Athaliah and Joash
And Athaliah, the mother of Ahaziah, saw that her son was dead; and she rose and destroyed all the royal seed.
But Jehosheba, the daughter of King Joram, the sister of Ahaziah, took Joash the son of Ahaziah and stole him away from among the sons of the king who were being put to death — him and his nurse — into the bedroom; and they hid him from Athaliah, and he was not put to death.
And he was with her in the house of the LORD, hiding, six years; and Athaliah was reigning over the land.
Joash Anointed King of Judah
And in the seventh year Jehoiada sent and took the commanders of hundreds — of the Carites and of the runners — and brought them to himself into the house of the LORD; and he cut a covenant with them, and made them swear in the house of the LORD, and showed them the son of the king.
And he commanded them, saying: “This is the thing you shall do: a third of you who come on duty on the sabbath shall keep the watch of the house of the king,
and a third at the gate of Sur, and a third at the gate behind the runners; and you shall keep the watch of the house, for defense.
And the two divisions of you — all who go off duty on the sabbath — shall keep the watch of the house of the LORD around the king.
And you shall surround the king all around, each man with his weapons in his hand; and whoever comes within the ranks shall be put to death. And be with the king when he goes out and when he comes in.”
And the commanders of hundreds did according to all that Jehoiada the priest commanded; and each took his men — those coming on duty on the sabbath together with those going off duty on the sabbath — and they came to Jehoiada the priest.
And the priest gave the commanders of hundreds the spears and the shields that had belonged to King David, which were in the house of the LORD.
And the runners stood, each man with his weapons in his hand, from the right shoulder of the house to the left shoulder of the house, by the altar and by the house, around the king on every side.
And he brought out the son of the king, and put on him the crown and the testimony; and they made him king and anointed him, and they clapped their palms and said, “Long live the king!”
The Death of Athaliah
And Athaliah heard the sound of the runners and the people; and she came to the people, to the house of the LORD.
And she looked — and look, the king standing by the pillar, according to the custom, and the commanders and the trumpeters beside the king, and all the people of the land rejoicing and blowing trumpets. And Athaliah tore her garments and cried, “Conspiracy! Conspiracy!”
And Jehoiada the priest commanded the commanders of hundreds, those appointed over the force, and said to them, “Bring her out between the ranks; and whoever follows her, put to death with the sword.” For the priest had said, “Let her not be put to death in the house of the LORD.”
And they laid hands on her; and she went by the way of the horses’ entrance to the house of the king, and there she was put to death.
Jehoiada Restores the Worship of the LORD
And Jehoiada cut the covenant between the LORD and the king and the people, that they should be a people for the LORD — and between the king and the people.
And all the people of the land came to the house of the Baal and tore it down; his altars and his images they shattered thoroughly, and Mattan, the priest of the Baal, they killed before the altars. And the priest set watchmen over the house of the LORD.
And he took the commanders of hundreds, and the Carites, and the runners, and all the people of the land; and they brought the king down from the house of the LORD, and came by the way of the gate of the runners to the house of the king. And he sat on the throne of the kings.
And all the people of the land rejoiced, and the city was quiet. And Athaliah they had put to death with the sword at the house of the king.
Jehoash was seven years old when he became king.