A Complete History and Mystery of the Old and New Testament, Volume 3 · Commentary on 1 and 2 Kings · Chapter 11
2 Kings CHAP. XI.
THIS Chapter returns to the Hiſtory of the Kingdom of Judah, ending at the Death of Ahaziah ſlain by Jehu, Chap. 9.27. 2 Chron. 22.9. now 'tis reaſſumed here, ver. 1, 2, 3. and 2 Chron. 22.10, 11, 12. which relates firſt the Ʋſurpation of Athaliah, and then the Succeſſion of Joaſh. Remarks firſt upon Athaliah are,
Firſt, This Athaliah was Ahab's Daughter, married to Jehoram the Son of Jehoſaphat, by whom ſhe had Ahaziah, who going with Joram to Ramoth, Chap. 8.28. left his Mother to govern the Kingdom during his abſence. This gave her the greater Advantage to uſurp all after her Son's Death, advancing her ſelf to the Throne, by deſtroying all the Blood Royal deſcending from David, that ſhe might have no Competitors to the Crown.
Remark the Second, Idolatry was ſo deeply Rooted and Riveted in that degenerate Family of none-ſuch Ahab, that it could not be routed out, but by rooting that whole corrupted ſtock, many of that Royal offspring had been ſlain by Jehoram, 2 Chron. 21.4. others were carried away Captive by the Arabians, &c. 2 Chron. 21.16, 17. others were ſlain by Jehu, 2 Kings 10.14. the Remainder this wicked Woman Athaliah deſtroys here, ſo as ſhe thought there was none left to lay claim to the Crown.
Remark the Third▪ This Athaliah the Daughter of Ahab, was ſo wickedly inhumane, that ſhe deſtroyed not only that Seed-Royal, which were born of other Venters, but alſo even thoſe that ſprung out of her own Womb, doubtleſs ſome of theſe ſhe ſlew were ſo deſcended, thus her Idolatry and Ambition had quite cancell'd out all natural Affection. N.B. Nor was this all, but the Devil did deſign by her bloody Hands to Root out the Race whereof Chriſt was to be born: Joſephus ſaith, that out of Envy (that Diabolical Vice, as Auſtin calls it) ſhe ſought to deſtroy the Houſe of David as Jehu had deſtroyed her Father Ahab's Houſe: This ſhe did (ſaith Peter Martyr) out of her Zeal to uphold Baaliſm in Judah, which ſhe ſaw (to her grief) rooted out by Johu in Iſrael▪ And he excellently addeth, N.B. That Jehoſaphat's Poſterity was deſtroyed alſo hereby, to teach us that God will not ſpare the Seed of his Servants who fall to Idolatry, and to teſtifie his utter abhorrency, that any of them ſhould contract Affinity with Idolater…, &c.
Remark the Fourth, God over-ſhoots the Devil in his own Bow, though the Devil deſign'd to deſtroy all the Seed-Royal of David by this wicked Woman, and ſhe endeavour'd it to her utmoſt. But God remembred his Promiſe to David, that he would leave him a Lamp in Jeruſalem, 1 Kings 15.4. to this Promiſe Joaſh owed both his Life and his Kingdom, by vertue of which he was miraculouſly preſerved. N.B. Grotius obſerves, that the Houſe of David was preſerved in this one Child, as once Gideon's Houſe was in one only Son, Judg. 9.5. and P. Martyr is of opinion, that the Nurſe laid this young Child among the Carcaſes of thoſe that were ſlain, as if he had been ſlain alſo, and ſhe told it to that compaſſionate Princeſs Jehoſheba, who with the Advice and Aſſiſtance of her Husband good Jehoiada, convey'd the Child away from the King's Children into a Privy Chamber of the Temple, and there hid him and his Nurſe to attend him: She did herein, as God himſelf aftewards did with Jeremy and Baruch, Jer. 36.26. and with the Holy Child Jeſus, Matth. 2.14. and as Moſes had been hid from ſlaughter, Exod. 2.2, &c.
Remark the Fifth, This Jehoſheba (the Aunt and Hider of Joaſh) was a King's Daughter, yet a good Prieſt's Wife: The Holy Prieſts were then in ſuch high and honourable Veneration, that even Kings Marry'd their Daughters to them: She was Daughter to King Jehoram, but not by that wicked Woman Athaliah (ſay Piſcator and Peter Martyr) but by another Wife, becauſe ſo Holy a Prieſt as Jehoiada was, would not have dared to marry her of an Idolatrous Family: And had Joaſh been Athaliah's own Child, ſhe might better have taken him to her ſelf, and under that colourable pretence have exercis'd her Tyranny: But more probably ſhe fear'd, that the Crown would be carry'd from her to another Family.
