[1] Now when Athaliah, the mother of Ahaziah, saw that her son was dead,
she had all the rest of the seed of the kingdom put to death. [2] But
Jehosheba, the daughter of King Joram, sister of Ahaziah, secretly took
Joash, the son of Ahaziah, with the woman who took care of him, away from
among the king's sons who were put to death, and put him in the bedroom;
and they kept him safe from Athaliah, so that he was not put to death. [3]
And for six years she kept him safe in the house of the Lord, while
Athaliah was ruling over the land. [4] Then in the seventh year, Jehoiada
sent for the captains of hundreds of the Carians, and the armed men, and
taking them into the house of the Lord, made an agreement with them, and
made them take an oath in the house of the Lord, and let them see the
king's son. [5] And he gave them orders, saying, This is what you are to
do: the third part of you, who come in on the Sabbath and keep the watch of
the king's house, [6] ... [7] And the two divisions of you, who go out on
the Sabbath and keep the watch of the house of the Lord, [8] Will make a
circle round the king, every man being armed; and whoever comes inside your
lines is to be put to death; keep with the king, when he goes out and when
he comes in. [9] And the captains of hundreds did as Jehoiada the priest
gave them orders; every one took with him his men, those who came in and
those who went out on the Sabbath, and they came in to Jehoiada the priest.
[10] And the priest gave to the captains of hundreds the spears and
body-covers which had been King David's, and which were kept in the house
of the Lord. [11] Then the armed men took up their positions, every man
with his instruments of war in his hand, from the right side of the house
to the left, round about the altar and the house. [12] Then he made the
king's son come out, and put the crown on him and the arm-bands, and made
him king, and put the holy oil on him; and they all, making sounds of joy
with their hands, said, Long life to the king. [13] Now Athaliah, hearing
the noise made by the people, came to the people in the house of the Lord;
[14] And looking, she saw the king in his regular place by the pillar, and
the captains and the horns near him; and all the people of the land giving
signs of joy and sounding the horns. Then Athaliah, violently parting her
robes, gave a cry, saying, Broken faith, broken faith! [15] Then Jehoiada
the priest gave orders to those who were placed in authority over the army,
saying, Take her outside the lines, and let anyone who goes after her be
put to death with the sword, for he said, Let her not be put to death in
the house of the Lord. [16] So they put their hands on her, and she went to
the king's house by the doorway of the horses, and there she was put to
death. [17] And Jehoiada made an agreement between the Lord and the king
and the people, that they would be the Lord's people; and in the same way
between the king and the people. [18] Then all the people of the land went
to the house of Baal and had it pulled down: its altars and images were all
broken to bits, and Mattan, the priest of Baal, they put to death before
the altars. And the priest put overseers over the Lord's house. [19] Then
he took the captains of hundreds, and the Carians, and the armed men, and
all the people of the land; and they came down with the king from the house
of the Lord, through the doorway of the armed men, to the king's house. And
he took his place on the seat of the kings. [20] So all the people of the
land were glad, and the town was quiet; and they had put Athaliah to death
with the sword at the king's house. [21] And Jehoash was seven years old
when he became king.
