2 Kings 11

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

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

³And he remained with her hidden in the house of the LORD six years, while Athaliah reigned over the land.

⁴In the seventh year, Jehoiada sent and took the commanders of the hundreds, the Carites and the runners, and brought them to him in the house of the LORD. And he made a covenant with them and put them under oath in the house of the LORD, and showed them the king's son.

⁵He commanded them, saying, "This is the thing that you shall do: one third of you who come in on the Sabbath shall keep guard of the king's house,

⁶and a third at the gate of Sur, and a third at the gate behind the runners; and you shall keep guard of the house of the Musach.

⁷And the two divisions of you all who go out on the Sabbath shall keep guard of the house of the LORD around the king.

⁸You shall surround the king on every side, each man with his weapons in his hand; and whoever comes within the ranks, let him be put to death. Be with the king in his going out and his coming in.

⁹And the commanders of hundreds did according to all that Jehoiada the priest commanded, and each man took his men, those coming on duty for the Sabbath with those going off duty for the Sabbath, and came to Jehoiada the priest.

¹⁰And the priest gave to the captains of hundreds the spears and shields that had belonged to King David, which were in the house of the LORD.

¹¹And the guards stood, each with his weapons in his hand, from the right side of the house to the left side of the house, at the altar and at the house, surrounding the king on all sides.

¹²And Jehoiada brought out the king's son and put the crown on him and gave him the testimony. Then they made him king and anointed him, and they clapped their hands and said, Long live the king!

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

¹⁴She looked, and behold, the king was standing by the pillar, according to custom, and the commanders and the trumpeters were beside the king, and all the people of the land were rejoicing and blowing trumpets. Then Athaliah tore her garments and cried, "Treason! Treason!"

¹⁵And Jehoiada the priest commanded the captains of hundreds, the officers of the army, and said to them, Bring her out between the ranks, and whoever follows her put to death with the sword -- for the priest had said, She must not be put to death in the house of the LORD.

¹⁶And they laid hands on her, and she went through the horse entrance into the palace, and there she was put to death.

¹⁷And Jehoiada made a covenant between the LORD and the king and the people, that they should be the LORD's people, and also between the king and the people.

¹⁸And all the people of the land went to the house of Baal and tore it down; his altars and his images they smashed to bits, and Mattan the priest of Baal they killed before the altars. And Jehoiada the priest appointed guards over the house of the LORD.

¹⁹And he took the commanders of hundreds and the Carites and the guards and all the people of the land, and they brought the king down from the house of the Lord and came by way of the gate of the guards into the house of the king. And he sat on the throne of the kings.

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

²¹Jehoash was seven years old when he became king.