2 Kings 11

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

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

2 But Jehosheba, the daughter of king Joram, sister of Ahaziah, took Joash the son of Ahaziah, and secretly took him away from among the king's sons who were to be executed, even him and his nurse, and put them in the bedroom. So he was hidden from Athaliah and was not put to death.

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.

3 He was with her hidden in the house of the LORD six years. Athaliah reigned over the land.

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

4 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 house of the LORD; and he made a covenant with them, and took an oath of them in the house of the LORD, and showed them the king's son.

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

5 He commanded them, saying, "This is the thing that you shall do: a third part of you, who come in on the Sabbath, shall be keepers of the watch of the king's house.

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.

6 A third part shall be at the Foundation Gate, and a third part at the gate behind the guard. So you shall keep the watch of the house, and be a barrier.

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

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

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

8 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."

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

9 The captains over hundreds did according to all that Jehoiada the priest commanded; and they took every man 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.

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.

10 The priest delivered to the captains over hundreds the spears and shields that had been king David's, which were in the house of the LORD.

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.

11 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.

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.

12 Then he brought out the king's son, and put the crown on him, and gave him the testimony; and they made him king, and anointed him; and they clapped their hands, and said, "Long live the king."

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!”

13 When Athaliah heard the noise of the guard and of the people, she came to the people into the house of the LORD:

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

14 and she looked, and look, the king stood by the pillar, as the tradition was, and 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."

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!”

15 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 him who follows her with the sword." For the priest said, "Do not let her be slain in the house of the LORD."

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.”

16 So they made way for her; and she went by the way of the horses' entry to the king's house. She was slain there.

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

17 Jehoiada made a covenant between the LORD and the king and the people, that they should be the LORD's people.

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.

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

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.

19 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 house of the LORD, and came by the way of the Gate of the Guard to the king's house. He sat on the throne of the kings.

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.

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

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

21 Jehoash was seven years old when he began to reign.

Joash was seven when he became king.