2 Kings 11:1-9

New American Standard Bible

Athaliah Queen of Judah

11 ^(A)When Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she arose and eliminated all the royal ^[a]children. ² But Jehosheba, the daughter of King Joram, sister of Ahaziah, ^(B)took Joash the son of Ahaziah and abducted him from among the king’s sons who were being put to death, and put him and his nurse in the bedroom. So they hid him from Athaliah, and he was not put to death. ³ So he was kept hidden with her in the house of the Lord for six years, while Athaliah was reigning over the land.

^4 (C)Now in the seventh year Jehoiada sent orders and brought the captains of hundreds of ^(D)the Carites and of the ^[b]guards, and brought them to himself at the house of the Lord. Then he made a covenant with them and put them under oath at the house of the Lord, and showed them the king’s son. ⁵ And he commanded them, saying, “This is the thing that you shall do: ^(E)a third of you, who come in on the Sabbath and keep watch over the king’s house ⁶ (a third also shall be at the gate Sur, and a third at the gate behind the ^[c]guards), ^[d]shall keep watch over the house ^[e]for defense. ⁷ And two parts of you, all who go out on the Sabbath, shall also keep watch over the house of the Lord for the king. ⁸ Then you shall surround the king, each with his weapons in his hand; and whoever comes within the ranks shall be put to death. And ^(F)you are to be with the king when he goes out and when he comes in.”

⁹ So the captains of hundreds ^(G)acted in accordance with everything that Jehoiada the priest commanded. And each one of them took his men who were to come in on the Sabbath, along with those who were to go out on the Sabbath, and they came to Jehoiada the priest.