2 Kings 11

1 When Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she proceeded to annihilate all the royal heirs.

And Athalia the mother of Ochozias seeing that her son was dead, arose, and slew all the royal seed.

2 But Jehosheba daughter of King Joram, the sister of Ahaziah, took Joash son of Ahaziah and stole him away from among the sons of the king who were being murdered. She put him and his nurse in a bedroom to hide him from Athaliah, and he was not killed.

But Josaba the daughter of king Joram, sister of Ochozias, took Joas the son of Ochozias, and stole him from among the king’s sons that were slain, out of the bedchamber with his nurse: and hid him from the face of Athalia, so that he was not slain.

3 And Joash remained hidden with his nurse in the house of the LORD for six years while Athaliah ruled the land.

And he was with her six years hid in the house of the Lord. And Athalia reigned over the land.

4 Then in the seventh year, Jehoiada sent for the commanders of hundreds, the Carites, and the guards, and had them brought into the house of the LORD. There he made a covenant with them and put them under oath. He showed them the king’s son

And in the seventh year Joiada seat, and taking the centurions and the soldiers, brought them in to him into the temple of the Lord, and made a covenant with them: and taking an oath of them in the house of the Lord, shewed them the king’s son:

5 and commanded them, “This is what you are to do: A third of you who come on duty on the Sabbath shall guard the royal palace,

And he commanded them, saying: This is the thing that you must do:

6 a third shall be at the gate of Sur, and a third at the gate behind the guards. You are to take turns guarding the temple—

Let a third part of you go in on the sabbath, and keep the watch of the king’s house. And let a third part be at the gate of Sur: and let a third part be at the gate behind the dwelling of the shieldbearers: and you shall keep the watch of the house of Messa.

7 the two divisions that would go off duty on the Sabbath are to guard the house of the LORD for the king.

But let two parts of you, all that go forth on the sabbath, keep the watch of the house of the Lord about the king.

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.”

And you shall compass him round about, having weapons in your hands: and if any man shall enter the precinct of the temple, let him be slain: and you shall be with the king coming in and going out.

9 So the commanders of hundreds did everything that Jehoiada the priest had ordered. Each of them took his men—those coming on duty on the Sabbath and those going off duty—and came to Jehoiada the priest.

And the centurions did according to all things that Joiada the priest had commanded them: and taking every one their men, that went in on the sabbath, with them that went out on the sabbath, came to Joiada the priest.

10 Then the priest gave to the commanders of hundreds the spears and shields of King David from the house of the LORD.

And he gave them the spears, and the arms of king David, which were in the house of the Lord.

11 And the guards stood with weapons in hand surrounding the king by the altar and the temple, from the south side to the north side of the temple.

And they stood having every one their weapons in their hands, from the right side of the temple, unto the left side of the altar, and of the temple, about the king.

12 Then Jehoiada brought out the king’s son, put the crown on him, presented him with the Testimony, and proclaimed him king. They anointed him, and the people clapped their hands and declared, “Long live the king!”

And he brought forth the king’s son, and put the diadem upon him, and the testimony: and they made him king, and anointed him: and clapping their hands. they said, God save the king.

13 When Athaliah heard the noise from the guards and the people, she went out to the people in the house of the LORD.

And Athalia heard the noise of the people running: and going in to the people into the temple of the Lord,

14 And she looked out and saw the king standing by the pillar, according to the custom. The officers and trumpeters were beside the king, and all the people of the land were rejoicing and blowing trumpets. Then Athaliah tore her clothes and screamed, “Treason! Treason!”

She saw the king standing upon a tribunal, as the manner was, and the singers, and the trumpets near him, and all the people of the land rejoicing, and sounding the trumpets: and she rent her garments, and cried: A conspiracy, a conspiracy.

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.”

But Joiada commended the centurions that were over the army, and said to them: Have her forth without the precinct of the temple, and whosoever shall follow her, let him be slain with the sword. For the priest had said: Let her not be slain in the temple of the Lord.

16 So they seized Athaliah as she reached the horses’ entrance to the palace grounds, and there she was put to death.

And they laid hands on her: and thrust her out by the way by which the horses go in, by the palace, and she was slain there.

17 Then Jehoiada made a covenant between the LORD and the king and the people that they would be the LORD’s people. He also made a covenant between the king and the people.

And Joiada made a covenant between the Lord, and the king, and the people, that they should be the people of the Lord, and between the king and the people.

18 So all the people of the land went to the temple of Baal and tore it down. They smashed the altars and idols to pieces, and they killed Mattan the priest of Baal in front of the altars. And Jehoiada the priest posted guards for the house of the LORD.

And all the people of the land went into the temple of Baal, and broke down his altars, and his images they broke in pieces thoroughly: they slew also Mathan the priest of Baal before the altar. And the priest set guards in the house of the Lord.

19 He took with him the commanders of hundreds, the Carites, the guards, and all the people of the land, and they brought the king down from the house of the LORD and entered the royal palace by way of the Gate of the Guards. Then Joash took his seat on the royal throne,

And he took the centurions, and the bands of the Cerethi and the Phelethi, and all the people of the land, and they brought the king from the house of the Lord: and they came by the way of the gate of the shieldbearers into the palace. and he sat on the throne of the kings.

20 and all the people of the land rejoiced. And the city was quiet, because Athaliah had been put to the sword at the royal palace.

And all the people of the land rejoiced, and the city was quiet: but Athalia was slain with the sword in the king’s house.

21 Joash was seven years old when he became king.

Now Joas was seven years old, when he began to reign.