Verse-by-Verse Bible Commentary

Adam Clarke Commentary

The king stood by a pillar - Stood On a pillar or tribunal; the place or throne on which they were accustomed to put the kings when they proclaimed them.

Treason, Treason - קשר קשר kesher, kasher ; A conspiracy, A conspiracy! from kashar, to bind, unite together.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible

By a pillar - Rather, “upon the pillar” probably a sort of stand, or pulpit, raised on a pillar. Under the later monarchy the Jewish king seems to have had a special place assigned him in the temple-court, from which on occasions he addressed the people (marginal references).

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

And when she looked, behold, the king stood by a pillar, as the manner was,.... Of kings, when they came into the temple on any occasion, civil or religious, therefore it is called his pillar, 2 Chronicles 23:13, some think this was the brazen scaffold erected by Solomon, 2 Chronicles 6:13, though Vitringa^F5Proleghom. de Synagog. Vet. c. 4. p. 32. and Bishop Patrick suppose it to be the post of the east gate of the inner court, from Ezekiel 46:2, according to Jacob Leo^F6Apud Wagenseil. Sotah, p. 680. , this was the royal throne in the court of the Israelites, near the high or upper gate, on a marble pillar, where the kings of the house of David sat, when they came into the sanctuary to see the Lord in the second temple; this throne was like an high tower, standing upon two pillars, each twenty cubits high, and their circumference twelve; here sat Joash, and Hezekiah, and Josiah; however, Athaliah saw Jehoash with the crown on his head, and in the place where kings used to sit or stand:

and the princes and the trumpeters by the king; the rulers of the courses of the priests, and the Levites, blowing the trumpets:

and all the people of the land rejoiced, and blew with trumpets; it is added, in 2 Chronicles 23:13 that the singers played also on musical instruments; that were then and there assembled:

and Athaliah rent her clothes; through grief, and as one almost distracted:

and cried, treason, treason! to try if she could get any to take her part, and seize on the new king, and those that set him up.

Geneva Study Bible

And when she looked, behold, the king stood by a ⁿ 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.

(n) Where the king's place was in the temple.

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

the king stood by a pillar — or on a platform, erected for that purpose (see on 2 Chronicles 6:13).

John Trapp Complete Commentary

2 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.

Ver. 14. And cried, Treason, treason!] Though herself were a usurper and a traitor, yet she thus crieth out; so do some sectaries, "Persecution, persecution," with as good pretence.

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible

2 Kings 11:14. Behold, the king stood by a pillar, as the manner was— It is generally supposed, that the royal throne was erected near one of those pillars, whereof we have an account 1 Kings 15:21 unless we may suppose that עמוד ammud, that what is here called a pillar, was that brazen scaffold five cubits long, &c. which Solomon made at first upon his dedicating the temple, and which was afterwards continued for the king to appear upon on solemn occasions, and where, doubtless, there was a throne of state. See Calmet.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible

By a pillar; possibly by one of the two famous pillars of the temple; of which see 1 Kings 7:21; nigh unto which the throne was erected. If it be said, that none but priests might come thither; I answer, ordinarily they might not; but the king being a sacred person, especially upon such extraordinary occasions, might be there. Or, upon a scaffold; possibly that brazen scaffold which Solomon erected, 2 Chronicles 6:13, and left there for such purposes. See 2 Kings 23:3.

Whedon's Commentary on the Bible

14.The king stood by a pillar — Probably, as we have suggested above, (note on 2 Kings 11:11,) by one of the great pillars, Jachin and Boaz, which supported the front of the temple. By the side of one of these pillars Jehoiada had erected a platform something like that on which Solomon stood when he dedicated the temple; (2 Chronicles 6:13;) and upon such platform the young king would stand in full view of all the people in the court. Gesenius and others take עמוד, pillar, in the sense of platform, but this is unnecessary, and the word, though of frequent occurrence, has nowhere else such a meaning.

