耶何耶大立约阿施为王

11 亚哈谢的母亲亚她利雅见儿子死了,便决定除掉王室后裔。 但约兰王的女儿、亚哈谢的妹妹约示芭把亚哈谢的儿子约阿施从被杀的王子中偷出来,将他和乳母藏在一间卧室里,才躲过亚她利雅,使约阿施没有被杀。 约阿施和他的乳母在耶和华的殿里藏了六年,那时亚她利雅篡位当政。

第七年,耶何耶大派人召迦利人[a]和卫兵的百夫长们到耶和华的殿里,与他们立约,让他们在耶和华的殿里起誓,然后把约阿施王子带到他们面前。 耶何耶大吩咐他们说:“你们在安息日值班的,三分之一要守卫王宫, 三分之一要守卫苏珥门,三分之一要守住卫兵院后门。你们要轮流守卫。 安息日没有值班的两队要在耶和华的殿里保护王, 各人要手持兵器护卫在王周围。凡擅自闯入者,都要处死。无论王去哪里,你们都要紧随左右。” 众百夫长依令而行,各自率领安息日值班和休班的随从来见耶何耶大。 10 耶何耶大把耶和华殿中大卫王的矛枪和盾牌交给百夫长。 11 从殿右到殿左,在祭坛和殿周围,卫兵都手持兵器护卫王。 12 耶何耶大祭司领王子出来,给他戴上王冠,把律法书交给他,膏立他为王。众人都鼓掌高呼:“愿王万岁!”

13 亚她利雅听见卫兵和众人的欢呼声,便走进耶和华的殿,众人都聚集在那里。 14 她看见王照例站在柱旁,百夫长和吹号的人侍立在王左右,众人都欢呼吹号,便撕裂衣服喊叫:“反了!反了!” 15 耶何耶大祭司认为不可在耶和华的殿里处死亚她利雅,便命令领兵的百夫长:“把她带出去。凡跟随她的,都要杀掉。” 16 他们抓住她,把她带到马匹进出王宫的入口,在那里杀了她。

17 耶何耶大让王及民众与耶和华立约,做耶和华的子民,也让王与民众立约。 18 于是,民众出去拆毁了巴力庙,砸碎祭坛和偶像,在坛前杀了巴力的祭司玛坦。耶何耶大派守卫保护耶和华的殿, 19 然后率领百夫长、迦利人、卫兵和民众,护送王从耶和华的殿下来,经过卫兵院的门进入王宫。这样,约阿施坐上了王位。 20 民众都欢喜快乐,城里安定,因为亚她利雅已在王宫那里被处死。 21 约阿施七岁登基。

Footnotes

  1. 11:4 迦利人”指雇来保护王的外族卫兵。

亚他利雅弄权(A)

11 亚哈谢的母亲亚他利雅看见自己的儿子死了,就起来消灭王室所有的后裔。 但约兰王的女儿,亚哈谢的妹妹约示巴,把亚哈谢的儿子约阿施从正要被杀的王子中偷了出来,把他和他的乳母藏在卧室里面;他们把他收藏起来,躲避亚他利雅,免得他被杀死。 约阿施和他的乳母在耶和华的殿中躲藏了六年;亚他利雅却作王统治那地。

耶何耶大等人立约辅助王子(B)

在第七年,耶何耶大派人把迦利人和卫兵的众百夫长带来,领他们进入耶和华的殿中,和他们立约,使他们在耶和华的殿里起誓,然后把王子带出来和他们见面。 他又吩咐他们说:“你们要这样作:你们在安息日值班的,三分之一要守卫王宫; 三分之一要在苏珥门;三分之一要在卫兵院的后门;你们要轮班把守王宫。 你们在安息日不用当值的两班人,要为王的缘故守卫耶和华的殿。 你们要在四周围护着王,各人手中要拿着自己的武器。擅自闯入班次的,必被处死。王出入的时候,你们要紧随左右。”

于是众百夫长照着耶何耶大祭司的一切吩咐去行。他们各自率领人马,无论在安息日值班或不用当值的,都来到耶何耶大祭司那里。 10 耶何耶大就把藏在耶和华殿里,属于大卫王的矛枪和盾牌交给众百夫长。 11 各卫兵手持兵器,从殿的右面到殿的左面,面对祭坛和殿,围绕着王侍立。 12 耶何耶大领王子出来,把王冠戴在他的头上,又把约书交给他。他们就拥立他为王,用膏膏他,并且拍掌,说:“愿王万岁!”

