II Kings 11

¹Truly, Athaliah, the mother of Ahaziah, seeing that her son was dead, rose up and put to death all the royal offspring.

²But Jehosheba, the daughter of king Joram, the sister of Ahaziah, taking Jehoash, the son of Ahaziah, stole him away from the midst of the sons of the king who were being killed, out of the bedroom, with his nurse. And she hid him from the face of Athaliah, so that he would not be killed.

³And he was with her for six years, hidden in the house of the Lord. But Athaliah reigned over the land.

⁴Then, in the seventh year, Jehoiada sent for and took centurions and soldiers, and he brought them to himself in the temple of the Lord. And he formed a pact with them. And taking an oath with them in the house of the Lord, he revealed to them the son of the king.

⁵And he commanded them, saying: “This is the word that you must do.

⁶Let one third part of you enter on the Sabbath, and keep watch on the house of the king. And let one third part be at the gate of Sur. And let one third part be at the gate behind the dwelling place of the shield bearers. And you shall keep the watch on the house of Mesha.

⁷Yet truly, let two parts of you, all who depart on the Sabbath, keep watch over the house of the Lord concerning the king.

⁸And you shall surround him, having weapons in your hands. But if anyone will have entered the precinct of the temple, let him be killed. And you shall be with the king, entering and departing.”

⁹And the centurions acted in accord with all the things that Jehoiada, the priest, had instructed them. And taking each one of their men who would enter on the Sabbath, with those who would depart on the Sabbath, they went to Jehoiada, the priest.

¹⁰And he gave to them the spears and weapons of king David, which were in the house of the Lord.

¹¹And they stood, each one having his weapons in his hand, before the right side of the temple, all the way to the left side of the altar and of the shrine, surrounding the king.

¹²And he led forth the son of the king. And he placed the diadem on him, and the testimony. And they made him king, and they anointed him. And clapping their hands, they said: “The king lives!”

¹³Then Athaliah heard the sound of the people running. And entering to the crowd at the temple of the Lord,

¹⁴she saw the king standing upon a tribunal, according to custom, and the singers and trumpets near him, and all the people of the land rejoicing and sounding the trumpets. And she tore her garments, and she cried out: “Conspiracy! Conspiracy!”

¹⁵But Jehoiada gave orders to the centurions who were over the army, and he said to them: “Lead her away, beyond the precinct of the temple. And whoever will have followed her, let him be struck with the sword.” For the priest had said, “Do not allow her to be killed in the temple of the Lord.”

¹⁶And they laid hands on her. And they pushed her through the way by which horses enter, beside the palace. And she was killed there.

¹⁷Then Jehoiada formed a covenant between the Lord, and the king and the people, so that they would be the people of the Lord; and between the king and the people.

¹⁸And all the people of the land entered the temple of Baal, and they tore down his altars, and they thoroughly crushed the statues. Also, they killed Mattan, the priest of Baal, before the altar. And the priest placed guards in the house of the Lord.

¹⁹And he took the centurions, and the legions of the Cherethites and Pelethites, and all the people of the land, and together they led the king from the house of the Lord. And they went by way of the gate of the shield bearers into the palace. And he sat upon the throne of the kings.

²⁰And all the people of the land rejoiced. And the city was quieted. But Athaliah was slain with the sword at the house of the king.

²¹Now Jehoash was seven years old when he had begun to reign.

II Kings 11

¹Now Athalia, the mother of Ochozias, seeing that her son was dead, arose and slew all the royal seed.

²But Josaba the daughter of king Joram, sister of Ochozias, took Joas, the son of Ochozias, and stole him from among the king's sons that were slain, out of the bedchamber with his nurse: and hid him from the face of Athalia; so that he was not slain.

³And he was with her six years, hid in the house of the Lord. And Athalia reigned over the land.

⁴And in the seventh year Joiada sent, and taking the centurions and soldiers, brought them in to him into the temple of the Lord, and made a covenant with them: and taking an oath of them in the house of the Lord, shewed them the king's son:

⁵And he commanded them, saying: This is the thing that you must do.

⁶Let a third part of you go in on the sabbath, and keep the watch of the king's house. And let a third part be at the gate of Sur; and let a third part be at the gate behind the dwelling of the shieldbearers; and you shall keep the watch of the house of Messa.

⁷But let two parts of you all that go forth on the sabbath, keep the watch of the house of the Lord about the king.

⁸And you shall compass him round about, having weapons in your hands: and if any man shall enter the precinct of the temple, let him be slain: and you shall be with the king, coming in and going out.

⁹And the centurions did according to all things that Joiada the priest, had commanded them: and taking every one their men, that went in on the sabbath, with them that went out in the sabbath, came to Joiada, the priest.

¹⁰And he gave them the spears, and the arms of king David, which were in the house of the Lord.

¹¹And they stood, having every one their weapons in their hands, from the right side of the temple, unto the left side of the altar, and of the temple, about the king.

¹²And he brought forth the king's son, and put the diadem upon him, and the testimony: and they made him king, and anointed him: and clapping their hands, they said: God save the king.

¹³And Athalia heard the noise of the people running: and going in to the people into the temple of the Lord,

¹⁴She saw the king standing upon a tribunal, as the manner was, and the singers, and the trumpets near him, and all the people of the land rejoicing, and sounding the trumpets: and she rent her garments, and cried: A conspiracy, a conspiracy.

¹⁵But Joiada commanded the centurions that were over the army, and said to them: Have her forth without the precinct of the temple, and whosoever shall follow her, let him be slain with the sword. For the priest had said: Let her not be slain in the temple of the Lord.

¹⁶And they laid hands on her: and thrust her out by the way by which the horses go in, by the palace, and she was slain there.

¹⁷And Joiada made a covenant between the Lord, and the king, and the people, that they should be the people of the Lord; and between the king and the people.

¹⁸And all the people of the land went into the temple of Baal, and broke down his altars, and his images they broke in pieces thoroughly: they slew also Mathan the priest of Baal before the altar. And the priest set guards in the house of the Lord.

¹⁹And he took the centurions, and the bands of the Cerethi, and the Phelethi, and all the people of the land, and they brought the king from the house of the Lord: and they came by the way of the gate of the shieldbearers into the palace, and he sat on the throne of the kings.

²⁰And all the people of the land rejoiced, and the city was quiet: but Athalia was slain with the sword in the king's house.

²¹Now Joas was seven years old when he began to reign.