The context shows that up to this point, Athaliah had been unaware of what was happening. When she heard the shouts of acclamation and the applause, she went quickly to the Temple.

The guard and … the people: The guard is plural in Hebrew and should be translated as a plural in modern English and most other languages (see the comments at 2 Kgs 10.25). There is no conjunction in Hebrew between the words rendered the guard and the people. This has led some interpreters to believe that only one group is intended and that the word rendered the guard should be omitted as a later scribal addition (so New American Bible, New Jerusalem Bible, La Bible Pléiade). Most versions, however, retain both nouns. One possible translation is “the guards and the other people.” Since the following verses refer to “the people of the land,” who were probably a distinct social group, the word people here may refer also to this group (so American Bible).

Went … to the people: In view of the context some languages may require a more vivid rendering of the common Hebrew verb of motion here. New Jerusalem Bible has “joined the people,” while New American Bible translates “appeared before them.”

Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellington, John E. A Handbook on 1-2 Kings, Volume 2. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2008. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .