Second Book of Kings 11

¹ When Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah learned that her son was dead, she promptly did away with all those of royal stock.

² But Jehosheba, daughter of King Jehoram and sister of Ahaziah, secretly took away Jehoash, her brother’s son, from among the sons of the king who were being murdered, and put him with his nurse in the sleeping quarters; in this way she hid him from Athaliah, and he was not put to death.

³ He stayed with her for six years, hidden in the Temple of Yahweh, while Athaliah governed the country.

⁴ In the seventh year, Jehoiada[*a] sent for the commanders of hundreds of the Carians[*b] and of the guards, and had them brought to him in the Temple of Yahweh. He made a pact with them and, putting them under oath, showed them the king’s son.

⁵ He gave them this order: ‘This is what you must do: one third of

⁷ while the other two thirds of you, mounting guard at the Temple of Yahweh,

⁸ are to surround the king, each with his weapons in his hand; anyone who tries to break through your ranks is to be put to death. Wherever the king goes or comes, you are to escort him.’

⁹ The commanders of hundreds did everything as Jehoiada the priest had ordered. They brought their men, those coming off duty on the sabbath together with those mounting guard on the sabbath, and came to Jehoiada the priest.

¹⁰ The priest equipped the commanders of hundreds with King David’s spears and shields which were in the Temple of Yahweh.

¹¹ The guards formed up, each man with his weapon in his hand, from the south corner to the north corner of the Temple, surrounding the altar and the Temple.

¹² Then Jehoiada brought out the king’s son, put the crown and armlets on him, and he anointed him king. They clapped their hands and shouted, ‘Long live the king!’

¹³ Athaliah, on hearing the shouts of the people, made for the Temple of Yahweh where the people were.

¹⁴ When she saw the king standing there beside the pillar, as the custom was, with the captains and trumpeters at the king’s side, and all the country people rejoicing and sounding trumpets, Athaliah tore her garments and shouted, ‘Treason, treason!’

¹⁵ Then Jehoiada the priest gave the order to the army officers: ‘Take her outside the precincts and put to death anyone who follows her’. ‘For’ the priest had reasoned ‘she must not be put to death in the Temple of Yahweh.’

¹⁶ They seized her, and when she had reached the palace through the Entry of the Horses, she was put to death there.

¹⁷ Jehoiada made a covenant between Yahweh and king and people, by which the latter undertook to be the people of Yahweh; and also between king and people.

¹⁸ All the country people then went to the temple of Baal and demolished it; they smashed his altars and his images and killed Mattan, priest of Baal, in front of the altars. The priest posted sentries to guard the Temple of Yahweh.

¹⁹ He then took the commanders of hundreds, the Carians, the guards and all the country people and made them escort the king down from the Temple of Yahweh and through the Gate of the Guards into the palace. Jehoash took his seat on the throne of the kings.

²⁰ All the country people were delighted, and the city made no move. And they put Athaliah to death in the royal palace.