2 Kings 11

1 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.

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

2 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.

But Jehosheba, the daughter of king Joram, sister of Ahaziah, took Joash the son of Ahaziah, and stole him away from among the king’s sons that were slain, even him and his nurse, [and put them] in the bedchamber; and they hid him from Athaliah, so that he was not slain.

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

And he was with her hid in the house of the LORD six years: and Athaliah reigned over the land.

4 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.

And 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 shewed them the king’s son.

5 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.

And he commanded them, saying, This is the thing that ye shall do: a third part of you, that come in on the sabbath, shall be keepers of the watch of the king’s house;

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

And a third part shall be at the gate Sur; and a third part at the gate behind the guard: so shall ye keep the watch of the house, and be a barrier.

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

And the two companies of you, even all that go forth on the sabbath, shall keep the watch of the house of the LORD about the king.

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

And ye shall compass the king round about, every man with his weapons in his hand; and he that cometh within the ranks, let him be slain: and be ye with the king when he goeth out, and when he cometh in.

9 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.

And the captains over hundreds did according to all that Jehoiada the priest commanded: and they took every man his men, those that were to come in on the sabbath, with those that were to go out on the sabbath, and came to Jehoiada the priest.

10 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.

And 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.

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

And 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, by the king round about.

12 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!”

Then he brought out the king’s son, and put the crown upon him, and [gave him] the testimony; and they made him king, and anointed him; and they clapped their hands, and said, God save the king.

13 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.

And when Athaliah heard the noise of the guard [and of] the people, she came to the people into the house of the LORD:

14 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!”

and she looked, and, behold, the king stood by the pillar, as the manner was, and the captains and the trumpets by the king; and all the people of the land rejoiced, and blew with trumpets. Then Athaliah rent her clothes, and cried, Treason, treason.

15 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!”

And Jehoiada the priest commanded the captains of hundreds that were set over the host, and said unto them, Have her forth between the ranks; and him that followeth her slay with the sword: for the priest said, Let her not be slain in the house of the LORD.

16 [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.

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

17 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.

And Jehoiada made a covenant between the LORD and the king and the people, that they should be the LORD’S people; between the king also and the people.

18 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.

And all the people of the land went to the house of Baal, and brake it down: his altars and his images brake they in pieces thoroughly, and slew Mattan the priest of Baal before the altars. And the priest appointed officers over the house of the LORD.

19 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].

And 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 unto the king’s house. And he sat on the throne of the kings.

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

So all the people of the land rejoiced, and the city was quiet: and they slew Athaliah with the sword at the king’s house.

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

Jehoash was seven years old when he began to reign.