2 Kings 11:20 and all the people of the land rejoiced. And the city was quiet, because Athaliah had been put to the sword at the royal palace.

◄ 2 Kings 11:20 ►

New International Version
All the people of the land rejoiced, and the city was calm, because Athaliah had been slain with the sword at the palace.

New Living Translation
So all the people of the land rejoiced, and the city was peaceful because Athaliah had been killed at the king’s palace.

English Standard Version
So all the people of the land rejoiced, and the city was quiet after Athaliah had been put to death with the sword at the king’s house.

Berean Standard Bible
and all the people of the land rejoiced. And the city was quiet, because Athaliah had been put to the sword at the royal palace.

King James Bible
And all the people of the land rejoiced, and the city was in quiet: and they slew Athaliah with the sword beside the king's house.

New King James Version
So all the people of the land rejoiced; and the city was quiet, for they had slain Athaliah with the sword in the king’s house.

New American Standard Bible
So all the people of the land rejoiced and the city was peaceful. For they had put Athaliah to death with the sword at the king’s house.

NASB 1995
So all the people of the land rejoiced and the city was quiet. For they had put Athaliah to death with the sword at the king’s house.

NASB 1977
So all the people of the land rejoiced and the city was quiet. For they had put Athaliah to death with the sword at the king’s house.

Legacy Standard Bible
So all the people of the land were glad, and the city was quiet. For they had put Athaliah to death with the sword at the king’s house.

Amplified Bible
So all the people of the land rejoiced and the city [of Jerusalem] was quiet. For they had put Athaliah to death with the sword at the king’s house.

Christian Standard Bible
All the people of the land rejoiced, and the city was quiet, for they had put Athaliah to death by the sword in the king’s palace.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
All the people of the land rejoiced, and the city was quiet, for they had put Athaliah to death by the sword in the king’s palace.

American Standard Version
So all the people of the land rejoiced, and the city was quiet. And Athaliah they had slain with the sword at the king's house.

Contemporary English Version
Everyone celebrated because Athaliah had been killed and Jerusalem was peaceful again.

English Revised Version
So all the people of the land rejoiced, and the city was quiet: and they slew Athaliah with the sword at the king's house.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
All the people of the land were celebrating. But the city was quiet because they had killed Athaliah with a sword at the royal palace.

Good News Translation
All the people were filled with happiness, and the city was quiet, now that Athaliah had been killed in the palace.

International Standard Version
After this, everyone throughout the land rejoiced and the city was at peace, because they had executed Athaliah at the king's palace.

Majority Standard Bible
and all the people of the land rejoiced. And the city was quiet, because Athaliah had been put to the sword at the royal palace.

NET Bible
All the people of the land celebrated, for the city had rest now that they had killed Athaliah with the sword in the royal palace.

New Heart English Bible
So all the people of the land rejoiced, and the city was quiet. Athaliah they had slain with the sword at the king's house.

Webster's Bible Translation
And all the people of the land rejoiced, and the city was in quiet: and they slew Athaliah with the sword beside the king's house.

World English Bible
So all the people of the land rejoiced, and the city was quiet. They had slain Athaliah with the sword at the king’s house.

Literal Translations

Literal Standard Version
And all the people of the land rejoice, and the city [is] quiet, and they have put Athaliah to death by the sword in the house of the king;

Young's Literal Translation
And all the people of the land rejoice, and the city is quiet, and Athaliah they have put to death by the sword in the house of the king;

Smith's Literal Translation
And: all the people of the land will rejoice, and the city rested: and they killed Athaliah with the sword in the house of the king.

Catholic Translations

Douay-Rheims Bible
And all the people of the land rejoiced, and the city was quiet: but Athalia was slain with the sword in the king's house.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And all the people of the land rejoiced. And the city was quieted. But Athaliah was slain with the sword at the house of the king.

New American Bible
All the people of the land rejoiced and the city was quiet, now that Athaliah had been slain with the sword at the king’s house.

New Revised Standard Version
So all the people of the land rejoiced; and the city was quiet after Athaliah had been killed with the sword at the king’s house.

Translations from Aramaic

Lamsa Bible
And all the people of the land rejoiced, and the city was quiet; and they slew Athaliah with the sword in the king's house.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And all the people of the land rejoiced and the city was at peace, and Thalia was killed with the sword in the house of the King.

OT Translations

JPS Tanakh 1917
So all the people of the land rejoiced, and the city was quiet; and they slew Athaliah with the sword at the king's house.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And all the people of the land rejoiced, and the city was at rest: and they slew Gotholia with the sword in the house of the king.

Additional Translations ...

