2 Kings 11

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

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 daughter of King Joram, sister of Ahaziah, took Joash son of Ahaziah, and stole him from among the king’s sons that were being slain—him and his nurse, into the bedchamber, —so she hid him from the face of Athaliah, that he was not slain.

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 And he was with her, in the house of Yahweh, hiding himself, six years, —while, Athaliah, was reigning over the land.

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

4 But, in the seventh year, Jehoiada sent and took the captains over hundreds, of the Carian body-guard, and of the runners, and brought them unto him, in the house of Yahweh, —and, when he had solemnised a Covenant with them, and put them on oath, in the house of Yahweh, then shewed he 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 and commanded them, saying—This, is the thing which ye must do, —A third part of you, will be coming in on the sabbath, and keeping the watch of the house of the king;

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 and, a third, in the side-gate; and, a third, in the gate behind the runners, —so shall ye keep the watch of the house, by turns.

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 And, two parts of you, are all that are going out on the sabbath, —so shall ye keep the watch of the house of Yahweh, as touching the king.

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

8 Thus shall ye encompass the king round about, every man with his weapons in his hand, and, he that cometh within the ranks, let him be slain, —so be ye with the king, when he cometh out and when he goeth 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 And the captains of hundreds did according to all that Jehoiada the priest commanded, and they took every man his men who were coming in on the sabbath, with them who were going out on the sabbath, —and came unto 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 And the priest gave unto the captains of hundreds the spears and the shields which belonged to King David, —which were in the house of Yahweh.

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 And the runners stood, every man with his weapons in his hand, from the right corner of the house, as far as the left corner of the house, by the altar and the house, —near the king, round about.

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 brought he forth the king’s son, and set upon him the crown, and the testimony, and they made him king, and anointed him, —and clapped their hands, and said—May the king live!

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 And, when Athaliah heard the noise of the runners, the people, then came she in unto the people, in the house of Yahweh,

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

14 and looked, and lo! the king, standing by the pillar, as the custom was, and the captains and the trumpeters, by the king, and, all the people of the land, rejoicing, and blowing with trumpets, —so Athaliah rent her garments, and cried out—Conspiracy! conspiracy!

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 And Jehoiada the priest commanded the captains of hundreds—officers of the force, and said unto them—Take her forth into the inside of the ranks, and, he that cometh in after her, [ye are] to slay with the sword. For the priest said, Let her not be slain, in the house of Yahweh.

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 entered the road by which the horses approached the house of the king, and was slain there.

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

17 And Jehoiada solemnised a covenant between Yahweh, and the king, and the people, that they should become a people unto Yahweh, —also between the king and the 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 And all the people of the land entered the house of Baal, and brake it down, his altars and his images, brake they in pieces, utterly, and, Mattan the priest of Baal, they slew before the altars, —and the priest appointed officers over the house of Yahweh.

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 And he took the captains of hundreds and the Carian bodyguard, and the runners, and all the people of the land, and they brought down the king out of the house of Yahweh, and they came, by way of the gate of the runners, into the house of the king, —and he took his seat 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 and all the people of the land rejoiced, and, the city, had rest, —when they had put, Athaliah, to death with the sword, in the house of the king.

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

21 Seven years old, was Jehoash, when he began to reign.

Joash was seven when he became king.