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments

2 Kings 11:14. Behold, the king stood by a pillar, as the manner was — It is generally supposed that the royal throne was erected near one of the pillars, described 1 Kings 7:15; 1 Kings 7:21, unless we may suppose that what is here called a pillar was that brazen scaffold five cubits long, &c., which Solomon made at first on his dedicating the temple, (2 Chronicles 6:13,) and which was afterward continued for the king to appear upon on solemn occasions, and where, doubtless, there was a throne of state. See Calmet.

George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

A tribunal. A tribune, or place elevated above the rest. (Challoner) --- Hebrew, "on a pillar." Solomon had stood upon one of brass, three cubits high and five broad. See chap. xxiii. 3., and 2 Paralipomenon vi. 13.

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

a pillar = the pillar.

Treason, Treason. Figure of speech Epizeuxis, for great emphasis.

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Unabridged

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.

The king stood by the pillar - probably on a platform sneered for that purpose (2 Chronicles 6:13). A seat placed near a column was reckoned an honourable and distinguished, position (2 Kings 23:3; also Homer, 'Odyssey,'

xxiii., 93,) --

`The monarch, by a pillar high enthroned, His eye withdrew, and fixed it on the ground.' (-POPE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(14) And when she looked.—Having entered the court, the whole scene met her astonished gaze.

The king stood by a pillar.—Rather, the king was standing on the stand. (Comp. 2 Kings 23:3.) The stand (Vulg., “tribunal”) was apparently a dais reserved for the king only, which stood before the great altar, at the entrance to the inner court (2 Chronicles 23:13; 2 Chronicles 6:13). Thenius maintains that the king stood on the top of the flight of steps leading into the sanctuary. Why, then, does not the text express this meaning more exactly? (Comp. 2 Kings 9:13.)

As the manner was—i.e., according to the custom on such occasions.

The princes.—The chiefs of the people, not the centurions of the royal guard, who have their full designation throughout the chapter. (See 2 Kings 11:4; 2 Kings 11:9-10; 2 Kings 11:15; 2 Kings 11:19.) The present account has nowhere stated that the nobles were present in the Temple; but this sudden mention of them, as if they had been present throughout the proceedings, is in striking harmony with the chronicler’s express assertion that, after their conference with Jehoiada, the centurions of the guard assembled the Levites and the heads of the clans in the Temple (2 Chronicles 23:3). (The LXX. and Vulg. render “singers,” because they read shârîm, “singers,” instead of sârîm, “princes.”)

The trumpeters.—Literally, the trumpets; as we speak of “the violins,” meaning the players on them. The sacred trumpets or clarions blown on solemn occasions by the priests are intended. (Comp. 2 Kings 12:14; Numbers 10:2; 1 Chronicles 15:24.) This is an indication that the priests and Levites were present as the chronicle so conspicuously represents, and as, indeed, was to be expected on an occasion when the high priest took the lead, and when the scene of action was the Temple. The acting classes of priests and Levitical musicians, warders, and priestly attendants must certainly have participated in the proceedings.

All the people of the land.—Secrecy was no longer necessary, as Thenius supposes, when once the centurions of the guard had heartily taken up with the plot.

Rejoiced . . . blew.—Rejoicing . . . blowing.

Treason.—Literally, Conspiracy.

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

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.

stood

The Orientals considered a seat by a pillar or column as particularly honourable.

a pillar

23:3; 2 Chronicles 34:31

the princes

10,11; Numbers 10:1-10

all the people

1 Kings 1:39,40; 1 Chronicles 12:40; Proverbs 29:2; Luke 19:37; Revelation 19:1-7

Treason

1,2; 9:23; 1 Kings 18:17,18

Reciprocal: 1 Kings 1:34 - blow ye;  1 Kings 8:22 - stood before the altar;  2 Kings 5:7 - that he rent;  2 Kings 11:20 - rejoiced;  2 Chronicles 6:12 - he stood;  2 Chronicles 30:16 - after their manner