1 N ow in the seventh year Jehoiada strengthened himself, and took captains of hundreds: Azariah the son of Jeroham, Ishmael the son of Johanan, Azariah the son of Obed, Maaseiah the son of Adaiah, and Elishaphat the son of Zichri, and they entered into a covenant with him.

In the seventh year Jehoiada 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.

2 T hey went throughout Judah and gathered the Levites from all the cities of Judah, and the heads of the fathers’ households of Israel, and they came to Jerusalem.

And 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.

3 T hen all the assembly made a covenant with the king in the house of God. And Jehoiada said to them, “Behold, the king’s son shall reign, as the Lord has spoken concerning the sons of David.

And all the assembly made a covenant in the house of God with the king. And Jehoiada the priest said to them, Behold, the king’s son shall reign, as the Lord has said of the offspring of David.

4 T his is the thing which you shall do: one third of you, of the priests and Levites who come in on the sabbath, shall be gatekeepers,

This is what you shall do: a third of you priests and Levites who are resuming service on the Sabbath shall be doorkeepers,

5 a nd one third shall be at the king’s house, and a third at the Gate of the Foundation; and all the people shall be in the courts of the house of the Lord.

A third shall be at the king’s house, and third at the Foundation Gate; and all the people shall be in the courts of the house of the Lord.

6 B ut let no one enter the house of the Lord except the priests and the ministering Levites; they may enter, for they are holy. And let all the people keep the charge of the Lord.

But let none come into the 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.

7 T he Levites will surround the king, each man with his weapons in his hand; and whoever enters the house, let him be killed. Thus be with the king when he comes in and when he goes out.”

And the Levites shall surround the young king, every man with his weapons in his hand; and whoever comes into the house shall be put to death. But you be with the king when he comes in and when he goes out.

8 S o the Levites and all Judah did according to all that Jehoiada the priest commanded. And each one of them took his men who were to come in on the sabbath, with those who were to go out on the sabbath, for Jehoiada the priest did not dismiss any of the divisions.

So 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.

9 T hen Jehoiada the priest gave to the captains of hundreds the spears and the large and small shields which had been King David’s, which were in the house of God.

Also 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.

10 H e stationed all the people, each man with his weapon in his hand, from the right side of the house to the left side of the house, by the altar and by the house, around the king.

And 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.

11 T hen they brought out the king’s son and put the crown on him, and gave him the testimony and made him king. And Jehoiada and his sons anointed him and said, “ Long live the king!” Athaliah Murdered

Then 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!

12 W hen Athaliah heard the noise of the people running and praising the king, she came into the house of the Lord to the people.

When Athaliah heard the noise of the people running and praising the king, she went into the Lord’s house to the people.

13 S he looked, and behold, the king was standing by his pillar at the entrance, and the captains and the trumpeters were beside the king. And all the people of the land rejoiced and blew trumpets, the singers with their musical instruments leading the praise. Then Athaliah tore her clothes and said, “Treason! Treason!”

And 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!

14 J ehoiada the priest brought out the captains of hundreds who were appointed over the army and said to them, “Bring her out between the ranks; and whoever follows her, put to death with the sword.” For the priest said, “Let her not be put to death in the house of the Lord.”

Then 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.

15 S o they seized her, and when she arrived at the entrance of the Horse Gate of the king’s house, they put her to death there. Reforms Carried Out

So they made way for Athaliah, and she went into the entrance of the Horse Gate of the king’s house; there they slew her.

16 T hen Jehoiada made a covenant between himself and all the people and the king, that they would be the Lord’s people.

Then Jehoiada made a covenant between himself, all the people, and the king, that they should be the Lord’s people.

17 A nd all the people went to the house of Baal and tore it down, and they broke in pieces his altars and his images, and killed Mattan the priest of Baal before the altars.

Then 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.

18 M oreover, Jehoiada placed the offices of the house of the Lord under the authority of the Levitical priests, whom David had assigned over the house of the Lord, to offer the burnt offerings of the Lord, as it is written in the law of Moses— with rejoicing and singing according to the order of David.

Also Jehoiada appointed the offices and officers of the house of the Lord under the direction of the Levitical priests, whom David had distributed 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.

19 H e stationed the gatekeepers of the house of the Lord, so that no one would enter who was in any way unclean.

Jehoiada set the gatekeepers at the gates of the house of the Lord so that no one should enter who was in any way unclean.

20 H e took the captains of hundreds, the nobles, the rulers of the people and all the people of the land, and brought the king down from the house of the Lord, and came through the upper gate to the king’s house. And they placed the king upon the royal throne.

And 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.

21 S o all of the people of the land rejoiced and the city was quiet. For they had put Athaliah to death with the sword.

So all the people of the land rejoiced, and the city was quiet after Athaliah had been slain with the sword.