2 Kings 11

1 When King Ahaziah’s mother Athaliah saw that her son had been killed, she commanded that all the members of Ahaziah’s family [who might become king] must be executed.

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

2 So Ahaziah’s sons were all about to be murdered. But Jehosheba, who was King Jehoram’s daughter and Ahaziah’s half-sister, took Ahaziah’s [very young] son Joash and hid him and (his nursemaid/the woman who took care of him) in a bedroom [in the temple]. So he was not killed.

But Jehosheba, a daughter of King Jehoram and sister of Ahaziah, took Joash son of Ahaziah, and hid him away from among the king's sons who were killed, along with his nurse; she put them into a bedroom. They hid him from Athaliah so that he was not killed.

3 He stayed with Jehosheba for six years. All during that time, he remained hidden in the temple, while Athaliah ruled [Judah].

He remained with her six years, hidden in the house of Yahweh, while Athaliah reigned over the land.

4 But during the next year, Jehoiada the Supreme Priest summoned the officers who supervised the royal bodyguards and the palace guards. He told them to come to the temple. There he required them to solemnly promise that they would do what he told them to do. And he showed King Ahaziah’s son Joash to them.

In the seventh year, Jehoiada sent messages and brought the commanders of hundreds of the Carites and of the guard, and brought them to himself, into the temple of Yahweh. He made a covenant with them, and he made them swear an oath in the house of Yahweh. Then he showed them the king's son.

5 He gave them these instructions: “There are three groups of you guards. When one group finishes their work on the Sabbath day, [divide yourselves into] three smaller groups. One group must guard the palace.

He commanded them, saying, “This is what you must do. A third of you who come on the Sabbath will keep watch over the king's house,

6 Another group must guard at the Sur Gate. The other group must guard at the gate behind the other groups.

and a third will be at the Sur Gate, and a third at the gate behind the guardhouse.”

7 The two groups that are not working on the Sabbath day must guard the temple [to protect little King Joash].

The two other groups who are not serving on the Sabbath, you must keep the watch over the house of Yahweh for the king.

8 You must stand around the king wherever he goes, with your weapons in your hands. You must kill anyone who comes near you.”

You must surround the king, every man with his weapons in his hand. Whoever enters within your ranks, let him be killed. You must stay with the king when he goes out, and when he comes in.

9 The officers [who supervised the guards] did what Jehoiada told them to do. Each one brought to Jehoiada the guards that he supervised—the guards who were just finishing their work and those who were about to start their work on the Sabbath day.

So the commanders of hundreds obeyed everything Jehoiada the priest commanded. Each one took his men, those who were to come in to serve on the Sabbath, and those who were to stop serving on that Sabbath; and they came to Jehoiada the priest.

10 The priest distributed to the commanders of the guards the spears and shields that had belonged to King David, that were kept/stored in the temple.

Then Jehoiada the priest gave the commanders of hundreds the spears and shields that belonged to King David and that were in the house of Yahweh.

11 Then he commanded all the guards to stand in their positions, each one with his sword in his hand, all around the young king.

So the guards stood, each man with his weapon in his hand, from the right side of the temple to the left side, near the altar and the temple, surrounding the king.

12 Then he brought Joash out. He put the crown on his head and gave him a scroll on which were written the rules [that the kings needed to obey]. Then he poured some olive oil on Joash’s head and proclaimed that he was now the king. The people all clapped their hands and shouted, “We desire/hope that the king will live for many years!”

Then Jehoiada brought out the king's son Joash, put the crown on him, and gave him the covenant decrees. Then they made him king and anointed him. They clapped their hands and said, “Long live the king!”

13 When Athaliah heard the noise that was being made by the guards and the other people, she ran to the temple, where the people were gathered.

When Athaliah heard the noise of the guard and of the people, she came to the people in the house of Yahweh.

14 She saw the new king standing there alongside one of the big pillars, which was the place at the temple where the kings usually stood. She saw that he was surrounded by the temple officers and men blowing trumpets, and that the people were shouting joyfully, and [some of] them were also blowing trumpets. She tore her clothes [to show her distress] and shouted, “You are traitors! You have tricked/deceived me!”

She looked, and, behold, the king was standing by the pillar, as the custom was, and the captains and the trumpeters were by the king. All the people of the land were rejoicing and blowing trumpets. Then Athaliah tore her clothes and shouted, “Treason! Treason!”

15 Jehoiada [immediately] said, “Kill her, but do not kill her here at the temple of Yahweh! Take her away between two rows of guards. And kill anyone who tries to rescue her!”

Then Jehoiada the priest ordered the commanders of hundreds who were over the army, saying, “Bring her out between the ranks. Anyone who follows her, kill him with the sword.” For the priest had said, “Do not let her be killed in the house of Yahweh.”

16 [She tried to flee, but] the guards seized her and took her to the palace, to the place where horses enter the courtyard. They killed her there.

So they seized her as she reached the place where the horses enter the palace grounds, and there she was killed.

17 Then Jehoiada made a solemn agreement between the king and the people, that they would always (obey/be faithful to) Yahweh. He also made an agreement requiring the people to be loyal to Joash their king.

Then Jehoiada made a covenant between Yahweh and the king and people, that they should be Yahweh's people, and also between the king and the people.

18 Then all the people of Israel who were there went to the temple of Baal and tore it down. They smashed the altars and the statues of Baal. They also killed Mattan, the priest of Baal, in front of the altars. Jehoiada stationed/put guards at the temple of Yahweh.

So all the people of the land went to the house of Baal and tore it down. They smashed Baal's altars and his idol figures to pieces, and they killed Mattan, the priest of Baal, in front of those altars. Then Jehoida the priest appointed guards over the temple of Yahweh.

19 Then he and the officers of the temple, the officers who supervised the royal bodyguards, and the king’s bodyguards brought the king from the temple to the palace. All the people [followed them]. Joash entered the palace at the Guard Gate and sat down on the throne, [which showed that he was the new king].

Jehoida took with him the commanders of hundreds, the Carites, the guard, and all the people of the land, and together they brought down the king from the house of Yahweh and they went into the king's house, entering by way of the gate of the guards. Joash took his place on the royal throne.

20 All the people of Judah rejoiced. And because Athaliah had been killed, the city was quiet/calm.

So all the people of the land rejoiced, and the city was quiet after Athaliah had been killed with the sword at the king's house.

21 Joash was seven years old when he became the king [of Judah].

Joash was seven years old when he began to reign.