2 Chronicles 23

1 Then in the seventh year, Jehoiada strengthened himself and made a covenant with the commanders of hundreds—with Azariah son of Jeroham, Ishmael son of Jehohanan, Azariah son of Obed, Maaseiah son of Adaiah, and Elishaphat son of Zichri.

2 So they went throughout Judah and gathered the Levites from all the cities of Judah and the heads of the families of Israel. And when they came to Jerusalem,

3 the whole assembly made a covenant with the king in the house of God. “Behold, the king’s son!” said Jehoiada. “He must reign, just as the LORD promised concerning the descendants of David.

4 This is what you are to do: A third of you priests and Levites who come on duty on the Sabbath shall keep watch at the doors,

5 a third shall be at the royal palace, and a third at the Foundation Gate, while all the others are to be in the courtyards of the house of the LORD.

6 No one is to enter the house of the LORD except the priests and those Levites who serve; they may enter because they are consecrated, but all the people are to obey the requirement of the LORD.

7 The Levites must surround the king with weapons in hand, and anyone who enters the temple must be put to death. You must stay close to the king wherever he goes.”

8 So the Levites and all Judah did everything that Jehoiada the priest had ordered. Each of them took his men—those coming on duty on the Sabbath and those going off duty—for Jehoiada the priest had not released any of the divisions.

9 Then Jehoiada the priest gave to the commanders of hundreds the spears and the large and small shields of King David that were in the house of God.

10 He stationed all the troops, with their weapons in hand, surrounding the king by the altar and the temple, from the south side to the north side of the temple.

11 Then Jehoiada and his sons brought out the king’s son, put the crown on him, presented him with the Testimony, and proclaimed him king. They anointed him and shouted, “Long live the king!”

12 When Athaliah heard the noise of the people running and cheering the king, she went out to them in the house of the LORD.

13 And she looked and saw the king standing by his pillar at the entrance. The officers and trumpeters were beside the king, and all the people of the land were rejoicing and blowing trumpets, while the singers with musical instruments were leading the praises. Then Athaliah tore her clothes and screamed, “Treason, treason!”

14 And Jehoiada the priest sent out the commanders of hundreds in charge of the army, saying, “Bring her out between the ranks, and put to the sword anyone who follows her.” For the priest had said, “She must not be put to death in the house of the LORD.”

15 So they seized Athaliah as she reached the entrance of the Horse Gate on the palace grounds, and there they put her to death.

16 Then Jehoiada made a covenant between himself and the king and the people that they would be the LORD’s people.

17 So all the people went to the temple of Baal and tore it down. They smashed the altars and idols to pieces and killed Mattan the priest of Baal in front of the altars.

18 Moreover, Jehoiada put the oversight of the house of the LORD into the hands of the Levitical priests, whom David had appointed over the house of the LORD, to offer burnt offerings to the LORD as written in the Law of Moses, with rejoicing and song, as ordained by David.

19 He stationed gatekeepers at the gates of the house of the LORD, so that no one who was in any way unclean could enter.

20 And he took with him the commanders of hundreds, the nobles, the rulers of the people, and all the people of the land, and they brought the king down from the house of the LORD and entered the royal palace through the Upper Gate. They seated King Joash on the royal throne,

21 and all the people of the land rejoiced. And the city was quiet, because Athaliah had been put to the sword.

1 ¶ And in the seventh year Jehoiada strengthened himself, and took the captains of hundreds, Azariah the son of Jeroham, and Ishmael the son of Jehohanan, and Azariah the son of Obed, and Maaseiah the son of Adaiah, and Elishaphat the son of Zichri, into covenant with him.

2 And they went about in Judah, and gathered the Levites out of all the cities of Judah, and the chief of the fathers of Israel, and they came to Jerusalem.

3 And all the congregation made a covenant with the king in the house of God. And he said unto them, Behold, the king's son shall reign, as the LORD hath said of the sons of David.

4 This [is] the thing that ye shall do; A third part of you entering on the sabbath, of the priests and of the Levites, [shall be] porters of the doors;

5 And a third part [shall be] at the king's house; and a third part at the gate of the foundation: and all the people [shall be] in the courts of the house of the LORD.

6 But let none come into the house of the LORD, save the priests, and they that minister of the Levites; they shall go in, for they [are] holy: but all the people shall keep the watch of the LORD.

7 And the Levites shall compass the king round about, every man with his weapons in his hand; and whosoever [else] cometh into the house, he shall be put to death: but be ye with the king when he cometh in, and when he goeth out.

8 So the Levites and all Judah did according to all things that Jehoiada the priest had commanded, and took every man his men that were to come in on the sabbath, with them that were to go [out] on the sabbath: for Jehoiada the priest dismissed not the courses.

9 Moreover Jehoiada the priest delivered to the captains of hundreds spears, and bucklers, and shields, that [had been] king David's, which [were] in the house of God.

10 And he set all the people, every man having his weapon in his hand, from the right side of the temple to the left side of the temple, along by the altar and the temple, by the king round about.

