Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 2 Kings 11:6
And a third part [shall be] at the gate of Sur; and a third part at the gate behind the guard: so shall ye keep the watch of the house, that it be not broken down.
6. at the gate of Sur ] R.V. omits ‘of’. This gate is nowhere else named. The similarity between the original words , Sur and given in Chronicles, and rendered ‘foundation’, makes it not unlikely that the ‘gate Sur’ here, and ‘the gate of the foundation’ (2Ch 23:5) are the same place, though it is impossible, if this be so, to decide which is the correct reading, for ‘the gate of the foundation’ is spoken of nowhere else. The LXX. has here , ‘in the gate of the ways’ and in Chronicles ‘at the middle gate’.
at the gate behind the guard ] The guard here spoken of are the ‘runners’ who formed a part of the royal body-guard. Nothing is more likely than that such a body would have special quarters assigned to them in the neighbourhood of the palace, and if they were at this time thought to be favourable to Athaliah, the necessity would be apparent of putting a body of well-affected men close to them to keep them in check.
so shall ye keep the watch of the house ] The ‘house’ is the palace, which was thus to be strongly guarded at three places.
that it be not broken down ] R.V. and be a barrier. The word is a noun in apposition with ‘watch’ and defines its character. The word is unrepresented in the LXX.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
At the gate of Sur; the chief gate of the temple, called the high gate, 2Ki 15:35, and the foundation gate, 2Ch 23:5, and the eastgate, Jer 19:2, and the middle gate, Jer 39:3, and the gate of the entrance, Eze 40:15.
Behind the guard; either,
1. The kings guard; or,
2. The guard of the temple; for such a guard there was, and a captain of the guard, called the captain of the temple, Act 4:1; 5:24. This gate was in the south side; and, as some think, is that which is called sippim, or the threshold gate, 2Ch 23:4.
So shall ye keep the watch of the house, that it be not broken down, i.e. so you shall guard all the gates or entrances into the house or temple of God, that neither Athaliah nor any of her soldiers may break into the temple, and defile it, or destroy it; as she will doubtless endeavour to do. Or, and ye shall keep the watch of the house Massach, as the LXX. and other interpreters render it; who think this was the name of a house not far from the temple; in which, or against which, they were to keep a guard.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
And a third part shall be at the gate of Sur,…. Generally thought by the Jews to be the eastern gate, so called, as they say, because such as were defiled were bid to depart, or go back, as this word signifies, and not enter the temple; it is called “the gate of the foundation”, 2Ch 23:5 because, according to Ben Gersom, here the foundation of the sanctuary was first laid; it is said b to have five other names besides these:
and a third part at the gate behind the guard; the temple guard, which had a captain of them, Ac 4:1 this gate is supposed to be the same with “sippim”, or the threshold gate, 2Ch 23:4 and to be the southern one:
so shall ye keep the watch of the house, that it be not broken down; guard the temple, that none break or rush into it, of Athaliah’s party.
b T. Hieros. Yoma apud Beckium in Targ. in 2 Chron. xxiii. 5.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(6) And a third part shall be at the gate of Sur.Or, and the third (shall be on guard) at the gate of Sur, Instead of Sr (turning aside) Chronicles has Jesd (foundation). The gate Sur was apparently a side exit from the court of the palace, such as may be seen in the old Egyptian palaces at Medinat-Ab and Karnak. Jesod is another name for the same side-door, or, as is far more likely, a textual corruption of Sur.
And a third part at the gate behind the guard.Literally, and the third at the gate behind the Couriers. In 2Ki. 11:19 the gate of the Couriers is mentioned, apparently as the principal entrance to the palace enclosure. That gate and this one are probably the same. It is here called the gate behind the Couriers because a guard was usually stationed in front of it. Perhaps the word behind has originated in a mere echo of the word gate (ahar, shaar), and should be omitted as an error of transcription.
So shall ye keep the watch of the house.Thus shall yethe three divisions of the guards, entering on duty on the Sabbathguard the entrances and exits of the royal palace.
That it be not broken down.The Hebrew is only the one word massh, which occurs nowhere else. It appears to mean repulse, warding off, and is probably a marginal gloss on watch (mishmreth), explaining its natureviz., that the guards were to keep back any one who tried to enter the palace buildings. Gesenius paraphrases, ad depellendum populum (zum Abwehren). Thenius suggests the reading and repel! scil., all comers (nesah for massh). He should have written wensah.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
6. Gate of Sur The same, doubtless, as the gate of the foundation, or gate of Yesod, in Chronicles. The exact locality of this gate cannot be decided, for it is nowhere mentioned again; but the most plausible supposition is, that it was the main entrance into the inner court of the temple.
The gate behind the guard To this corresponds porters of the doors, in Chronicles. The guard, according to 2Ki 11:11, stood round about the king, and extended from the right to the left side of the temple, by the altar and temple, and the gate behind the guard would seem to be some well-known side or rear entrance into the court of the temple, from which an attack or annoyance might be expected. It is also likely that some of these might stand as porters of the doors of the temple, gate-keepers of the Lord’s house, whose position would naturally be behind the guard that encompassed the king.
So shall ye keep the watch of the house That is, all the three divisions just mentioned, by being stationed as described, shall guard all the approaches to the house of the Lord.
That it be not broken down The Hebrew for this sentence is all in one word, , a defence; a driving off. This body of Levites were to serve as a defensive watch a company of sentinels set to drive away all that might presume to interfere with the plans of the high priest Jehoiada.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
2Ki 11:6. Keep the watch of the house, that it be not broken down In the Hebrew habbaiith massach, which the Vulgate and LXX render the house Messah, supposing the original to be a proper name. Houbigant renders it, the court of casting away; supposing it to mean that part of the temple where the filth and dirt were carried out and thrown away.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
2Ki 11:6 And a third part [shall be] at the gate of Sur; and a third part at the gate behind the guard: so shall ye keep the watch of the house, that it be not broken down.
Ver. 6. At the gate of Sur. ] So called, saith Martyr, from declining or departing; because the door keepers made the unclean decline from it.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
shall be = must be.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
the gate of Sur: 1Ch 26:13-19, 2Ch 23:4, 2Ch 23:5
that it be not broken down: or, from breaking up
Reciprocal: 2Ch 23:6 – they that minister
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
11:6 And a third part [shall be] at the gate of {g} Sur; and a third part at the gate behind the guard: so shall ye keep the watch of the house, that it be not broken down.
(g) Called the east gate of the temple, 2Ch 23:5.