2 Kings 11
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
Athaliah Reigns over Judah
11 Now when Athaliah, Ahaziah’s mother, saw that her son was dead, she set about to destroy all the royal family.(A) 2 But Jehosheba, King Joram’s daughter, Ahaziah’s sister, took Joash son of Ahaziah and stole him away from among the king’s children who were about to be killed; she put[a] him and his nurse in a bedroom. Thus she[b] hid him from Athaliah, so that he was not killed;(B) 3 he remained with her six years, hidden in the house of the Lord, while Athaliah reigned over the land.
Jehoiada Anoints the Child Joash
4 But in the seventh year Jehoiada summoned the captains of the Carites and of the guards and had them come to him in the house of the Lord. He made a covenant with them and put them under oath in the house of the Lord; then he showed them the king’s son.(C) 5 He commanded them, “This is what you are to do: one-third of you, those who go off duty on the Sabbath and guard the king’s house(D) 6 (another third being at the gate Sur and a third at the gate behind the guards), shall guard the palace, 7 and your two divisions that come on duty in force on the Sabbath and guard the house of the Lord[c] 8 shall surround the king, each with weapons in hand, and whoever approaches the ranks is to be killed. Be with the king in his comings and goings.”
9 The captains did according to all that the priest Jehoiada commanded; each brought his men who were to go off duty on the Sabbath, with those who were to come on duty on the Sabbath, and came to the priest Jehoiada.(E) 10 The priest delivered to the captains the spears and shields that had been King David’s, which were in the house of the Lord;(F) 11 the guards stood, every man with his weapons in his hand, from the south side of the house to the north side of the house, around the altar and the house, to guard the king on every side. 12 Then he brought out the king’s son, put the crown on him, and gave him the covenant; they proclaimed him king and anointed him; they clapped their hands and shouted, “Long live the king!”(G)
Death of Athaliah
13 When Athaliah heard the noise of the guard and of the people, she went into the house of the Lord to the people;(H) 14 when she looked, there was the king standing by the pillar, according to custom, with the captains and the trumpeters beside the king, and all the people of the land rejoicing and blowing trumpets. Athaliah tore her clothes and cried, “Treason! Treason!”(I) 15 Then the priest Jehoiada commanded the captains who were set over the army, “Bring her out between the ranks and kill with the sword anyone who follows her.” For the priest said, “Let her not be killed in the house of the Lord.” 16 So they laid hands on her; she went through the horses’ entrance to the king’s house, and there she was put to death.
17 Jehoiada made a covenant between the Lord and the king and people, that they should be the Lord’s people; also between the king and the people.(J) 18 Then all the people of the land went to the house of Baal and tore it down; his altars and his images they broke in pieces, and they killed Mattan, the priest of Baal, in front of the altars. The priest posted guards over the house of the Lord.(K) 19 He took the captains, the Carites, the guards, and all the people of the land; then they brought the king down from the house of the Lord, marching through the gate of the guards to the king’s house. He took his seat on the throne of the kings.(L) 20 So all the people of the land rejoiced, and the city was quiet after Athaliah had been killed with the sword at the king’s house.
21 [d]Jehoash was seven years old when he began to reign.(M)
2 Kings 11
International Standard Version
Athaliah Reigns as Queen of Judah(A)
11 As soon as Ahaziah’s mother Athaliah learned that her son had died, she seized the throne[a] and executed the entire royal bloodline.[b] 2 But King Joram’s daughter Jehosheba, who was Ahaziah’s sister, rescued[c] Ahaziah’s son Joash from the group of the king’s sons who were being executed and hid him and his nurse in her bedroom, concealing him from Athaliah so he was not put to death. 3 So Joash remained hidden with her in the Lord’s Temple for six years while Athaliah reigned over the land.
