Rashi on Tanakh2 Kings 11

Into the bed-chamber‘room. In the attic of the Holy of Holies,¹In II Divrei Hayomim 22:11 it indicates that Yehosheva was the wife of Yehoyada the chief kohein, and she therefore had access to the chambers in the Beis Hamikdosh. as it states, “And he remained with her in the Beis [Hamikdosh] of Adonoy, hiding, etc.”²Below v. 3. Concerning him Dovid said, “For He will hide me in His Tabernacle … He will conceal me in the shelter of His Tent.”³Tehillim 27:5. He calls it the “bed-chamber” in accordance with, “Between my breasts He lodges.”⁴Shir Hashirim 1:13.⁵The Holy Presence rested between the two staves of the Ark within the Holy of Holies. The staves protruded into the curtain like a woman’s breasts. See Rashi I Melochim 8:8 and Maseches Yoma 54a. This is what Rabbi Eliezer⁶Rashi is referring to Rabbi Elazar Hakalir, the author of this poetic liturgy. instituted, [May He remember for atonement] “the destruction of the bed-chamber,” [i.e.,] “May the destruction of Your Beis [Hamikdosh] atone for them.”

The mighty warriors. The officers of the hundreds of the mighty warriors and the officers of the hundreds of the runners. The expression כָּרִי is used, and not כָּרִים,⁷Which is the plural of כָּרִי. because [כָּרִי] is a noun, [meaning] a company of mighty warriors, barned, in O.F.

He made a covenant with them. That they will help him in crowning the king’s son.

One third of you of those who come on Shabbos. The watches would be renewed on Shabbos,⁸See Mishnayos Maseches Taanis 2:6,7. There were twenty-four families of kohanim and Leviyim that served in rotation in the Beis Hamikdosh. They changed places on Shabbos. the watches of the kohanim and Leviyim. one would enter and one would leave. He ordered the watch that was entering, to divide into three parts, one third in the king’s palace, to guard that no one rise up against the king to assassinate him.⁹I.e., Yoash.

one third in the Sur Gate, the eastern gate of the Temple court, the Hasirah Gate. [6.] And one third [will be] at the gate behind the runners. That too was one of the gates of the Temple court. [Targum] Yonoson rendered, “בְּתַרְעָא דְּבַתְרוֹהִי תַּרְעָא רָהֲטַיָּא, [=the gate which was behind the Gate of the Runners].” Through the Gate of the Runners one would go from the royal palace to the Beis Hamikdosh, as it is stated at the end of this matter. And that gate of the Temple court, about which it is stated at the gate behind the runners,¹⁰See below, v. 6. was called in Divrei Hayomim, “the Gate of the Sippim.”¹¹II Divrei Hayomim 23:4.

And you shall keep the watch of the palace without taking your mind off it. This watch he commanded the first group, concerning whom he said, “will keep watch of the king’s palace.”¹²See above, v. 5.

Without taking your mind off it. Guard it very diligently, that you do not take your mind off it, an expression of “despair [=ננוֹאָשׁ],”¹³I Shmuel 27:1. that there should be no despair in this matter. The ‘מ’ of מַסָּח is part of the root.¹⁴I.e., The ‘מ’ is not a prefix meaning “from.”

The two groups of you. Who I said should be in the Sur Gate and in the Gate of the Runners, and with them all those who leave on Shabbos, [i.e.,] all the men of the departing watch.

Will guard Beis [Hamikdosh] of Adonoy for the king. That no harm befall him from within the Beis [Hamikdosh] of Adonoy. He did not require all this except for the first Shabbos, until Atalyoh was killed and her allies fled from the city.

And whoever breaks the ranks. A stranger who comes within the boundary called “שדרות,”¹⁵Any stranger entering this area was suspected of being Atalyoh’s ally who was seeking to assassinate the king.—Metzudas Dovid which is the place of the king’s entry from his palace to the Beis [Hamikdosh] of Adonoy. I do not know the origin of the word “שְׂדֵרוֹת,” but [Targum] Yonoson rendered it “סוּדְרִיָא.”¹⁶Targum substitutes a ‘ש’ for the ‘ס’. It was sort of a passage from the palace to the Beis Hamikdosh.

[Placed] the crown on him and [gave him] the Testimony. The Torah Scroll, as it is written, “And it shall be with him, and he shall read in it all the days of his life.”¹⁷Devorim 17:19. Adonoy king must always have a Torah Scroll with him at all times. Therefore, the Torah Scroll acts as a testimony of royalty. Alternatively, the Torah Scroll is referred to as “testimony.” See Shemos 25:16 and Rashi there.—Metzudas Dovid¹⁸Alternatively, עֵדוּת refers to the royal robes.—Radak And our Rabbis stated that the crown itself was the “testimony,” for it would fit anyone who is fit for the throne, but it would not fit anyone unfit for the throne.¹⁹See Maseches Avodah Zarah 44a, and Rashi there.

On the pedestal. That is the king’s platform in the Beis [Hamikdosh] of Adonoy.²⁰Alternatively, עַמּוּד merely refers to a location in that area that was set aside for the king.

“A revolt! A revolt!” Revolt. There is a revolt here.

“Remove her.” Out of the Beis Hamikdosh to the ranks [=שְׂדֵרוֹת] [i.e.,] and bring her by way of the שְׂדֵרוֹת to the king’s palace, but do not allow her to leave through the exit of the Temple court through the city, where she might find allies who will join her.

And anyone who follows her. To help her.

Kill with the sword. To slay with a sword.

They made a place for her. A place,²¹See Devorim 23:13 where the word “יַד” means “a place.” aisances, in O.F.

Between Adonoy and between the king and the people. That the king and the people will follow Adonoy,²²And that they uproot all the idolatry that had become pervasive at the time. and afterwards [he enacted a covenant] between the king and the people that they should be subservient to the king.²³And in return the king will wage wars for the people.—Metzudas Dovid

Assignments. Appointed to watch at the location of their watch according to their charge, because Atalyohu had abolished the order of the watches in the Beis [Hamikdosh].²⁴See II Divrei Hayomim 24:7.

They came by way of the Gate of the Runners. To the king’s palace.²⁵Literally the verse reads “by way of the Gate of the Runners of the king’s palace.” However, Rashi in v. 5 above explained that the Gate of the Runners was one of the gates of the Temple’s court. Therefore Rashi renders the verse as, “by way of the Gate of the Runners to the king’s palace.” Alternatively, the Gate of the Runners was one of the gates of the king’s palace.—Targum