2 Kings Chapter 11 in Simple English

Read 2 Kings Chapter 11

1When Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she got up and destroyed all the royal family.

2But Jehosheba, the daughter of king Joram and sister of Ahaziah, took Joash the son of Ahaziah. She stole him away from among the king's sons who were being killed. She hid him and his nurse in the bedroom, away from Athaliah, so he was not killed.

3He stayed hidden with her in the house of the LORD for six years. And Athaliah ruled over the land.

4In the seventh year Jehoiada sent for the commanders of hundreds, with the captains and the guard. He brought them to him into the house of the LORD. He made a covenant with them and put them under oath in the house of the LORD, and he showed them the king's son.

5He gave them orders: "This is what you must do. A third of you who come on duty on the sabbath will keep watch over the king's house."

6A third will be at the gate of Sur, and a third at the gate behind the guard. So you will keep watch over the house, and it will not be broken into.

7And two groups of you who go off duty on the sabbath will keep watch over the house of the LORD around the king.

8"You will surround the king, each man with his weapons in his hand. Anyone who comes inside the ranks is to be killed. Stay with the king when he goes out and when he comes in."

9The commanders of hundreds did everything that Jehoiada the priest had ordered. Each one took his men, those who were to come on duty on the sabbath and those who were to go off duty on the sabbath, and they came to Jehoiada the priest.

10The priest gave the commanders of hundreds king David's spears and shields, which were in the temple of the LORD.

11The guard stood around the king, each man with his weapons in his hand, from the right corner of the temple to the left corner, by the altar and the temple.

12Then Jehoiada brought out the king's son, put the crown on him, and gave him the testimony. They made him king and anointed him. They clapped their hands and said, "God save the king."

13When Athaliah heard the noise of the guard and of the people, she came to the people in the temple of the LORD.

14She looked, and there was the king standing by a pillar, as the custom was, with the princes and the trumpeters beside him. All the people of the land were glad and were blowing trumpets. Athaliah tore her clothes and cried, "Treason, Treason."

15But Jehoiada the priest gave orders to the commanders of hundreds, the officers of the army. He said to them, "Take her out between the ranks, and kill with the sword anyone who follows her." For the priest had said, "Do not let her be killed in the house of the LORD."

16So they seized her. She went by the way the horses come into the king's house, and there she was killed.

17Jehoiada made a covenant between the LORD and the king and the people, that they should be the LORD's people. He also made a covenant between the king and the people.

18Then all the people of the land went into the house of Baal and pulled it down. They smashed his altars and his images to pieces, and they killed Mattan the priest of Baal in front of the altars. And the priest set officers over the house of the LORD.

19He took the commanders of hundreds, the captains, the guard, and all the people of the land. They brought the king down 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.

20All the people of the land were glad, and the city was quiet. They had killed Athaliah with the sword beside the king's house.

21Jehoash was seven years old when he began to reign.

Explanation

2 Kings 11

In short

A priest named Jehoiada rescues the young heir Joash, who was hidden in the temple as a baby to escape his grandmother Athaliah, who had killed the rest of the royal family. After six years, Jehoiada organizes the guards, crowns Joash, and has Athaliah put to death. The people then reject the worship of Baal and return to worshipping the LORD.

Context

This chapter occurs during a period when the kingdom of Judah has fallen into religious unfaithfulness. Ahaziah, the king, has just died, and his mother Athaliah seizes power by killing all potential rivals in the royal line. However, one infant son survives, hidden away by his aunt. The story jumps forward six years to show how a priest restores the rightful king to the throne and reforms the nation's worship.

What the text says

Verse 1 tells us Athaliah destroys all the royal family when she learns her son is dead. Verse 2 reveals that Athaliah's granddaughter Jehosheba secretly saves the baby Joash and hides him in the temple. He remains hidden there for six years while Athaliah rules (verse 3).

In verse 4, the priest Jehoiada gathers military commanders and makes a covenant with them, showing them the hidden king's son. Verses 5-8 detail Jehoiada's security plan: guards are stationed at key locations on the sabbath to protect the king, and anyone unauthorized who approaches is to be killed.

Verse 10 states that Jehoiada gives the commanders spears and shields from the temple. Verses 12-14 describe the coronation: Jehoiada brings out the boy, places the crown on him, anoints him, and the people clap and shout. When Athaliah hears the commotion and sees the crowned king, she tears her clothes and cries "Treason."

Verse 15 orders Athaliah led outside the temple grounds and killed (verse 16). Verse 17 shows Jehoiada establishing a covenant between the LORD, the king, and the people. Verse 18 records that the people break down the temple of Baal and kill its priest. Verse 21 confirms that Joash was seven years old when he began to reign.

Takeaways

A hidden child becomes king through the courage of family members and the organized action of a faithful priest.
Religious reform follows when the rightful king is restored: the people abandon false worship and return to the LORD's covenant.
The protection of the young king required careful military planning and the loyalty of those sworn to defend him.

2 Kings 11 - Simple English