence to that holy
place, which must not be stained with the blood of any human
sacrifice, though ever so justly offered. (2.) That whoever
appeared for her should die with her: "Him that follows her, to
protect or rescue her, any of her attendants that resolve to adhere
to her and will not come into the interests of their rightful
sovereign, <i>kill with the sword,</i> but not unless they follow
her now," <scripRef id="iiKi.xii-p14.3" osisRef="Bible:2Kgs.11.15" parsed="|2Kgs|11|15|0|0" passage="2Ki 11:15"><i>v.</i> 15</scripRef>.
According to these orders, she endeavouring to make her escape the
back way to the palace, through the stalls, they pursued her, and
there killed her, <scripRef id="iiKi.xii-p14.4" osisRef="Bible:2Kgs.11.16" parsed="|2Kgs|11|16|0|0" passage="2Ki 11:16"><i>v.</i>
16</scripRef>. <i>So let thy enemies perish, O Lord!</i> thus give
the bloody harlot blood to drink, for she is worthy.</p>
</div><scripCom id="iiKi.xii-p0.5" osisRef="Bible:2Kgs.11.17-2Kgs.11.21" parsed="|2Kgs|11|17|11|21" passage="2Ki 11:17-21" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:2Kgs.11.17-2Kgs.11.21">
<p class="passage" id="iiKi.xii-p15">17 And Jehoiada made a covenant between the
<span class="smallcaps" id="iiKi.xii-p15.1">Lord</span> and the king and the people,
that they should be the <span class="smallcaps" id="iiKi.xii-p15.2">Lord</span>'s
people; between the king also and the people.   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 <span class="smallcaps" id="iiKi.xii-p15.3">Lord</span>.   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
<span class="smallcaps" id="iiKi.xii-p15.4">Lord</span>, 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.   20 And all the people of the land rejoiced, and
the city was in quiet: and they slew Athaliah with the sword
<i>beside</i> the king's house.   21 Seven years old
<i>was</i> Jehoash when he began to reign.</p>
<p class="indent" id="iiKi.xii-p16">Jehoiada had now got over the harlot part
of his work, when, by the death of Athaliah, the young prince had
his way to the throne cleared of all opposition. He had now to
improve his advantages for the perfecting of the revolution and the
settling of the government. Two things we have an account of
here:—</p>
<p class="indent" id="iiKi.xii-p17">I. The good foundations he laid, by an
original contract, <scripRef id="iiKi.xii-p17.1" osisRef="Bible:2Kgs.11.17" parsed="|2Kgs|11|17|0|0" passage="2Ki 11:17"><i>v.</i>
17</scripRef>. Now that prince and people were together in God's
house, as it should seem before they stirred, Jehoiada took care
that they should jointly covenant with God, and mutually covenant
with each other, that they might rightly understand their duty both
to God and to one another, and be firmly bound to it. 1. He
endeavoured to settle and secure the interests of religion among
them, by a covenant between them and God. King and people would
then cleave most firmly to each other when both had joined
themselves to the Lord. God had already, on his part, promised to
be their God (Jehoiada could show them that in the book of the
testimony); now the king and people on their part must covenant and
agree that <i>they will be the Lord's people:</i> in this covenant,
the king stands upon the same level with his subjects and is as
much bound as any of them to serve the Lord. By this engagement
they renounced Baal, whom many of them had worshipped, and resigned
themselves to God's government. It is well with a people when all
the changes that pass over them help to revive, strengthen, and
advance the interests of religion among them. And those are likely
to prosper who set out in the world under fresh and sensible
obligations to God and their duty. By our bonds to God the bonds of
every relation are strengthened. They <i>first gave themselves to
the Lord,</i> and then <i>to us,</i> <scripRef id="iiKi.xii-p17.2" osisRef="Bible:2Cor.8.5" parsed="|2Cor|8|5|0|0" passage="2Co 8:5">2
Cor. viii. 5</scripRef>. 2. He then settled both the
coronation-oath and the oath of allegiance, the <i>pacta
conventa—covenant,</i> between the king and the people, by which
the king was obliged to govern according to law and to protect his
subjects, and they were obliged, while he did so, to obey him and
to bear faith and true allegiance to him. Covenants are of use both
to remind us of and to bind us to those duties which are already
binding on us. It is good, in all relations, for the parties to
understand one another fully, particularly in that between prince
and subject, that the one may understand the limits of his power
and prerogative, the other those of his liberty and property; and
never may the ancient landmarks which our fathers have set before
them be removed.</p>
<p class="indent" id="iiKi.xii-p18">II. The good beginnings he raised on those
foundations. 1. Pursuant to their covenant with God they
immediately abolished idolatry, which the preceding kings, in
compliance with the house of Ahab, had introduced (<scripRef id="iiKi.xii-p18.1" osisRef="Bible:2Kgs.11.18" parsed="|2Kgs|11|18|0|0" passage="2Ki 11:18"><i>v.</i> 18</scripRef>): <i>All the people of
the land,</i> the mob, got together, to show their zeal against
idolatry; and every one, now that they were so well headed, would
lend a hand to pull down Baal's temple, his altars, and his images.
All his worshippers, it should seem, deserted him; only his priest
Mattan stuck to his altar. Though all men forsook Baal, he would
not, and there he was slain, the best sacrifice that ever was
offered upon that altar. Having destroyed Baal's temple, they
appointed <i>officers over the house of God,</i> to see that the
service of God was regularly performed by the proper persons, in
due time, and according to the institutional manner. 2. Pursuant to
their covenant with one another they expressed a mutual readiness
to and satisfaction in each other. (1.) The king was brought in
state to the royal palace, and sat there on the throne of judgment,
<i>the thrones of the house of David</i> (<scripRef id="iiKi.xii-p18.2" osisRef="Bible:2Kgs.11.19" parsed="|2Kgs|11|19|0|0" passage="2Ki 11:19"><i>v.</i> 19</scripRef>), ready to receive petitions
and appeals, which he would refer it to Jehoiada to give answers to
and to give judgment upon. (2.) The people rejoiced, and Jerusalem
was in quiet (<scripRef id="iiKi.xii-p18.3" osisRef="Bible:2Kgs.11.20" parsed="|2Kgs|11|20|0|0" passage="2Ki 11:20"><i>v.</i>
20</scripRef>), and Josephus says they kept a feast of joy many
days, making good Solomon's observation (<scripRef id="iiKi.xii-p18.4" osisRef="Bible:Prov.11.10" parsed="|Prov|11|10|0|0" passage="Pr 11:10">Prov. xi. 10</scripRef>), <i>When it goes well with the
righteous the city rejoices, and when the wicked perish there is
shouting.</i></p>
</div></div2>