¹⁸ He followed the ways of the kings of Israel, as the house of Ahab had done, for he married a daughter^(A) of Ahab. He did evil in the eyes of the Lord.

²⁶ Ahaziah was twenty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem one year. His mother’s name was Athaliah,^(A) a granddaughter of Omri^(B) king of Israel.

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. ² 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) 3} He remained hidden with his nurse at the temple of the Lord for six years while Athaliah ruled the land.

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)

²⁰ All the people of the land rejoiced,^(A) and the city was calm, because Athaliah had been slain with the sword at the palace.