1    ^noteAs soon as Athaliah mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she set out to destroy all the royal line. 2   But Jehosheba daughter of King Joram, sister of Ahaziah, took Ahaziah's son Joash and stole him away from among the princes who were being murdered; she put ^note him and his nurse in a bedchamber where he was hidden from Athaliah and was not put to death. 3   He remained concealed with her in the house of the Lord for six years, while Athaliah ruled the country. 4   In the seventh year Jehoiada sent for the captains of units of a hundred, both of the Carites and of the guards, and he brought them into the house of the Lord; he made an agreement with them and put them on their oath in the house of the Lord, and showed them the king's son, and gave them the following orders: 5   ‘One third of you who are on duty on the sabbath are to be on guard ^note in the palace; 6   the rest of you are to be on special duty in the house of the Lord, one third at the Sur Gate and the other third at the gate with ^note the outrunners. 7   Your two companies who are off duty on the sabbath shall be on duty for the king in the house of the Lord. 8   So you shall be on guard round the king, each man with his arms at the ready, and anyone who comes near the ranks is to be put to death; you must be with the king wherever he goes.’

9   The captains carried out the orders of Jehoiada the priest to the letter. Each took his men, both those who came on duty on the sabbath and those who came off, and came to Jehoiada. 10   The priest handed out to the captains King David's spears ^note and shields, which were in the house of the Lord. 11   Then the guards took up their stations, each man carrying his arms at the ready, from corner to corner of the house to north and south, ^note surrounding the king. 12   Then he brought out the king's son, put the crown on his head, handed him the warrant and anointed him king. The people ^note clapped their hands and shouted, ‘Long live the king.’ 13   When Athaliah heard the noise made by the guards and ^note the people, 14   she came into the house of the Lord where the people were and found the king standing, as was the custom, on the dais, ^note amidst outbursts of song and fanfares of trumpets in his honour, and all the populace rejoicing and blowing trumpets. Then Athaliah rent her clothes and cried, ‘Treason! 15   Treason!’ Jehoiada the priest gave orders

Kings of Israel and Judah to the captains in command of the troops: ‘Bring her outside the precincts and put to the sword anyone in attendance on her’; for the priest said, ‘She shall not be put to death in the house of the Lord.’ 16   So they laid hands on her and took her out by the entry for horses to the royal palace, and there she was put to death.

17   Then Jehoiada made a covenant between the Lord and the king and people that they should be the Lord's people, and also between the king and the people. 18   And all the people went into the temple of Baal and pulled it down; they smashed to pieces its altars and images, and they slew Mattan the priest of Baal before the altars. Then Jehoiada set a watch over the house of the Lord; 19   he took the captains of units of a hundred, the Carites and the guards and all the people, and they escorted the king from the house of the Lord through the Gate of the Guards to the royal palace, and seated him on the royal throne. 20   The whole people rejoiced and the city was tranquil. That is how Athaliah was put to the sword in the royal palace.

21    ^{note note}Joash was seven years old when he became king.

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