2Chronicles 23

The Revolt against Athaliah

23After waiting six years Jehoiada the priest decided that it was time to take action. He made a pact with five army officers: Azariah son of Jeroham, Ishmael son of Jehohanan, Azariah son of Obed, Maaseiah son of Adaiah, and Elishaphat son of Zichri.H7637H8141H3077H2388H3947H8269H3967H5838H1121H3395H3458H1121H3076H5838H1121H5744H4641H1121H5718H478H1121H2147H12852They traveled to all the cities of Judah and brought back with them to Jerusalem the Levites and all the heads of the clans.H5437H3063H6908H3881H5892H3063H7218H1H3478H935H33893They all gathered in the Temple, and there they made a covenant with Joash, the king's son. Jehoiada said to them, "Here is the son of the late king. He is now to be king, as the LORD promised that King David's descendants would be.H6951H3772H1285H4428H1004H430H559H4428H1121H4427H3068H1696H1121H17324This is what we will do. When the priests and Levites come on duty on the Sabbath, one third of them will guard the Temple gates,H1697H6213H7992H935H7676H3548H3881H7778H55925another third will guard the royal palace, and the rest will be stationed at the Foundation Gate. All the people will assemble in the Temple courtyard.H7992H4428H1004H7992H8179H3247H5971H2691H1004H30686No one is to enter the Temple buildings except the priests and the Levites who are on duty. They may enter, because they are consecrated, but the rest of the people must obey the LORD's instructions and stay outside.H935H1004H3068H3548H8334H3881H935H6944H5971H8104H4931H30687The Levites are to stand guard around the king, with their swords drawn, and are to stay with the king wherever he goes. Anyone who tries to enter the Temple is to be killed."H3881H5362H4428H5439H376H3627H3027H935H1004H4191H4428H935H33188The Levites and the people of Judah carried out Jehoiada's instructions. The men were not dismissed when they went off duty on the Sabbath, so the commanders had available both those coming on duty and those going off.H3881H3063H6213H3077H3548H6680H3947H376H582H935H7676H3318H7676H3077H3548H6358H42569Jehoiada gave the officers the spears and shields that had belonged to King David and had been kept in the Temple.H3077H3548H5414H8269H3967H2595H4043H7982H4428H1732H1004H43010He stationed the men with drawn swords all around the front of the Temple, to protect the king.H5975H5971H376H7973H3027H3233H3802H1004H8042H3802H1004H4196H1004H4428H543911Then Jehoiada led Joash out, placed the crown on his head, and gave him a copy of the laws governing kingship. And so he was made king. Jehoiada the priest and his sons anointed Joash, and everyone shouted, "Long live the king!"H3318H4428H1121H5414H5145H5715H4427H3077H1121H4886H559H2421H442812Athaliah heard the people cheering for the king, so she hurried to the Temple, where the crowd had gathered.H6271H8085H6963H5971H7323H1984H4428H935H5971H1004H306813There she saw the new king at the Temple entrance, standing by the column reserved for kings and surrounded by the army officers and the trumpeters. All the people were shouting joyfully and blowing trumpets, and the Temple musicians with their instruments were leading the celebration. She tore her clothes in distress and shouted, "Treason! Treason!"H7200H4428H5975H5982H3996H8269H2689H4428H5971H776H8056H8628H2689H7891H3627H7892H3045H1984H6271H7167H899H559H7195H719514Jehoiada did not want Athaliah killed in the Temple area, so he called out the army officers and said, "Take her out between the rows of guards, and kill anyone who tries to rescue her."H3077H3548H3318H8269H3967H6485H2428H559H3318H1004H7713H935H310H4191H2719H3548H559H4191H1004H306815They seized her, took her to the palace, and there at the Horse Gate they killed her.H7760H3027H935H3996H5483H8179H4428H1004H4191

Jehoiada’s Reforms

16The priest Jehoiada had King Joash and the people join him in making a covenant that they would be the LORD's people.H3077H3772H1285H5971H4428H3068H597117Then they all went to the temple of Baal and tore it down. They smashed the altars and idols there and killed Mattan, the priest of Baal, in front of the altars.H5971H935H1004H1168H5422H7665H4196H6754H7665H2026H4977H3548H1168H6440H419618Jehoiada put the priests and Levites in charge of the work of the Temple. They were to carry out the duties assigned to them by King David and to burn the sacrifices offered to the LORD in accordance with the Law of Moses. They were also in charge of the music and the celebrations.H3077H7760H6486H1004H3068H3027H3548H3881H1732H2505H1004H3068H5927H5930H3068H3789H8451H4872H8057H7892H3027H173219Jehoiada also put guards on duty at the Temple gates to keep out anyone who was ritually unclean.H5975H7778H8179H1004H3068H2931H1697H93520The army officers, the leading citizens, the officials, and all the rest of the people joined Jehoiada in a procession that brought the king from the Temple to the palace. They entered by the main gate, and the king took his place on the throne.H3947H8269H3967H117H4910H5971H5971H776H3381H4428H1004H3068H935H8432H5945H8179H4428H1004H3427H4428H3678H446721All the people were filled with happiness, and the city was quiet, now that Athaliah had been killed.H5971H776H8055H5892H8252H4191H6271H2719