2Chronicles 23

23In the seventh year the priest Jehoiada decided to make his move and worked out a strategy with certain influential officers in the army. He picked Azariah son of Jeroham, Ishmael son of Jehohanan, Azariah son of Obed, Maaseiah son of Adaiah, and Elishaphat son of Zicri as his associates.H7637H8141H3077H2388H3947H8269H3967H5838H1121H3395H3458H1121H3076H5838H1121H5744H4641H1121H5718H478H1121H2147H12852They dispersed throughout Judah and called in the Levites from all the towns in Judah along with the heads of families. They met in Jerusalem.H5437H3063H6908H3881H5892H3063H7218H1H3478H935H33893The gathering met in The Temple of God. They made a covenant there in The Temple. The priest Jehoiada showed them the young prince and addressed them: "Here he is—the son of the king. He is going to rule just as GOD promised regarding the sons of David.H6951H3772H1285H4428H1004H430H559H4428H1121H4427H3068H1696H1121H17324Now this is what you must do: A third of you priests and Levites who come on duty on the Sabbath are to be posted as security guards at the gates;H1697H6213H7992H935H7676H3548H3881H7778H55925another third will guard the palace; and the other third will guard the foundation gate. All the people will gather in the courtyards of The Temple of GOD.H7992H4428H1004H7992H8179H3247H5971H2691H1004H30686No one may enter The Temple of GOD except the priests and designated Levites—they are permitted in because they've been consecrated, but all the people must do the work assigned them.H935H1004H3068H3548H8334H3881H935H6944H5971H8104H4931H30687The Levites are to form a ring around the young king, weapons at the ready. Kill anyone who tries to break through your ranks. Your job is to stay with the king at all times and places, coming and going."H3881H5362H4428H5439H376H3627H3027H935H1004H4191H4428H935H33188All the Levites and officers obeyed the orders of Jehoiada the priest. Each took charge of his men, both those who came on duty on the Sabbath and those who went off duty on the Sabbath, for Jehoiada the priest hadn't exempted any of them from duty.H3881H3063H6213H3077H3548H6680H3947H376H582H935H7676H3318H7676H3077H3548H6358H42569Then the priest armed the officers with spears and the large and small shields originally belonging to King David that were stored in The Temple of God.H3077H3548H5414H8269H3967H2595H4043H7982H4428H1732H1004H43010Well-armed, the guards took up their assigned positions for protecting the king, from one end of The Temple to the other, surrounding both Altar and Temple.H5975H5971H376H7973H3027H3233H3802H1004H8042H3802H1004H4196H1004H4428H543911Then the priest brought the prince into view, crowned him, handed him the scroll of God's covenant, and made him king. As Jehoiada and his sons anointed him they shouted, "Long live the king!"H3318H4428H1121H5414H5145H5715H4427H3077H1121H4886H559H2421H442812Athaliah, hearing all the commotion, the people running around and praising the king, came to The Temple to see what was going on.H6271H8085H6963H5971H7323H1984H4428H935H5971H1004H306813Astonished, she saw the young king standing at the entrance flanked by the captains and heralds, with everybody beside themselves with joy, trumpets blaring, the choir and orchestra leading the praise. Athaliah ripped her robes in dismay and shouted, "Treason! Treason!"H7200H4428H5975H5982H3996H8269H2689H4428H5971H776H8056H8628H2689H7891H3627H7892H3045H1984H6271H7167H899H559H7195H719514Jehoiada the priest ordered the military officers, "Drag her outside—and kill anyone who tries to follow her!" (The priest had said, "Don't kill her inside The Temple of GOD.")H3077H3548H3318H8269H3967H6485H2428H559H3318H1004H7713H935H310H4191H2719H3548H559H4191H1004H306815So they dragged her out to the palace's horse corral and there they killed her.H7760H3027H935H3996H5483H8179H4428H1004H419116Jehoiada now made a covenant between himself and the king and the people: they were to be GOD's special people.H3077H3772H1285H5971H4428H3068H597117The people poured into the temple of Baal and tore it down, smashing altar and images to smithereens. They killed Mattan the priest of Baal in front of the altar.H5971H935H1004H1168H5422H7665H4196H6754H7665H2026H4977H3548H1168H6440H419618Jehoiada turned the care of GOD's Temple over to the priests and Levites, the way David had directed originally. They were to offer the Whole-Burnt-Offerings of GOD as set out in The Revelation of Moses, and with praise and song as directed by David.H3077H7760H6486H1004H3068H3027H3548H3881H1732H2505H1004H3068H5927H5930H3068H3789H8451H4872H8057H7892H3027H173219He also assigned security guards at the gates of GOD's Temple so that no one who was unprepared could enter.H5975H7778H8179H1004H3068H2931H1697H93520Then he got everyone together—officers, nobles, governors, and the people themselves—and escorted the king down from The Temple of GOD, through the Upper Gate, and placed him on the royal throne.H3947H8269H3967H117H4910H5971H5971H776H3381H4428H1004H3068H935H8432H5945H8179H4428H1004H3427H4428H3678H446721Everybody celebrated the event. And the city was safe and undisturbed—Athaliah had been killed; no more Athaliah terror.H5971H776H8055H5892H8252H4191H6271H2719