亚他利雅被杀(C)

13 亚他利雅听见卫兵和民众的声音,就进到耶和华的殿、众民那里去。 14 她看见王子按着规例站在柱旁那里,首领和号手在王的旁边,当地所有的人民欢乐吹号。亚他利雅于是撕裂衣服,呼叫:“反了!反了!” 15 耶何耶大祭司吩咐众百夫长,就是统领军兵的,对他们说:“把她从各班军兵中赶出去,跟随她的,都要用刀杀死。”因为祭司说:“不可在耶和华的殿内杀死她。” 16 于是他们下手拿住她;她回到王宫的马门的时候,就在那里被人杀死。

耶何耶大的改革(D)

17 耶何耶大又使王和人民与耶和华立约,好使他们作耶和华的人民;又使王与人民立约。 18 然后当地所有的人民都来到巴力庙,把它拆毁,把它的坛和像完全打碎,又在祭坛前把巴力的祭司玛坦杀了。耶何耶大祭司又设立官员管理耶和华的殿。 19 他又率领众百夫长、迦利人、卫兵和当地所有的人民,护送王从耶和华的殿下来,经卫兵的门进入王宫。这样,约阿施就坐上了王位。 20 当地所有的人民都欢乐,阖城平静;至于亚他利雅,他们在王宫用刀把她杀死了。

21 约阿施作王的时候,只有七岁。(本节在《马索拉文本》为12:1)

Athaliah and Joash(A)

11 When Athaliah(B) the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she proceeded to destroy the whole royal family. But Jehosheba, the daughter of King Jehoram[a] and sister of Ahaziah, took Joash(C) son of Ahaziah and stole him away from among the royal princes, who were about to be murdered. She put him and his nurse in a bedroom to hide him from Athaliah; so he was not killed.(D) He remained hidden with his nurse at the temple of the Lord for six years while Athaliah ruled the land.

In the seventh year Jehoiada sent for the commanders of units of a hundred, the Carites(E) and the guards and had them brought to him at the temple of the Lord. He made a covenant with them and put them under oath at the temple of the Lord. Then he showed them the king’s son. He commanded them, saying, “This is what you are to do: You who are in the three companies that are going on duty on the Sabbath(F)—a third of you guarding the royal palace,(G) a third at the Sur Gate, and a third at the gate behind the guard, who take turns guarding the temple— and you who are in the other two companies that normally go off Sabbath duty are all to guard the temple for the king. Station yourselves around the king, each of you with weapon in hand. Anyone who approaches your ranks[b] is to be put to death. Stay close to the king wherever he goes.”

The commanders of units of a hundred did just as Jehoiada the priest ordered. Each one took his men—those who were going on duty on the Sabbath and those who were going off duty—and came to Jehoiada the priest. 10 Then he gave the commanders the spears and shields(H) that had belonged to King David and that were in the temple of the Lord. 11 The guards, each with weapon in hand, stationed themselves around the king—near the altar and the temple, from the south side to the north side of the temple.

12 Jehoiada brought out the king’s son and put the crown on him; he presented him with a copy of the covenant(I) and proclaimed him king. They anointed(J) him, and the people clapped their hands(K) and shouted, “Long live the king!”(L)

13 When Athaliah heard the noise made by the guards and the people, she went to the people at the temple of the Lord. 14 She looked and there was the king, standing by the pillar,(M) as the custom was. The officers and the trumpeters were beside the king, and all the people of the land were rejoicing and blowing trumpets.(N) Then Athaliah tore(O) her robes and called out, “Treason! Treason!”(P)

15 Jehoiada the priest ordered the commanders of units of a hundred, who were in charge of the troops: “Bring her out between the ranks[c] and put to the sword anyone who follows her.” For the priest had said, “She must not be put to death in the temple(Q) of the Lord.” 16 So they seized her as she reached the place where the horses enter(R) the palace grounds, and there she was put to death.(S)

17 Jehoiada then made a covenant(T) between the Lord and the king and people that they would be the Lord’s people. He also made a covenant between the king and the people.(U) 18 All the people of the land went to the temple(V) of Baal and tore it down. They smashed(W) the altars and idols to pieces and killed Mattan the priest(X) of Baal in front of the altars.

