Athaliah Reigns in Judah
1 WhenAthaliahthe mother of Ahaziah saw that her son wasdead, she arose and destroyed all the royal heirs.
2 But Jehosheba, the daughter of King Joram, sister ofAhaziah, took Joash the son of Ahaziah, and stole him away from among the king’s sonswhowerebeing murdered; and they hid him and his nurse in the bedroom, from Athaliah, so that he was not killed.
3 So he was hidden with her in the house of theLordfor six years, while Athaliah reigned over the land.
Joash Crowned King of Judah
4 Inthe seventh year Jehoiada sent and brought the captains of hundreds—of the bodyguards and the escorts—and brought them into the house of theLordto him. And he made a covenant with them and took an oath from them in the house of theLord, and showed them the king’s son.
5 Then he commanded them, saying, “Thisiswhat you shall do: one-third of you who come on dutyon the Sabbath shall be keeping watch over the king’s house,
6 one-thirdshallbeat the gate of Sur, and one-third at the gate behind the escorts. You shall keep the watch of the house, lest it be broken down.
7 The two contingents of you who go off duty on the Sabbath shall keep the watch of the house of theLordfor the king.
8 But you shall surround the king on all sides, every man with his weapons in his hand; and whoever comes within range, let him be put to death. You are to be with the king as he goes out and as he comes in.”
9 So the captains of the hundreds did according to all that Jehoiada the priest commanded. Each of them took his men who were to be on duty on the Sabbath, with those who were going off duty on the Sabbath, and came to Jehoiada the priest.
10 And the priest gave the captains of hundreds the spears and shields whichhadbelongedto King David,that were in the temple of theLord.
11 Then the escorts stood, every man with his weapons in his hand, all around the king, from the right side of the temple to the left side of the temple, by the altar and the house.
12 And he brought out the king’s son, put the crown on him, andgavehimtheTestimony; they made him king and anointed him, and they clapped their hands and said,“Long live the king!”
Death of Athaliah
13 Now when Athaliah heard the noise of the escortsandthe people, she came to the peopleinthe temple of theLord.
14 When she looked, there was the king standing bya pillar according to custom; and the leaders and the trumpeters were by the king. All the people of the land were rejoicing and blowing trumpets. So Athaliah tore her clothes and cried out, “Treason! Treason!”
15 And Jehoiada the priest commanded the captains of the hundreds, the officers of the army, and said to them, “Take her outside under guard, and slay with the sword whoever follows her.” For the priest had said, “Do not let her be killed in the house of theLord.”
16 So they seized her; and she went by way of the horses’ entranceintothe king’s house, and there she was killed.
17 Then Jehoiadamade a covenant between theLord, the king, and the people, that they should be theLord’s people, andalsobetween the king and the people.
18 And all the people of the land went to thetemple of Baal, and tore it down. They thoroughlybroke in pieces its altars and images, andkilled Mattan the priest of Baal before the altars. Andthe priest appointed officers over the house of theLord.
19 Then he took the captains of hundreds, the bodyguards, the escorts, and all the people of the land; and they brought the king down from the house of theLord, and went by way of the gate of the escorts to the king’s house. Then he sat on the throne of the kings.
20 So all the people of the land rejoiced; and the city was quiet, for they had slain Athaliah with the swordinthe king’s house.
21 Jehoashwasseven years old when he became king.