Queen Athaliah of Judah
(2 Chronicles 22.10-12)1 As soon as Athaliah heard that her son King Ahaziah was dead, she decided to kill any relative who could possibly become king. She would have done that, 2 but Jehosheba rescued Joash son of Ahaziah just as he was about to be murdered. Jehosheba, who was Jehoram's daughter and Ahaziah's half sister, hid her nephew Joash and his personal servant in a bedroom in the Lord's temple where he was safe from Athaliah. 3 Joash hid in the temple with Jehosheba for six years while Athaliah ruled as queen of Judah.
Jehoiada Makes Joash King of Judah
(2 Chronicles 23.1-21)4 Joash son of Ahaziah had hidden in the Lord's temple six years. Then in the seventh year, Jehoiada the priest sent for the commanders of the king's special bodyguards and the commanders of the palace guards. They met him at the temple, and he asked them to make a promise in the name of the Lord. Then he brought out Joash 5 and said to them:
Here's what I want you to do. Three of your guard units will be on duty on the Sabbath. I want one unit to guard the palace. 6 Another unit will guard Sur Gate, and the third unit will guard the palace gate and relieve the palace guards.
7 The other two guard units are supposed to be off duty on the Sabbath. But I want both of them to stay here at the temple and protect King Joash. 8 Make sure they follow him wherever he goes, and tell them to keep their swords ready to kill anyone who tries to get near him.
9 The commanders followed Jehoiada's orders. Each one called together his guards—those coming on duty and those going off duty. 10 Jehoiada brought out the swords and shields that had belonged to King David and gave them to the commanders. 11 Then they gave the weapons to their guards, who took their positions around the temple and the altar to protect Joash on every side.
12 Jehoiada brought Joash outside, where he placed the crown on his head and gave him a copy of instructions for ruling the nation. Olive oil was poured on his head to show that he was now king, while the crowd clapped and shouted, “Long live the king!”
13 Queen Athaliah heard the crowd and went to the temple. 14 There she saw Joash standing by one of the columns, which was the usual place for the king. The singers and the trumpet players were standing next to him, and the people were celebrating and blowing trumpets. Athaliah tore her clothes in anger and shouted, “You betrayed me, you traitors!”
15 At once, Jehoiada said to the army commanders, “Kill her! But don't do it anywhere near the Lord's temple. Take her out in front of the troops and kill anyone who is with her!” 16 So the commanders dragged her to the gate where horses are led into the palace, and they killed her there.
17 Jehoiada the priest asked King Joash and the people to promise that they would be faithful to each other and to the Lord. 18 Then the crowd went to the temple built to honor Baal and tore it down. They smashed the altars and idols and killed Mattan the priest of Baal right in front of the altars.
After Jehoiada had placed guards around the Lord's temple, 19 he called together all the commanders, the king's special bodyguards, the palace guards, and the people. They led Joash from the temple, through the Guards' Gate, and into the palace. He took his place on the throne and became king of Judah. 20 Everyone celebrated because Athaliah had been killed and Jerusalem was peaceful again. 21 Joash was only seven years old when this happened.
1 Then Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah when she saw that her sonne was dead, she arose, and destroyed all the Kings seede. 2 But Iehosheba the daughter of King Ioram, and sister to Ahaziah tooke Ioash the sonne of Ahaziah, and stale him from among the Kings sonnes that shoulde be slaine, both him and his nource, keeping them in the bed chaber, and they hid him from Athaliah, so that he was not slaine. 3 And he was with her hid in the house of the Lord sixe yeere: and Athaliah did reigne ouer the land. 4 And the seuenth yeere Iehoiada sent and tooke the captaines ouer hundreths, with other captaines and them of the garde, and caused them to come vnto him into the house of the Lord, and made a couenant with them, and tooke an othe of them in the house of the Lord, and shewed them the Kings sonne. 5 And he commanded them, saying, This is it that ye must doe, The third part of you, that commeth on the Sabbath, shall warde towarde the Kings house: 6 And another third part in the gate of Sur: and another thirde part in the gate behinde them of the garde: and ye shall keepe watche in the house of Massah. 7 And two parts of you, that is, all that goe out on the Sabbath day, shall keepe the watch of the house of the Lord about the King. 8 And ye shall compasse the King rounde about, euery man with his weapon in his hande, and whosoeuer commeth within the ranges, let him be slayne: be you with the King, as he goeth out and in. 9 And the captaines of the hundreths did according to all that Iehoiada the Priest commaded, and they tooke euery man his men that entred in to their charge on the Sabbath with them that went out of it on the Sabbath, and came to Iehoiada the Priest. 10 And the Priest gaue to the captaines of hundreths the speares and the shieldes that were King Dauids, and were in the house of the Lord. 11 And the garde stoode, euery man with his weapon in his hande, from the right side of the house to the left side, about the altar and about the house, round about the King. 12 Then he brought out the Kings sonne, and put the crowne vpon him and gaue him the Testimonie, and they made him King: also they anoynted him, and clapt their handes, and sayde, God saue the King. 13 And when Athaliah heard the noyse of the running of the people, shee came in to the people in the house of the Lord. 14 And when shee looked, beholde, the King stoode by a pillar, as the maner was, and the princes and the trumpetters by the King, and al the people of the land reioyced, and blew with trumpets. Then Athaliah rent her clothes, and cryed, Treason, treason. 15 But Iehoiada the Priest commanded the captaines of the hundreths that had the rule of the hoste, and sayde vnto them, Haue her forth of the ranges, and he that followeth her, let him die by the sworde: for the Priest had sayd, Let her not be slaine in the house of the Lord. 16 Then they laid hands on her, and she went by the way, by the which the horses goe to the house of the King, and there was she slaine. 17 And Iehoiada made a couenant betweene the Lord, and the King and the people, that they should be the Lordes people: likewise betweene the King and the people. 18 Then all the people of the lande went into the house of Baal, and destroyed it with his altars, and his images brake they downe courageously, and slewe Mattan the Priest of Baal before the altars: and the Priest set a garde ouer the house of the Lord. 19 Then he tooke the captaines of hudreths, and the other captaines, and the garde, and all the people of the lande: and they brought the King from the house of the Lord, and came by the way of the gate of the garde to the Kings house: and he sate him downe on the throne of the Kings. 20 And all the people of the land reioyced, and the citie was in quiet: for they had slaine Athaliah with the sworde beside the Kings house. 21 Seuen yeere olde was Iehoash when he began to reigne.