Then Jehoiada the priest posted guards at the temple of the Lord. 19 He took with him the commanders of hundreds, the Carites,(Y) the guards and all the people of the land, and together they brought the king down from the temple of the Lord and went into the palace, entering by way of the gate of the guards. The king then took his place on the royal throne. 20 All the people of the land rejoiced,(Z) and the city was calm, because Athaliah had been slain with the sword at the palace.

21 Joash[d] was seven years old when he began to reign.[e]

Footnotes

  1. 2 Kings 11:2 Hebrew Joram, a variant of Jehoram
  2. 2 Kings 11:8 Or approaches the precincts
  3. 2 Kings 11:15 Or out from the precincts
  4. 2 Kings 11:21 Hebrew Jehoash, a variant of Joash
  5. 2 Kings 11:21 In Hebrew texts this verse (11:21) is numbered 12:1.

11 And when Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she arose and destroyed all the seed royal.

But Jehosheba, the daughter of king Joram, sister of Ahaziah, took Joash the son of Ahaziah, and stole him from among the king's sons which were slain; and they hid him, even him and his nurse, in the bedchamber from Athaliah, so that he was not slain.

And he was with her hid in the house of the Lord six years. And Athaliah did reign over the land.

And the seventh year Jehoiada sent and fetched the rulers over hundreds, with the captains and the guard, and brought them to him into the house of the Lord, and made a covenant with them, and took an oath of them in the house of the Lord, and shewed them the king's son.

And he commanded them, saying, This is the thing that ye shall do; A third part of you that enter in on the sabbath shall even be keepers of the watch of the king's house;

And a third part shall be at the gate of Sur; and a third part at the gate behind the guard: so shall ye keep the watch of the house, that it be not broken down.

And two parts of all you that go forth on the sabbath, even they shall keep the watch of the house of the Lord about the king.

And ye shall compass the king round about, every man with his weapons in his hand: and he that cometh within the ranges, let him be slain: and be ye with the king as he goeth out and as he cometh in.

And the captains over the hundreds did according to all things that Jehoiada the priest commanded: and they took every man his men that were to come in on the sabbath, with them that should go out on the sabbath, and came to Jehoiada the priest.

10 And to the captains over hundreds did the priest give king David's spears and shields, that were in the temple of the Lord.

11 And the guard stood, every man with his weapons in his hand, round about the king, from the right corner of the temple to the left corner of the temple, along by the altar and the temple.

12 And he brought forth the king's son, and put the crown upon him, and gave him the testimony; and they made him king, and anointed him; and they clapped their hands, and said, God save the king.

13 And when Athaliah heard the noise of the guard and of the people, she came to the people into the temple of the Lord.

14 And when she looked, behold, the king stood by a pillar, as the manner was, and the princes and the trumpeters by the king, and all the people of the land rejoiced, and blew with trumpets: and Athaliah rent her clothes, and cried, Treason, Treason.

15 But Jehoiada the priest commanded the captains of the hundreds, the officers of the host, and said unto them, Have her forth without the ranges: and him that followeth her kill with the sword. For the priest had said, Let her not be slain in the house of the Lord.

16 And they laid hands on her; and she went by the way by the which the horses came into the king's house: and there was she slain.

17 And Jehoiada made a covenant between the Lord and the king and the people, that they should be the Lord's people; between the king also and the people.

18 And all the people of the land went into the house of Baal, and brake it down; his altars and his images brake they in pieces thoroughly, and slew Mattan the priest of Baal before the altars. And the priest appointed officers over the house of the Lord.

19 And he took the rulers over hundreds, and the captains, and the guard, and all the people of the land; and they brought down the king from the house of the Lord, and came by the way of the gate of the guard to the king's house. And he sat on the throne of the kings.

20 And all the people of the land rejoiced, and the city was in quiet: and they slew Athaliah with the sword beside the king's house.

21 Seven years old was Jehoash when he began to reign.