1Forsooth Athaliah, the mother of Ahaziah, saw her son was dead, and she rose up, and killed all the seed of the king.

2And Jehosheba, the daughter of king Jehoram ¹³, the sister of Ahaziah, took Joash ¹⁴, the son of Ahaziah, and stole him from the midst of the sons of the king, that were slain; and she took the nurse of him from the house of three stages; and she hid him from the face of Athaliah, so that he were not slain.

3And he was with her in the house of the Lord privily six years. Forsooth Athaliah reigned upon the land six years.

4But in the seventh year Jehoiada, the priest, sent, and took chieftains upon hundreds, and knights, and he brought them to him into the temple of the Lord; and covenanted with them a bond of peace, and he made them to swear in the temple of the Lord, and showed to them the son of the king.

5And he commanded to them, and said, This is the word, that ye owe to do; the third part of you enter in on the sabbath day, and keep ye the watches of the king’s house;

6and another third part be at the gate of Sur; and the third part be at the gate that is behind the dwelling place of the makers of shields; and ye shall keep the wakings [or watches] of the house of Masah.

7Forsooth two parts of you all going out in the sabbath, keep they the wakings [or watches] of the house of the Lord about the king.

8And ye shall encompass the king, and ye shall have arms in your hands; and if any man enter into the enclosing [or precinct] of the temple, be he slain; and ye shall be with the king going in and going out.

9And the chieftains upon hundreds did by all things that Jehoiada, the priest, had commanded to them; and they all taking their men that entered to the sabbath day, with them that went out from the sabbath day, came to Jehoiada, the priest.

10Which gave to them [the] spears, and [the] armours of king David, that were in the house of the Lord.

11And all stood having arms in their hand, from the right side of the temple unto the left side of the altar and of the house, about the king.

12And he brought forth the son of the king, and put upon his head a diadem, and the witnessing; and they made him king, and anointed him; and they clapped with the hand[s], and said, The king live!

13Forsooth Athaliah heard the voices of the people running, and she enter-ed to the companies into the temple of the Lord,

14and she saw the king standing on the throne, by custom, and singers, and companies nigh him, and all the people of the land being glad, and singing with trumps. And she rent her clothes, and cried, Swearing together! swearing together! or Conjuration! con-juration! either treason.

15Certainly Jehoiada commanded to the chieftains upon hundreds, that were upon the host, and said to them, Lead ye her out of the enclosings [or precincts] of the temple; and whoever pursueth [or followeth] her, be he smitten with [a] sword. And the priest said, Be she not slain in the temple of the Lord.

16And they putted [or put] hands on her, and hurled her by the way of the entering of [the] horses beside the palace; and she was slain there.

17Therefore Jehoiada made bond of peace betwixt the Lord and the king, and betwixt the people, that it should be the people of the Lord; and betwixt the king and the people.

18[And] All the people of the land entered into the temple of Baal; and they destroyed the altars of him, and all-brake strongly the images; and they killed before the altar Mattan, the priest of Baal. And Jehoiada the priest set keepings in the house of the Lord;

19and he took [the] chieftains upon hundreds, and [the] legions of Chereth-ites, and Pelethites, and all the people of the land. And they led forth the king from the house of the Lord; and they came by the way of the gate of the makers of shields into the palace; and Joash sat upon the throne of kings.

20And all the people of the land was glad, and the city rested. Forsooth Athaliah was slain by sword in the house of the king.

21And Joash was of seven years, when he began to reign.