2 Kings 11

Athaliah’s Takeover & Joash’s Comeback

1 Now, when Athaliah, Ahaziah’s mama, saw that her son had passed away, she got up and wiped out the whole royal family of Judah.

2 But Jehosheba, King Joram’s daughter and Ahaziah’s sister, snatched Joash son of Ahaziah from among the king’s sons who were about to be killed. She hid him and his nurse in a bedroom, away from Athaliah, so he would not get killed.

3 He stayed hidden with her in the Lord’s temple for six years while Athaliah was ruling the land.

4 In the seventh year, Jehoiada sent for the commanders of the units of hundreds, the Carites and the guards. He brought them to him in the Lord’s temple. He made a deal with them, had them swear an oath in the Lord’s temple, and then showed them the king’s son.

5 He commanded them, saying, “This is what y’all are going to do: A third of you, who are coming on duty on the Sabbath, will guard the king’s palace.”

6 “Another third is going to be at the Gate of Sur, and another third at the gate behind the guards. You all are going to keep watch over the palace.”

7 “And the two divisions of you who are going off duty on the Sabbath is going to guard the Lord’s temple for the king.”

8 “You are going to surround the king, each man with his weapons in hand. Anyone who tries to bust through the ranks needs to be killed. Stay with the king wherever he goes."

9 So the commanders of hundreds did everything Jehoiada the priest commanded. Each man took his troops, those coming on duty on the Sabbath and those going off duty on the Sabbath, and came to Jehoiada the priest.

10 The priest gave the commanders of hundreds King David’s spears and shields that were in the Lord’s temple.

11 And the guards stood, each man with his weapons in hand, from the south side of the temple to the north side, around the altar and the temple, all around the king.

12 Then Jehoiada brought out the king’s son, put the crown on him, and gave him the royal scroll. They made him king and anointed him. They clapped their hands and yelled, “Long live the king!”

13 When Athaliah heard the noise of the guards and the people, she came to the people in the Lord’s temple.

14 She looked, and look, the king was standing by the pillar, as was the custom, with the officers and the trumpeters beside the king, and all the people of the land were hyped up, blowing trumpets. Athaliah ripped her clothes and yelled,” Treason! Treason!”

15 Then Jehoiada the priest commanded the commanders of hundreds who were in charge of the army, “Bring her out between the ranks! And anyone who follows her, kill them with the sword!” Because the priest said, “She is not going to be killed in the Lord’s temple.”

16 So they laid hands on her, and when she got to the entrance of the Horses’ Gate to the king’s palace, they killed her there.

17 Jehoiada made a covenant between the Lord and the king and the people, that they would be the Lord’s people. He also made a covenant between the king and the people.

18 Then all the people of the land rolled up to the temple of Baal and tore it down. They smashed his altars and his images into pieces and killed Mattan the priest of Baal in front of the altars. Then the priest set up guards over the Lord’s temple.

19 He took the commanders of hundreds, the Carites, the guards, and all the people of the land. And they brought the king down from the Lord’s temple and went through the gate of the guards to the king’s palace. And he sat on the royal throne.

20 So all the people of the land were hyped up, and the city was chill, because they had killed Athaliah with the sword at the king’s palace.

21 Joash was seven years old when he became king.