4 But during the seventh year of her reign,[d] Jehoiada went out and called together the rulers of hundreds, the captains, and the guards, and assembled them together inside the Lord’s Temple. He made a covenant with them, making them take an oath in the Lord’s Temple, and then he revealed the king’s son to them. 5 He ordered them:
“Here’s what we’ll do: A third of you will enter here on this coming[e] Sabbath dressed[f] as guardians of the watch for the king’s palace, 6 with a third of you at the Sur gate, and a third at the gate behind the guards. Keep watch over the palace[g] and defend it. 7 Two[h] of you who enter here on this coming[i] Sabbath are to stand watch at the Lord’s Temple, 8 guarding the king and surrounding him with weapons in hand. Whoever comes within range is to be killed. Stay with the king wherever he goes, coming or going.”
9 So the captains of hundreds did just as Jehoiada the priest ordered. Each one of them assembled his men who were to enter on the Sabbath, along with those who were to leave on the Sabbath, and approached Jehoiada the priest.
10 The priest issued King David’s personal spears and shields that had been stored in the Lord’s Temple to the captains of hundreds. 11 So the guards stood assembled, every soldier with weapons in hand, surrounding the king from the right side corner of the Temple to the left side corner, including around the altar and the Temple.
12 Then he brought out the king’s son, put the royal crown on him, presented him with the Testimony,[j] and installed him as king. They anointed him, applauded, and said, “May the king live!”
13 When Athaliah heard all of the commotion coming from those who were guarding the people, she approached the people who were in the Lord’s Temple. 14 She looked around—and there was the king, standing near a column, as was the royal custom! He was accompanied by the commanding officers, along with trumpeters who stood beside the king. All the people of the land sounded trumpets in their excitement.
But Athaliah tore her clothes and bellowed, “It’s a plot! A conspiracy!”
Athaliah is Executed(B)
15 Jehoiada the priest commanded the captains in charge of[k] the army, “Take her out the back way[l] and execute anybody who follows her,” since the priest had also issued this order: “Let’s not put her to death in the Lord’s Temple.” 16 So they arrested Athaliah, took her out through the same entrance used by the horses for entering the king’s palace, and executed her.
A Covenant is Made(C)
17 Then Jehoiada entered into a covenant with the Lord, the king, and the people, that they would live as the Lord’s people, and also entered into a covenant with the king and the people. 18 Then all of the people of the land entered Baal’s temple, tore it down, and broke his altars and his images to pieces, killing Mattan the priest of Baal right in front of the altars. Furthermore, Jehoiada[m] the priest appointed officers to guard the Lord’s Temple, 19 and brought the commanders of hundreds, the Carites, the guards, and all the people of the land, taking the king out of the Lord’s Temple, marching through the guard’s gate to the king’s palace, where Joash[n] took his seat on the throne of the kings. 20 After this, everyone throughout the land rejoiced and the city was at peace, because they had executed Athaliah at the king’s palace.
Jehoash (Joash) Reigns over Judah
21 [o] Jehoash began to reign as king when he was seven years old,
Footnotes
- 2 Kings 11:1 Lit. she arose
- 2 Kings 11:1 Lit. seed
- 2 Kings 11:2 Lit. took
- 2 Kings 11:4 The Heb. lacks of her reign
- 2 Kings 11:5 The Heb. lacks this coming
- 2 Kings 11:5 The Heb. lacks dressed
- 2 Kings 11:6 Or Temple; Lit. house
- 2 Kings 11:7 Lit. Two hands
- 2 Kings 11:7 The Heb. lacks this coming
- 2 Kings 11:12 I.e. the tablets that were stored in the ark; cf. Ex 25:16, 31:18
- 2 Kings 11:15 Lit. captains of hundred over
- 2 Kings 11:15 Lit. out by the ranks; i.e. using a utility entrance (cf. vs. 16)
- 2 Kings 11:18 The Heb. lacks Jehoiada
- 2 Kings 11:19 Lit. he
- 2 Kings 11:21 This vs. is 12:1 in MT
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