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 killed all the royal children.

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

He remained with her six years, hidden in the house of Yahweh, 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 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 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 on the Sabbath will keep watch over 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.

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

7 The two divisions that would normally go off duty on the Sabbath will guard the Lord's Temple for 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 Surround the king with weapons drawn, and anyone who approaches this line must be killed. Stay close to the king wherever he goes.”

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 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.

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 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.

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 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.

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 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 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 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 in the house of Yahweh.

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 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 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.”

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

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

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 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 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.

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 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.

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 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 after Athaliah had been killed with the sword at the king's house.

21 Joash was seven when he became king.

Joash was seven years old when he began to reign.