Athaliah Seizes the Throne
Athaliah murders the royal family, but one baby is hidden in our Father's house six years. The priest Jehoiada arms the guards, crowns the boy, and has the queen killed outside the sanctuary. Baal's temple is torn down, and a seven-year-old takes the throne.
11 1When Athaliah, Ahaziah's mother, saw her son was dead, she set out to destroy the whole royal family. 2But Jehosheba, daughter of King Joram and sister of Ahaziah, took Joash son of Ahaziah, stealing him away from the king's sons who were about to be killed. She hid him and his nurse in a bedroom, safe from Athaliah, so he was not killed. 3He stayed hidden with her in our Father's house six years, while Athaliah ruled the land.
The Father Preserves the Rightful King
4In the seventh year Jehoiada sent for the commanders of hundreds, of the Carites and the guards, and brought them to him in the house of our Father. He made a covenant with them, put them under oath in the house of our Father, and showed them the king's son. 5He ordered them: "Do this: a third of you coming on duty on the Sabbath will guard the royal palace, 6a third at the Sur Gate, a third at the gate behind the guards; take turns guarding the palace. 7Your two other divisions who go off duty on the Sabbath must guard the house of our Father for the king. 8Surround the king on every side, each man weapons in hand; kill anyone who comes near the ranks. Stay with the king wherever he goes."
9The commanders of hundreds did all Jehoiada the priest ordered. Each took his men—those coming on duty on the Sabbath with those going off—and came to Jehoiada the priest. 10The priest gave the commanders of hundreds King David's spears and shields, kept in the house of our Father. 11The guards took position around the king, each man with his weapon in hand, from the temple's south side to the north side, by the altar and the temple. 12Jehoiada brought out the king's son, placed the crown on him, and gave him the testimony. They proclaimed him king and anointed him, and the people clapped their hands and shouted, "Long live the king!"
13When Athaliah heard the noise of the guards and people, she went to the people in the house of our Father. 14She looked—there stood the king by the pillar as custom required, with the commanders and trumpeters beside him, all the people of the land rejoicing and blowing trumpets. Athaliah tore her clothes, shouting, "Treason! Treason!"
15Jehoiada the priest ordered the commanders of hundreds over the army: "Take her out past the ranks; kill anyone following her with the sword." The priest had said she must not be killed in our Father's house. 16So they seized her, and she went by the horses' entrance to the palace, and there she was put to death.
17Then Jehoiada made a covenant between our Father and the king and people, that they would be our Father's people; and a covenant between the king and the people. 18All the people of the land went to Baal's temple and tore it down. They smashed its altars and idols, and killed Mattan, priest of Baal, before the altars. Then the priest posted guards over the house of our Father. 19He took the commanders of hundreds, the Carites, the guards, and all the people of the land, and they brought the king down from the house of our Father through the guards' gate to the royal palace, where he took his seat on the throne of the kings. 20All the land's people rejoiced, and the city was calm, now that Athaliah had been killed by the sword at the king's palace.
21Joash was seven years old when he became king.
