2 Kings 11

1 And when Athalyahu the mother of Achazyah saw that her son was dead, she arose and destroyed all the seed royal.

2 But Yehosheva, the daughter of king Yoram, sister of Achazyah, took Yoash the son of Achazyah, and stole him from among the king’s sons who were slain; and they hid him, even him and his nurse, in the bedchamber from Athalyahu, so that he was not slain.

3 And he was with her hid in the house of יהוה six years. And Athalyahu did reign over the land.

4 And the seventh year Yehoyada sent and fetched the rulers over hundreds, with the captains and the guard, and brought them to him into the house of יהוה, and made a covenant with them, and took an oath of them in the house of יהוה, and shewed them the king’s son.

5 And he commanded them, saying, “This is the thing that you shall do: A third part of you that enter in on the Shabbat shall even be keepers of the watch of the king’s house;

6 And a third part shall be at the gate of Sur; and a third part at the gate behind the guard; so shall you keep the watch of the house, that it be not broken down.

7 And two parts of all you that go forth on the Shabbat, even they shall keep the watch of the house of יהוה about the king.

8 And you shall compass the king round about, every man with his weapons in his hand; and he that cometh within the ranges, let him be slain. And be you with the king as he goeth out and as he cometh in.”

9 And the captains over the hundreds did according to all things that Yehoyada the priest (kohen) commanded; and they took every man his men that were to come in on the Shabbat, with them that should go out on the Shabbat, and came to Yehoyada the priest (kohen).

10 And to the captains over hundreds did the priest (kohen) give king Dawid’s spears and shields, that were in the temple of יהוה.

11 And the guard stood, every man with his weapons in his hand, round about the king, from the right corner of the temple to the left corner of the temple, along by the altar and the temple.

12 And he brought forth the king’s son, and put the crown upon 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 And when Athalyahu heard the noise of the guard and of the people, she came to the people into the temple of יהוה.

14 And when she looked, behold, the king stood by a pillar, as the manner was, and the princes and the trumpeters by the king, and all the people of the land rejoiced, and blew with ram’s horn (shofarot); and Athalyahu rent her clothes, and cried, “Treason! Treason!”

15 But Yehoyada the priest (kohen) commanded the captains of the hundreds, the officers of the army, and said unto them, “Have her forth outside the ranges, and him that followeth her kill with the sword.” For the priest (kohen) had said, “Let her not be slain in the house of יהוה.”

16 And they laid hands on her; and she went by the way by which the horses came into the king’s house, and there was she slain.

17 And Yehoyada made a covenant between יהוה and the king and the people, that they should be יהוה’s people; between the king also and the people.

18 And all the people of the land went into the house of the Baal, and broke it down; his altars and his images broke they in pieces thoroughly, and slew Mattan the priest (kohen) of the Baal before the altars. And the priest (kohen) appointed officers over the house of יהוה.

19 And he took the rulers over hundreds, and the captains, and the guard, and all the people of the land; and they brought down the king from the house of יהוה, and came by the way of the gate of the guard to the king’s house. And he sat on the throne of the kings.

20 And all the people of the land rejoiced, and the city was in quiet; and they slew Athalyahu with the sword beside the king’s house.

21 Seven years old was Yehoash when he began to reign.