2 Kings 11

1Athaliah, Ahaziah's mother, saw that her son was dead, rose up, and destroyed all the kingdom's offspring.

2Jehosheba, daughter of King Joram and sister of Ahaziah, took Joash son of Ahaziah and snatched him from among the king's sons doomed to death and slain, him and his nurse, into a bedchamber, and they hid him from Athaliah so he was not killed.

3He remained hidden with her in the house of Yahweh six years, while Athaliah reigned over the land.

4In the seventh year Jehoiada sent and gathered the captains of hundreds—the Carites and the runners—brought them to him in Yahweh's house, made a covenant with them, bound them by oath in Yahweh's house, and showed them the king's son.

5He commanded them, saying, "This is what you shall do: one third of you who enter on the Sabbath shall keep watch at the king's house."

6A third at the Sur gate, a third at the gate behind the guard; you shall keep the watch of the house lest it be broken down.

7Both your divisions, all who go out on the Sabbath, shall keep the watch of Yahweh's house around the king.

8Surround the king on every side, every man with his weapons in hand; whoever comes to the ranks shall be put to death; and stay with the king when he goes out and when he comes in.

9The captains of hundreds carried out everything the priest Jehoiada commanded, and each took his men—those entering on the Sabbath with those leaving on the Sabbath—and came to Jehoiada the priest.

10The priest gave the captains of the hundreds the spear and the shields that belonged to King David, which were in the house of Yahweh.

11The guards stood ready, each with his weapons in his hand, from the right side of the temple to the left side, by the altar and the temple, all around the king.

12He led out the king's son and placed the crown and the testimony upon him; they made him king, anointed him, clapped their hands, and said, "Long live the king!"

13Athaliah heard the sound of the runners and the people, and she came to the people in the house of Yahweh.

14She looked, and there was the king standing by the pillar as custom dictated, the captains and trumpeters beside him, while all the people of the land rejoiced and sounded trumpets. Athaliah tore her garments and cried, "Conspiracy! Conspiracy!"

15Jehoiada the priest commanded the captains of the hundreds who were appointed over the army and said to them, "Bring her out from the house between the ranks, and whoever follows her put to death with the sword—for the priest had said, 'Do not kill her in the house of Yahweh.'"

16They laid hands on her, and she went by the way of the horses' entrance to the king's house, and there she was put to death.

17Jehoiada made a covenant between Yahweh, the king, and the people for them to become Yahweh's people, and between the king and the people.

18All the people of the land entered the house of Baal and demolished it along with its altars; they shattered his images completely and killed Mattan, the priest of Baal, in front of the altars. The priest assigned overseers to the house of Yahweh.

19He took the captains of hundreds, the Carites, the guard, and all the people of the land, brought the king down from the house of Yahweh, and went by way of the gate of the guard to the king's house; then he sat on the throne of the kings.

20All the people in the land rejoiced, and the city was quiet. They had killed Athaliah with the sword in the king's house.

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