Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 2 Kings 11:8
And ye shall compass the king round about, every man with his weapons in his hand: and he that cometh within the ranges, let him be slain: and be ye with the king as he goeth out and as he cometh in.
8. And ye shall compass the king round about ] Though the pronoun is changed, the same persons are intended, who were to be a bodyguard for the young king in every movement at this critical time.
he that cometh within the ranges ] R.V. ranks. This is the point where the distinction is most marked between the duties to be discharged by the soldiers and by the Levites. In 2Ch 23:7 it is said: ‘And the Levites shall compass the king round about, every man with his weapons in his hand; and whosoever cometh into the house, he shall be put to death’. From this we find that the Levites were to form a guard for the king’s person within the temple, while the soldiers discharged the same office in the court, and when he was conducted from the temple to the palace. So the one body is bidden to take summary vengeance on any intruder within the sacred building, the other on any who should break through their ranks to get within the enclosure and so draw near to the king after he had come forth.
as [R.V. when ] he goeth out and as [R.V. when ] he cometh in ] This change assimilates the rendering to 2 Chronicles.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
When you have set your watches and guards, all the rest of you shall draw near to the king to preserve his royal person from all assaults and dangers.
The ranges, or fences, i.e. the walls wherewith the courts of the temple were environed: see 2Ki 11:15. Or, your ranks, or order. If any of Athaliahs guards shall attempt to break in upon you, or within your bounds.
Be ye with the king as he goeth out and as he cometh in; whether the king shall go out of the temple, to offend or subdue his enemies, or retire hither to defend himself, do you always accompany him.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
And ye shall compass the king round about, every man with his weapons in his hand,…. Afterwards given them, 2Ki 11:10,
and he that cometh within the ranges, let him be slain; any strange man that was not of them, that came into the ranks in which they were formed, was to be put to death as a spy, who might go and inform the queen what was doing; according to Jarchi, the word for “ranges” signifies the place through which the king went from his own house to the house of God d; and here it seems the guards were placed:
and be ye with the king as he goeth out and as he cometh in when brought forth to be crowned and anointed, and returned again.
d Vid. David. de Pomis Lexic. fol. 205. 3.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
8. The ranges Ranks of armed men.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
2Ki 11:8 And ye shall compass the king round about, every man with his weapons in his hand: and he that cometh within the ranges, let him be slain: and be ye with the king as he goeth out and as he cometh in.
Ver. 8. Let him be slain. ] Military discipline was in this case most necessary to be observed; neither would bloodshed have been any profanation of the temple.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
he that cometh: 2Ki 11:15, Exo 21:14, 1Ki 2:28-31, 2Ch 23:7
Reciprocal: 2Ki 11:11 – every man 2Ch 23:14 – whoso followeth her