(14) And when she looked.--Having entered the court, the whole scene met her astonished gaze.

The king stood by a pillar.--Rather, the king was standing on the stand. (Comp. 2Kings 23:3.) The stand (Vulg., "tribunal") was apparently a dais reserved for the king only, which stood before the great altar, at the entrance to the inner court (2Chronicles 23:13; 2Chronicles 6:13). Thenius maintains that the king stood on the top of the flight of steps leading into the sanctuary. Why, then, does not the text express this meaning more exactly? (Comp. 2Kings 9:13.)

As the manner was--i.e., according to the custom on such occasions.

The princes.--The chiefs of the people, not the centurions of the royal guard, who have their full designation throughout the chapter. (See 2Kings 11:4; 2Kings 11:9-10; 2Kings 11:15; 2Kings 11:19.) The present account has nowhere stated that the nobles were present in the Temple; but this sudden mention of them, as if they had been present throughout the proceedings, is in striking harmony with the chronicler's express assertion that, after their conference with Jehoiada, the centurions of the guard assembled the Levites and the heads of the clans in the Temple (2Chronicles 23:3). (The LXX. and Vulg. render "singers," because they read sh?rim, "singers," instead of s?rim, "princes.")

The trumpeters.--Literally, the trumpets; as we speak of "the violins," meaning the players on them. The sacred trumpets or clarions blown on solemn occasions by the priests are intended. (Comp. 2Kings 12:14; Numbers 10:2; 1Chronicles 15:24.) This is an indication that the priests and Levites were present as the chronicle so conspicuously represents, and as, indeed, was to be expected on an occasion when the high priest took the lead, and when the scene of action was the Temple. The acting classes of priests and Levitical musicians, warders, and priestly attendants must certainly have participated in the proceedings.

All the people of the land.--Secrecy was no longer necessary, as Thenius supposes, when once the centurions of the guard had heartily taken up with the plot.

Rejoiced . . . blew.--Rejoicing . . . blowing.

Treason.--Literally, Conspiracy.

Verse 14. - And when she looked, behold, the king stood by a pillar; rather, on the pillar, or on the raised platform. The king's proper place in the temple seems to have been a raised standing-place (הָעַמּוּד, from עָמֹד, to stand) in front of the entrance to the sanctuary, which made him very conspicuous (comp. 2 Kings 23:3; 2 Chronicles 23:13, and 2 Chron 34:31). As the manner was - i.e. as was the usual practice when kings visited the temple - and the princes - i.e. the centurions or captains of the guard - and the trumpeters by the king - the officials whose business it was to blow the trumpet at a coronation (see 2 Samuel 15:10; 1 Kings 1:39; 1 Kings 9:13) - and all the people of the land rejoiced, and blew with trumpets; i.e. the people who had been admitted into the great court to witness the coronation. Some rumor of what was about to occur had got abroad, and many of the people had provided themselves with trumpets. As Dean Stanley puts it, "The temple court was crowded with spectators, and they too took part in the celebration, and themselves prolonged the trumpet-blast, blended with the musical instruments of the temple service." And Athaliah rent her clothes. Athaliah took in all with a single glance. She "saw that the fatal hour was come" (Stanley). With a strong hand she rent her royal robes, partly in horror, partly in despair; for the single glance which she had cast around was sufficient to show her that all was lost. And cried, Treason! Treason! or, conspiracy! conspiracy! The cry was scarcely an appeal for help, as Josephus makes it ('Ant. Jud.,' 9:7. § 3), but rather an instinctive utterance, without distinct aim or object, wrung from her under the circumstances. It fell dead on the assembly.

11:13-16 Athaliah hastened her own destruction. She herself was the greatest traitor, and yet was first and loudest in crying, Treason, treason! The most guilty are commonly the most forward to reproach others.And when she looked, behold, the king stood by a pillar, as the manner was,.... Of kings, when they came into the temple on any occasion, civil or religious, therefore it is called his pillar, 2 Chronicles 23:13, some think this was the brazen scaffold erected by Solomon, 2 Chronicles 6:13, though Vitringa (e) and Bishop Patrick suppose it to be the post of the east gate of the inner court, from Ezekiel 46:2, according to Jacob Leo (f), this was the royal throne in the court of the Israelites, near the high or upper gate, on a marble pillar, where the kings of the house of David sat, when they came into the sanctuary to see the Lord in the second temple; this throne was like an high tower, standing upon two pillars, each twenty cubits high, and their circumference twelve; here sat Joash, and Hezekiah, and Josiah; however, Athaliah saw Jehoash with the crown on his head, and in the place where kings used to sit or stand:

and the princes and the trumpeters by the king; the rulers of the courses of the priests, and the Levites, blowing the trumpets:

and all the people of the land rejoiced, and blew with trumpets; it is added, in 2 Chronicles 23:13 that the singers played also on musical instruments; that were then and there assembled:

and Athaliah rent her clothes; through grief, and as one almost distracted:

and cried, treason, treason! to try if she could get any to take her part, and seize on the new king, and those that set him up.

(e) Proleghom. de Synagog. Vet. c. 4. p. 32. (f) Apud Wagenseil. Sotah, p. 680.