2Chronicles 23

Jehoiada Sets Joash on the Throne of Judah

23IN THE seventh year Jehoiada [the priest] took strength {and} courage and made a covenant with the captains of hundreds: Azariah son of Jeroham, Ishmael son of Jehohanan, Azariah son of Obed, Maaseiah son of Adaiah, and Elishaphat son of Zichri.H7637H8141H3077H2388H3947H8269H3967H5838H1121H3395H3458H1121H3076H5838H1121H5744H4641H1121H5718H478H1121H2147H12852And they went about in Judah and gathered the Levites out of all the cities, and the chiefs of the fathers' houses of Israel, and they came to Jerusalem.H5437H3063H6908H3881H5892H3063H7218H1H3478H935H33893And all the assembly made a covenant in the house of God with the king [little Joash, to suddenly proclaim his sovereignty and overthrow Athaliah's tyranny]. And Jehoiada the priest said to them, Behold, the king's son shall reign, as the Lord has said of the offspring of David.H6951H3772H1285H4428H1004H430H559H4428H1121H4427H3068H1696H1121H17324This is what you shall do: a third of you priests and Levites who are resuming service on the Sabbath shall be doorkeepers,H1697H6213H7992H935H7676H3548H3881H7778H55925A [second] third shall be at the king's house, and [the final] third at the Foundation Gate; and all the people shall be in the courts [only] of the house of the Lord.H7992H4428H1004H7992H8179H3247H5971H2691H1004H30686But let none come into the [main] house of the Lord except the priests and those of the Levites who minister; they may go in, for they are holy, but let all the rest of the people carefully observe the law against entering the holy place of the Lord.H935H1004H3068H3548H8334H3881H935H6944H5971H8104H4931H30687And the Levites shall surround the young king, every man with his weapons in his hand; and whoever comes into the house [breaking through the ranks of the guard to get near Joash] shall be put to death. But you be with the king when he comes in [from the temple chamber where he is hiding] and when he goes out.H3881H5362H4428H5439H376H3627H3027H935H1004H4191H4428H935H33188So the Levites and all Judah did according to all that Jehoiada the priest had commanded; and took every man his men who were to resume duty on the Sabbath, with those who were to go out on the Sabbath, for Jehoiada the priest did not dismiss the divisions [of priests and Levites].H3881H3063H6213H3077H3548H6680H3947H376H582H935H7676H3318H7676H3077H3548H6358H42569Also Jehoiada the priest gave the captains of hundreds spears, bucklers, and shields that had been King David's, which were in the house of God.H3077H3548H5414H8269H3967H2595H4043H7982H4428H1732H1004H43010And he set all the people as a guard for the king, every man having his weapon (missile) in his hand, from the right side to the left side of the temple, around the altar and the temple.H5975H5971H376H7973H3027H3233H3802H1004H8042H3802H1004H4196H1004H4428H543911Then they brought out the king's son and put the crown on him and gave him the testimony {or} law and made him king. And Jehoiada and his sons anointed him and said, Long live the king!H3318H4428H1121H5414H5145H5715H4427H3077H1121H4886H559H2421H4428

Athaliah Killed

12When Athaliah heard the noise of the people running and praising the king, she went into the Lord's house to the people.H6271H8085H6963H5971H7323H1984H4428H935H5971H1004H306813And behold, there the king stood by his pillar at the entrance, the captains and the trumpeters beside him; and all the people of the land rejoicing and blowing trumpets, and the singers with musical instruments led in singing of praise. Athaliah rent her clothes and cried, Treason! Treason!H7200H4428H5975H5982H3996H8269H2689H4428H5971H776H8056H8628H2689H7891H3627H7892H3045H1984H6271H7167H899H559H7195H719514Then Jehoiada the priest commanded the captains of hundreds who were over the army, Bring her out between the ranks, and whoever follows her, let him be slain with the sword. For the priest said, Do not slay her in the Lord's house.H3077H3548H3318H8269H3967H6485H2428H559H3318H1004H7713H935H310H4191H2719H3548H559H4191H1004H306815So they made way for Athaliah, and she went into the entrance of the Horse Gate of the king's house; there they slew her.H7760H3027H935H3996H5483H8179H4428H1004H4191

Reforms Carried Out

16Then Jehoiada made a covenant between himself, all the people, and the king, that they should be the Lord's people.H3077H3772H1285H5971H4428H3068H597117Then all the people went to the house of Baal, tore it down, and broke its altars and its images in pieces, and slew Mattan the priest of Baal before the altars.H5971H935H1004H1168H5422H7665H4196H6754H7665H2026H4977H3548H1168H6440H419618Also Jehoiada appointed the offices {and} officers [for the care] of the house of the Lord under the direction of the Levitical priests, whom David had distributed [in his day] in the house of the Lord, to offer the burnt offerings of the Lord as written in the Law of Moses, with rejoicing and singing, as ordered by David.H3077H7760H6486H1004H3068H3027H3548H3881H1732H2505H1004H3068H5927H5930H3068H3789H8451H4872H8057H7892H3027H173219Jehoiada set the gatekeepers at the gates of the house of the Lord so that no one should enter who was in any way unclean.H5975H7778H8179H1004H3068H2931H1697H93520And he took the captains of hundreds and the nobles and 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 Upper Gate to the king's house and set the king upon the throne of the kingdom.H3947H8269H3967H117H4910H5971H5971H776H3381H4428H1004H3068H935H8432H5945H8179H4428H1004H3427H4428H3678H446721So all the people of the land rejoiced, and the city was quiet after Athaliah had been slain with the sword.H5971H776H8055H5892H8252H4191H6271H2719