14 and she looked, and behold, the king stood by the pillar, as the tradition was, and the captains and the trumpets by the king; and all the people of the land rejoiced, and blew trumpets. Then Athaliah tore her clothes, and cried, "Treason! Treason!"
*Minor differences ignored. Grouped by changes, with first version listed as example.
By a pillar - Rather, "upon the pillar" probably a sort of stand, or pulpit, raised on a pillar. Under the later monarchy the Jewish king seems to have had a special place assigned him in the temple-court, from which on occasions he addressed the people (marginal references).
The king stood by a pillar - Stood On a pillar or tribunal; the place or throne on which they were accustomed to put the kings when they proclaimed them.
Treason, Treason - קשר קשר kesher, kasher; A conspiracy, A conspiracy! from kashar, to bind, unite together.
And when she looked, behold, the king stood by a (n) pillar, as the manner [was], and the princes and the trumpeters by the king, and all the people of the land rejoiced, and blew with trumpets: and Athaliah rent her clothes, and cried, Treason, Treason.
(n) Where the king's place was in the temple.
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.
the king stood by a pillar--or on a platform, erected for that purpose (see on 2-Chronicles 6:13).
*More commentary available at chapter level.