2nd Kings Chapter 11 verse 6 Holy Bible

Pulpit Commentary

Pulpit CommentaryVerse 6. - And a third part shall be at the gate of Sur. The "gate of Sur" is not elsewhere mentioned. It seems to be called in Chronicles (2 Chronicles 23:5) "the gate of the foundation" (שַׂעַר יְסוד) instead of "the gate of Sur" (שַׁעַר סוּר), as here - the one reading having evidently arisen out of the other by a corruption. We must understand one of the palace gates, but which of them is uncertain. And a third part at the gate behind the guard; called in ver. 19 "the gate of the guard," and shown there to have been on the cast side of the palace, where it faced the temple, and abutted on the Tyropoeon. So shall ye keep the watch of the house - i.e., of the "king's house," or palace, which is contrasted with the "house of the Lord" of the next verse - that it be not broken down. This rendering is scarcely accepted at the present time by any writers. Ewald renders, "according to custom;" Keil, "for defense;" Furst, "alternately;" our Revisers, "and be a barrier." The Hebrew word used occurs nowhere else, and it seems impossible to determine its sense. The LXX. simply omit it.

Ellicott's Commentary

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(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 S-r ("turning aside") Chronicles has Jesod ("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 2Kings 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, sha'ar), and should be omitted as an error of transcription.So shall ye keep the watch of the house.--Thus shall ye--the three divisions of the guards, entering on duty on the Sabbath--guard the entrances and exits of the royal palace.That it be not broken down.--The Hebrew is only the one word mass?h, which occurs nowhere else. It appears to mean "repulse," "warding off," and is probably a marginal gloss on "watch" (mishmereth), explaining its nature--viz., 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" (-nes?ah for mass?h). He should have written wen?soah.