2 Kings 11

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

2But Jehosheba, the daughter of King Joram, sister of Ahaziah, took Joash son of Ahaziah and stole him away from among the king’s sons who were being put to death, along with his nurse, into the bedroom; and they hid him from Athaliah, so that he was not put to death.

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

4In the seventh year Jehoiada sent and took the commanders of hundreds, the Carites, and the runners, and brought them to himself in the house of Yahweh. He made a covenant with them and put them under oath in the house of Yahweh, and showed them the king’s son.

5And he commanded them, saying, “This is the thing that you shall do: one third of you who come on the Sabbath shall keep watch over the king’s house,”

6and a third shall be at the Sur Gate, and a third at the gate behind the runners; and you shall keep watch over the house to prevent intrusion.

7And the two divisions among you, all who go off duty on the Sabbath, shall keep watch over the house of Yahweh for the king.

8You shall surround the king on every side, each man with his weapons in his hand. Whoever comes within the ranks shall be put to death. Stay with the king when he goes out and when he comes in.

9So the commanders of hundreds did according to all that Jehoiada the priest commanded. Each took his men, those coming on duty on the Sabbath together with those going off duty on the Sabbath, and they came to Jehoiada the priest.

10Then the priest gave to the commanders of hundreds the spears and the shields that had belonged to King David, which were in the house of Yahweh.

11And the guards stood, each man with his weapons in his hand, from the right side of the house to the left side of the house, by the altar and by the house, around the king.

12Then 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!”

13When Athaliah heard the noise of the guards and of the people, she came to the people in the house of Yahweh.

14And she looked, and behold, the king was standing by the pillar, according to the custom, with the officers and the trumpets beside the king, and all the people of the land were rejoicing and blowing trumpets. Then Athaliah tore her clothes and cried, “Conspiracy! Conspiracy!”

15Then Jehoiada the priest commanded the captains of hundreds who were appointed over the army, and said to them, “Bring her out between the ranks, and whoever follows after her, put to death with the sword.” For the priest had said, “She must not be put to death in the house of Yahweh.”

16So they 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.

17Then Jehoiada made the covenant between Yahweh and the king and the people, that they should be a people for Yahweh, and also between the king and the people.

18Then all the people of the land went into the house of Baal and tore it down. They thoroughly smashed his altars and his images, and they killed Mattan the priest of Baal before the altars. Then the priest appointed overseers over the house of Yahweh.

19Then he took the commanders of hundreds, the Carites, the runners, and all the people of the land, and they brought the king down from the house of Yahweh and came by way of the gate of the runners to the king’s house, and he sat on the throne of the kings.

20And all the people of the land rejoiced, and the city was quiet. As for Athaliah, they put her to death with the sword at the king’s house.