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. (2 Kings 11:8)
Whoever might even attempt to approach the ranks of the guards about the king was immediately to be slain. In the maneuver that was about to take place the most vital factor was the safeguarding of the life of the young king, for certainly the partisans of Athaliah would make every effort to put him to death.