Jehoiada Makes Joash King of Judah
(2 Kings 11.4-21)1 After Ahaziah's son Joash had hidden in the temple for six years, Jehoiada the priest knew that something had to be done. So he made sure he had the support of several army officers. They were Azariah son of Jeroham, Ishmael son of Jehohanan, Azariah son of Obed, Maaseiah son of Adaiah, and Elishaphat son of Zichri. 2 These five men went to the towns in Judah and called together the Levites and the clan leaders. They all came to Jerusalem 3 and gathered at the temple, where they agreed to help Joash.
Jehoiada said to them:
Joash will be our next king, because long ago the Lord promised that one of David's descendants would always be king. 4 Here is what we will do. Three groups of priests and Levites will be on guard duty on the Sabbath—one group will guard the gates of the temple, 5 one will guard the palace, and the other will guard Foundation Gate. The rest of you will stand guard in the temple courtyards. 6 Only the priests and Levites who are on duty will be able to enter the temple, because they will be the only ones who have gone through the ceremony to make themselves clean and acceptable. The others must stay outside in the courtyards, just as the Lord has commanded. 7 You Levites must protect King Joash. Don't let him out of your sight! And keep your swords ready to kill anyone who comes into the temple.
8 The Levites and the people of Judah followed Jehoiada's orders. The guards going off duty were not allowed to go home, and so each commander had all his guards available—those going off duty as well as those coming on duty. 9 Jehoiada went into the temple and brought out the swords and shields that had belonged to King David, and he gave them to the commanders. 10 They gave the weapons to the guards, and Jehoiada then made sure that the guards took their positions around the temple and the altar to protect the king on every side.
11 Jehoiada and his sons brought Joash outside, where they placed the crown on his head and gave him a copy of the instructions for ruling the nation. Olive oil was poured on his head to show that he was now king, and the crowd cheered and shouted, “Long live the king!”
12 As soon as Queen Athaliah heard the crowd cheering for Joash, she went to the temple. 13 There she saw Joash standing by one of the columns near the entrance, which was the usual place for the king. The commanders and the trumpet players were standing next to him, and the musicians were playing instruments and leading the people as they celebrated and blew trumpets. Athaliah tore her clothes in anger and shouted, “You betrayed me, you traitors!”
14 At once, Jehoiada said to the army commanders, “Don't kill her near the Lord's temple. Take her out in front of the troops, and be sure to kill all of her followers!” 15 She tried to escape, but the commanders caught and killed her near the gate where horses are led into the palace.
16 Jehoiada asked King Joash and the people to join with him in being faithful to the Lord. They agreed, 17 then rushed to the temple of the god Baal and tore it down. They smashed the altars and the idols and killed Mattan the priest of Baal in front of the altars.
18 Jehoiada assigned the priests and Levites their duties at the temple, just as David had done. They were in charge of offering sacrifices to the Lord according to the Law of Moses, and they were responsible for leading the celebrations with singing. 19 Jehoiada ordered the guards at the temple gates to keep out anyone who was unclean.
20 Finally, Jehoiada called together the army commanders, the most important citizens of Judah, and the government officials. The crowd of people followed them as they led Joash from the temple, through the Upper Gate, and into the palace, where he took his place as king of Judah. 21 Everyone celebrated because Athaliah had been killed and Jerusalem was peaceful again.
1 And in the seuenth yeere Iehoiada waxed bolde, and tooke the captaines of hundreths, to wit, Azariah the sonne of Ieroham, and Ishmael the sonne of Iehohanan, and Azariah the sonne of Obed, and Maasiah the sonne of Adaiah, and Elishaphat the sonne of Zichri in couenant with him. 2 And they went about in Iudah, and gathered the Leuites out of all the cities of Iudah, and the chiefe fathers of Israel: and they came to Ierusale. 3 And al the Congregation made a couenant with the King in the house of God: and he sayde vnto them, Behold, the Kings sonne must reigne, as the Lord hath sayd of the sonnes of Dauid. 4 This is it that ye shall do, The third part of you that come on the Sabbath of the Priests, and the Leuites, shalbe porters of the doores. 5 And another third part towarde the Kings house, and another thirde part at the gate of the foundation, and al the people shalbe in the courts of the house of the Lord. 6 But let none come into the house of the Lord, saue the Priests, and the Leuites that minister: they shall go in, for they are holy: but all the people shall keepe the watch of the Lord. 7 And the Leuites shall compasse the King rounde about, and euery man with his weapon in his hand, and he that entreth into the house, shall be slaine, and be you with the King, when he commeth in, and when he goeth out. 8 So the Leuites and all Iudah did according to all things that Iehoiada the Priest had commanded, and tooke euery man his men that came on the Sabbath, with them that went out on the Sabbath: for Iehoiada the Priest did not discharge the courses. 9 And Iehoiada the Priest deliuered to the captaines of hundreths speares, and shieldes, and bucklers which had bene King Dauids, and were in the house of God. 10 And he caused all the people to stand (euery man with his weapon in his hande) from the right side of the house, to ye left side of the house by the altar and by the house round about ye king. 11 Then they brought out the Kings sonne, and put vpon him the crowne and gaue him the testimonie, and made him King. And Iehoiada and his sonnes anoynted him, and sayd, God saue the King. 12 But when Athaliah heard the noyse of the people running and praising the king, she came to the people into the house of the Lord. 13 And when she looked, beholde, the King stoode by his pillar at the entring in, and the princes and the trumpets by the King, and all the people of the land reioyced, and blew the trumpets, and the singers were with instruments of musike, and they that could sing prayse: then Athaliah rent her clothes, and said, Treason, treason. 14 Then Iehoiada the Priest brought out the captaines of hundreths that were gouernours of the hoste, and said vnto them, Haue her foorth of the ranges, and he that followeth her, let him dye by the sword: for the Priest had said, Slay her not in the house of the Lord. 15 So they layde hands on her: and when she was come to the entring of the horsegate by the Kings house, they slew her there. 16 And Iehoiada made a couenant betweene him, and all the people, and the King, that they would be the Lords people. 17 And all the people went to the house of Baal, and destroyed, and brake his altars and his images, and slew Mattan the priest of Baal before the altars. 18 And Iehoiada appointed officers for the house of the Lord, vnder the handes of the Priestes and Leuites, whome Dauid had distributed for the house of the Lord, to offer burnt offrings vnto the Lord, as it is written in the Law of Moses, with reioycing and singing by the appoyntment of Dauid. 19 And he set porters by the gates of ye house of the Lord, that none that was vncleane in any thing, should enter in. 20 And he tooke the captaines of hundreths, and the noble men, and the gouernours of the people, and all the people of the land, and he caused the King to come downe out of the house of the Lord, and they went thorowe the hie gate of the Kings house, and set the King vpon the throne of the kingdome. 21 Then all the people of the land reioyced, and the citie was quiet, after that they had slaine Athaliah with the sword.