Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 2 Kings 12:20

And his servants arose, and made a conspiracy, and slew Joash in the house of Millo, which goeth down to Silla.

20. And his servants arose ] The Chronicler tells us that the Syrians left the king suffering from ‘great diseases’, perhaps from wounds received in some battle against the Syrians. He adds also that it was because of the blood ‘of the sons of Jehoiada’ that the conspiracy was formed against Joash. From which it would seem that not Zechariah only but the whole family of Jehoiada had been put to death by the ungrateful king.

slew Joash in the house of Millo ] R.V. smote Joash at &c. We see from 2 Chronicles that the king was lying sick at this place. So it probably was some royal residence, or some part thereof. On ‘Millo’, the name of some part of the fortifications of Jerusalem, cf. 1Ki 9:15. Perhaps the place indicated in this verse may have been part of that fortress. The ‘house of Millo’ is mentioned before this, in Jdg 9:6, but that passage has no connexion with this. The Hebrew ‘Beth-Millo’, translated ‘house of Millo’, may have been one proper name which we ought to retain without translation, as in so many other words formed with ‘Beth’ as a prefix.

which goeth down to Silla ] R.V. on the way that goeth down to Silla. The LXX. and other versions take ‘Silla’ as a proper name, but we have no knowledge of it except from this place.

Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

A conspiracy – Compare the marginal reference Joash, either from a suspicion of intended treason, or from some other unknown cause, took up his abode in the fortress of Millo 1Ki 9:24. This conspiracy was connected with religion. Soon after the death of Jehoiada, Joash had apostatised; had renewed the worship of Baal; and, despite of many prophetic warnings, had persisted in his evil courses, even commanding Zechariah to be slain when he rebuked them 2Ch 24:18-27. The conspirators, who wished to avenge Zechariah, no doubt wished also to put down the Baal worship. In this it appears that they succeeded. For, though Amaziah punished the actual murderers after a while 2Ki 14:5, yet he appears not to have been a Baal-worshipper. The only idolatries laid to his charge are the maintenance of the high places 2Ki 14:4, and a worship of the gods of Edom 2Ch 25:14-20.

Silla – This place is quite unknown.

Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible

Verse 20. The house of Millo] Was a royal palace, built by David; (see 2Sa 5:9); and Silla is supposed to be the name of the road or causeway that led to it. Millo was situated between the old city of Jerusalem, and the city of David.

Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible

Made a conspiracy; of which see 2Ch 24:25.

In the house of Millo; either in that strong and famous place in Jerusalem called Millo; of which see 2Sa 5:9; 1Ki 9:15,24; 11:27; into which he possibly retired for his security, being afraid even of his own subjects and servants; or in some other place called by the same name, for some resemblance it had with it.

Which goeth down to Silla, i.e. which standeth upon the descent to Silla, or upon that descending causeway which leadeth from Millo to the kings house. Some refer this to Joash, and render the place thus, they slew him at or near the house of Millo, descending, or as he was going down to Silla, to escape their hands.

Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole

20. his servants arose . . . andslew Joash in the house of Millo(See on 2Ch24:25).

Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

And his servants arose,…. This was after he had slain Zechariah the son of Jehoiada, who reproved him for his idolatry; and after a second expedition of the king of Syria, who came to Jerusalem, and spoiled it, and left Jehoash diseased, as is recorded in 2Ch 24:23,

and made a conspiracy; not to get the kingdom into their hands, for his son succeeded him, but to avenge the death of Zechariah;

and slew Jehoash in the house of Millo, which goeth down to Silla; these are both names of places; perhaps the latter is mentioned, to distinguish this Bethmillo from Millo in Zion; or rather that itself is meant, and described by the descent from it to a causeway, as Silla may signify, which led to the royal palace.

Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible

(20) His servants.His immediate attendants. (Comp. 2Ki. 8:15.)

Arosei.e., against him.

In the house of Millo.Or, at Beth-Millo. The precise locality cannot be determined. Thenius supposes that the sorely wounded (?) king had retired for greater safety into the castle palace. Ewald says the king was murdered while engaged in the fortress. For the Millo, see 2Sa. 5:9; 1Ki. 9:15. The chronicler relates that Jehoash was murdered in his bed.

Which goeth down to Silla.These words convey no meaning to us, the name Silla being otherwise unknown. The text is probably corrupt, for Silla is almost exactly like Millo in Hebrew writing. (The Vatican LXX. omits which goeth down.)

Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)

20. House of Millo The castle or citadel on Zion which David had fortified. 2Sa 5:9, note.

Which goeth down to Silla “What or where Silla was is entirely matter of conjecture. It must have been in the valley below, overlooked by that part of the citadel which was used as a residence. The situation of the present so-called Pool of Siloam would be appropriate, and the agreement between the two names is tempting; but the likeness exists in the Greek and English versions only. Gesenius, with less than his usual caution, affirms Silla to be a town in the neighbourhood of Jerusalem. Others refer it to a place on or connected with the causeway, or flight of steps, which led from the central valley of the city up to the court of the temple.” GROVE, in Smith’s Dictionary.

Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments