Queen Athaliah of Judah

1When King Ahaziah’s mother Athaliah saw that her son had been killed, she commanded that all the members of Ahaziah’s family who might become king must be executed.

2So Ahaziah’s sons were all about to be murdered. But Jehosheba, who was King Jehoram’s daughter and Ahaziah’s half-sister, took Ahaziah’s very young son Joash and hid him and ◄his nursemaid/the woman who took care of him► in a bedroom in the temple. So he was not killed.

3He stayed with Jehosheba for six years. All during that time, he remained hidden in the temple, while Athaliah ruled Judah.

4But during the next year, Jehoiada the Supreme Priest summoned the officers who supervised the royal bodyguards and the palace guards. He told them to come to the temple. There he required them to solemnly promise that they would do what he told them to do. And he showed King Ahaziah’s son Joash to them.

5He gave them these instructions: “There are three groups of you guards. When one group finishes their work on the Sabbath day, divide yourselves into three smaller groups. One group must guard the palace.

6Another group must guard at the Sur Gate. The other group must guard at the gate behind the other groups.

7The two groups that are not working on the Sabbath day must guard the temple to protect little King Joash.

8You must stand around the king wherever he goes, with your weapons in your hands. You must kill anyone who comes near you.”

9The officers who supervised the guards did what Jehoiada told them to do. Each one brought to Jehoiada the guards that he supervised—the guards who were just finishing their work and those who were about to start their work on the Sabbath day.

10The priest distributed to the commanders of the guards the spears and shields that had belonged to King David, that were kept/stored in the temple.

11Then he commanded all the guards to stand in their positions, each one with his sword in his hand, all around the young king.

12Then he brought Joash out. He put the crown on his head and gave him a scroll on which were written the rules that the kings needed to obey. Then he poured some olive oil on Joash’s head and proclaimed that he was now the king. The people all clapped their hands and shouted, “We desire/hope that the king will live for many years!”

13When Athaliah heard the noise that was being made by the guards and the other people, she ran to the temple, where the people were gathered.

14She saw the new king standing there alongside one of the big pillars, which was the place at the temple where the kings usually stood. She saw that he was surrounded by the temple officers and men blowing trumpets, and that the people were shouting joyfully, and some of them were also blowing trumpets. She tore her clothes to show her distress and shouted, “You are traitors! You have tricked/deceived me!”

15Jehoiada immediately said, “Kill her, but do not kill her here at the temple of Yahweh! Take her away between two rows of guards. And kill anyone who tries to rescue her!”

16She tried to flee, but the guards seized her and took her to the palace, to the place where horses enter the courtyard. They killed her there.

17Then Jehoiada made a solemn agreement between the king and the people, that they would always ◄obey/be faithful to► Yahweh. He also made an agreement requiring the people to be loyal to Joash their king.

18Then all the people of Israel who were there went to the temple of Baal and tore it down. They smashed the altars and the statues of Baal. They also killed Mattan, the priest of Baal, in front of the altars. Jehoiada stationed/put guards at the temple of Yahweh.

19Then he and the officers of the temple, the officers who supervised the royal bodyguards, and the king’s bodyguards brought the king from the temple to the palace. All the people followed them. Joash entered the palace at the Guard Gate and sat down on the throne, which showed that he was the new king.

20All the people of Judah rejoiced. And because Athaliah had been killed, the city was quiet/calm.

21Joash was seven years old when he became the king of Judah.