2 Kings 21:23

And the servants of Amon conspired against him, and slew the king in his own house.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(23) The servants of Amon—i.e., according to the common use of the phrase, his courtiers or palace officials. Nothing further is known of the circumstances of the murder. For a conjecture, see 2Chronicles 33:25.

Benson Commentary

2 Kings 21:23. The servants of Amon conspired against him — He having rebelled against God, his own servants rose up against him, and slew him when he had reigned only two years; and his own house, that should have been his castle of defence, was the place of his execution. He had profaned God’s house with his idols, and now God suffered his own house to be polluted with his blood. How unrighteous soever they were that did it, God was righteous who suffered it to be done.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

21:19-26 Amon profaned God's house with his idols; and God suffered his house to be polluted with his blood. How unrighteous soever they were that did it, God was righteous who suffered it to be done. Now was a happy change from one of the worst, to one of the best of the kings of Judah. Once more Judah was tried with a reformation. Whether the Lord bears long with presumptuous offenders, or speedily cuts them off in their sins, all must perish who persist in refusing to walk in his ways.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

This conspiracy may have been due to the popular reaction against the extreme idolatry which the young king had established.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

2Ki 21:19-26. Amon's Wicked Reign.

19-24. Amon was twenty and two years old when he began to reign—This prince continued the idolatrous policy of his father; and, after an inglorious reign of two years, he was massacred by some of his own domestics. The people slew the regicide conspirators and placed his son Josiah on the throne.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

No text from Poole on this verse.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

And the servants of Amon conspired against him,.... Some of his domestic servants, and perhaps his courtiers, not on account of his idolatry, but for some ill usage of them:

and slew the king in his own house: which they had an opportunity to do, being his servants.

Geneva Study Bible

And the servants of Amon conspired against him, and slew the king in his own house.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

23. the servants of Amon conspired against him] The servants must be the court officers who were close about the king. The place where he was killed, ‘his own house’, shews this, and the present destruction of Amon’s murderers by ‘the people of the land’ proves that it was no popular movement against the king, but only some private intrigue. The people also shewed their attachment to the house of David by immediately placing Amon’s son, Josiah, on the throne.

and slew the king] R.V. put the king to death. The change is made to shew that the word is not the same as that translated ‘slew’ in the next verse.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 23. - And the servants of Amon - i.e. his attendants, the officers of his court - conspired against him, and slew the king in his own house. Conspiracies in the palace, frequent in Israel (see 1 Kings 16:9; 2 Kings 9:32-37; 2 Kings 11:10, 25, 30), were not unknown in Judah (see 2 Kings 12:21). They naturally arose from various causes, as insults, injuries, hopes of advantage, ambition, etc. Where, as in the present case, no clue is given, it is idle to conjecture the motives by which the conspirators were actuated. Religious motives can scarcely have come into play. 2 Kings 21:23

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

His servants conspired against him and slew him in his palace; whereupon the people of the land, i.e., the population of Judah (הארץ עם equals יהוּדה עם, 2 Chronicles 26:1), put the conspirators to death and made Josiah the son of Amon king, when he was only eight years old.