111 And Athaliah 'is' mother of Ahaziah, and she hath seen that her son 'is' dead, and she riseth, and destroyeth all the seed of the kingdom; 2 and Jehosheba daughter of king Joram, sister of Ahaziah, taketh Joash son of Ahaziah, and stealeth him out of the midst of the sons of the king who are put to death, him and his nurse, in the inner part of the bed-chambers, and they hide him from the presence of Athaliah, and he hath not been put to death, 3 and he is with her, in the house of Jehovah, hiding himself, six years, and Athaliah is reigning over the land.
4 And in the seventh year hath Jehoiada sent and taketh the heads of the hundreds, of the executioners and of the runners, and bringeth them in unto him, to the house of Jehovah, and maketh with them a covenant, and causeth them to swear in the house of Jehovah, and sheweth them the son of the king, 5 and commandeth them, saying, 'This 'is' the thing that ye do; The third of you 'are' going in on the sabbath, and keepers of the charge of the house of the king, 6 and the third 'is' at the gate of Sur, and the third at the gate behind the runners, and ye have kept the charge of the house pulled down; 7 and two parts of you, all going out on the sabbath—they have kept the charge of the house of Jehovah about the king, 8 and ye have compassed the king round about, each with his weapons in his hand, and he who is coming unto the ranges is put to death; and be ye with the king in his going out and in his coming in.' 9 And the heads of the hundreds do according to all that Jehoiada the priest commanded, and take each his men going in on the sabbath, with those going out on the sabbath, and come in unto Jehoiada the priest, 10 and the priest giveth to the heads of the hundreds the spears and the shields that king David had, that 'are' in the house of Jehovah. 11 And the runners stand, each with his weapons in his hand, from the right shoulder of the house unto the left shoulder of the house, by the altar and by the house, by the king round about; 12 and he bringeth out the son of the king, and putteth on him the crown, and the testimony, and they make him king, and anoint him, and smite the hand, and say, 'Let the king live.'
Matthew Henry's Commentary on 2 Kings 11:1-12
Commentary on 2 Kings 11:1-12
(Read 2 Kings 11:1-12)
Athaliah destroyed all she knew to be akin to the crown. Jehoash, one of the king's sons, was hid. Now was the promise made to David bound up in one life only, and yet it did not fail. Thus to the Son of David, the Lord, according to his promise, will secure a spiritual seed, hidden sometimes, and unseen, but hidden in God's pavilion, and unhurt. Six years Athaliah tyrannized. Then the king was brought forward. A child indeed, but he had a good guardian, and, what was better, a good God to go to With such 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 cast out. Say, Let the King, even Jesus, live, for ever live and reign in my soul, and in all the world.