2 Kings 11

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

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

2 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.

But Jehosheba, the daughter of King Joram, sister of Ahaziah, took Joash the son of Ahaziah, and stole him away from among the king’s sons who were slain, even him and his nurse, and put them in the bedroom; and they hid him from Athaliah, so that he was not slain.

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

He was with her hidden in the LORD’s house six years while Athaliah reigned over the land.

4 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

In the seventh year Jehoiada sent and fetched the captains over hundreds of the Carites and of the guard, and brought them to him into the LORD’s house; and he made a covenant with them, and made a covenant with them in the LORD’s house, and showed them the king’s son.

5 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.

He commanded them, saying, “This is what you must do: a third of you, who come in on the Sabbath, shall be keepers of the watch of the king’s house;

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

a third of you shall be at the gate Sur; and a third of you at the gate behind the guard. So you shall keep the watch of the house, and be a barrier.

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

The two companies of you, even all who go out on the Sabbath, shall keep the watch of the LORD’s house around the king.

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

You shall surround the king, every man with his weapons in his hand; and he who comes within the ranks, let him be slain. Be with the king when he goes out, and when he comes in.”

9 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.

The captains over hundreds did according to all that Jehoiada the priest commanded; and they each took his men, those who were to come in on the Sabbath with those who were to go out on the Sabbath, and came to Jehoiada the priest.

10 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.

The priest delivered to the captains over hundreds the spears and shields that had been King David’s, which were in the LORD’s house.

11 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.

The guard stood, every man with his weapons in his hand, from the right side of the house to the left side of the house, along by the altar and the house, around the king.

12 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!”

Then he brought out the king’s son, and put the crown on him, and gave him the covenant; and they made him king and anointed him; and they clapped their hands, and said, “Long live the king!”

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

When Athaliah heard the noise of the guard and of the people, she came to the people into the LORD’s house;

14 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!”

and she looked, and behold, the king stood by the pillar, as the tradition was, with the captains and the trumpets by the king; and all the people of the land rejoiced, and blew trumpets. Then Athaliah tore her clothes and cried, “Treason! Treason!”

15 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.”

Jehoiada the priest commanded the captains of hundreds who were set over the army, and said to them, “Bring her out between the ranks. Kill anyone who follows her with the sword.” For the priest said, “Do not let her be slain in the LORD’s house.”

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

So they seized her; and she went by the way of the horses’ entry to the king’s house, and she was slain there.

17 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.

Jehoiada 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.

18 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.

All the people of the land went to the house of Baal, and broke it down. They broke his altars and his images in pieces thoroughly, and killed Mattan the priest of Baal before the altars. The priest appointed officers over the LORD’s house.

19 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.

He took the captains over hundreds, and the Carites, and the guard, and all the people of the land; and they brought down the king from the LORD’s house, and came by the way of the gate of the guard to the king’s house. He sat on the throne of the kings.

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

So all the people of the land rejoiced, and the city was quiet. They had slain Athaliah with the sword at the king’s house.

21 Joash was seven when he became king.

Jehoash was seven years old when he began to reign.