2 Chronicles 22:10

We have here what we had before, Kg2 11:1, etc. 1. A wicked woman endeavouring to destroy the house of David, that she might set up a throne for herself upon the ruins of it. Athaliah barbarously cut off all the seed-royal (Ch2 22:10), perhaps intending to transmit the crown of Judah after herself to some of her own relations, that though her family was cut off in Israel by Jehu it might be planted in Judah. 2. A good woman effectually preserving it from being wholly extirpated. One of the late king's sons, a child of a year old, was rescued from among the dead, and saved alive by the care of Jehoiada's wife (Ch2 22:11, Ch2 22:12), that a lamp might be ordained for God's anointed; for no word of God shall fall to the ground.

Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible (1708–1710) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

ATHALIAH, DESTROYING THE SEED ROYAL SAVE JOASH, USURPS THE KINGDOM. (Ch2 22:10-12)

Athaliah . . . arose and destroyed all the seed royal--(See on Kg2 11:1-3). Maddened by the massacre of the royal family of Ahab, she resolved that the royal house of David should have the same fate. Knowing the commission which Jehu had received to extirpate the whole of Ahab's posterity, she expected that he would extend his sword to her. Anticipating his movements, she resolved, as her only defense and security, to usurp the throne and destroy "the seed royal," both because they were hostile to the Phœnician worship of Baal, which she was determined to uphold, and because, if one of the young princes became king, his mother would supersede Athaliah in the dignity of queen mother.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

ATHALIAH SEIZES THE GOVERNMENT (2Ch_22:10-12).

(Comp. 2Ki_11:1-3.)

(10) But when Athaliah.—See 2Ki_11:1, with which this verse nearly coincides.

Destroyed.—So Kings and some Hebrew MSS., and all the versions. Hebrew text, she spake, a mistake of some scribe.

All the seed royal.—Even after the massacres described in 2Ch_22:1; 2Ch_22:8, there would doubtless be left a number of persons more or less nearly connected with the royal family, besides the immediate offspring of Ahaziah, who are, in the first instance, intended by this phrase.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

2Ch 22:10 But when Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she arose and destroyed all the seed royal of the house of Judah.

Ver. 10. But when Athaliah.] See 2Ki 11:1.

Destroyed all the seed royal.] Such another wicked woman was the mother of King Edward, called the martyr, whom she basely butchered; and because his brother Ethelred, who succeeded him, being but ten years of age, mourned for him, his mother was so enraged thereat, that taking wax candles which were readiest at hand, therewith she scorched him so sore, that he could never after endure wax candles to be burnt before him. {a}

{a} Mr Clark’s Martyrol., p. 31.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

2Ch 22:10. But when Athaliah, &c. — This and 2Ch 22:11-12, are explained 2Ki 11:1-3.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

22:10-12 Athaliah was never regarded as a legitimate monarch; she was given no royal formula of age or length of reign as were other rulers. Her destruction of the rest of Judah’s royal family concentrated on potential male successors; those who were ineligible to reign, such as Ahaziah’s sister, survived the slaughter. Jehosheba was Ahaziah’s half sister, the daughter of King Jehoram by a wife other than Athaliah. The six years of Athaliah’s reign were from 841 to 835 BC.

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

To the intent that there should be none to make title to the crown, and so she might usurp the government.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

Verse 10. All the seed royal of the house of Judah] Nothing but the miraculous intervention of the Divine providence could have saved the line of David at this time, and preserved the prophecy relative to the Messiah. The whole truth of that prophecy, and the salvation of the world, appeared to be now suspended on the brittle thread of the life of an infant of a year old, (see 2Ch 24:1,) to destroy whom was the interest of the reigning power! But God can save by few as well as by many. He had purposed, and vain were the counter-exertions of earth and hell.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

10–12 (= 2Ki_11:1-3). The Reign of Athaliah

10. But when] R.V. Now when.

destroyed] This is the reading of Kings and of the LXX. of Chron. The Heb. reads spake with, which is perhaps a euphemism; cp. the English “deal with.”

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Compare the marginal reference and notes.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

All, except Joas, (v. 11., and 4 K. xi. 1.; C.) ninety-five years after Solomon’s death. Mariana) D.

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah: this, and 2Ch 22:11,12, are explained on 2Ki 11:1-3.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

But when Athaliah. For parallel to the end of the chapter, see 2Ki_11:1-3. The words, of the house of Judah, are here carefully supplied, wanting in parallel.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

The six years' tyranny of Athaliah. - In regard to her, all that is stated is, that after Ahaziah's death she ascended the throne, and caused all the royal seed of the house of Judah, i.e., all the male members of the royal house, to be murdered. From this slaughter only Joash the son of Ahaziah, an infant a year old, was rescued, together with his nurse, by the princess Jehoshabeath, who was married to the high priest Jehoiada. He was hidden for six years, and during that time Athaliah reigned. The same narrative, for the most part in the same words, is found in Kg2 11:1-3, and has been already commented upon there.

Keil & Delitzsch — Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament (1861–1891) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API. (Old Testament only.)

she arose and killed all the royal children

Here the writer speaks of Athaliah as if she killed the children herself, but the reader should understand that she would have ordered her servants to kill them. AT: "she commanded her servants to kill all the royal children" (See: Metonymy)

all the royal children

This refers only to the males, because they could become king. Verse 11 confirms that the sons were the ones who were killed. (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)

the house of Judah

The word "house" is a metonym for the family that lives in the house. In this case, it refers to the kingdom of Judah. AT: "Judah" or "the kingdom of Judah" (See: Metonymy)

Jehosheba, a daughter of the king, ... a daughter of King Jehoram

Here "the king" refers to Jehoram, the father of Ahaziah. (See: How to Translate Names)

his nurse

This refers to a person who cares for a child, not to a medical person.

into a bedroom

Verse 12 makes it clear that this bedroom was located in the temple. Jehosheba could access that room because she was married to Jehoiada who was a priest.

Jehoiada

This is a man's name. (See: How to Translate Names)

He was with them

"Joash was with Jehosheba and Jehoiada"

translationWords

Athaliah

die

king

priest

house of God

reign

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

she arose and destroyed - Heb. וַתְּדַבֵּר, an expression of דֶּבֶר, pestilence. In II Kings (11:1), it is written: וַתְּאַבֵּד. Concerning this generation, David recited: (Ps. 12:1): “For the conductor on the sheminith,” for David foresaw with the holy spirit that in the eighth generation [of his dynasty] all his descendants would be slain by Athaliah, for there are eight generations from Solomon till here. And he prayed that his seed would survive for a remembrance, and said, (ibid. verse 2): “Save, O Lord, for the pious are gone, etc.” In II Kings (11:2), Scripture states that she killed them by poisoning them, for it is written: “and she stole him away from the dying (הַמְמוֹתִים) children of the king”; we read: הַמּוּמָתִים the slain. Both the traditional reading and the masoretic text have authority. הַמּוּמָתִים means that they already died, and the masoretic text in which the word used is הַמְמוֹתִים means that they were dying in agony. This is written in the continuous present tense, i.e., not all at once but continuously being crushed by illnesses, and then dying. An example is (Jer. 16:4): “Dying of (מְמוֹתֵי) sicknesses they shall die, etc. and with famine,” because they too will not die immediately.

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.