MPV Commentary

Athaliah Slain.

12. Athaliah heard the noise of the people - The unusual commotion, indicated by the blast of trumpets and the enthusiastic acclamations of the crowd, caught her attention. She might have thought she was in perfect security after killing all the royal family, but it's also possible that she suspected one had escaped her hands and didn't want to investigate further. This would keep her constantly on edge with jealous suspicion and irritation.

In this state of mind, the wicked usurper heard the outburst of popular joy across the Tyropoeon and rushed across the bridge to the temple grounds. From a single glance, she understood the meaning of the scene and let out a shriek of "Treason!"

13. Behold, the king stood at his pillar at the entering in - The young king was standing at his pillar in the people's court, opposite that of the priests. He had been brought out to stand before the public view, wearing the royal insignia. Some think he stood on the brazen scaffold of Solomon, erected beside the pillar.

14-15. Slay her not in the house of the Lord ... and when she was come to the entering of the horse gate by the king's house, they slew her there - The high priest ordered her immediately taken out of the temple grounds and put to death. They laid hands on her, and she went through the way where horses came into the king's house, where she was slain.

The "king's house" refers not to a residence but to an area for the king's mules or hippodrome, built by Joash near the horse gate in the valley of Kedron. This valley had been desecrated by the destruction of idols and their appurtenances.