2 Kings, Chapter 11:
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Verses from 2 Kings, Chapter 11 of the book of 1 Samuel in the Bible.
Athaliah and Joash
- 1. When Athaliah, Ahaziah's mother, learned that her son was dead, she ordered the slaughter of the entire royal family.
- 2. But Jesheba, daughter of King Jehoram and sister of Ahaziah, took Joash, one of the king's sons who was going to be killed, and hid him in a room with his nurse. Thus he was saved from death.
- 3. Joash hid with Jesheba in the temple of the Lord for six years while Athaliah ruled the country.
- 4. In the seventh year, Jehoiada the priest summoned the leaders of the battalions of hundreds, the Carites, and the palace guards, and made a covenant with them in the temple of the Lord. Then he showed them the king's son.
- 5. Jehoiada gave them instructions, saying: “When you go on duty on the Sabbath, a company will stand guard at the royal palace;
- 6. another company will remain at the gate of Shur; and the third company will be at the door behind the other two. The companies will take turns guarding the temple.
- 7. The other two companies that are not normally on duty on the Sabbath will be on guard at the temple to protect the king.
- 8. They will surround the king, each with their weapons drawn. Anyone who tries to join the ranks will be killed. Stand by the king wherever he goes.”
- 9. The leaders of the hundred battalions did as the priest Jehoiada had commanded. Each brought his soldiers, both those who were on duty on the Sabbath and those who were leaving, and presented themselves to Jehoiada the priest.
- 10. Then Jehoiada gave the spears and shields that had belonged to King David and that were in the temple of the Lord to the leaders of the hundred battalions.
- 11. The guards, all armed, positioned themselves around the king, around the altar and the temple, from the south side to the north side of the temple.
- 12. Jehoiada brought out the king's son, placed the crown on him, and gave him a copy of the covenant. They anointed him and the people applauded, shouting: “Long live the king!”
- 13. When Athaliah heard the noise of the guards and the people, she went to the temple of the Lord, where the people were.
- 14. When they saw the king standing at the pillar, as was customary, and the officials and trumpet players beside the king, all the people rejoiced and blew their trumpets. Then Athaliah tore her clothes and cried out: “Treason! Betrayal!"
- 15. Jehoiada the priest ordered the leaders of the battalions of one hundred who were in command of the troops: “Take her out of the temple by the ranks, and kill whoever follows her.” For the priest had said, “Do not kill her in the temple of the Lord.”
- 16. Then they seized her and took her to the horse entrance of the palace, where they killed her.
- 17. Jehoiada made a covenant between the Lord, the king and the people, that they would become the Lord's people. He also established a pact between the king and the people.
- 18. All the people went to the temple of Baal and destroyed it. They broke their altars and their idols, and killed Matthan, the priest of Baal, before the altars.
- 19. Jehoiada appointed the leaders of the battalions of a hundred Carites, guards, and all the people, and they led the king from the temple to the palace, passing through the gate of the guard. The king then took his place on the royal throne,
- 20. and all the people rejoiced. The city was calm after Athaliah was killed by the sword in the palace.
- 21. Joash was seven years old when he began to reign.
