2 Chronicles 23

1 But in the seventh year, Jehoiada had the courage to act. He made a pledge with the commanders of hundreds: Azariah, son of Jeroham, Ishmael, son of Jehohanan, Azariah, son of Obed, Maaseiah, son of Adaiah, and Elishaphat, son of Zichri.

And in the seventh year Jehoiada strengthened himself, and took the captains of the hundreds, Azariah the son of Jeroham, and Ishmael the son of Jehohanan, and Azariah the son of Obed, and Maaseiah the son of Adaiah, and Elishaphat the son of Zichri, into covenant with him.

2 They traveled all over Judah and brought together the Levites from all the cities of Judah and the family leaders of Israel. When they came to Jerusalem,

And they went about in Judah and gathered together the Levites out of all the cities of Judah, and the chief fathers of Israel; and they came to Jerusalem.

3 they all assembled at God's Temple and made a solemn agreement with the king. Jehoiada announced to them, “Look, here is the king's son and he must reign, just as the Lord promised the descendants of David would.

And all the congregation made a covenant with the king in the house of God. And he said to them, Behold, the king's son shall reign, as Jehovah has said of the sons of David.

4 Here's what you have to do. One third of you priests and Levites who enter on the Sabbath shall guard the entrances.

This is the thing which ye shall do: a third part of you that come in on the sabbath, of the priests and of the Levites, shall be keepers of the doors;

5 Another third shall go over to the king's palace, while the last third shall be at the Foundation Gate. Everyone else stay in the courtyards of the Lord's Temple.

and a third part shall be at the king's house; and a third part at the gate of the foundation; and all the people shall be in the courts of the house of Jehovah.

6 No one should enter the Lord's Temple except the priests and those Levites are serving. They can enter because they have been made holy, but everyone else must follow the Lord's commands.

But let none come into the house of Jehovah except the priests and those of the Levites that do the service; they shall go in, for they are holy; but all the people shall keep the watch of Jehovah.

7 The Levites shall surround the king, weapons in hand. Kill anyone who enters the Temple. Stay close to the king wherever he goes.”

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

8 The Levites and all the people of Judah did everything that Jehoiada the priest told them. The commanders each brought his men, both those coming on duty on the Sabbath and those going off duty, for Jehoiada the priest had not dismissed any of the divisions.

And the Levites and all Judah 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; for Jehoiada the priest did not liberate the divisions.

9 Jehoiada the priest provided the commanders with the spears and the large and small shields of King David that were in God's Temple.

And Jehoiada the priest gave to the captains of the hundreds king David's spears and shields and targets, which were in the house of God.

10 He placed them all, with their weapons in hand, to surround the king from the south side of the Temple to the north side, and near the altar and the Temple.

And he set all the people, every man with his javelin in his hand, from the right side of the house to the left side of the house, toward the altar and the house, by the king round about.

11 Jehoiada and his sons then brought out the king's son, placed the crown on him, presented him with a copy of God's law, and proclaimed him king. They anointed him, and shouted out, “Long live the king!”

And they brought forth the king's son, and put the crown upon him, and [gave him] the testimony, and made him king. And Jehoiada and his sons anointed him, and said, Long live the king!

12 When Athaliah heard the noise of people running and shouting praise to the king, she rushed to the crowds at the Lord's Temple.

And Athaliah heard the noise of the people running and praising the king, and she came to the people into the house of Jehovah.

13 She saw the king standing by his pillar at the entrance. The commanders and trumpeters were with the king, and everyone was celebrating and blowing trumpets as the singers with musical instruments led the praise. Athaliah ripped her clothes and screamed out, “Treason! Treason!”

And she looked, and behold, the king stood on his dais at the entrance, and the princes and the trumpets were by the king; and all the people of the land rejoiced, and blew with trumpets; and the singers [were there] with the instruments of music, and such as taught to sing praise. And Athaliah rent her garments, and said, Conspiracy! Conspiracy!

14 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.”

And Jehoiada the priest brought out 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, let him be slain with the sword; for the priest said, Ye shall not put her to death in the house of Jehovah.

15 They grabbed hold of her and took her to the entrance of the Horse Gate of the king's palace, and killed her there.

And they made way for her, and she went through the entrance of the horse-gate into the king's house, and they put her to death there.

16 Then Jehoiada made a solemn agreement between himself and all the people and the king that they would be the Lord's people.

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

17 Everyone went to the Temple of Baal and tore down its altars and smashed the idols. They killed Mattan, the priest of Baal, right in front of the altar.

And all the people went into the house of Baal, and broke it down; and they broke his altars and his images in pieces, and slew Mattan the priest of Baal before the altars.

18 Jehoiada placed the responsibility for the Lord's Temple in the hands of the Levitical priests. They were the ones whom David had appointed over the Lord's Temple to offer burnt offerings to the Lord, as is required by the Law of Moses, with celebration and singing, as David instructed.

And Jehoiada appointed the offices of the house of Jehovah under the hand of the priests, the Levites, whom David had set by classes over the house of Jehovah to offer up Jehovah's burnt-offerings, as it is written in the law of Moses, — with rejoicing and with singing according to the directions of David.

19 He placed gatekeepers at the entrances to the Lord's Temple, so that no one unclean for any reason could enter.

And he set the doorkeepers at the gates of the house of Jehovah, that no one unclean in anything should enter in.

20 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 through the upper gate to the royal palace. There they set the king on the royal throne.

And he took the captains of the hundreds, and the nobles, and the governors of the people, and all the people of the land, and brought down the king from the house of Jehovah; and they came through the upper gate into the king's house, and set the king upon the throne of the kingdom.

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

And all the people of the land rejoiced, and the city was quiet; and they had slain Athaliah with the sword.