Kings IV 11

1 And Gotholia the mother of Ochozias saw that her son was dead, and she destroyed all the seed royal.

Now when Athaliah, the mother of Ahaziah, saw that her son was dead, she arose and killed all the royal children.

2 And Josabee daughter of king Joram, sister of Ochozias, took Joas the son of her brother, and stole him from among the king's sons that were put to death, [secreting] him and his nurse in the bedchamber, and hid him from the face of Gotholia, and he was not slain.

But Jehosheba, a daughter of King Jehoram and sister of Ahaziah, took Joash son of Ahaziah, and hid him away from among the king's sons who were killed, along with his nurse; she put them into a bedroom. They hid him from Athaliah so that he was not killed.

3 And he remained with her hid in the house of the Lord six years: and Gotholia reigned over the land.

He remained with her six years, hidden in the house of Yahweh, while Athaliah reigned over the land.

4 And in the seventh year Jodae sent and took the captains of hundreds of the Chorri and of the Rhasim, and brought them to him into the house of the Lord, and made a covenant of the Lord with them, and adjured them, and Jodae shewed them the king's son.

In the seventh year, Jehoiada sent messages and brought the commanders of hundreds of the Carites and of the guard, and brought them to himself, into the temple of Yahweh. He made a covenant with them, and he made them swear an oath in the house of Yahweh. Then he showed them the king's son.

5 And charged them, saying, This [is] the thing which ye shall do.

He commanded them, saying, “This is what you must do. A third of you who come on the Sabbath will keep watch over the king's house,

6 Let a third part of you go in [on] the sabbath-day, and keep ye the watch of the king's house in the porch; and another third in the gate of the high way, and a third at the gate behind the footmen; and keep ye the guard of the house.

and a third will be at the Sur Gate, and a third at the gate behind the guardhouse.”

7 And there [shall be] two parties among you, even every one that goes out on the Sabbath, and they shall keep the guard of the Lord's house before the king.

The two other groups who are not serving on the Sabbath, you must keep the watch over the house of Yahweh for the king.

8 And do ye compass the king about every man with his weapon in his hand, and he that goes into the ranges shall die: and they shall be with the king in his going out and in his coming in.

You must surround the king, every man with his weapons in his hand. Whoever enters within your ranks, let him be killed. You must stay with the king when he goes out, and when he comes in.

9 And the captains of hundreds did all things that the wise Jodae commanded; and they took each his men, both those that went in on the sabbath-day, and those that went out on the sabbath-day, and went in to Jodae the priest.

So the commanders of hundreds obeyed everything Jehoiada the priest commanded. Each one took his men, those who were to come in to serve on the Sabbath, and those who were to stop serving on that Sabbath; and they came to Jehoiada the priest.

10 And the priest gave to the captains of hundreds the swords and spears of king David that were in the house of the Lord.

Then Jehoiada the priest gave the commanders of hundreds the spears and shields that belonged to King David and that were in the house of Yahweh.

11 And the footmen stood each with his weapon in his hand from the right corner of the house to the left corner of the house, [by] the altar and the house round about the king.

So the guards stood, each man with his weapon in his hand, from the right side of the temple to the left side, near the altar and the temple, surrounding the king.

12 And he brought forth the king's son, and put upon him the crown and [gave him] the testimony; and he made him king, and anointed him: and they clapped [their] hands, and said, Long live the king.

Then Jehoiada brought out the king's son Joash, put the crown on him, and gave him the covenant decrees. Then they made him king and anointed him. They clapped their hands and said, “Long live the king!”

13 And Gotholia heard the sound of the people running, and she went in to the people to the house of the Lord.

When Athaliah heard the noise of the guard and of the people, she came to the people in the house of Yahweh.

14 And she looked, and, behold, the king stood near a pillar according to the manner; and the singers and the trumpeters were before the king and all the people of the land [even] rejoicing and sounding with trumpets: and Gotholia rent her garments, and cried, A conspiracy, a conspiracy.

She looked, and, behold, the king was standing by the pillar, as the custom was, and the captains and the trumpeters were by the king. All the people of the land were rejoicing and blowing trumpets. Then Athaliah tore her clothes and shouted, “Treason! Treason!”

15 And Jodae the priest commanded the captains of hundreds who were over the host, and said to them, Bring her forth without the ranges, [and] he that goes in after her shall certainly die by the sword. For the priest said, Let her not however be slain in the house of the Lord.

Then Jehoiada the priest ordered the commanders of hundreds who were over the army, saying, “Bring her out between the ranks. Anyone who follows her, kill him with the sword.” For the priest had said, “Do not let her be killed in the house of Yahweh.”

16 And they laid hands upon her, and went in by the way of the horses' entrance into the house of the Lord, and she was slain there.

So they seized her as she reached the place where the horses enter the palace grounds, and there she was killed.

17 And Jodae made a covenant between the Lord and the king and the people, that they should be the Lord's people; also between the king and the people.

Then Jehoiada made a covenant between Yahweh and the king and people, that they should be Yahweh's people, and also between the king and the people.

18 And all the people of the land went into the house of Baal, and tore it down, and completely broke in pieces his altars and his images, and they slew Mathan the priest of Baal before the altars. And the priest appointed overseers over the house of the Lord.

So all the people of the land went to the house of Baal and tore it down. They smashed Baal's altars and his idol figures to pieces, and they killed Mattan, the priest of Baal, in front of those altars. Then Jehoida the priest appointed guards over the temple of Yahweh.

19 And he took the captains of the hundreds, and the Chorri, and the Rhasim, and all the people of the land, and brought down the king out of the house of the Lord; and they went in by the way of the gate of the footmen of the king's house, and seated him there on the throne of the kings.

Jehoida took with him the commanders of hundreds, the Carites, the guard, and all the people of the land, and together they brought down the king from the house of Yahweh and they went into the king's house, entering by way of the gate of the guards. Joash took his place on the royal throne.

20 And all the people of the land rejoiced, and the city was at rest: and they slew Gotholia with the sword in the house of the king.

So all the people of the land rejoiced, and the city was quiet after Athaliah had been killed with the sword at the king's house.

21 Joas [was] seven years old when he began to reign.

Joash was seven years old when he began to reign.