Remark the Sixth, Athaliah Revels it out in her Tyranny for ſeven Years, ſuppoſing all ſafe, ſhe promotes the Idolatry of the Houſe of Omri: She either believed that Joaſh was ſlain with the reſt of his Brethren, or if ſhe ſuſpected that this Child was ſaved, yet ſhe might think an Infant could do her no great harm, for ſhe fear'd not to confirm her uſurped Kingdom in a few Years to her ſelf ſo, as not to be ſhaken by a weak Child, or ſhe held it no Policy to hold up ſuch a ſurmize, and make any ſtrict ſearch and enquiry after it, leſt the People ſhould liſten and learn, that there was yet one of David's Family left alive, and they, being weary of her Tyrannical Government, might hearken and hanker after him, through deſire of a change, &c.
The Second Part is, Jehoiada's prudent Contrivance to bring Joaſh to the Crown, and to depoſe her from being Queen, who had no Title to it.
Remark the Firſt, Jehoiada's Conſpiracy againſt uſurping Athaliah, ver. 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, &c. and 2 Chron. 23. throughout, and ſetting up of Joaſh. The Antecedents whereof were the Circumſtances of the Plot.
Mark 1. The Time when, namely, when the young Prince was now ſeven Years old, ver. 4, 21. ſo long had Jehoiada waited for a fair opportunity to ſettle the right Heir upon the Throne: No doubt, but during the ſix Years of this Idolatrous and Tyrannical uſurping Queen, he communicated his Counſels to ſome faithful Friends, but could not come at a ſufficient Preparation to protect this young King againſt the Power of Athaliah: Now fetches he Rulers, five only at the firſt into Covenant with him, ver. 4. and 2 Chron. 23.1, 2. and Prieſts and Levites with ſome pick'd out of the other Tribes of Iſrael, whoſe Conſcience and Intereſt oblig'd them.
Mark 2. The Lawfulneſs of this Conſpiracy appeareth, ſaith Peter Martyr, becauſe 1. Jehoiada was no Private Perſon, but the High-Prieſt, to whom belonged not only the Judgment of Sacred, but alſo of Civil things: Eſpecially having the Concurrence of Princes, Prieſts and Levites. And 2. He was the Husband of the right Heir's Aunt, ſo had by the Right of Affinity, the Guardianſhip of this Fatherleſs and Motherleſs Child, &c. 3. Athaliah had not ſo much right to the Crown, as Jehoiada's Wife a Princeſs, but was a mere Ʋſurper, and one of that wicked Houſe of Ahab, which God had particularly devoted to Deſtruction. 4. 'Twas the proper Place of the High Prieſt to ſee God's Promiſe to David performed, and the Law in Deut. 17.15. obſerved, which admits of Brethren to Rule, but no Siſters much leſs Strangers. 5. Grotius adds, ſhe was an incurable Idolatreſs, ſo depoſing was her Due. 6. He did this by Divine Direction of the unerring Spirit of God.
Mark 3. This Prudent and Pious High Prieſt Jehoiada (of the Houſe of Zadok, ſay the Annotations) made a Covenant with all he found faithful among the Princes, Lords, Prieſts and Levites, to depoſe Athaliah, to ſet up Joaſh, to put down Idolatry and to eſtabliſh the true Religion. N.B. Thus good Governours, reſolving to reform Religion, uſed to begin with a Covenant, 2 Chron. 15.12. and 29.10. and 34.31. Ezra 10.3. Neh. 9.38. and thus Jehoiada did, as He was the young King's Protector at this Time [taking an Oath of them here] to Secrecy from Athaliah, and Fidelity to Joaſh, then he ſhewed them the King, to quicken them up the more to Act vigorouſly in accompliſhing the High Prieſt's honeſt and honourable Deſigns.
The next Circumſtance is, the Concomitants of this godly Conſpiracy.
Mark 1. The Prudent and Politick Management of this Religious Aſſociation, ver. 10, 11, 12. and 2 Chron. 23.7, 8, 9, 10, 11. where I find ſome learned Men ſay, that Jehoiada chuſed the Paſſover-feaſt-time, wherein to tranſact this important matter, leſt Athaliah ſhould ſuſpect a Conſpiracy from any unuſual Concourſe of Princes, Prieſts, and People, which yet was uſual and cuſtomary at the Paſcal Feaſt, &c.
Mark 2. As it was wiſely done as to Time, ſo as to Place likewiſe, to wit, in the Temple, upon account both of its Capacity, able to contain vaſt Multitudes without ſuſpicion at a ſolemn Feaſt, and likewiſe, becauſe it was contiguous to the King, whom Jehoiada ſhew'd to his Company, ſaying (as Oſiander ſaith) God never Commanded that a Woman ſhall Reign, much leſs a ſtrange Woman, that is not of the ſtock of Judah: Therefore did he ſay [The King's Son ſhall Reign] 2 Chron. 23.3. and laſtly, becauſe David's Armory was there, ver. 10. 2 Kings 11. wherewith to Arm them.
Mark 3. All came into the Temple unarmed to avoid Suſpicion: Now Princes, Prieſts and Levites being all upon this extraordinary occaſion armed, all Watches and Guards are ſet and ſettled in all their Poſts and proper Places, the King is brought forth under the Name of only [the King's Son] ver. 12. here, but when Jehoiada had put the Royal Crown upon his Head, and the Book of Deuteronomy into his Hand, Deut. 17.18. and likewiſe anointed him with the Holy Oil, then was the loud Acclamation of all that were preſent [God ſave the King] and they clap'd their Hands for Joy, a viſible Expreſſion thereof, Pſal. 47.1. Ezek. 25.6.
