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Athaliah Rules Judah

¹ When Ahaziah's mother Athaliah saw that her son was dead, she got up and killed all the king's children. ² But King Joram's daughter Jehosheba, Ahaziah's sister, took Joash the son of Ahaziah. She stole him away from the king's sons who were being killed, and put him and his nurse in the bedroom. They hid him from Athaliah, and he was not killed. ³ Joash was hid with his nurse in the house of the Lord six years, while Athaliah was ruling over the land.

⁴ In the seventh year, Jehoiada sent for the captains of hundreds, men who watch over the king and the soldiers. He brought them into the house of the Lord, and made an agreement with them. He had them make a promise in the house of the Lord. Then he showed them the king's son. ⁵ He told them, "This is what you must do. One third of you who come in on the Day of Rest must keep watch over the king's house. ⁶ One third are to be at the gate Sur and one third at the gate behind the soldiers. So you will keep watch over the king's house. ⁷ And two parts of all of you who go out on the Day of Rest must keep watch over the house of the Lord for the king. ⁸ You will stand around the king, with spears in your hands. Whoever comes near must be killed. Be with the king when he goes out and when he comes in."

⁹ The captains of hundreds did all that Jehoiada the religious leader told them to do. Each one of them brought his men to Jehoiada the religious leader. Each one brought those who were to come in on the Day of Rest, and those who were to go out on the Day of Rest. ¹⁰ The religious leader gave the captains the spears and coverings that had been King David's, which were in the house of the Lord. ¹¹ And the soldiers stood from the right side of the house to the left side of the house. Each one held his spear. They stood by the altar and by the house, around the king. ¹² Then Jehoiada brought out the king's son and put the crown on him, and gave him the Law. They made him king and poured oil on him. Then they clapped their hands and said, "Long live the king!"

¹³ When Athaliah heard the noise of the soldiers and the people, she came to the people in the house of the Lord. ¹⁴ She looked and saw the king standing by the pillar, as was done in those days. The captains and those who blew horns were standing beside the king. And all the people of the land were filled with joy and blew horns. Athaliah tore her clothes and cried, "They are turning against the queen!" ¹⁵ Then Jehoiada the religious leader told the captains of the army, "Bring her out among the soldiers, and kill with the sword whoever follows her." For the religious leader said, "Do not let her be put to death in the house of the Lord." ¹⁶ So they took hold of her, and she was put to death at the horses' gate of the king's house.

¹⁷ Then Jehoiada made an agreement between the Lord and the king and the people, that they should be the Lord's people. And he made an agreement between the king and the people. ¹⁸ Then all the people of the land went to the house of Baal and tore it down. They broke to pieces all his altars and objects. And they killed Mattan the religious leader of Baal in front of the altars. Then the religious leaders chose men to watch over the house of the Lord. ¹⁹ Jehoiada took the captains and the men who watch over the king, and the soldiers and all the people of the land. They brought the king down from the house of the Lord, by the way of the soldiers' gate, to the king's house. And he sat on the throne of the kings. ²⁰ So all the people of the land were filled with joy, and the city was quiet. For they had put Athaliah to death with the sword at the king's house.

²¹ Joash was seven years old when he became king.