CHAPTER 23
Then in the seventh
year,
Jehoiada
strengthened himself
and made
a covenant
with the commanders
of hundreds:
Azariah
son
of Jeroham,
Ishmael
son
of Jehohanan,
Azariah
son
of Obed,
Maaseiah
son
of Adaiah,
and Elishaphat
son
of Zichri.
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,
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.
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,
a third
shall be at the royal
palace,
and a third
at the Foundation
Gate,
while all
the others
are in the courtyards
of the house
of the LORD.
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.
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.”
So the commanders of hundreds 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.
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.
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.
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!”
When Athaliah
heard
the noise
of the people
running
and cheering
the king,
she went out
to
them
in the house
of the LORD.
And she looked out
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!"
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.”
So they seized
Athaliah
as she reached
the entrance
of the Horse
Gate
to the palace grounds,
and there
they put her to death.
Then Jehoiada
made
a covenant
between himself,
the king,
and the people
that they would be
the LORD’s
people.
So all
the people
went
to the temple
of Baal
and tore it down.
They smashed the altars
and idols
into pieces
and killed
Mattan
the priest
of Baal
in front of
the altars.
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 is written
in the Law
of Moses,
with rejoicing
and song,
as ordained
by David.
He stationed
gatekeepers
at
the gates
of the house
of the LORD,
so that nothing
unclean
could enter
for any
reason.
He also 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,
and all
the people
of the land
rejoiced.
And the city
was quiet,
because Athaliah
had been put to
the sword.