The Third Part is, the Conſequents of all this Holy Confederacy.
Mark 1. Athaliah's Deſtruction, occaſioned by the Rumor of a new King ſoon handed to Athaliah's Palace, being very nigh to the Temple. N.B. Which verified that old Adage [the nearer the Church, the farther from God] this held true in Athaliah and her Idolatrous Accomplices, ſhe upon the noiſe and news hereof came running into the Temple, ver. 13. and violently broke through the Ranges, ver. 8. to know the cauſe of this Tumult, this was done by an over-ruling Providence of God to bring her (that knew nothing all this time of this ſo ſecret Contrivance) within their Power, when ſhe ſaw the King, ver. 14. though ſhe was the grand Traitor, yet ſhe cries out [Treaſon, Treaſon]. Jehoiada bids carry her forth, and not kill her in the Temple] ſhe ran away the Horſe-way, and there was ſlain probably among the Horſes, ver. 16, 17. that her Death might be like her Mother Jezebel's, Chap. 9.33. as ſhe was not unlike her in her Sin: Joſephus ſaith, ſhe was carry'd down to the Town-Ditch, and there diſpatch'd, however, it was among the Stables of the King's Houſe, and none did defend her, ſo weary were all Men of her Tyrannical Government, &c.
Mark 2. The double Covenant of Jehoiada, the firſt was ſacred betwixt God and the King, that the King might be oblig'd to ſerve the Lord, to maintain his Worſhip, and to root out Idolatry; and the ſecond was a Civil Covenant betwixt the King and his Subjects, ver. 17. and 2 Chron. 23.16. N.B. In the firſt of thoſe Jehoiada did not bind the King to himſelf, as the Pope doth Chriſtian Princes, but to the Lord; and in the ſecond he binds the People to Allegiance and Subjection, that they ſhould be his Liege-People, as he ſhould be their Liege-Lord, that he ſhould govern them, and they obey him in the Lord.
Mark 3. Baal's beaſtly worſhip (which Athaliah had eſtabliſhed in Judah, when Jehu had aboliſh'd it in Iſrael) is now pull'd down in its Temple, Altars, &c. and Matthan (Baal's High-Prieſt) is ſlain before the Altar of Baal, ver. 18, whither he ran for refuge, as Joab did to the Houſe of the Lord, 1 Kings 2.28. or rather he was brought thither as the moſt fit Sacrifice to Baal.
Mark 4. The fourth Conſequent was, The reſtoring of the Primitive Order of the Prieſts and Levites in the Temple-worſhip, ver. 18. and 2 Chron. 23.18, 19. where Baal's Prieſts (call'd Athaliah's Sons, 2 Chron. 24.7. poſſibly her Baſtards) had put all out of Order in the Service of God, now Jehoiada reſts not, till he brings all to the rights, and reforms every thing found amiſs both in Worſhip and Order, which Athaliah (ſay Junius and Piſcator) had greatly corrupted.
Mark 5. The Conſequence was Jehoiada's bringing forth the new King, after a ſix Years cloſe Confinement, into a Poſſeſſion of his Anceſtors Throne and Kingdom, ver. 19. and 2 Chron. 23.20. Here God perform'd his Promiſe, 1 Kings 11.36. and 15.4. here anew he is ſet up on the Throne that Solomon built (ſaith Grotius) 1 Kings 10.18.
Mark 6. The Conſequence; The univerſal Joy of the Land for this Happy Change from an Ʋſurping and Tyrannical Queen, to the Young King Joaſh under the Conduct of good Jehoiada, ver. 20. N.B. 'Tis worthily obſerved by a worthy Expoſitor, that as all the People of the Land did rejoice exceedingly, when that wicked Woman Athaliah was executed by the High-Prieſt Jehoiada, even ſo and much more than ſo, ſhall the whole Community of God's People do, when the Whore of Rome ſhall be executed by Chriſt the true Jehoiada, who ſhall throw her out of the Temple, and burn her with Fire, becauſe ſhe hath ſlain the Seed Royal, put down Kings at her Pleaſure, uſurped the Government of the Church, ſet up Altars and Images to Baalim, and called ſuch Traitors as have only endeavoured to ſeek and ſet the Crown upon Chriſt's Head, &c.
The laſt Remark, from ver. 21. and Chap. 12.1. and 2 Chron. 24.1. Joaſh began to Reign in the ſeventh Year of Jehu (who pieced out God's Providence with his own Policy, as before, never moleſting Athaliah, &c.) and in the ſeventh Year of his own Age, for he was about one Year old, when ſought for to the ſlaughter, and lay hid by Jehoſhebah ſix Years: Whatever his Mother Zibeah was, his Foſter-Mother (his Aunt Jehoſheba) did all the Offices of a good Mother to him, but he ill requited her afterwards in her Son Zechariah, whom he ungratefully ſlew for the faithful diſcharge of his Duty, 2 Chron. 24.21.