2 Kings 11 13

2 Kings 11:13 kjv

And when Athaliah heard the noise of the guard and of the people, she came to the people into the temple of the LORD.

2 Kings 11:13 nkjv

Now when Athaliah heard the noise of the escorts and the people, she came to the people in the temple of the LORD.

2 Kings 11:13 niv

When Athaliah heard the noise made by the guards and the people, she went to the people at the temple of the LORD.

2 Kings 11:13 esv

When Athaliah heard the noise of the guard and of the people, she went into the house of the LORD to the people.

2 Kings 11:13 nlt

When Athaliah heard the noise made by the palace guards and the people, she hurried to the LORD's Temple to see what was happening.

2 Kings 11 verses

2 Kings 11 13 Meaning

When Athaliah, who had illegally seized the throne of Judah, heard the loud commotion and jubilant cries of the guard and the populace, she boldly entered the Temple (the house of the LORD) to confront the source of the disturbance and investigate what was happening among the assembled people. This action marked her desperate, yet ultimately fatal, attempt to assert her authority against the burgeoning coup.

2 Kings 11 13 Context

The events of 2 Kings 11 occur during a dark period in Judah's history following the death of King Ahaziah. Athaliah, the king's mother and daughter of the infamous Ahab and Jezebel of Israel, seized power by ordering the slaughter of all the remaining royal heirs from the Davidic line. Unknown to her, Ahaziah's infant son, Joash, was hidden away in the Temple by his aunt Jehosheba (sister of Ahaziah and wife of the high priest Jehoiada) for six years. During this time, Athaliah reigned as a tyrannical queen, actively promoting Baal worship in Jerusalem, contrasting sharply with Judah's covenant commitment to the LORD.

Verse 13 marks a dramatic climax in Jehoiada's carefully planned counter-coup. He had secretly gathered loyal Levites, priests, and military personnel, sealing the Temple complex, and then, without Athaliah's knowledge, had presented and crowned the rightful heir, Joash, within the sacred precincts. The preceding verse (11:12) describes the crowning, the anointing, and the enthusiastic shouts of "Long live the king!" along with the blast of trumpets, which is the "noise" that reaches Athaliah's ears outside. This verse (11:13) captures her sudden awareness and her decisive, though misguided, move to confront the developing crisis directly in the holy space of the LORD's House.

2 Kings 11 13 Word analysis

• When Athaliah: Wə'Aṯalyāh (וַעֲתַלְיָהּ). Her name, "Yah is exalted" or "Afflicted of Yah," is ironically juxtaposed with her actions against Yahweh's covenant and dynasty. She is portrayed as an active agent, taking decisive steps.
• heard: wattā’aṣmaʿ (וַתִּשְׁמַע). From šāmaʿ, meaning "to hear, to listen, to obey." Here, it signifies more than just perceiving sound; it implies an understanding or recognition of the significant, unusual, and perhaps threatening nature of the sound.
• the noise: qôl (קוֹל). Often translated as "voice" or "sound," but here it specifically refers to a loud, tumultuous clamor, outcry, or uproar, particularly the celebratory and defiant shouts of "Long live the king!" (2 Kgs 11:12) coupled with trumpet blasts. This was not a subtle sound but a proclamation that signaled an uprising.
• of the guard: haraṣîm (הָרָצִים). Literally "the runners," referring to the royal guard or elite bodyguards, who were now loyal to Joash and part of Jehoiada's conspiracy. This indicates military involvement in the uproar, making it distinct from a mere civilian disturbance.
• and of the people: wəhā‘ām (וְהָעָם). "And the people," referring to the general populace, implying widespread public support for the coup and the legitimate heir. Their involvement signifies popular endorsement, not just a military takeover.
• she went: wattābō’ (וַתָּבֹא). From bô’, "to come, to go, to enter." A strong verb denoting purposeful movement. Athaliah enters the sacred space, perhaps unaware of the trap, or arrogantly believing she could quell the rebellion.
• into the house of the LORD: ’el-bêt Yᵊhōwāh (אֶל-בֵּית יְהוָה). "Into the house of Yahweh," which is the Temple in Jerusalem. This is highly significant, as the rightful king is declared and enthroned in Yahweh's sacred dwelling place, contrasting sharply with Athaliah’s Baal worship and her defilement of Temple resources for idols (2 Chr 24:7). The scene of the climax unfolds within God's sanctuary.
• to the people: ’el-hā‘ām (אֶל-הָעָם). She went towards the assembly of people, likely to confront them, demand an explanation, or restore order. Her focus was on the human element, the visible agents of the uproar.

Word Group Analysis:

• "heard the noise of the guard and of the people": This phrase highlights that the sound was not ambiguous. It was a joint demonstration of power by both the military (the guard) and the civil populace (the people), signifying a widespread and organized rebellion, not just a spontaneous riot. This collective noise served as an undeniable declaration of a new regime.
• "she went into the house of the LORD to the people": This group of words describes Athaliah's immediate and direct response. Her decision to enter the very heart of Yahwism – the Temple – to confront the people there is filled with irony and serves as the literal stage for her downfall, where the clash between usurped pagan authority and legitimate Yahwistic kingship becomes overt.

2 Kings 11 13 Bonus section

• Symbolic location: The Temple (House of the LORD) being the epicenter of this coup highlights that this was not merely a political maneuver but a divine intervention. God’s dwelling place was where His chosen king, preserved against all odds, was publicly unveiled and crowned. This act underscored God's faithfulness to His covenant with David (2 Sam 7) despite human wickedness and plots.
• Athaliah's Character: Her immediate reaction to investigate the noise rather than fleeing suggests a bold, perhaps ruthless, and self-assured character, traits likely inherited from her mother, Jezebel. She was not one to hide, even when confronted with grave danger, a characteristic that led to her swift capture and demise.
• Climax of Conflict: This verse is the precise moment where the hidden drama (Joash's protection) collides with open confrontation (Athaliah's reign challenged). It sets the stage for the swift resolution of the seven-year crisis of the Davidic dynasty in Judah.

2 Kings 11 13 Commentary

2 Kings 11:13 portrays the dramatic and fateful confrontation Athaliah sought by entering the Jerusalem Temple. Having illegally held the throne for six years, she now faced a crisis fueled by the high priest Jehoiada’s cunning and loyalty to the Davidic line. The "noise" she heard was not mere background din, but the unmistakable cries of celebration ("Long live the king!") accompanying the anointing of Joash, the true heir, deep within the sacred precincts. Her entry into "the house of the LORD" is laden with significance; she, a staunch promoter of Baal worship who likely abhorred Yahweh's Temple, now invades this sacred space where Yahweh’s anointed king is being proclaimed. This moment encapsulates the religious and political struggle of the era: a wicked usurper confronting divinely sanctioned kingship in God's own dwelling. Her arrogance or desperation compelled her to walk into what would become her execution ground, marking a swift turning point for the nation of Judah from an idolatrous queen's reign to the restoration of God's covenant king.