2 Kings 11:8

You must surround the king with weapons in hand, and anyone who approaches the ranks must be put to death. You must stay close to the king wherever he goes.”

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — Jehoiada the priest issues the command to the commanders of hundreds during the Sabbath duty rotation at the temple and palace gates.

The words — וְ/הִקַּפְתֶּ֨ם (ve./hi.kaf.Tem) means "and you will surround," paired with סָבִ֗יב (sa.Viv) meaning "all around," which specifies the physical encirclement order.

The thread — The command mirrors the Levite guard duty in 2 Chronicles 23:7 and shares boundary-enforcement language with Exodus 21:14 and Numbers 27:17.

Why it lands — The text requires armed personnel to remain constantly near the monarch and execute anyone who breaches the ranks, demanding recognition that royal security here depends on disciplined physical enforcement rather than political negotiation.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

וְהִקַּפְתֶּ֨םve./hi.kaf.Temand/ you will surround עַל־'al-<on>הַמֶּ֜לֶךְha./Me.lekhthe/ king סָבִ֗יבsa.Vivall around אִ֚ישׁ'isheveryone וְכֵלָ֣יוve./khe.La/vand/ weapons/ his בְּיָד֔וֹbe./ya.D/oin/ hand/ his וְהַבָּ֥אve./ha./Ba'and/ the/ [one who] comes אֶל־'el-into הַשְּׂדֵר֖וֹתha./se.de.Rotthe/ ranks יוּמָ֑תyu.Mathe will be put to death וִהְי֥וּvi/h.Yuand/ be אֶת־'et-with הַמֶּ֖לֶךְha./Me.lekhthe/ king בְּצֵאת֥וֹbe./tze.T/owhen/ goes out/ he וּבְבֹאֽוֹ׃u./ve./vo.'/Oand/ when/ comes/ he

King James Version

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.

Cross-references

2 Chronicles 23:7 The Levites must surround the king with weapons in hand, and anyone who enters the temple must be put to death. You must stay close to the king wherever he goes.”
Exodus 21:14 But if a man schemes and acts willfully against his neighbor to kill him, you must take him away from My altar to be put to death.
Numbers 27:17 who will go out and come in before them, and who will lead them out and bring them in, so that the congregation of the LORD will not be like sheep without a shepherd.”
1 Kings 2:28 When the news reached Joab, who had conspired with Adonijah but not with Absalom, he fled to the tent of the LORD and took hold of the horns of the altar.
2 Kings 11:15 And Jehoiada the priest ordered the commanders of hundreds in charge of the army, “Bring her out between the ranks, and put to the sword anyone who follows her.” For the priest had said, “She must not be put to death in the house of the LORD.”