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 Kings 11:14)
On the Temple porch, by one of its great bronze pillars (see 1 Kings 7:15, 21).
The princes.
That is, the captains. These were the commanders of the royal guard who had taken up their position next to the king.
All the people.
A large multitude at this time filled the Temple court. Representatives were present from all the land (2 Chron. 23:2). If it was the Sabbath, large numbers would be there from Jerusalem and the surrounding countryside. Probably Jehoiada had announced preparations for some sort of festival that brought to the Temple an unusually large number of people.
Rent her clothes.
One glance revealed that all was lost. Her own guards were there protecting the new king and taking part in the joyous festivities. Athaliah stood alone, forsaken by all. She could hope for nothing, and expected nothing, This was the end of everything for her. How different from the scene of Paul’s dark days in a Roman prison when, forsaken by men, he yet had the assurance that the Lord stood with him and strengthened him (2 Tim. 4:17).