Audio Bible

Context

Jehoiada Restores the Worship of the LORD
…19He took with him the commanders of hundreds, the Carites, the guards, and all the people of the land, and they brought the king down from the house of the LORD and entered the royal palace by way of the Gate of the Guards. Then Joash took his seat on the royal throne, 20and all the people of the land rejoiced. And the city was quiet, because Athaliah had been put to the sword at the royal palace. 21Joash was seven years old when he became king.…

Berean Standard Bible · Download

Cross References

2 Chronicles 23:21
and all the people of the land rejoiced. And the city was quiet, because Athaliah had been put to the sword.

2 Kings 9:13
Quickly, each man took his garment and put it under Jehu on the bare steps. Then they blew the ram’s horn and proclaimed, “Jehu is king!”

2 Kings 12:1
In the seventh year of Jehu, Joash became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem forty years. His mother’s name was Zibiah; she was from Beersheba.

1 Kings 1:39-40
Zadok the priest took the horn of oil from the tabernacle and anointed Solomon. Then they blew the ram’s horn, and all the people proclaimed, “Long live King Solomon!” / All the people followed him, playing flutes and rejoicing with such a great joy that the earth was split by the sound.

2 Samuel 5:3
So all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, where King David made with them a covenant before the LORD. And they anointed him king over Israel.

1 Samuel 10:24
Samuel said to all the people, “Do you see the one the LORD has chosen? There is no one like him among all the people.” And all the people shouted, “Long live the king!”

1 Kings 2:12
So Solomon sat on the throne of his father David, and his kingdom was firmly established.

1 Kings 16:16
and the people in the camp heard that Zimri had conspired against the king and struck him down. So there in the camp that very day, all Israel proclaimed Omri, the commander of the army, king over Israel.

2 Chronicles 24:1
Joash was seven years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem forty years. His mother’s name was Zibiah; she was from Beersheba.

2 Samuel 2:4
Then the men of Judah came to Hebron, and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah. And they told David, “It was the men of Jabesh-gilead who buried Saul.”

1 Kings 11:43
And Solomon rested with his fathers and was buried in the city of his father David. And his son Rehoboam reigned in his place.

2 Samuel 19:14
So he swayed the hearts of all the men of Judah as though they were one man, and they sent word to the king: “Return, you and all your servants.”

1 Kings 1:34
There Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet are to anoint him king over Israel. You are to blow the ram’s horn and declare, ‘Long live King Solomon!’

2 Samuel 15:10
Then Absalom sent spies throughout the tribes of Israel with this message: “When you hear the sound of the horn, you are to say, ‘Absalom reigns in Hebron!’”

Matthew 21:9
The crowds that went ahead of Him and those that followed were shouting: “Hosanna to the Son of David!” “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Hosanna in the highest!”

Treasury of Scripture

And all the people of the land rejoiced, and the city was in quiet: and they slew Athaliah with the sword beside the king's house.

took

2 Kings 11:14
And when she looked, behold, the king stood by a 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.

2 Chronicles 23:21
And all the people of the land rejoiced: and the city was quiet, after that they had slain Athaliah with the sword.

Proverbs 11:10
When it goeth well with the righteous, the city rejoiceth: and when the wicked perish, there is shouting.

slew Athaliah

2 Kings 11:15
But Jehoiada the priest commanded the captains of the hundreds, the officers of the host, and said unto them, Have her forth without the ranges: and him that followeth her kill with the sword. For the priest had said, Let her not be slain in the house of the LORD.

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Athaliah Athali'ah City Death Glad House King's Palace Quiet Rejoice Rejoiced Slain Slew Sword

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Athaliah Athali'ah City Death Glad House King's Palace Quiet Rejoice Rejoiced Slain Slew Sword

2 Kings 11

1. Jehoash, being saved by Jehosheba his aunt from Athaliah's massacre,
3. is hidden six years in the house of God
13. Jehoiada, giving order to the captains, in the seventh year anoints him king
17. Jehoiada restores the worship of God

Berean Study Bible

So all the people of the land rejoiced
The phrase "all the people of the land" refers to the collective body of Israelites who were under the oppressive rule of Athaliah. The Hebrew word for "rejoiced" is "śāmaḥ," which conveys a deep, exuberant joy. This joy was not merely a fleeting emotion but a profound sense of relief and celebration at the restoration of rightful leadership. Historically, this moment marked the end of a dark period of tyranny and idolatry, as Athaliah, who had usurped the throne, was removed. The people's rejoicing signifies a return to covenant faithfulness and divine order, reflecting the biblical theme that true joy is found in alignment with God's will.

and the city was quiet
The "city" here refers to Jerusalem, the political and spiritual heart of Israel. The Hebrew word for "quiet" is "šāqat," which implies a state of peace and rest. This tranquility was a stark contrast to the chaos and fear that characterized Athaliah's reign. The quietness of the city symbolizes the peace that follows justice and the restoration of God's order. In a broader biblical context, peace is often associated with God's presence and blessing, as seen in the prophetic visions of a future where God's kingdom brings ultimate peace.

