2 Kings
Chapter 11

1

When Athaliah, the mother of Ahaziah, saw that her son was dead, she began to kill off the whole royal family.

2

¹ But Jehosheba, daughter of King Jehoram and sister of Ahaziah, took Joash, his son, and spirited him away, along with his nurse, from the bedroom where the princes were about to be slain. She concealed him from Athaliah, and so he did not die.

3

For six years he remained hidden in the temple of the LORD, while Athaliah ruled the land.

4

But in the seventh year, Jehoiada summoned the captains of the Carians and of the guards. He had them come to him in the temple of the LORD, exacted from them a sworn commitment, and then showed them the king's son.

5

He gave them these orders: "This is what you must do: the third of you who come on duty on the sabbath shall guard the king's palace;

6

another third shall be at the gate Sur; and the last third shall be at the gate behind the guards.

7

The two of your divisions who are going off duty that week shall keep guard over the temple of the LORD for the king.

8

You shall surround the king, each with drawn weapons, and if anyone tries to approach the cordon, kill him; stay with the king, whatever he may do."

9

The captains did just as Jehoiada the priest commanded. Each one with his men, both those going on duty for the sabbath and those going off duty that week, came to Jehoiada the priest.

10

He gave the captains King David's spears and shields, which were in the temple of the LORD.

11

And the guards, with drawn weapons, lined up from the southern to the northern limit of the enclosure, surrounding the altar and the temple on the king's behalf.

12

Then Jehoiada led out the king's son and put the crown and the insignia upon him. They proclaimed him king and anointed him, clapping their hands and shouting, "Long live the king!"

13

Athaliah heard the noise made by the people, and appeared before them in the temple of the LORD.

14

² When she saw the king standing by the pillar, as was the custom, and the captains and trumpeters near him, with all the people of the land rejoicing and blowing trumpets, she tore her garments and cried out, "Treason, treason!"

15

Then Jehoiada the priest instructed the captains in command of the force: "Bring her outside through the ranks. If anyone follows her," he added, "let him die by the sword." He had given orders that she should not be slain in the temple of the LORD.

16

She was led out forcibly to the horse gate of the royal palace, where she was put to death.

17

Then Jehoiada made a covenant between the LORD as one party and the king and the people as the other, by which they would be the LORD'S people; and another covenant, between the king and the people.

18

Thereupon all the people of the land went to the temple of Baal and demolished it. They shattered its altars and images completely, and slew Mattan, the priest of Baal, before the altars. After appointing a detachment for the temple of the LORD, Jehoiada

19

with the captains, the Carians, the guards, and all the people of the land, led the king down from the temple of the LORD through the guards' gate to the palace, where Joash took his seat on the royal throne.

20

All the people of the land rejoiced and the city was quiet, now that Athaliah had been slain with the sword at the royal palace.

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Footnotes

¹ [2] Jehosheba was the wife of Jehoida, the high priest; cf 2 Chron 22:11.

² [14] By the pillar: see note on 2 Chron 23:13.

New American Bible Copyright © 1991, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc., Washington, DC. All rights reserved. Neither this work nor any part of it may be reproduced, distributed, performed or displayed in any medium, including electronic or digital, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

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