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11 And when Atalyah em Achazyahu saw that her ben was dead, she arose and destroyed kol zera hamamlachah.

But Yehosheva Bat HaMelech Yoram, achot Achazyahu, took Yoash ben Achazyahu, and stole him from among the Bnei HaMelech which were being slain; and they hid him, even him and his nurse, in the cheder hamittot (bedroom) from Atalyah, so that he was not slain.

And he was with her hid in the Beis Hashem shesh shanim. And Atalyah did reign over HaAretz.

And the seventh year Yehoyada sent and got the commanders of hundreds, with the Kereti and [Peleti] bodyguard [of HaMelech] and brought them to him into the Beis Hashem, and made a Brit with them, and put them under oath in the Beis Hashem, and showed them the Ben HaMelech.

And he commanded them, saying, This is the thing that ye shall do; a third part of you that come on duty on Shabbos shall even be Shomrei Mishmeret Bais HaMelech (Guards on duty at the Royal Palace);

And a third part shall be at the Sha’ar Sur; and a third part at the Sha’ar behind the ones guarding: so shall ye keep shomer the mishmeret HaBais for defense.

And two companies of all you that go off duty on Shabbos, even they shall keep shomer the mishmeret Beis Hashem for HaMelech.

And ye shall surround HaMelech round about, every ish with his weapons in his yad; and he that cometh within the sederot (ranks), let him be slain; and be ye with HaMelech when he goeth out and when he cometh in.

And the commanders of hundreds did according to all things that Yehoyada HaKohen commanded; and they took every ish his anashim that were on duty on Shabbos, with them that should go off duty on Shabbos, and came to Yehoyada HaKohen.

10 And to the commanders of hundreds did the Kohen give the spears and shields of Dovid HaMelech, that were in the Beis Hashem.

11 And the ones guarding stood, every ish with his weapons in his yad, round about HaMelech, from the right side of the Beis to the left side of the Beis, near the Mizbe’ach and the Beis.

12 And he brought forth the Ben HaMelech, and put the nezer (crown) upon him, and gave him the Edut; and they proclaimed him Melech, and anointed him; and they clapped their hands, and said, Yechi HaMelech!

13 And when Atalyah heard the noise of the ones guarding HaAm, she came to HaAm in the Beis Hashem.

14 And when she looked, hinei, HaMelech stood at HaAmmud (the Pillar) according to mishpat, and the sarim and the chatzotzerot (trumpets) beside HaMelech, and kol Am HaAretz were samei’ach (rejoicing) and blowing chatzotzerot; and Atalyah tore her robes, and cried, Kesher, kesher! (conspiracy, treason!)

15 But Yehoyada HaKohen ordered the commanders of hundreds, the officers of the force, and said unto them, Bring her between the sedorot (ranks); and him that followeth her kill with the cherev. For the Kohen had said, Let her not be slain in the Beis Hashem.

16 And they laid hands on her; and she was come to the derech of the entrance HaSusim [by] the Bais HaMelech and there was she slain.

17 And Yehoyada made a Brit between Hashem and HaMelech and HaAm, that they should be the Am Hashem; and between HaMelech and HaAm.

18 And kol HaAm HaAretz went into the bais Ba’al, and tore it down; its mizbechot and its tzelem they thoroughly broke in pieces, and slaughtered Mattan kohen HaBaal in front of the mizbechot. And [Yehoyada] HaKohen assigned the Pekudot (Oversight) over the Beis Hashem.

19 And he took the commanders of hundreds, and the Kereti and [Peleti] bodyguard [of HaMelech], and kol Am HaAretz; and they brought down HaMelech from the Beis Hashem, and came by the derech Sha’ar HaRatzim to the Bais HaMelech. And he sat on the kisse hamelachim.

20 And kol Am HaAretz rejoiced, and the Ir was sheket; and they slaughtered Atalyah with the cherev in the Bais HaMelech.

21 (12:1) Shivah shanim was the age of Yehoash when he began to reign.

Athaliah and Joash(A)

11 When Athaliah(B) the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she proceeded to destroy the whole royal family. But Jehosheba, the daughter of King Jehoram[a] and sister of Ahaziah, took Joash(C) son of Ahaziah and stole him away from among the royal princes, who were about to be murdered. She put him and his nurse in a bedroom to hide him from Athaliah; so he was not killed.(D) He remained hidden with his nurse at the temple of the Lord for six years while Athaliah ruled the land.

In the seventh year Jehoiada sent for the commanders of units of a hundred, the Carites(E) and the guards and had them brought to him at the temple of the Lord. He made a covenant with them and put them under oath at the temple of the Lord. Then he showed them the king’s son. He commanded them, saying, “This is what you are to do: You who are in the three companies that are going on duty on the Sabbath(F)—a third of you guarding the royal palace,(G) a third at the Sur Gate, and a third at the gate behind the guard, who take turns guarding the temple— and you who are in the other two companies that normally go off Sabbath duty are all to guard the temple for the king. Station yourselves around the king, each of you with weapon in hand. Anyone who approaches your ranks[b] is to be put to death. Stay close to the king wherever he goes.”

The commanders of units of a hundred did just as Jehoiada the priest ordered. Each one took his men—those who were going on duty on the Sabbath and those who were going off duty—and came to Jehoiada the priest. 10 Then he gave the commanders the spears and shields(H) that had belonged to King David and that were in the temple of the Lord. 11 The guards, each with weapon in hand, stationed themselves around the king—near the altar and the temple, from the south side to the north side of the temple.

12 Jehoiada brought out the king’s son and put the crown on him; he presented him with a copy of the covenant(I) and proclaimed him king. They anointed(J) him, and the people clapped their hands(K) and shouted, “Long live the king!”(L)

13 When Athaliah heard the noise made by the guards and the people, she went to the people at the temple of the Lord. 14 She looked and there was the king, standing by the pillar,(M) as the custom was. The officers and the trumpeters were beside the king, and all the people of the land were rejoicing and blowing trumpets.(N) Then Athaliah tore(O) her robes and called out, “Treason! Treason!”(P)

15 Jehoiada the priest ordered the commanders of units of a hundred, who were in charge of the troops: “Bring her out between the ranks[c] and put to the sword anyone who follows her.” For the priest had said, “She must not be put to death in the temple(Q) of the Lord.” 16 So they seized her as she reached the place where the horses enter(R) the palace grounds, and there she was put to death.(S)

17 Jehoiada then made a covenant(T) between the Lord and the king and people that they would be the Lord’s people. He also made a covenant between the king and the people.(U) 18 All the people of the land went to the temple(V) of Baal and tore it down. They smashed(W) the altars and idols to pieces and killed Mattan the priest(X) of Baal in front of the altars.

Then Jehoiada the priest posted guards at the temple of the Lord. 19 He took with him the commanders of hundreds, the Carites,(Y) the guards and all the people of the land, and together they brought the king down from the temple of the Lord and went into the palace, entering by way of the gate of the guards. The king then took his place on the royal throne. 20 All the people of the land rejoiced,(Z) and the city was calm, because Athaliah had been slain with the sword at the palace.

21 Joash[d] was seven years old when he began to reign.[e]

Footnotes

  1. 2 Kings 11:2 Hebrew Joram, a variant of Jehoram
  2. 2 Kings 11:8 Or approaches the precincts
  3. 2 Kings 11:15 Or out from the precincts
  4. 2 Kings 11:21 Hebrew Jehoash, a variant of Joash
  5. 2 Kings 11:21 In Hebrew texts this verse (11:21) is numbered 12:1.