2 Kings

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

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.

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

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;

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;

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!

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

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!

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.

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.

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.

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.

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;

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.

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