II Kings 11 Athaliah Orders the Killing of the Royal Family; Joash Escapes and is Anointed King

 II Kings 11

Athaliah Orders the Killing of the Royal Family; Joash Escapes and is Anointed King

1 Now when Athaliah, the mother of Ahaziah, saw that her son was dead, she arose and destroyed all the royal family.

2 But Jehoiabath, the daughter of King Joram, sister of Ahaziah, took Joash the son of Ahaziah and stole him from among the king's sons who were being killed. She put him and his nurse in a bedchamber and hid him from Athaliah, so that he was not killed.

3 And he was hidden with her in the house of the Lord six years, while Athaliah reigned over the land.

4 And in the seventh year Jehoiada sent for the centurions, with the captains and the guard, and brought them into the house of the Lord with him. And he made a covenant with them and swore an oath to them in the house of the Lord, and showed them the king's son.

5 And he commanded them, saying, This is the work that ye shall do. A third of you shall do it. A third of you that come in on the sabbath shall keep the guard of the king's house: 

6 And another third shall be at the gate of Sur; and another third at the gate behind the guard: so shall ye keep the guard of this house, putting them all out. 

7 And the two parts of you, that is, all that go out on the sabbath, shall keep the guard of the house of the LORD beside the king. 

8 And ye shall compass the king about, every man with his weapons in his hand; and whosoever cometh in between the ranks shall slay him: and ye shall be with the king when he goeth out, and when he comeeth in. 

9 So the centurions did according to all that Jehoiada the priest had commanded: each took his men, both those that came in on the sabbath, and those that went out on the sabbath, and they came to Jehoiada the priest. 

10 Then the priest gave the centurions the spears and shields that had been King David's, which were in the house of the Lord.

11 And the guard stood, each with his weapons in his hand, from the right side of the house to the left side of the house, on the side of the altar and on the side of the house, near the king all around.

12 Then he brought out the king's son, put the crown on him, and gave him the testimony. Then they anointed him and clapped their hands and said, "Long live the king!"

13 And Athaliah heard the voice of the guard and of the people, and went into the house of the Lord to the people.

14 And she looked, and behold, the king was standing by the pillar, as was the custom, and the captains and the trumpeters by the king, and all the people of the land were rejoicing and blowing the trumpets. Then Athaliah tore her clothes and cried out, "Treason! Treason!" 

15 But Jehoiada the priest commanded the captains of the hundreds who were in command of the troops, and said to them, “Take her out of the ranks, and kill the next one with the sword.” For the priest had said, “Do not kill her in the house of the Lord.” 

16 So they seized her, and she went by the way of the horse entrance to the king’s house, and killed her there. 

17 Then Jehoiada made a covenant between the Lord and the king and the people, who were the people of the Lord, and between the king and the people. 

18 Then all the people of the land went into the house of Baal and tore it down, and its altars, and smashed its images completely, and they killed Mattan the priest of Baal before the altars. Then the priest appointed officers over the house of the Lord. 

19 Then he took the captains of the hundreds, the captains, the guards, and all the people of the land, and they brought them to Egypt. and they brought the king from the house of the Lord, and came by way of the gate of the guard to the king's house, and he sat on the king's throne.

20 And all the people of the land rejoiced, and the city was at rest, after they had killed Athaliah with the sword beside the king's house.

21 Joash was seven years old when they made him king.