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¹ Now when `Atalyah the mother of Achazyah saw that her son was dead, she arose and destroyed all the seed royal. <sup>2</sup> But Yehosheva, the daughter of king Yoram, sister of Achazyah, took Yo'ash the son of Achazyah, 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 `Atalyah, so that he was not slain; ³ He was with her hid in the house of the LORD six years. `Atalyah reigned over the land.

⁴ In the seventh year Yehoiada sent and fetched the captains over hundreds of the Kari and of the guard, and brought them to him into the house of the LORD; and he made a covenant with them, and took an oath of them in the house of the LORD, 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 Shabbat, 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 Shabbat, shall keep the watch of the house of the LORD 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 Yehoiada the Kohen commanded; and they took every man his men, those who were to come in on the Shabbat, with those who were to go out on the Shabbat, and came to Yehoiada the Kohen. ¹⁰ The Kohen delivered to the captains over hundreds the spears and shields that had been king David's, which were in the house of the LORD. 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 `Atalyah heard the noise of the guard [and of] the people, she came to the people into the house of the LORD: <sup>14</sup> 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 `Atalyah tore her clothes, and cried, Treason! treason! ¹⁵ Yehoiada the Kohen 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 Kohen said, Don't let her be slain in the house of the LORD. 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 Yehoiada made a covenant between the LORD and the king and the people, that they should be the LORD's people; between the king also and the people. ¹⁸ All the people of the land went to the house of Ba`al, and broke it down; his altars and his images broke they in pieces thoroughly, and killed Mattan the Kohen of Ba`al before the altars. The Kohen appointed officers over the house of the LORD. ¹⁹ He took the captains over hundreds, and the Kari, and the guard, and all the people of the land; and they brought down the king from the house of the LORD, 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. `Atalyah they had slain with the sword at the king's house. ²¹ Yeho'ash was seven years old when he began to reign.