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.

Truly, Athaliah, the mother of Ahaziah, seeing that her son was dead, rose up and put to death 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, the sister of Ahaziah, taking Jehoash, the son of Ahaziah, stole him away from the midst of the sons of the king who were being killed, out of the bedroom, with his nurse. And she hid him from the face of Athaliah, so that he would not be killed.

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

And he was with her for six years, hidden in the house of the Lord. But 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

Then, in the seventh year, Jehoiada sent for and took centurions and soldiers, and he brought them to himself in the temple of the Lord. And he formed a pact with them. And taking an oath with them in the house of the Lord, he revealed to them the son of the king.

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.

And he commanded them, saying: “This is the word that you must do.

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.

Let one third part of you enter on the Sabbath, and keep watch on the house of the king. And let one third part be at the gate of Sur. And let one third part be at the gate behind the dwelling place of the shield bearers. And you shall keep the watch on the house of Mesha.

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

Yet truly, let two parts of you, all who depart on the Sabbath, keep watch over the house of the Lord concerning 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.”

And you shall surround him, having weapons in your hands. But if anyone will have entered the precinct of the temple, let him be killed. And you shall be with the king, entering and departing.”

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.

And the centurions acted in accord with all the things that Jehoiada, the priest, had instructed them. And taking each one of their men who would enter on the Sabbath, with those who would depart on the Sabbath, they went 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.

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

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.

And they stood, each one having his weapons in his hand, before the right side of the temple, all the way to the left side of the altar and of the shrine, surrounding 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!”

And he led forth the son of the king. And he placed the diadem on him, and the testimony. And they made him king, and they anointed him. And clapping their hands, they said: “The king lives!”

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

Then Athaliah heard the sound of the people running. And entering to the crowd at the temple of the Lord,

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!”

she saw the king standing upon a tribunal, according to custom, and the singers and trumpets near him, and all the people of the land rejoicing and sounding the trumpets. And she tore her garments, and she cried out: “Conspiracy! Conspiracy!”

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.”

But Jehoiada gave orders to the centurions who were over the army, and he said to them: “Lead her away, beyond the precinct of the temple. And whoever will have followed her, let him be struck with the sword.” For the priest had said, “Do not allow her to be killed in the temple of the Lord.”

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

And they laid hands on her. And they pushed her through the way by which horses enter, beside the palace. And she was killed 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.

Then Jehoiada formed a covenant between the Lord, and the king and the people, so that they would be the people of the Lord; and 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.

And all the people of the land entered the temple of Baal, and they tore down his altars, and they thoroughly crushed the statues. Also, they killed Mattan, the priest of Baal, before the altar. And the priest placed guards in the house of the Lord.

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.

And he took the centurions, and the legions of the Cherethites and Pelethites, and all the people of the land, and together they led the king from the house of the Lord. And they went by way of the gate of the shield bearers into the palace. And he sat upon 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.

And all the people of the land rejoiced. And the city was quieted. But Athaliah was slain with the sword at the house of the king.

21 Joash was seven when he became king.

Now Jehoash was seven years old when he had begun to reign.