for Athaliah had been put to the sword
The phrase "put to the sword" is a euphemism for execution, indicating that Athaliah was killed. Athaliah, the daughter of Ahab and Jezebel, had introduced Baal worship into Judah, leading the nation away from God. Her death was not merely a political act but a divine judgment against idolatry and rebellion. The Hebrew term for "sword" is "ḥereb," often used in the Old Testament as an instrument of divine justice. This act of judgment was necessary to cleanse the land and restore the Davidic line, fulfilling God's promise to David.

at the palace
The "palace" refers to the royal residence in Jerusalem, a symbol of authority and governance. The execution of Athaliah at the palace underscores the restoration of legitimate rule and the reestablishment of the Davidic dynasty. In biblical history, the palace is not just a physical structure but a representation of God's covenant with David, promising that his descendants would rule Israel. This event marks a pivotal moment in the preservation of that covenant, highlighting God's faithfulness to His promises despite human failure.

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(20) All the people of the land . . . the city.--Thenius calls this an "evident contrast between the soldiery and the. citizens; the former exulting in their work, the latter not lifting a finger while the idolatrous tyrant was being put to death " (connecting the first half of the verse with the second; after Ewald). But his assumption that "all the people of the land," here and in 2Kings 11:14, means "the soldiery" ("die ganze in Jerusalem anwesende Kriegerische Landesmannschaft--Die Kriegsmannschaft") is certainly wrong. "The people of the land" are plainly opposed to the royal guards--"the Praetorians"--who effected the revolution, as civilians to soldiers.

The city was in quiet.--The citizens of Jerusalem accepted the revolution without attempting any counter movement. No doubt there was a strong element of Baal-worshippers and partisans of Athaliah in the capital. "The people of the land" (i.e., probably, the people whom the centurions had called together from the country, at the instance of Jehoiada, according to 2Chronicles 23:2) are contrasted with the burghers of Jerusalem. The phrase, "the city was in quiet" (or "had rest," Judges 5:31), may, however, possibly refer to the deliverance from the tyranny of Athaliah.

And they slew Athaliah.--Rather, and Athaliah they had slain; an emphatic recurrence to the real climax of the story (2Kings 11:16), by way of conclusion.

Beside.--Rather, in, i.e., within the palace enclosure. . . .

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 20. - And all the people of the land rejoiced. "All the people of the land" has here, perhaps, a wider signification than in vers. 18 and 19. The whole land was content with the revolution that had taken place. No opposition showed itself. Ewald has no ground for his statement that the heathenizing party was strong in Jerusalem, and that the worshippers of Jehovah "had for a long time to keep watch in the temple, to prevent surprise by the heathenizing party" ('History of Israel,' vol. 4. p. 136, note 3). He has mistaken the intention of the last clause of ver. 18. If anything is clear from the entire narrative of the early reign of Joash (2 Kings 11:3-21; 2 Kings 12:1-16; 2 Chronicles 23:1-21; 2 Chronicles 24:1-14), it is that there was no heathenizing party in Jerusalem, or none that dared to show itself, until after the death of the high priest Jehoiada, which was later than the twenty-third year of Joash. And the city - i.e. Jerusalem - was in quiet: and they slew - it might he translated, when they had slain - Athaliah with the sword beside the king's house. The intention of the writer is to connect the period of tranquility with the removal of Athaliah, and therefore to point her out as the cause of disturbance previously.

Parallel Commentaries ...

Hebrew

and all
כָּל־ (kāl-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

the people
עַם־ (‘am-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 5971: A people, a tribe, troops, attendants, a flock

of the land
הָאָ֖רֶץ (hā·’ā·reṣ)
Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 776: Earth, land

rejoiced.
וַיִּשְׂמַ֥ח (way·yiś·maḥ)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 8055: To brighten up, be, blithe, gleesome

And the city
וְהָעִ֣יר (wə·hā·‘îr)
Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 5892: Excitement

was quiet,
שָׁקָ֑טָה (šā·qā·ṭāh)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 8252: To be quiet or undisturbed

because Athaliah
עֲתַלְיָ֛הוּ (‘ă·ṯal·yā·hū)
Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 6271: Athaliah -- daughter of Ahab, also three Israelites

had been put to
הֵמִ֥יתוּ (hê·mî·ṯū)
Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 4191: To die, to kill

the sword
בַחֶ֖רֶב (ḇa·ḥe·reḇ)
Preposition-b, Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 2719: Drought, a cutting instrument, as a, knife, sword

at the royal
הַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃ (ham·me·leḵ)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 4428: A king

palace.
בֵּ֥ית (bêṯ)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 1004: A house

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OT History: 2 Kings 11:20 So all the people of the land (2Ki iiKi ii ki 2 kg 2kg)