11 Then they brought out the king's son, and put upon him the crown, and [gave him] the testimony, and made him king. And Jehoiada and his sons anointed him, and said, God save the king.

12 ¶ Now when Athaliah heard the noise of the people running and praising the king, she came to the people into the house of the LORD:

13 And she looked, and, behold, the king stood at his pillar at the entering in, and the princes and the trumpets by the king: and all the people of the land rejoiced, and sounded with trumpets, also the singers with instruments of musick, and such as taught to sing praise. Then Athaliah rent her clothes, and said, Treason, Treason.

14 Then Jehoiada the priest brought out the captains of hundreds that were set over the host, and said unto them, Have her forth of the ranges: and whoso followeth her, let him be slain with the sword. For the priest said, Slay her not in the house of the LORD.

15 So they laid hands on her; and when she was come to the entering of the horse gate by the king's house, they slew her there.

16 And Jehoiada made a covenant between him, and between all the people, and between the king, that they should be the LORD'S people.

17 Then all the people went to the house of Baal, and brake it down, and brake his altars and his images in pieces, and slew Mattan the priest of Baal before the altars.

18 Also Jehoiada appointed the offices of the house of the LORD by the hand of the priests the Levites, whom David had distributed in the house of the LORD, to offer the burnt offerings of the LORD, as [it is] written in the law of Moses, with rejoicing and with singing, [as it was ordained] by David.

19 And he set the porters at the gates of the house of the LORD, that none [which was] unclean in any thing should enter in.

20 And he took the captains of hundreds, and the nobles, and the governors of the people, and all the people of the land, and brought down the king from the house of the LORD: and they came through the high gate into the king's house, and set the king upon the throne of the kingdom.

21 And all the people of the land rejoiced: and the city was quiet, after that they had slain Athaliah with the sword.

1 But in the seventh year Jehoiada took courage, and took the captains over an hundred, Azariah the son of Jeroham, Ishmael the son of Johanan, Azariah the son of Obed, Maaseiah the son of Adaiah, and Elishaphat the son of Zichri, to be covenant with him.

2 And they went about Judah, and brought the Levites by multitude out of all the cities of Judah, and the chief fathers of Israel, to come to Jerusalem.

3 And all the congregation made a covenant in the house of God with the king. And he said unto them, Behold, the king's son shall be king, as the LORD hath spoken concerning the children of David.

4 Now therefore do ye this thing: your third part, which are of the sabbath, shall be among the priests and the Levites, which are porters at the door,

5 And the third part in the king's house, and the third part at the gate of the foundation: but all the people shall be in the court of the house of the LORD.

6 And that no man enter into the house of the LORD, save the priests and the Levites that minister therein: they shall enter in, because they are sanctuaries: and all the people shall wait upon the guard of the LORD.

7 And the Levites shall compass the king round about, every man with his guard in his hand. And whosoever entereth into the house, let him be put to death. And they shall be with the king when he goeth out and when he cometh in.

8 And the Levites and all Judah did as Jehoiada the priest commanded, and took every man his men that came in on the sabbath day with them that came out on the sabbath day. For Jehoiada the priest did not let the two companies come apart.

9 And Jehoiada the priest gave unto the princes about an hundred spears, and shields, and weapons of king David, which were in the house of GOD.

10 And all the people, every man with his weapons in his hand, stood before the right corner of the house unto the left corner, toward the altar, and toward the house westward, round about the king.

11 And they brought forth the king's son, and put the crown upon him, and the testimony, and made him king. And Jehoiada and his sons anointed him, and said: Happy birthday to the king!

12 And when Athaliah heard the cry of the people that ran and praised the king, she went unto the people that were in the house of the LORD.

13 And she looked, and, behold, the king stood in his place in the entry, and the princes and drummers about the king: and all the people of the land were glad, and blew the trumpets, and the singers with all manner of strings, sent to praise. Then she rent her clothes, and said, Riot, riot!

14 And Jehoiada the priest came out with the captains of hundreds that were over the host, and said unto them: Bring her out from the house beyond the court; and whosoever followeth her, let him be put to death with the sword. For the priest had commanded that they should not be slain in the house of the LORD.

15 And they laid hands on her; and when she was come to the entering in of the horse gate of the king's house, they slew her there.

16 And Jehoiada made a covenant between him, and all the people, and the king, that they should be the LORD'S people.

17 And all the people went into the house of Baal, and brake it down, and brake down his altars and his images, and slew Mathan the priest of Baal before the altars.

18 And Jehoiada appointed the offices of the house of the LORD among the priests and the Levites, whom David had ordained for the house of the LORD, to offer burnt offerings unto the LORD, as it is written in the law of Moses, with gladness and with songs, which David made up.

19 And he put porters in the gates of the house of the LORD, that nothing unclean should enter in by any means.

20 And he took the captains of hundreds, and the mighty men, and the lords of the people, and all the people of the land, and brought the king down from the house of the LORD, and brought him through the high gate of the king's house, and set the king upon the royal throne.

21 And all the people of the land were glad, and the city was quiet: but Athaliah was slain with the sword.