2 Kings 11

1 Then Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah when she saw that her sonne was dead, she arose, and destroyed all the Kings seede.

When King Ahaziah’s mother Athaliah saw that her son had been killed, she commanded that all the members of Ahaziah’s family [who might become king] must be executed.

2 But Iehosheba the daughter of King Ioram, and sister to Ahaziah tooke Ioash the sonne of Ahaziah, and stale him from among the Kings sonnes that shoulde be slaine, both him and his nource, keeping them in the bed chaber, and they hid him from Athaliah, so that he was not slaine.

So Ahaziah’s sons were all about to be murdered. But Jehosheba, who was King Jehoram’s daughter and Ahaziah’s half-sister, took Ahaziah’s [very young] son Joash and hid him and (his nursemaid/the woman who took care of him) in a bedroom [in the temple]. So he was not killed.

3 And he was with her hid in the house of the Lord sixe yeere: and Athaliah did reigne ouer the land.

He stayed with Jehosheba for six years. All during that time, he remained hidden in the temple, while Athaliah ruled [Judah].

4 And the seuenth yeere Iehoiada sent and tooke the captaines ouer hundreths, with other captaines and them of the garde, and caused them to come vnto him into the house of the Lord, and made a couenant with them, and tooke an othe of them in the house of the Lord, and shewed them the Kings sonne.

But during the next year, Jehoiada the Supreme Priest summoned the officers who supervised the royal bodyguards and the palace guards. He told them to come to the temple. There he required them to solemnly promise that they would do what he told them to do. And he showed King Ahaziah’s son Joash to them.

5 And he commanded them, saying, This is it that ye must doe, The third part of you, that commeth on the Sabbath, shall warde towarde the Kings house:

He gave them these instructions: “There are three groups of you guards. When one group finishes their work on the Sabbath day, [divide yourselves into] three smaller groups. One group must guard the palace.

6 And another third part in the gate of Sur: and another thirde part in the gate behinde them of the garde: and ye shall keepe watche in the house of Massah.

Another group must guard at the Sur Gate. The other group must guard at the gate behind the other groups.

7 And two parts of you, that is, all that goe out on the Sabbath day, shall keepe the watch of the house of the Lord about the King.

The two groups that are not working on the Sabbath day must guard the temple [to protect little King Joash].

8 And ye shall compasse the King rounde about, euery man with his weapon in his hande, and whosoeuer commeth within the ranges, let him be slayne: be you with the King, as he goeth out and in.

You must stand around the king wherever he goes, with your weapons in your hands. You must kill anyone who comes near you.”

9 And the captaines of the hundreths did according to all that Iehoiada the Priest commaded, and they tooke euery man his men that entred in to their charge on the Sabbath with them that went out of it on the Sabbath, and came to Iehoiada the Priest.

The officers [who supervised the guards] did what Jehoiada told them to do. Each one brought to Jehoiada the guards that he supervised—the guards who were just finishing their work and those who were about to start their work on the Sabbath day.

10 And the Priest gaue to the captaines of hundreths the speares and the shieldes that were King Dauids, and were in the house of the Lord.

The priest distributed to the commanders of the guards the spears and shields that had belonged to King David, that were kept/stored in the temple.

11 And the garde stoode, euery man with his weapon in his hande, from the right side of the house to the left side, about the altar and about the house, round about the King.

Then he commanded all the guards to stand in their positions, each one with his sword in his hand, all around the young king.

12 Then he brought out the Kings sonne, and put the crowne vpon him and gaue him the Testimonie, and they made him King: also they anoynted him, and clapt their handes, and sayde, God saue the King.

Then he brought Joash out. He put the crown on his head and gave him a scroll on which were written the rules [that the kings needed to obey]. Then he poured some olive oil on Joash’s head and proclaimed that he was now the king. The people all clapped their hands and shouted, “We desire/hope that the king will live for many years!”

13 And when Athaliah heard the noyse of the running of the people, shee came in to the people in the house of the Lord.

When Athaliah heard the noise that was being made by the guards and the other people, she ran to the temple, where the people were gathered.

14 And when shee looked, beholde, the King stoode by a pillar, as the maner was, and the princes and the trumpetters by the King, and al the people of the land reioyced, and blew with trumpets. Then Athaliah rent her clothes, and cryed, Treason, treason.

She saw the new king standing there alongside one of the big pillars, which was the place at the temple where the kings usually stood. She saw that he was surrounded by the temple officers and men blowing trumpets, and that the people were shouting joyfully, and [some of] them were also blowing trumpets. She tore her clothes [to show her distress] and shouted, “You are traitors! You have tricked/deceived me!”

15 But Iehoiada the Priest commanded the captaines of the hundreths that had the rule of the hoste, and sayde vnto them, Haue her forth of the ranges, and he that followeth her, let him die by the sworde: for the Priest had sayd, Let her not be slaine in the house of the Lord.

Jehoiada [immediately] said, “Kill her, but do not kill her here at the temple of Yahweh! Take her away between two rows of guards. And kill anyone who tries to rescue her!”

16 Then they laid hands on her, and she went by the way, by the which the horses goe to the house of the King, and there was she slaine.

[She tried to flee, but] the guards seized her and took her to the palace, to the place where horses enter the courtyard. They killed her there.

17 And Iehoiada made a couenant betweene the Lord, and the King and the people, that they should be the Lordes people: likewise betweene the King and the people.

Then Jehoiada made a solemn agreement between the king and the people, that they would always (obey/be faithful to) Yahweh. He also made an agreement requiring the people to be loyal to Joash their king.

18 Then all the people of the lande went into the house of Baal, and destroyed it with his altars, and his images brake they downe courageously, and slewe Mattan the Priest of Baal before the altars: and the Priest set a garde ouer the house of the Lord.

Then all the people of Israel who were there went to the temple of Baal and tore it down. They smashed the altars and the statues of Baal. They also killed Mattan, the priest of Baal, in front of the altars. Jehoiada stationed/put guards at the temple of Yahweh.

19 Then he tooke the captaines of hudreths, and the other captaines, and the garde, and all the people of the lande: and they brought the King from the house of the Lord, and came by the way of the gate of the garde to the Kings house: and he sate him downe on the throne of the Kings.

Then he and the officers of the temple, the officers who supervised the royal bodyguards, and the king’s bodyguards brought the king from the temple to the palace. All the people [followed them]. Joash entered the palace at the Guard Gate and sat down on the throne, [which showed that he was the new king].

20 And all the people of the land reioyced, and the citie was in quiet: for they had slaine Athaliah with the sworde beside the Kings house.

All the people of Judah rejoiced. And because Athaliah had been killed, the city was quiet/calm.

21 Seuen yeere olde was Iehoash when he began to reigne.

Joash was seven years old when he became the king [of Judah].