2 Kings 11

Chap. XI. Ver. 1—21. Athaliah destroys all the seed royal of Judah, except Joash, who, at seven years old, is made king, and she is slain.—This Athaliah was the daughter of Ahab, and the grand-daughter of Omri, wife to Joram, (or his ad king of Judah, and the mother of Ahaziah. It is supposed that she was left regent when her son went on a visit to the king of Israel: and hearing of his being killed by Jehu, she determined to succeed him, though she waded through a sea of blood to reach the throne. She destroyed all she could find of the seed royal of Judah, as Jehu had done with respect to Israel. Jehosheba, however, the daughter of king Joram, but probably by another wife, stole one of the royal infants, and for six years concealed him in her bedchamber.

In his seventh year, Jehoiada the high priest called together the captains of Israel privately in the temple, and having shown them Joash the late king’s son, and taken an oath of them to support his claim, anointed him king; and, at the same time, from the temple furnished them with arms, (which David had lodged there,) in order to guard their new sovereign, whom they now proclaimed with great rejoicings. When Athaliah heard this, she came down to the temple, and seeing the honours done to the young king, she exclaims, “Treason! Treason!” She is, however, carried without the temple, and there slain, without any to regret her fate. Jehoiada now makes a covenant between the Lord and the king with the people, that they should serve the Lord and renounce the worship of Baal.

They immediately destroy Baal’s temple, break in pieces all his images, and slay his chief priest: at the same time, proper officers are appointed to regulate the concerns of the temple and divine worship; and the young king, (only seven years old,) is removed to the palace and seated on his father’s throne; and peace and prosperity prevail during the wise administration of the venerable priest Jehoiada. It is with nations as with individuals, when their ways please the Lord, he makes their enemies to be at peace with them. ((Proverbs 16)a