2 Kings 11

1 And when Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she rose up and destroyed all the royal seed.

When Athaliah, the mother of Ahaziah, saw that her son was dead, she had all the rest of the royal family murdered.

2 But Jehosheba, the daughter of king Joram, the sister of Ahaziah, took Joash the son of Ahaziah and stole him from among the king's sons that were slain, [and hid] him and his nurse in the bedchamber; and they hid him from Athaliah, so that he was not slain.

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

3 And he was with her hid in the house of Jehovah six years. And Athaliah reigned over the land.

Joash stayed hidden in the Lord's Temple for six years while Athaliah ruled the country.

4 And in the seventh year Jehoiada sent and fetched the captains of the hundreds, of the bodyguard and the couriers, and brought them to him into the house of Jehovah, and made a covenant with them, and took an oath of them in the house of Jehovah, and shewed them the king's son.

In the seventh year, Jehoiada sent for the commanders of hundreds, the Carites, and the guards, and brought them into the Lord's Temple. He made an agreement with them and made them swear an oath. There in the Lord's Temple he showed them the king's son

5 And he commanded them saying, This is the thing which ye shall do: a third part of you, that come in on the sabbath, shall be keepers of the watch of the king's house;

and ordered them, “This is what you are going to do: One third of you who come on duty on the Sabbath will guard the royal palace.

6 and a third part shall be at the gate of Sur; and a third part at the gate behind the couriers; and ye shall keep the watch of the house for a defence.

One third will be at the Sur Gate, and one third at the gate behind the guards. You will alternate in guarding the palace.

7 And the two parts of you, all those that go forth on the sabbath, even they shall keep the watch of the house of Jehovah about the king.

The two divisions that would normally go off duty on the Sabbath will guard the Lord's Temple for the king.

8 And ye shall encompass the king round about, every man with his weapons in his hand; and he that comes within the ranks shall be put to death; and ye shall be with the king when he goes out and when he comes in.

Surround the king with weapons drawn, and anyone who approaches this line must be killed. Stay close to the king wherever he goes.”

9 And the captains of the hundreds did according to all that Jehoiada the priest commanded; and they took every man his men, those that were to come in on the sabbath, with them that were to go forth on the sabbath, and they came to Jehoiada the priest.

The commanders of hundreds followed all the instructions that Jehoiada the priest had given. They each took their own men, those who were coming on duty on the Sabbath and those going off duty, and came to Jehoiada the priest.

10 And the priest gave to the captains of the hundreds king David's spears and shields which were in the house of Jehovah.

Then the priest handed over to the commanders of hundreds the spears and shields that had belonged to King David which were kept in the Lord's Temple.

11 And the couriers stood by the king round about, every man with his weapons in his hand, from the right side of the house to the left side of the house, toward the altar and the house.

The guards stood with weapons drawn surrounding the king by the altar, and in a line around the Temple, from the south side to the north side of the Temple.

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

Then Jehoiada led out the king's son, placed the crown on him, and handed him a copy of God's Law. They proclaimed him king and anointed him. The people clapped, and shouted, “Long live the king!”

13 And Athaliah heard the noise of the couriers [and] of the people; and she came to the people into the house of Jehovah.

When Athaliah heard the noise of the guards and the people, she rushed to the crowds at the Lord's Temple.

14 And she looked, and behold, the king stood on the dais, according to the custom, and the princes and the trumpeters were by the king; and all the people of the land rejoiced, and blew with trumpets. And Athaliah rent her garments and cried, Conspiracy! Conspiracy!

She saw the king standing by his pillar as the custom was. The commanders and trumpeters were with the king, and everyone was celebrating and blowing trumpets. Athaliah ripped her clothes and screamed out, “Treason! Treason!”

15 And Jehoiada the priest commanded the captains of the hundreds that were set over the host, and said to them, Lead her forth without the ranks; and whosoever follows her, slay with the sword; for the priest said, Let her not be put to death in the house of Jehovah.

Jehoiada ordered the army commanders, “Bring her to the men standing in front of the Temple, and kill anyone who follows her.” Earlier the priest had made it clear, “She must not be killed in the Lord's Temple.”

16 And they made way for her, and she went by the way by which the horses entered the king's house, and there was she put to death.

They grabbed hold of her, took her to where the horses enter the palace grounds and they killed her there.

17 And Jehoiada made a covenant between Jehovah and the king and the people, that they should be the people of Jehovah; and between the king and the people.

Then Jehoiada made a solemn agreement between the Lord, the king, and the people that they would be the Lord's people. He also made an agreement between the king and the people.

18 Then all the people of the land went into the house of Baal, and broke it down: his altars and his images they broke in pieces completely, and slew Mattan the priest of Baal before the altars. And the priest appointed officers over the house of Jehovah.

Everyone went to the Temple of Baal and tore down its altars and smashed the idols to pieces. They killed Mattan, the priest of Baal, right in front of the altar. Then Jehoiada the priest had guards posted at the Lord's Temple.

19 And he took the captains of the hundreds, and the bodyguard, and the couriers, and all the people of the land; and they brought down the king from the house of Jehovah, and came by the way through the gate of the couriers into the king's house. And he sat upon the throne of the kings.

Along with the commanders, the nobles, the governors of the people, and all the people, he led the king in a procession down from the Lord's Temple, entering through the upper gate to the royal palace. There they set the king on the royal throne.

20 And all the people of the land rejoiced, and the city was quiet; and they had slain Athaliah with the sword [beside] the king's house.

All throughout the land people celebrated, and Jerusalem was at peace, because Athaliah had been killed by the sword at the palace.

21 Jehoash was seven years old when he began to reign.

Joash was seven when he became king.