³⁹ When David heard that Nabal was dead, he said, “Praise be to the Lord, who has upheld my cause against Nabal for treating me with contempt. He has kept his servant from doing wrong and has brought Nabal’s wrongdoing down on his own head.”

Then David sent word to Abigail, asking her to become his wife.

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.

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

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,^(E) 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.^(F) Then Athaliah tore^(G) her robes and called out, “Treason! Treason!”^(H)

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^[a] and put to the sword anyone who follows her.” For the priest had said, “She must not be put to death in the temple^(I) of the Lord.” ¹⁶ So they seized her as she reached the place where the horses enter^(J) the palace grounds, and there she was put to death.^(K)

¹⁹ “‘Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: As surely as I live, I will repay him for despising my oath and breaking my covenant.^(A)