1 Now when Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead,
she arose and destroyed all the seed royal. 2 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 who 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 was with her hid in the house of Yahweh six
years. Athaliah reigned over the land. 4 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 Yahweh; and he made a covenant with
them, and took an oath of them in the house of Yahweh, and shown them the
king’s son. 5 He commanded them, saying, This is the thing that you
shall do: a third part of you, who come in on the Sabbath, shall be keepers
of the watch of the king’s house; 6 A third part shall be at the gate Sur;
and a third part at the gate behind the guard: so shall you keep the
watch of the house, and be a barrier. 7 The two companies of you, even all
who go forth on the Sabbath, shall keep the watch of the house of Yahweh
about the king. 8 You shall compass the king round about, every man
with his weapons in his hand; and he who comes within the ranks, let him be
slain: and be you with the king when he goes out, and when he comes in.
9 The captains over hundreds did according to all that Jehoiada the priest
commanded; and they took every man his men, those who were to come in on the
Sabbath, with those who were to go out on the Sabbath, and came to Jehoiada
the priest. 10 The priest delivered to the captains over hundreds the
spears and shields that had been king David’s, which were in the house of
Yahweh. 11 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 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. 13 When Athaliah heard the noise of the guard
and of the people, she came to the people into the house of Yahweh:
14 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 trumpets. Then Athaliah tore her clothes, and
cried, Treason! treason! 15 Jehoiada the priest commanded the captains of
hundreds who were set over the host, and said to them, Have her forth between
the ranks; and him who follows her kill with the sword. For the priest said,
Don’t let her be slain in the house of Yahweh. 16 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 Jehoiada made a covenant between Yahweh and the
king and the people, that they should be Yahweh’s people; between the king
also and the people. 18 All the people of the land went to the house of
Baal, and broke it down; his altars and his images broke they in pieces
thoroughly, and killed Mattan the priest of Baal before the altars. The
priest appointed officers over the house of Yahweh. 19 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 Yahweh, and came
by the way of the gate of the guard to the king’s house. He sat on the throne
of the kings. 20 So all the people of the land rejoiced, and the city was
quiet. Athaliah they had slain with the sword at the king’s house.
21 Jehoash was seven years old when he began to reign.
World English Bible - Public Domain |
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